Anti-Chafing Gear

[Sea Hunt]

This morning I went to the local fire station and obtained 6' of used and to be discarded fire hose (3" diameter; 4" flat). The Lt. on duty advised that all fire hose that is deemed not servicable must be destroyed. It cannot be recycled. Apparently, there is a national standards mandate for this and all fire departments must comply.

Anyway, I got 6' of fire hose free. It is my plan to use most of it as anti-chafing wrap for lines deployed during a hurricane.

I have three questions.

First, the hose has an inner and outer sleeve. The inner sleeve has rubber on the inside side of the inner sleeve where the water used to flow. Should I try to remove this rubber or leave it in place Someone told me long ago that rubber in chafing gear (like a rubber garden hose) builds up a lot of heat.

Second, what is the best way to install this type of chafing gear I see two options. One is to use the hose like a hotdog bun and wrap it around the line (a/k/a the hotdog). This will allow the exterior and most durable part of the fire hose to be in contact with the line. The other is to use the hose like in "pigs in a blanket" with the hose (the hotdog or piglet) sliding into the the hose next to the rubber interior lining. Because it is 3" diam hose, there should be a lot of room for moisture, air circulation, etc.

Third, what is the best way to secure the anti-chafing wrap in place I have thought of just using plastic tiewraps at each end. I have also thought of running the tiewraps through the strands of line but am concerned this may weaken the line. I could also cut/punch small holes in the hose and tie it down with line.

Hotdogs, hot dog buns, pigs in blanket - I am now hungry so I will read any responses after I eat

I appreciate any and all responses, comments, etc.

Thanks for all of your continuing support and assistance. It is indeed a steep learning curve.

[mgphl52]

The common practice at my last marina was to slit 6 to 8 inch sections of firehose, wrap this around the anchor line and then simply duct tape in place. This was only used when we got kicked out the marina and anchored for a storm, i.e. short term anchoring but with max force exposure.

I'm not sure how I'd set up for a long term installation, but I'm sure others on the board will speak up.

Have FUN!!!

-michael

[Oswego John]

Robert,

This may sound a bit facetious, but if I knew that a hurricane was heading my way, I'd put the Ty on the trailer and get it out of Dodge ASAP.

O J

[Sea Hunt]

OJ-

Not facetious at all. I tend to agree with you. I have thought of that as an option. Unfortunately, I do not presently have the funds to invest in a trailer that I would only use 1-2 times a year, hopefully not at all. I would also be conflicted about where to go - my backyard ; west coast ; north to _______ Also, I have never trailered anything in my life. I would not want to learn to trailer a sailboat on the eve of a hurricane.

At the local sailing club a lot of sailors who have been through several hurricanes with their sailboats seem to recommend tying up to mangroves in an area near the sailing club. This is why I was asking about the proper set up for the chafing gear. Because there are very few tie down points on a Ty Weekender (really bow and stern cleats only), I want to try to protect the hurricane lines as much as possible.

My "plan" as of today is to remove the bimini top completely and remove the boom and mainsail and put it into the cabin. I will then motor over to the mangrove canal and "stuff" S/V Tadpole into the mangroves as much as possible and then run an anchor, chain and line from the bow cleat into the mangroves as far a possible. I will put anti-chafe gear at the bow chock. I will run a 2nd heavy anchor, chain and line from the stern cleat out into the canal next to the mangroves. I will put anti-chafe gear at the stern chock. I will also run two lines from the coach roof fairleads port and starboard out into the mangroves on each side (as much as possible). As much as I do not trust the strength of these fairleads to hold in a blow, the fairlead tracks seem to have more "backing" than anything else I can observe on S/V Tadpole. I will put anti-chafe gear around the lines near the mangroves.

I have been trying to figure out how to secure the cockpit hatch covers. The way they are designed, I have not yet been able to find a hinge, etc. that will work. As of today, my "plan" is to tape them down with duct tape and hope for the best.

Anyway, that is my "plan" as of today. Any and all suggestions about chafing gear, set up for hurricane, etc. will be VERY MUCH appreciated.

[mgphl52]

Those are about the best plans you can do for your area.

Except, I would avoid using the fairleads! They would probably break off rather quickly with any sort of lateral load.

