Bridle length

[Eastside3]

I’m looking at getting a bridle when grabbing a mooring bouy. I have an R29 CB and I’m curious what other R29 & R31 owners use. A single line mooring pendant? A double line V pendant? A “Y” shape? What thickness line and length do you have? I’m also contemplating whether having a shackle at the end so the I can swap out a retrievable hook for mooring bouys or a chain hook so I can use the bridle as a snubber. I welcome all of your thoughts on things you would or wouldn’t do again If you were doing it all over again.

 

[SJI Sailor]

We use two mooring lines -- one from starboard through the ring and back to starboard cleat, and then the same on port side. I've considered a shackle but am not sure that it would help anything, unless we were planning to leave it moored and unattended.

 

[BradOwens]

We do the same as SJI Sailor.

 

[ALICE J]

Check your bow chocks that they will take the pennant line and that the chocks face the proper direction so there is no sharp corner and the lead is fairly straight from the mooring bit to the anchor buoy. Might think about oversized chocks so a chafe guard could be inserted.

 

[Chimo]

There’s a number of posts on this and it’s worth a search. Here’s a comment I made previously. There’s a picture of my pendant in my album.


“I'm usually single handed so the safest and easiest spot to do this is in the cockpit. With a crew on board to drive the boat I could possibly do this at the bow. Ahead of mooring I tie the pendant off at the bow cleat, lead it through the rode guide and aft to the cockpit. Ensure the pendant is not long enough to reach the prop if you drop it. The remote for the thrusters usually easily brings me alongside. If there's even a stiff breeze I come up close with just a little headway alongside the buoy heading into the wind. Turn slightly so the wind holds the boat close to the buoy. I walk to the cockpit and I then clip the locking carabiner on the pendant to the ring. No need for any other lines and no chafing of ropes on rings. Leave the boat to swing to the buoy and head up to the bow with both hands free. Adjust the pendant length and tie off to the large cleat used for anchoring. I use chafing material to stop any chafing on the anchor or other gear just as I would do if anchored.

What I find really scary is watching people grab a line through a ring from the cockpit and then try and walk it to the bow. Often it would be comical if it wasn't so unsafe. As the person moves forward the boat naturally turns beam to the buoy, that's where it's being held. Now we have someone holding a boat with a line in one hand and trying to hold hold the rails as they move forward. At many points they have to let go of the boat since they can't let go of the line. It doesn't take much of a slip for that person to miss a grab for a rail and get pulled overboard. Again, single-handed in cold water, even wearing a life jacket + handheld radio this is not a good situation.”

 

[SJI Sailor]

That sounds like a nice system, Chimo! Can I check whether I understand the description?

It sounds like you have a line set up as a loop, with both ends secured at the bow. On that doubled-up line is a freely moving locking carabiner. You bring the carabiner (and the doubled-up line) back to the cockpit, and then clip it onto the buoy. At that point, you could back away or drift, and the carabiner and line will go back to the bow. Then walk up to the bow and do final adjustments, add a second line to the buoy, or whatever. Is that right?

I usually have the admiral available to help, but like the idea as an alternative when needed!

 

[Chimo]

That sounds like a nice system, Chimo! Can I check whether I understand the description?

It sounds like you have a line set up as a loop, with both ends secured at the bow. On that doubled-up line is a freely moving locking carabiner. You bring the carabiner (and the doubled-up line) back to the cockpit, and then clip it onto the buoy. At that point, you could back away or drift, and the carabiner and line will go back to the bow. Then walk up to the bow and do final adjustments, add a second line to the buoy, or whatever. Is that right?

I usually have the admiral available to help, but like the idea as an alternative when needed!

Sorry my description before wasn't too clear.

If you have a look at the picture of the pendant in my album you will see that this is single strand. I spliced a large eye in one end. When I set up in a nice calm area before approaching the buoy I attach this to the large cleat in the center of the bow. I take the other end out through the anchor rode guide over the top of the anchor and then lead it back to the cockpit outside the railings. On this end of the pendant I have spliced in an eye (to prevent wear on bare line) and attached a locking carabiner. The locking aspect is probably overkill but I really like to sleep peacefully. As the buoy comes level with the cockpit I clip the carabiner directly to the ring. The boat is then going nowhere it shouldn't. When safe and convenient I make my way up to the bow and generally shorten the scope on the pendant so that I'm not swinging too large a circle on the buoy. I tie off on the large cleat. There's enough room on top of the eye. As I mentioned before, may sure you have something to prevent chafing, especially between pendant and anchor.

