Picking Up An Unknown Mooring Buoy ?

[RabidRabbit]

Hooking up to a mooring (always short scope, thats how they work) and then putting the hook out (needs 5-8 scope to work as designed) is a terrible idea. Just anchor. Why not anchor? Anchoring is half of cruising, So getting really,really good at it should be a top priority. Most moorings are not maintained every year, why risk it. Heres the offensive part, people who go marina to marina, timing they're runs to not be out of a marinas mileage every day, they are not cruisers.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by RabidRabbit

Just anchor. Why not anchor? Anchoring is half of cruising, So getting really,really good at it should be a top priority. Most moorings are not maintained every year, why risk it.

Well, like the OP said, there are places he wants to go where anchoring is not allowed. There are places like that in the US as well. Unless you want to anchor in a far remote part of the bay exposed to wind, waves, wakes and tidal currents there are places in New England where you have to take a mooring or you can't go there.

Originally Posted by RabidRabbit

Heres the offensive part, people who go marina to marina, timing they're runs to not be out of a marinas mileage every day, they are not cruisers.

I guess you can define cruising for yourself any way you like but I don't recall seeing any thing like that in the official rule book. I prefer anchoring out myself but don't see what's wrong with someone who prefers to tie up a dock line instead of dropping the a hook.

[RabidRabbit]

Hooking up to a mooring (always short scope, thats how they work) and then putting the hook out (needs 5-8 scope to work as designed) is a terrible idea. Just anchor. Why not anchor? Anchoring is half of cruising, So getting really,really good at it should be a top priority. Most moorings are not maintained every year, why risk it. Heres the offensive part, people who go marina to marina, timing they're runs to not be out of a marinas mileage every day, they are not cruisers.

[RabidRabbit]

Yes its on page 27 of the rule book, the coastie's have a zero tolerance policy to those not carrying the rule book and punishment is stiff.

[RabidRabbit]

Hey its the internet, only one of use can be right.

[sailorboy1]

you all need to find an expert and now that you have started going down the 'rules" plan I am expecting them to start showing up

[shorebird]

Another warning regarding mooring buoys, directly from Transport Canada's website on buoys. (verbatim, caps mine.)
"A mooring buoy is used for mooring or securing vessels. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT WHEN YOU SEE ONE, A VESSEL MAY BE SECURED TO IT."

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by shorebird

Another warning regarding mooring buoys, directly from Transport Canada's website on buoys. (verbatim, caps mine.)
"A mooring buoy is used for mooring or securing vessels. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT WHEN YOU SEE ONE, A VESSEL MAY BE SECURED TO IT."

That is certainly worth a chuckle and may qualify as the silliest government pronouncement of the week.

I guess there might be a mooring with a submerged submarine attached but generally one might notice a vessel that is secured to the mooring.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by RabidRabbit

Yes its on page 27 of the rule book, the coastie's have a zero tolerance policy to those not carrying the rule book and punishment is stiff.

Oh darn. I must have an outdated edition of the official rules for blue water cruisers, guns and anchors. Better order a new copy from West Marine asap.

[djarrak]

Two experiences. Experience 1. I once had a 22' cruiser/racer kept on a mooring with adequate tackle for the location (Darwin Oz). I returned from a few day's sailing to find my mooring missing. A search around the bay revealed it attached to a 60' French steel boat, several hundred metres down wind from its original location. Lesson: How do we know what's on the bottom of a buoy? Experience 2 (take note Dragon Lady) Secured 4 tonne boat to a public mooring in Port Stephens NSW, while I needed to attend a day long function. Upon my return the boat and mooring were missing. The boat was on the beach (thankfully unharmed). The mooring line had broken due to the excessive wash of passing gameboats. Lesson: If you are leaving your boat unattended, don't trust any mooring, public or not. When I tried to return the parts of the mooring still attached to the boat, no government body admitted responsibility for the mooring.

[goboatingnow]

Hooking up to a mooring (always short scope, thats how they work) and then putting the hook out (needs 5-8 scope to work as designed) is a terrible idea. Just anchor. Why not anchor? Anchoring is half of cruising, So getting really,really good at it should be a top priority. Most moorings are not maintained every year, why risk it. Heres the offensive part, people who go marina to marina, timing they're runs to not be out of a marinas mileage every day, they are not cruisers.

There are many places where anchoring is either banned or difficult and mooring buoys are it. I just use prudence.

[boatpoker]

Great Kills NY. We dropped anchor, this guy picked up a city mooring ball.

[zeehag]

this is why gods made anchors--so unknown moorings do not help in the destruction of your boat.

even if you dive the unknown moooring, there could still be problems you cannot see underwater.

[pierrrre]

Last summer I approched a mooring area just outside of Halifax, NS (Wreck cove for the locals). I had a mooring in my line of sight and was heading for it to spend the day on it. At the last minute (100 feet away), I changed my mind, moved out a little and dropped anchor. We spent the day ashore and came back on board for supper. As we were eating, I noticed a mooring ball floating by the boat. After quickly ensuring that it was the ball floating by the boat and not the other way around, I got in my dinghy and towed the mooring ball to the beach. About 6 feet of chain was left attached to the ball. The rust had eaten through it to the point that it just snapped and fell to the bottom. It was the mooring ball I was heading to in the morning before I changed my mind...

[Dreaming Yachtsman]

We have been very fortunate in being able to cruise in the Puerto Rico/USVI/BVI's area for the past 3 years. Many of our favorite places have mooring buoys installed and maintained by the government. Some are free but all those in the national park at St. John are $15/night ($7.50 for those with a Senior pass). BVI buoys generally are $30/night.

In spite of being government maintained, some are in a sad state so whenever practical, I will dive a mooring looking for obvious signs of damage such as cuts or frays. When I can reach the base, I check that the shackle pin is firmly in place.

Visibility and depth permitting, I also dive my anchor - it's cheap insurance and is a good excuse to cool off after a hot day above water.