Additional 'removals' would be the mast since it really isn't that hard to do and once in the mangroves, take the motor back with you! It's just another appendage that some other boat that isn't anchored as well as you could "find" in the storm... I've seen this happen more than once!

Lastly, make sure you have ample scope from the mangroves (and your stern anchor) for the expected/predicted surge height.

A Typhoon, properly prepped, can ride out quite a lot of snot with little or no damage.

But, until the time comes, enjoy the heck out s/v Tadpole and know you're doing a great job!

-michael

[Jerry Albright]

Sea Hunt,

One thing I might add, Instead of tying directly to the mangrove trees, I saw a fellow sailor use chain to wrap around the tree and secure his line to the chain.

Smooth Sailing,
Jerry Albright

[SeaBelle]

If you feel the need to tie off port and starboard, I'd attach to the mast. I have no experience going to mangroves to ride out a hurricane but the mast is a recommended strong point when accepting a tow.

[Oswego John]

Those are about the best plans you can do for your area.

Additional 'removals' would be the mast since it really isn't that hard to do and once in the mangroves, take the motor back with you! It's just another appendage that some other boat that isn't anchored as well as you could "find" in the storm... I've seen this happen more than once!

A Typhoon, properly prepped, can ride out quite a lot of snot with little or no damage.

-michael

Hi Robert,

I've been thinking and rethinking about the steps one should take with a hurricane heading your way. My conclusion is that I'm hardly the person to offer advice in such a situation..

It is extremely rare that we northerners experience the full brunt of a hurricane. Seldom do they ever seem to travel up the Atlantic coast to reach us. They mostly die off because of the colder water or they veer out to sea. It seems to me that they hardly ever hit north of the Chesapeake area on the east coast.

What's a mangrove tree? (only kidding).

Up north, there are very few hurricane holes to take refuge in. There are, of course, creeks and other sheltered areas which fill up real quickly. Too many boats crowded into too small an area is an invitation to trouble, especially when some boats aren't tied off properly or with improper equipment. It seems that there is always someone who messes others up.

Michael mentions to strip the boat as much as practical, including motor, etc. I'm wondering if your club launch will tow the boats into the mangrove hole and bring you back after securing them?

The reason that I suggested putting your Ty on a trailer and getting out of Dodge is because that is the most practical thing for me concerning my Ty.

My Ty, the older variety, has no self bailing feature. A heavy rainfall of a lengthy duration would fill my hull. I do have a boom tent to divert rainwater, but in a high wind, it would be torn to shreds in a short time. For that reason, I remove all sails and other gear.

Like Michael said, properly prepped, A Typhoon can ride out a lot of snot. If I had a choice, I think that if I couldn't find a snug hurricane hole to stay in for the storm's duration, then I would prefer being securely moored out in the harbour away from other boats, some with inferior mooring equipment. The very last place that I would want to keep my boat in a hurricane would be tied up to a slip with other boats nearby.

I could be wrong in saying this, but I think a lot of trouble and loss from hurricane damage is because some people wait until the eleventh hour to do something about protecting their boat. They expect instant gratification at the ship chandlery, the boat lift, even in the traffic jams onthe highway out of town to safety.

There are two things in life that I would like to do. One thing is to be able to send pictures to this board. The other thing is to comprehend and solve the magical, mystical process of securing a small boat with limited points of attachment. By following sage advice, mooring lines are increased in size and by doubling the number of these lines. Next, these oversized and extra lines will have firehose or other chafing protection wrapped around the outside of the lines. Now it is my understanding that these many protected, oversized mooring lines will pass through the appropriate chocks (??) and be locked in with the chock safety keeper.

My Ty has one horn cleat on its bow deck, hardly hurricane proof. As Robert has already mentioned, where do all of the extra, oversized, chafe protected mooring lines attach to the boat?

For me, it is just as easy to put the boat on my trailer early on, tow it out to the middle of a field away from trees. Then take four auger type earth anchors set in the ground and secure the boat and trailer to them.

Just another viewpoint,
O J
PS: Robert, you should still have a strong eyebolt set in your keel ballast.

[Sea Hunt]

Mike:

Thanks for the comments. I had planned on removing the O/B. I agree with you about the mast but am reluctant to remove the mast because there is really not a facility/location to do this at the sailing club, at least not that I would be comfortable with.

