DIY Mooring blocks
Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:43 pmDIY Mooring Blocks Nov 22, '08 9:15 PM
by Shaun for everyone
Hi,
Has anyone had a go at making their own mooring block? & what did you use?
Thanks for any ideas..
Cheers
Shaun
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robertb4170 wrote on Nov 22, '08
I have seen mooring blocks made by obtaining an old truck tyre and filling it with cement with a stainless steel bolt and eye imbedded in it.
But I understand that cement does not retain its initial weight once it is emersed in water.
A old yachty mate of mine made a mooring block once by chaining together two old blocks from car motors. This worked well in the Brisbane river where it sank into the mud and thus did not corrode.
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tales1 wrote on Nov 28, '08
I have one in StKilda (Port Phillip) made from 2 railway wheels, which I would be happy to sell.
Cheers,
Tom
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ozzibod wrote on Nov 28, '08
Hi there Robert
I can vouch for Tom's solution.
Railway wheels are probably the best.
They sit flat on the bottom and won't roll around like an engine block can.
They generate heaps of suction to resist pulling out of the mud .
Cheers
-----------------------------------------
workingidler wrote on Dec 5, '08
I have considered both railway wheels and truck tyres but the problem still remains: how to transport all that weight and deploy it successfully. The answer requires more dollars in the form of a barge or trawler with lifting capacity etc and so the costs mount up - if your a budget boaty like me the exercise becomes prohibitive. (In the southern part of Moreton Bay a professional will charge over 21/2 k)
Finally I decided to employ a method detailed in an old bookI have titled "Cruising Under Sail" (Hiscock) This involves deploying two anchors between a length of hefty chain with a swivel in the centre to which lighter chain is attached then a buoy and strop etc. The author included ratios for lenghts of chain/strop etc relative to highest tide/length of boat etc. I selected two 35lb ploughs for my tophat on a muddy estuary with 10mm then 8mm chain - luckily I found an existing block to utilise but the method described had good authority. All the very best with your project.
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austsailor wrote on Jan 8
Be careful about using truck/tractor tyres as when the going gets bad they behave like a flying saucer and skid across the bottom in storms. I saw 3 vessels come to harm (1 total) at port Albert (Vic) November 07.
Phillip
SEAKA
by Shaun for everyone
Hi,
Has anyone had a go at making their own mooring block? & what did you use?
Thanks for any ideas..
Cheers
Shaun
---------------------------------
robertb4170 wrote on Nov 22, '08
I have seen mooring blocks made by obtaining an old truck tyre and filling it with cement with a stainless steel bolt and eye imbedded in it.
But I understand that cement does not retain its initial weight once it is emersed in water.
A old yachty mate of mine made a mooring block once by chaining together two old blocks from car motors. This worked well in the Brisbane river where it sank into the mud and thus did not corrode.
---------------------------------------
tales1 wrote on Nov 28, '08
I have one in StKilda (Port Phillip) made from 2 railway wheels, which I would be happy to sell.
Cheers,
Tom
----------------------------------
ozzibod wrote on Nov 28, '08
Hi there Robert
I can vouch for Tom's solution.
Railway wheels are probably the best.
They sit flat on the bottom and won't roll around like an engine block can.
They generate heaps of suction to resist pulling out of the mud .
Cheers
-----------------------------------------
workingidler wrote on Dec 5, '08
I have considered both railway wheels and truck tyres but the problem still remains: how to transport all that weight and deploy it successfully. The answer requires more dollars in the form of a barge or trawler with lifting capacity etc and so the costs mount up - if your a budget boaty like me the exercise becomes prohibitive. (In the southern part of Moreton Bay a professional will charge over 21/2 k)
Finally I decided to employ a method detailed in an old bookI have titled "Cruising Under Sail" (Hiscock) This involves deploying two anchors between a length of hefty chain with a swivel in the centre to which lighter chain is attached then a buoy and strop etc. The author included ratios for lenghts of chain/strop etc relative to highest tide/length of boat etc. I selected two 35lb ploughs for my tophat on a muddy estuary with 10mm then 8mm chain - luckily I found an existing block to utilise but the method described had good authority. All the very best with your project.
-----------------------------------------
austsailor wrote on Jan 8
Be careful about using truck/tractor tyres as when the going gets bad they behave like a flying saucer and skid across the bottom in storms. I saw 3 vessels come to harm (1 total) at port Albert (Vic) November 07.
Phillip
SEAKA