Check Those Mooring Shackles

[John Stone]

My friend Ed asked me the next time I was swimming if I would check over his mooring. I was in the water today so I swam over to his boat near mine in Elephant Bay, Virgin Islands.

I had checked his mooring for him last January and added some seizing wire to the existing shackles.

Anyway, I looked over the hardware and found this shackle. The pin was held in place only by the seizing wire I added last Jan. Think about that. That pin still had threads on it six months ago.

I’m reminded of that old saying—An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Check those mooring and buy the best hardware you can afford. This is also an example of why I always dive a mooring I pick up.

[Carl Thunberg]

Pretty scary stuff. I guess there are a few advantages to being in really COLD water.

[Dean Abramson]

Yikes. That is sobering. And I wasn't even drunk.

[John Ring]

That almost looks like galvanic corrosion. Was there any stainless steel chain involved? Or an aluminum float?

The top shackle for my winter stick came up the same way last week, the result of putting a good quality galvanized steel shackle onto 316ss chain for the winter stick.

John Ring
CD36 Tiara

[John Stone]

Hi John.
I thought about that. Galvanized shackle US Made. Galvanized chain. However, the seizing wire was SS...on the opposite end of the shackle. Possible I suppose. None of the other shackles show signs of this kind of corrosion and all are seizes with SS wire.

But the thing that gets me is how often people will pick up a stranger’s mooring with seemingly complete confidence that it totally reliable, much less appropriately sized for their boat. Very seldom have I seen a mooring in perfectly serviceable condition.

[Dean Abramson]

But the thing that gets me is how often people will pick up a stranger’s mooring with seemingly complete confidence that it totally reliable, much less appropriately sized for their boat. Very seldom have I seen a mooring in perfectly serviceable condition.

I plead guilty.

But nonetheless, the absurdity of trusting a Mystery Mooring over one's own well-cared-for ground table has long amused even me.

Basically, I tend to trust them mostly on calm nights. Also, here in Maine there are annual permit stickers (individual towns issue them). I tell myself that if someone paid for the permit that year, they probably also had the thing expected. But no, that does not necessarily follow. I do go for the larger balls, and ones that look newer. None of this is scientific method, though!

[Carl Thunberg]

Hey, Dean. I've never gotten a sticker on either of my moorings. My permit numbers are permanently painted on the ball, and I pay my annual renewal, but no sticker. Then again, we can't afford stickers in Poorhouse Cove 'cuz it's well, the Poorhouse.

[Dean Abramson]

Hey, Dean. I've never gotten a sticker on either of my moorings. My permit numbers are permanently painted on the ball, and I pay my annual renewal, but no sticker. Then again, we can't afford stickers in Poorhouse Cove 'cuz it's well, the Poorhouse.

Hey bud.

I might want to mooch a nite or two there this summer, if your boat is not on it. Okay?

[Carl Thunberg]

Sure! Long story, but my boat is still in Portsmouth and I may not get up to Poorhouse Cove until July. My Boston Whaler is on one of the moorings. The other is free for at least a couple weeks. The chain and all hardware (except the ball) is basically new. I replaced it two years ago. Feel free to use my dock, too. It comes with shower and Dark 'n Stormy privileges!

Sorry for the thread drift, everyone.

[wikakaru]

Galvanized shackle US Made. Galvanized chain. However, the seizing wire was SS...

I think that is why you are supposed to use monel rather than stainless for seizing wire.