I had planned for a lot of scope to account for surge, etc. The problem is that I am told the canal fills up with many boats stuffed into the mangroves on the edge of the canal. As OJ said "Too many boats crowded into too small an area is an invitation to trouble". If I put out a lot of scope, then S/V Tadpole's stern will swing a lot. At the bow, she will possibly back out of mangroves on her own unless "tied in".

I will talk with the expert at the sailing club about how much scope, etc.

Jerry:

As I understand it, all lines must be secured to the mangroves below the water line. I am not sure why this is so, but it is what I have been told by the sailing club. My plan was to run at least one Danforth anchor off the bow and drag it into the mangroves as far a possible (avoiding snakes and alligators ) and try to wrap the anchor around the roots of the mangrove. As discussed, I would also deploy at least one heavy stern anchor into the canal bottom, which I am told is a very, very hard surface - not a sandy or muddy bottom.

Sea Belle:

I had thought of the mast as a tiedown point but, at least on my Ty, the mast is deck stepped and the tabernacle is secured to the deck by only 4 screws and washers as backing plates- not a substantial backing plate. I envisioned it being yanked sideways and ripping out the tabernacle from the deck and the mast crashing down on boats near by.

Am I wrong on this

OJ:

As I understand it, the sailing club's launch will be available, as conditions permit, to transport sailors back from the canal with the mangroves but will not tow sailboats to the mangrove canal.

I do have an eyebolt near the forward area of the bilge. However, it is substantially rusted. I am not sure I would trust it. Also, to attach a line to this eyebolt would mean I would have to leave the lower hatch board off so the line could pass through cabin, etc.

Don't feel bad about not being able to post pixs. I did underwater video for years and produced videos using linear editing (the old system-time consuming but simple). When digital came along I reluctantly converted my video equipment to digital and bought an expensive digital (non-linear) editing system. I spent many, many days and hours trying to learn digital editing and finally decided it was time to retire from shooting u/w video. I even took a class at the local community college. I just could not get my head around digital.

I too have been trying to understand how to post photos on this site for about 2 years now but cannot figure it out.

Perhaps you could persuade Ms. Cathy M. or Dean A. or others who post really great photos to volunteer to teach a class on how to post photos. I would certainly attend.

[Dick Kobayashi]

My Ty rode out hurricane Bob in 1991 AFTER I dismasted it. It was moored in about 5 feet of water at extreme low tide (we have a four foot mean tidal range here). As I recall the mast is about 25 feet long. Stick your arm out of your car window as 75 mph to get a sense of the force on a pole about the thickness of your arm will feel - then imagine your arm is 25 feet long. I just threw it overboard and retrieved it later. Saved the day, I believe.

[trapper]

If you do take the mast down, be careful where you put it. I have a race boat that survived Katrina just fine tied up in the creek. Her mast was left at the Biloxi Yacht Club--never to be seen again. It was more than 5K to replace the spars!

[ronkberg]

Robert, I would suggest using the winches rather than the coach roof fairleads. I would definitely unstep the mast which is an easy task with two people and just a little tougher done alone. Lay it in a safe place near your boat in the mangrove.

My cockpit hatch covers have wooden blocks attached with ss screws and then a turning block to aim the line back inside the cabin. Near the seacocks, I have a cheap jam cleat to hold the line tight.

Best of luck and hopefully you will never need any of our coaching.

Ron

[Lew Gresham]

I would want to see my Typhoon at home on a trailer during a hurricane. When I owned a 30' Catalina we were threatened with a strong storm. Remember HUGO! I moved my 30' up into a very narrow creek in the marsh away from the marina and big water. Only one other boat was near by, maybe 200 yards. He hurried and just through out the anchor and took off. He wound up in the marsh after the blow and had to be pulled out. Fortunately my boat was still anchored right where I left it. Yes, I was uncomfortable knowing it was not in it's usual place at the marina. The reason I moved it away was because of the threat of other boats coming loose from the docks. Boats in strange places left unattended are watched and subject to vandals. I could drive by each day a see my boat from the road before and shortly after the storm went by.
Since I have a trailer, and if my little Typhoon was in the water when a big storm was coming, it definitely would be taken out and carried home with the mast down and tied to the trailer. My trailer was $1000 from Road King in Ocala FL. Get that little one home where you can look after it if threaten by a hurricane. You will be more comfortable having it close by. That's my .02 !