When I want to leave I head up to the bow and let out the pendant to full length. Driving the boat slowly forward and with a little thruster help brings the buoy back next to the cockpit where I can unclip from the ring and be on my way.

Hope this helps

 

[Eastside3]

I’ve looked at some ropes and bridles from denverrope.com and they make all sorts of custom pieces. I’ve learned there’s no such thing as “just get a bridle” lol. I’ve used two lines to run from the bow cleats, through the farleads, through the mooring bouy ring and back but I like the idea of a hook that I can simply connect and remove swiftly. Of the many options out there I’ve seen some who go for a “Y” setup with bridle legs that meet and then have a single leg to connect to a bouy. I’m not sure the reason or benefit for a “Y” versus a “V” set up.

 

[SJI Sailor]

Thank you, Chimo! Very clear and a nice system. Appreciate it!

 

[FlyMeAway]

One of my co-owners will be mooring quite often so we invested in a somewhat elaborate system.

We bought the very well-reviewed Mantus mooring bridle / anchor snubber. It's a Y that will pass through the chocks and tie off to the central bow cleat on our R-31.

To connect to the pear ring on the buoy itself, we've invested in a Mantus locking mooring snap shackle. This is more secure than the carabiner-type clip that comes with the mooring bridle.

Separately, we have a boat hook with snap and messenger line for retrieval.

We haven't tested this yet, but I cobbled it together from lots of research and a few phone calls to Mantus as the best option. If others are interested, I will report back once we've had some practice.

 

[Eastside3]

One of my co-owners will be mooring quite often so we invested in a somewhat elaborate system.

We bought the very well-reviewed Mantus mooring bridle / anchor snubber. It's a Y that will pass through the chocks and tie off to the central bow cleat on our R-31.

To connect to the pear ring on the buoy itself, we've invested in a Mantus locking mooring snap shackle. This is more secure than the carabiner-type clip that comes with the mooring bridle.

Separately, we have a boat hook with snap and messenger line for retrieval.

We haven't tested this yet, but I cobbled it together from lots of research and a few phone calls to Mantus as the best option. If others are interested, I will report back once we've had some practice.

Did you order the small bridle? Does it fit through the chokes even with the Chaffe gaurd? I’m curious.

 

[Chimo]

The Mantus looks like a good idea. I would still have the problem deploying and retrieving from the bow single handed. Good idea to change out that carabiner. It looks quite flimsy. When I made the pendant I used one with an SWL much higher than the line and a solid lock.

 

[MV Toujours]

[/quote]

One of my co-owners will be mooring quite often so we invested in a somewhat elaborate system.

We bought the very well-reviewed Mantus mooring bridle / anchor snubber. It's a Y that will pass through the chocks and tie off to the central bow cleat on our R-31.

To connect to the pear ring on the buoy itself, we've invested in a Mantus locking mooring snap shackle. This is more secure than the carabiner-type clip that comes with the mooring bridle.

Separately, we have a boat hook with snap and messenger line for retrieval.

We haven't tested this yet, but I cobbled it together from lots of research and a few phone calls to Mantus as the best option. If others are interested, I will report back once we've had some practice.

I have the same boat/bridle setup as you. I added their Mooring Snap Shackle and connect the snubber pendant loops right to the shackle. The shackle alone makes a robust connection to a mooring buoy.

With the Mantus snubber pendant, the bridle can also be used to tie off to the anchor rode or chain with a rolling hitch. However, because of its length, I have found this bridle to create something of a tangled mess when fully deployed when anchored and tied off to the center bow cleat.

I found a better solution is to run each end outboard of the bow rail. Then bring it inboard through each fairlead and tie it off to the port and starboard forward cleats (abeam the front of the cabin, just forward of the helm door on the starboard side.)

When tying off to a mooring buoy, the bridle is long enough to bring the shackle to the cockpit and run the ends together to the forward cleat.

Hope this helps.

Patrick