How stable is an R 29S when moored?

[2savage]

I'm looking at three different berths for my Ranger 29S and need advice about how comfortable they are in a bit of a chop.
One berth is exposed to a two mile fetch and also has waves bouncing back off a wall. Choppy and confused water. The other two are better protected with the best one partially hidden behind a half mile causeway. The latted however may not have a berth available.

I could go to a very protected Marina with great facilities but it would increase my wifes commute by 30 minutes each day. And, its expensive too.

What should I expect when the conditions are a bit lumpy?

 

[Wee Venture]

A two mile fetch is significant but a number of factors play a role in the answer.
•Is there a breakwater and perhaps other moored boats to attenuate the waves?
•Is the two mile fetch aligned with the prevailing winds? What is the expected range of wind speed and gusts for the area?
•With the boat moored in the slip, will the wave action be on the bow or the beam? (This will make a huge difference of course.)
•How securely can you tie the mooring lines? (Bow and stern lines both port and starboard with spring lines on one side would be ideal.)
•Are you concerned simply for the boat’s safety or will you be aboard when there are wind events? (i.e., is your standard safety or comfort?)

We have an R-31 and I don’t think I would want to moor it in your first scenario if there were not some form of protection from wind waves, especially if they are on the beam. It can be pretty rolly polly when it gets broadside to the wave action. You can hang a rocker stopper device off the beam which helps, but at 10’ beam you don’t get quite the leverage you would with a wider beam boat. Just my thoughts.

John

 

[S. Todd]

If it was me I would visit the marina on a windy day and look carefully at the other boats in the vicinity you are looking. Granted different hull designs and with or without a keel are going to behave slightly differently, but if the neighbors' 20,000 lb boat with the 13 foot beam is rocking don't expect your 29 to sit still. There is also some minor hull slap noise at the chines when sleeping that some folks find annoying, others find it normal boating and lulls them to sleep.

 

[SJI Sailor]

+1 to the other notes. Would add the observation that it also depends on traffic. If there are large vessels transiting in those 2 miles, it could be very uncomfortable (for PNWers, I am thinking of the Orcas county dock next to the ferry terminal -- not much fetch but can be very rough -- worries me even for a short stay).

 

[Maggie Anne]

No matter which you choose, you might want to consider how you tie up. I've found that our R27 tends to sail from one side to another on the mooring bouy. I can alleviate that somewhat with a bridle system where I have a short line from one of the forward cleats to the bouy and a longer line from the midships cleat to the bouy. This seems to keep the heading more constant against the wind and reduces the swinging.

 

[2savage]

Thanks for the input to date. I will be at a finger dock and have observed the locations in todays stiff breeze (18-23 knots). Some boats moored beam-on to the waves ae rolling while some others are not. As for being on a mooring, my mooring at my Yacht Club may be used from time to time (my sailboat is there now) but I'm really looking at my live-aboard situation for summer, which will be at a Marina.