Practical?

[Tampabayfireman]

Ok before I commit to my evil plan of escaping to the keys, looking for faults in my plan on a mooring in key west.
Last spring my buddy found by accident ( hung his 60 rochna) a sunken sailboat in the key west area. It's lying on its side in 15 ft water filled 1/2 full sand. His est is 30 ft but betting more like 22-25.
My idea is to dive down drill three holes thru keel and place lg ss eye bolts to attach mooring line to. Figured a multi ton sunken boat would be a great mooring.
Am I looking at this right? From the surface (yea 215 miles away) looks like a perfect plan. Comments?


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[Dulcesuenos]

One thought if its 12' wide its side could be within 9(ish) feet of the surface. Factor in your keel depth if its more 4 feet you may have a chance of connecting with the boat if it got really rough unless its really well protected. May never happen but food 4 thought

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[sailormed]

How do you plan to drill 3 holes in a (cast iron?) keel underwater?

[Tampabayfireman]

They actually rent underwater drills. And whether it's cast iron or concrete or lead is still to be determined. And no rental isn't that expensive.


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[tkeithlu]

I've got a bad feeling about this. "In the Key West area"? Where in the Key West area? Is it in an area in which anchoring is safe (storms, lee shore, cruise ships) and legal? Is it, as suggested above, a hazard to navigation in its own right? When you drill these holes, can you get to the other side to add the washers and nuts? How will you know the holding strength of your "anchor?" Why is this approach preferable to a honking big conventional anchor? Could you supply more information from which someone could give you more specific advice?

[belizesailor]

FL is heavily regulated, I suspect that in effect setting a mooring might run into some regulatory issues.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

FL is heavily regulated, I suspect that in effect setting a mooring might run into some regulatory issues.

Might have a point but attaching to an existing structure isn't quite the same as "setting a mooring anchor". Probably an easy ticket to fight on the technicality depending on the wording of any ordinance.

[barnakiel]

Why drill holes? You can't just chain it?

b.

[capngeo]

Greetings to a brother FF!

I spent 14 years in KW.... There are literally THOUSANDS of old large anchors scattered about the harbor and surrounding areas. Spend your energy gathering three of them, set them 120° apart with SCUBA, run three chains to the center of the triangle where you place a large weight (kellet), to that attach a swivel and a nylon pendant to a buoy. You will then have a bullet-proof mooring that will serve you well for less than $500.

I had one just North-East of Christmas Island that a friend on a fat old ferro-cement boat, rode out Katrina on. Squatters have moved onto it since I left or I'd just give it to you.