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Mooring in Tahoe - Advice Needed


SCMike

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Hey Crew!  

Im heading up to Tahoe the first week of August, and the house we rented has a mooring buoy.  I've never tied up to a mooring buoy before and looking for advice on how to, and what i might need to purchase (mooring clip, shackles, etc.).  I've done a ton os searching online and cant seem to find anything that leads me down the right path.  I called Homewood Marina, and they will sell me the mooring line with shackle, and floats, rope, etc for $199.   Seems crazy expensive for a what he described. I asked for a parts list so i can source this ahead of time, and the guy could not really help.  Im actually more lost after talking with him.  Im hoping the crew can help!

Oh, and since you guys like pics, here is a pic of the doc that is connected to the house we will have for the week :) 

 

 

Screen Shot 2018-07-06 at 9.55.58 AM.png

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There's usually a buoy in the water with a ring on it. That ring has a line that extends down to an anchoring point on the bottom of the lake. You simply need to have a short line tied to your boat that you'll tie to that ring. You can make it easier by using a mooring clip on the end of your line to attach to the ring. I can't imagine you have to supply the line down to the mooring ball underneath the water, which is probably what the marina guy was selling.

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2 minutes ago, Falko said:

There's usually a buoy in the water with a ring on it. That ring has a line that extends down to an anchoring point on the bottom of the lake. You simply need to have a short line tied to your boat that you'll tie to that ring. You can make it easier by using a mooring clip on the end of your line to attach to the ring. I can't imagine you have to supply the line down to the mooring ball underneath the water, which is probably what the marina guy was selling.

Thanks @Falko

I actually asked him what i needed to moor to one of their rental mooring buoy's and that $199 set up was it.  He said the kit comes with a 6ft 3/4 inch poly line, 2 rope floats, and 1 ton shackle.  

Im thinking a 6 ft line with 2 shackles (one to hook to the mooring buoy, and one for the bow eye) would be the ticket, but i could wrong.  That way i can just pull up and clip to my bow eye and be done.  

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We use 3/4 rope, about 7 ft, with thimbles spliced in at each end. One end gets shackled to the buoy, the other end has a mooring snap swivel to attach to the boat. 

And since everyone likes pictures, these go in the lake later today, for our new 3rd mooring. I just need to make a new mooring rope first.

First picture is a new buoy, with 1/2 stainless chain to connect to the actual mooring anchor in the second pic

20180706_140721.jpg

20180706_140812.jpg

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3 minutes ago, asnowman said:

We use 3/4 rope, about 7 ft, with thimbles spliced in at each end. One end gets shackled to the buoy, the other end has a mooring snap swivel to attach to the boat. 

And since everyone likes pictures, these go in the lake later today, for our new 3rd mooring. I just need to make a new mooring rope first.

First picture is a new buoy, with 1/2 stainless chain to connect to the actual mooring anchor in the second pic

 

 

Thanks @asnowman Do you have links to the snap swivel and shackle that you use?  

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8 minutes ago, SCMike said:

Thanks @asnowman Do you have links to the snap swivel and shackle that you use?  

https://www.iboats.com/shop/seadog-bull-nose-swl-snap-ss.html?cm_mmc=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpvzZBRCbARIsACe8vyKvIWERpUYTkw7heGjT5mPocPzD9iEJgPKK4cqxNwzttVvp3DzQPSoaAoI_EALw_wcb

 

Edited by asnowman
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No problem. We replace the ropes about every 5 years, and we over build them significantly, and they sure don't cost $199. If you can splice a rope you should be in for about 50 bucks.

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1 minute ago, asnowman said:

No problem. We replace the ropes about every 5 years, and we over build them significantly, and they sure don't cost $199. If you can splice a rope you should be in for about 50 bucks.

Thats exactly what i was looking to hear.  Id much rather try my hand at splicing my own.  I can save a few bucks and learn something at the same time.

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If you are just learning to splice, practice on some nice soft 3/8 rope first. The hardest part is the first 2 rows, if you get tat part right, its quick and easy after that.

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1 minute ago, asnowman said:

If you are just learning to splice, practice on some nice soft 3/8 rope first. The hardest part is the first 2 rows, if you get tat part right, its quick and easy after that.

Thanks for the tip! 

