connecting mooring line to chain/clip?

[nola mike]

i have a mooring for my 19' bowrider. i recently abraided through the 3/8" braided poly line connecting the light chain to the boat. i replaced the line this season but didn't use a thimble. i'm looking for a better solution. i can buy new line with a thimble spliced on one end, but then what about the other? i don't have the energy to figure out how to splice a line, especially that braided poly. is there any way to attach the thimble (like a clamp for wire rope) using hardware or a knot? plan on using a ss shackle/thimble to connect the chain, and a ss snap/thimble at the boat.

 

[Boydski]

I would suggest upgrading to a nylon anchor rode. Shackle the thimble end to the anchor chain (and mouse or tie-wrap the pin so it won't work loose), then use a an Anchor Hitch to secure the bitter-end to the boat (SS Snap).

Good Luck,

 

[alldodge]

Agree loose the poly and get some nylon and shackles.
While a thimble is the best way to reduce wear on a line that moves, you can fix it where it doesn't move much and therefore it will last much longer. The anchor hitch is a good one, but even when done correctly over time slack can be found between the shackle and the line.

Suggest either a round turn and two Halyard hitch, or a Bowline then fold the eye back on it self and slide the shackle in. Both of these will tighten over time and not allow it to slide if done with nylon, poly will not work (to slick)

 

[nola mike]

Ok, can you elaborate on the bowline? Not sure what you mean by folding the eye back. And no need for a thimble on the snap end? Fwiw, I was using a solid core diamond braided poly, not the lightweight floating stuff, directly attached to the snap with a bowline. While it was very strong, once it abraided the cover, it sliced right through the core. Also the snap I used this year was galvanized and started to rust. Thinking that probably accelerated the wear. I ordered some nylon line and ss shackles/snap. No experience with the halyard, but looks good.

 

[alldodge]

The braided poly is better then the stranded stuff but its still poly, even though not as slick. Either way the best is the halyard, and the main reason is its very hard to untie once a load is placed on it. A sailors knot is is to tie and unties, hence why the halyard would be best.

Its a bowline but not a clove hitch, but you could do a clove just as easy, and would secure the bitter end of the bowline.

 

[tpenfield]

I would use 3-strand twisted nylon . . . much easier to splice the thimble and cleat loops. Thread a piece of garden hose in before you make the cleat loop so it can protect the chafe point.

I would not expect braided poly to stand up to much.

 

[nola mike]

Ok, got the line.
@alldodge: tied the first halyard no problem, but where am I putting the second one? Seemed that a halyard + half hitch + zip tie would be pretty secure, but was curious as to what I was missing
@tpenfield: is the loop around the snap what you're calling the cleat loop? Love the idea of garden hose, no chance of twisting or falling out like a thimble.
How about a short length of plastic hose with a bowline loop, and that whole thing either going in the snap, or if too thick, joined to the snap with a shackle?

 

[Old Ironmaker]

tepenfied A piece of garden hose!!!! I despise the sound of steel on aluminum, and the mark it leaves. A piece of garden hose, duh, I can sleep well tonight. Thank you. And to think I was ready to chuck 50 feet of old hose out, tomorrow.

 

[alldodge]

, but where am I putting the second one? Seemed that a halyard + half hitch + zip tie would be pretty secure, but was curious as to what I was missing

Don't understand the half hitch and zip tie unless my explanation about mixed the two different knots together. I meant to say that the halyard knot is the best to use
http://www.animatedknots.com/halyard/index.php

If your not going to use the halyard then another would be the one in the pics above. Do like the hose Ted mentioned

 

[nola mike]

No Title

Suggest either a round turn and two Halyard hitch,

Didn't understand two Halyard hitch; thought you meant locking the first hitch with a second, so a total of 2 Halyard hitches. Couldn't figure that out. Anyhoo, after reading some interesting tests about line strength (a bowline reduces your breaking strength by 60% ?!, others not much better), and seeing how much time I was spending trying to do it half-assed, decided to learn how to splice the line correctly. Probably took me an hour to figure it out, make a splice on scrap, and then do it on the main line. So here's what the pennant will look like (my splice is on the bottom).

My setup now consists of a helical screw, 6 ft of 1/2" chain, swivel to 9 ft 3/8" chain, and now this pennant directly to the light chain, in 4-6' of water depending on the tide. The only questionable thing is not having a mooring buoy between the light chain and pennant (I have the buoy riding freely on the pennant; when the boat isn't moored it allows the chain to lay at the bottom and not move around much, which I think reduces wear on the chain).

 

[alldodge]

Woops, should have been half hitch

Nice job, splicing isn't so hard especially with 3 strain, a bit more doing it with double braid, but that to isn't hard with the tools. Make a full fledge sailor out of ya yet