380: 380 Owners: Best way to Tie to a Mooring Ball in Big Winds

[Zoid]

As I'm sitting here in Sardinia on a mooring ball with winds gusting up to 50 knots I thought I'd reach out to the forum to see how other 380 owners tie up to mooring buoys. The challenge is the forward cleats are on the outside of each hull so a mooring line would go over the hull and fiberglass corner to the buoy connection. In big winds this puts a lot of pressure on the hull itself. I've tried using the bridle lines and have each line go out through the bouy connection then shackled back to the boat. But I'd rather use my mooring lines so I can control the length, etc.

Any suggestions?

[monte]

50k. Fun! We always run 2 lines. Prepare both with a bowline from each forward cleat, take one around the forestry so they are both on one side ready to thread through the mooring buoy loop. Jen lays on the tramp while I motor forward and try hold position till it's threaded, then take the lines back to the cleats (all lines running inside the hull). Make sure the lines are returning to the same side so you have 2 fully adjustable bridles and if one parts you are still connected to the mooring by one line. Shorten the bridles a lot, they don't need to be 45 degrees like the bridle, just central and about 1 or 2 meters in front of the forward beam is fine. If the buoy is too low to pick up that way you can pick it up with a line from the transom. One way is to use the end of the mooring line from the forward cleat, then walk it alongside and make it off when it's close to the bow. Use the line to lift the buoy while you thread the other bow line.
I usually dive down and check out the moorings and sometimes add a safety line from the block to the bridles in case the mooring tackle gives way somewhere ( if strong winds are expected).
It can be hard to see the buoy when you are approaching so try stand I the seat and ask your gf to give hand signals so you can get the best approach. Failing that try yelling at each other,that seems to work for a lot of couples
"I can't reach why are you driving over there?.."
" I can't see the feking buoy, where is it?.."
Eh fun fun fun, enjoy the islands!

[Cotemar]

We added two new cleats on the cross beam just for use on moorings
We use two 50 foot dock lines to the cross beam cleats.
The lines start at the cleat and go out to the mooring and come back to the cleat for a figure eight tie up.

Here is what it looks like.

[Zoid]

Thanks for the replies. Monte, that is what we do as well and works fine, just concerned me that the lines cross right over a corner of fiberglass on the top inner side of the hull putting pressure where it arguably shouldn't. It's worked in these winds so I guess it is as good as it needs to be.

New inner cleats would be nice, but will have to go on the "nice to have list". Thanks for the input!

[careka]

Monte.
here is your sign.
"I can't reach why are you driving over there?.."
" I can't see the feking buoy, where is it?.."
------------------
We just use the anchor lines, pull them on the boay and make a knoth. shorten in the lines, and a dobbel knoth. no problems.
Even the Admiral can do it. So she is happy, then i am happy

[Mardi Gras]

Hello, we have a Lagoon 39, we had the same problem tying off to a mooring ball. Because of the bow cleat location, the lines had to go outboard from the cleat and then around the front of each hull which resulted in the mooring lines rubbing hard on the fiberglass. We also have bow pulpit seats which are forward of the mooring cleats, this made it difficult to run the mooring lines inboard from the cleat to the mooring ball. We solved this by installing a bow chock forward of each pulpit on the inboard edge of the topside of the hull. We placed the chock such that there is straight line path between the bow chock and the bow cleat (avoided the supports for the pulpit seat). The mooring lines now run from the bow cleat to the bow chock and to the mooring ball and back without touching fiberglass.

Cheers,

Tony


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[lonesoldier0408]

Originally Posted by Mardi Gras

Hello, we have a Lagoon 39, we had the same problem tying off to a mooring ball. Because of the bow cleat location, the lines had to go outboard from the cleat and then around the front of each hull which resulted in the mooring lines rubbing hard on the fiberglass. We also have bow pulpit seats which are forward of the mooring cleats, this made it difficult to run the mooring lines inboard from the cleat to the mooring ball. We solved this by installing a bow chock forward of each pulpit on the inboard edge of the topside of the hull. We placed the chock such that there is straight line path between the bow chock and the bow cleat (avoided the supports for the pulpit seat). The mooring lines now run from the bow cleat to the bow chock and to the mooring ball and back without touching fiberglass.

Cheers,

Tony


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Pictures please. I'm new to sailing and need the visuals.

[Mardi Gras]

Pic shows factory installed mooring cleat and TMM installed bow chock.


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[lonesoldier0408]

Thank you. That cleared it up. I didn't know it was called a, " chock."

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

We added two new cleats on the cross beam just for use on moorings
-----
The lines start at the cleat and go out to the mooring ------
Here is what it looks like.

Did you use any backing for the cleats inside the beam or just attached the cleats with bolts from above? If you did us an inside re-enforcement, how did you get inside the beam?
When I have received my new L400, I have asked the commissioning company to install such cleats on the front cross-beam, but they declined stating that they cannot reach inside the beam and they would not install such cleats without proper backing.