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Hear is an example for braiding 3 strand rope. Start by untwisting about 8 inch of the end of the rope into 3 separate strands, wrap the ends of the strands with tape to keep from unraveling. To make a loop hold the end of rope in right hand and fold back to the left with about a 6” long loop. With left hand twist the main line with left hand and open up the rope strands and pull one of the loose strands thru the opening about 8” . You now have 2 loose strands. Looking down on rope with loop in right hand and main line in left hand twist main line open and skip a strand and insert loose end thru opening and repeat with the 3rd loose strand. You should end up with each of the 3 strands looped under 3 different main line strands at about the same diameter. Looking down at splice the loose ends of the rope should come from the upper right down to the lower left. Now continue by going over one strand and under the next with all 3 strands, repeat again. Test have proved that 3 over/ under splices develope the full strength of the rope. Now lay the loop on a flat surface and step on and roll the loop back and forth the mesh the strands. Trim the excess strands and you have a braided loop

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Is this all necessary for just a week long stay?  Can't you just use a piece or rope with knotted loops for a temporary mooring?  Why would it be any different than mooring for a camping trip?  I would just use a 6' dock line with a loop knotted in the end opposite the loop and couple $10 locking carabiners from REI. 

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@isellacuras I’d rather error on the safe side and spend $50 to do it the right way.  We are taking new about my 2018 LSV, and not some old junky runabout.  Isn’t this the Malibucrew?  I thought we overdo everything?

 

Edited by SCMike
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2 hours ago, SCMike said:

@isellacuras I’d rather error on the safe side and spend $50 to do it the right way.  We are taking new about my 2018 LSV, and not some old junky runabout.  Isn’t this the Malibucrew?  I thought we overdo everything?

 

Meh?  I was  over doing it with the locking carabiners. I'd just do a clipping carabiner if it were me. If you wanted to get all "malibucrew", use 2 docklines (since you probably already have them) and 4 clips and double up. I keep a 6 or 8 of these on the boat just in case.  They are rated for somewhere close to 5000 pounds. Heck, I'll even come Rig it up for you if you give me a pull.  It's sad, I'm 1 1/2 hours from Tahoe and i haven't had my boat up there. We tried to make it up this year but life got in the way.  Summers are way too short these days

 

 

74321B7E-A63C-4E83-AE78-7A26A54EDCF6.png

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20 hours ago, SCMike said:

Hey Crew!  

Im heading up to Tahoe the first week of August, and the house we rented has a mooring buoy.  I've never tied up to a mooring buoy before and looking for advice on how to, and what i might need to purchase (mooring clip, shackles, etc.).  I've done a ton os searching online and cant seem to find anything that leads me down the right path.  I called Homewood Marina, and they will sell me the mooring line with shackle, and floats, rope, etc for $199.   Seems crazy expensive for a what he described. I asked for a parts list so i can source this ahead of time, and the guy could not really help.  Im actually more lost after talking with him.  Im hoping the crew can help!

Oh, and since you guys like pics, here is a pic of the doc that is connected to the house we will have for the week :) 

 

 

Screen Shot 2018-07-06 at 9.55.58 AM.png

Ima need to see the VRBO/AirBnB listing for this thing please

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Two 5/8 mooring lines.  Usually there is a spliced loop in one end.  Put this through your mooring eye, run the bitter end through the mooring eye and tie a bowline.  Do this with both ropes.  No hardware to scratch anything and no weak link.  If you don't know how to tie a bowline, you should learn.  

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30 minutes ago, Stevo said:

Zephyr cove... nice digs

I’m so stoked we were able to find this place. Can’t wait, it’s gonna be a great week. 

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Before you learn to splice, learn to tie a Bowline.  It really is *the* knot to know for most common boating situations.

Yes, a bow line with a Bowline is the ticket here.... 

- Just Gary

P.S.  So you have the boat moored to the bouy, what about the stern?  Does it just float free?  How do you get to/from the dock?  Did I miss the thread about tying a stern line onto the dock?

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1 hour ago, justgary said:

Before you learn to splice, learn to tie a Bowline.  It really is *the* knot to know for most common boating situations.

Yes, a bow line with a Bowline is the ticket here.... 

- Just Gary

P.S.  So you have the boat moored to the bouy, what about the stern?  Does it just float free?  How do you get to/from the dock?  Did I miss the thread about tying a stern line onto the dock?

Generally with a mooring, a stern line is not good practice. We have multiple boats and variable winds, stern lines would restrict the ability of the boat to follow the wind.

As for getting to the boat, usually i swim or use a rowboat or kayak.

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4 hours ago, justgary said:

Before you learn to splice, learn to tie a Bowline.  It really is *the* knot to know for most common boating situations.

Yes, a bow line with a Bowline is the ticket here.... 

- Just Gary

P.S.  So you have the boat moored to the bouy, what about the stern?  Does it just float free?  How do you get to/from the dock?  Did I miss the thread about tying a stern line onto the dock?

Thanks Gary.  Yeah, I know how to do a Bowline, and was thinking of just tieing off to a few clips.  I’d like to make it strong and convienent, at the same time maybe learn something new.  Because of that, I’ve decided to try my hand at splicing.  It’s not gonna cost anymore then a bowline other than $2 for thimbles and my time.

I’m brining up a few paddle boards, so I plan to just use that to get to the mooring.

 

Edited by SCMike
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