Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

[Thajeffski]

** Updated with pics! Post 24**


I have a 20 ft bayliner bow rider...

House that I'm staying at is on long island sound...... has a floating swim dock but no mooring.

Do you think (or have you ever) just used a regular fluke anchor for that amount of time?

I have a HUGE Fluke anchor that doesn't fit in the ski locker without turning it sideways to get it passed the floor... it's got to be at least 25 lbs.

Was thinking i might just buy some 1/2 inch rope and use my fluke anchor as a "mooring"

I'm pretty sure insurance will cover it if something goes wrong, I'll call to make sure.

Only problem is that it is not protected from the sound at all!! So big waves (2-5ft) might be possible, with bigger swells during a storm.

I know it doesn't sound like a "smart" idea, but it would just be TOO nice to have the boat sitting right off the dock!

What do you think? Will it survive?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

I wouldn't!

 

[arks]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

It'll be fine on a firmly set anchor - with lots of scope and a chain leader - in GOOD weather...... but maybe you can find a neighbor who isn't using their mooring during your stay.
Either that or put it on the trailer if there's even a HINT of storms.
BTW- check your insurance! Often the policies are written with a limited geographic area or specific type of water (lake, bay, etc). If that's the case it's easy to get a temporary rider from your agent.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

It'll be fine on a firmly set anchor - with lots of scope and a chain leader - in GOOD weather...... but maybe you can find a neighbor who isn't using their mooring during your stay.
Either that or put it on the trailer if there's even a HINT of storms.
BTW- check your insurance! Often the policies are written with a limited geographic area or specific type of water (lake, bay, etc). If that's the case it's easy to get a temporary rider from your agent.

Yeah I checked with them and told them the house it'll be at, they have it on note.

it does have a 10 foot very thick chain leader on it.

What is a mooring actually tied to on the bottom that it holds so well?

 

[Grant Brown]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

I'd make a mooring anchor.
Find a big ol truck engine block (stripped with no oil in it) , bolt a chain to it and drop it where you want. Tie off to a scotchman and you have a mooring spot. Make sure it has enough scope for tide fluctuations.
Here in Canada you can do it anywhere you like as long as it's not private property, in the way of someone's spot or in a navigation channel.

Grant

 

[arks]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

What is a mooring actually tied to on the bottom that it holds so well?

Lots of people use old engine blocks as Grant said, but the 'real' mooring anchors are basically huge mushroom anchors like this. They bury themselves into the bottom.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

What if I threw two fluke style anchors?

Like I said, it's not ideal, but if you had a house on the water WITH A DOCK - wouldn't you want to at least try something?

I own four anchors, the 25lb fluke, 2 smaller fluke and a mushroom......

 

[DBreskin]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Even if you're anchor/mooring holds, a 5 foot wave hitting in the middle of the night while the boat is unattended could swamp and sink it.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

I have a friend whose family owns an 18' Sea Ray bowrider. For a week or two in the summer they stay down in Old Lyme CT, which is on LI Sound. What we used to do was put a mushroom mooring, like shown above, into the boat, bring it out, drop and set it in place. They would leave the boat moored off their beach for the week, to make it easier to use.

Keep in mind though, if a real bad storm hit, they had a protected marina slip only a 15-20 minute boat ride away.

There are always moorings for sale on CLs. It might not be bad insurance to grab one up and have it. Go overkill, but not too large you can't move it around. Even though your boat is insured, I couldn't imagine not feeling a bit down if it sank or floated away

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Even if you're anchor/mooring holds, a 5 foot wave hitting in the middle of the night while the boat is unattended could swamp and sink it.

I'm running dual batteries with dual bilge pumps. I kind of do have a place I could "moore" it at if a storm kicks up...

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

I have a friend whose family owns an 18' Sea Ray bowrider. For a week or two in the summer they stay down in Old Lyme CT, which is on LI Sound. What we used to do was put a mushroom mooring, like shown above, into the boat, bring it out, drop and set it in place. They would leave the boat moored off their beach for the week, to make it easier to use.

Keep in mind though, if a real bad storm hit, they had a protected marina slip only a 15-20 minute boat ride away.

There are always moorings for sale on CLs. It might not be bad insurance to grab one up and have it. Go overkill, but not too large you can't move it around. Even though your boat is insured, I couldn't imagine not feeling a bit down if it sank or floated away

Well what if you were suffering from two foot itis? and the "aggreed upon value" was 8k, which is what you paid for the boat and trailer put together..

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Good point. Although my agreed upon is $4000 more than I paid for mine, and I still would have some bad feelings if were sunk or gone one day. The check might make that all better though!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

first, never do anything based on a possible insurance claim. You will not end up happy.
Anchor it (mushromm preferred) and move it fi there's a storm. There won't be any 5' waves. and a boat at anchor will ride over the wave, if it's a seaworthy boat. The only exception would be a giant wake rolling into the wind--not likely.

Just don't stern anchor it! If you use two anchors, put them both on the bow.

You'll be fine, but you won't sleep well the first two nights!

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

first, never do anything based on a possible insurance claim. You will not end up happy.
Anchor it (mushromm preferred) and move it fi there's a storm. There won't be any 5' waves. and a boat at anchor will ride over the wave, if it's a seaworthy boat. The only exception would be a giant wake rolling into the wind--not likely.

Just don't stern anchor it! If you use two anchors, put them both on the bow.

You'll be fine, but you won't sleep well the first two nights!

Haha thanks, I was thinking I'd throw a cheap LED lantern on it so I can see it from the bed room window.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

I think you are required to have a white light on the stern of an anchored boat. No need for the LEDs.

TerryMSU

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

as to lights: they have solar lights at places like home depot that make good auxilary boat, pier and campsite lights. Possible not legal for a stern/anchor light but not a bad idea for an extra. It is my opinion that the "legal" light is still dangerous in many applications, such as on the top of a sailboat mast in a busy harbor with lots of lights on the shore.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

This is what I have:

I was thinking I'd just bunge cord it to the bimini when it's all closed up

 

[The Famous Grouse]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Is there not a local or nearby marina where you could rent a slip for the week?

My next idea if you cannot get a slip would be to find out the nearest marina would let you park your boat on the trailer in thier parking lot and then use thier ramp to launch it. Not as convienent as a slip, but still it would minimize the time to get in the water and potential for damage from leaving it moored.

I'd think this would be vastly prefferable when you compare the potential for damage with rough weather and all the faffing around you'd have to do with heaving 16 tons of scrap iron into the ocean in order to create a foolproof "temporary" mooring block. I'm quite sure the owner of the property would not appreciate your throwing engine blocks overboard just so you can have a mooring anchor for a few nights.

Sometimes its better to spend a little money to solve a problem the right way. If you want cheap recreation you've come to the wrong place.

BOAT = Bust Out Another Thousand.


Grouse

 

[NYGiants]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Dont worry, i held my 21' sailboat in the Long island sound for a week with a firmly set anchor. it wasnt oversized or anything. just make sure to slam it in reverse to set the anchor
i did encounter a major thunderstorm too while i was there and the anchor was fine

 

[Philster]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

I'd love to see pics of this place, waterfront and floating swim dock....

What's the swim dock attached to??? If it's attached to something, chances are it's pretty well attached and could help tie off the boat. Can you give us an address so we can Google-Earth it???