Mooring pins

[Arthur Marshall]

I've got a short trip planned for next week, but I'm just recovering from serious back trouble, and crouching down is a problem and getting back is worse. Last time this happened on the boat I had to get a passing cyclist to pick the rope and piling hook up for me. 

I usually use nappy pins on the piling, but I've seen boats moored with just a straight pin dropped through the piling, the rope through the ring. How safe is this? It would be a lot easier to lift it out than scrabbling around extricating the nappy pin. 

[ditchcrawler]

I have seen Nappie Pins with a T handle welded on the top so you dont have to bend down to slip them in or remove them

[Arthur Marshall]

20 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have seen Nappie Pins with a T handle welded on the top so you dont have to bend down to slip them in or remove them

That sounds good. Google will be my friend... 

[Jennifer McM]

18 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I've got a short trip planned for next week, but I'm just recovering from serious back trouble, and crouching down is a problem and getting back is worse. Last time this happened on the boat I had to get a passing cyclist to pick the rope and piling hook up for me. 

I usually use nappy pins on the piling, but I've seen boats moored with just a straight pin dropped through the piling, the rope through the ring. How safe is this? It would be a lot easier to lift it out than scrabbling around extricating the nappy pin. 

Sounds far too painful! Hope you're soon mended.

 

My husband always carries a paint roller handle, it makes a great hook, and it saves a lot of pressure to his knees.

 

Sorry can't help you with a pin, except perhaps using a couple of these, they are 1.3 metres, perhaps pushed through the armco and down into the mud below? 

[ditchcrawler]

16 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

That sounds good. Google will be my friend... 

Not bought, they had them made, just a length of rod welded to the top of the hook and then a T handle

[ditchcrawler]

3 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Not bought, they had them made, just a length of rod welded to the top of the hook and then a T handle

 

[Opener]

I like the idea of a paint roller handle as a puller - why not take it one step further. Look out for a radiator roller handle. It takes a narrower roller but the shaft is about 3 or 4 times longer than a standard roller so will give you a greater reach.

[jonathanA]

1 hour ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I usually use nappy pins on the piling, but I've seen boats moored with just a straight pin dropped through the piling, the rope through the ring. How safe is this? It would be a lot easier to lift it out than scrabbling around extricating the nappy pin. 

Sounds like a really simple great idea.  

 

Ive not tried but just wondering if there would be any tendency for the pin to be pulled up by the movement of the boat it would have to move up a lot to

come out though ... deffo be trying that out in the future 

[alan_fincher]

From what I have seen of the many boats local to here that try to moor with a mooring stake dropped into the piling it can be an unreliable method and they oiften come adrift.

 

Some however contrive to also loop the rope down behind the lower part of the stakew, where it emerges below the horizontal bit of the piling.  However to me that would involve more kneeling down and faffing around than "nappy pins" or "goats chains".

 

Personally I find "nappy pins" less than 100% reliable, and only use them for short term securing whilst queuing for locks or waterpoints, and reckon that "goats chains" are the only 100% reliable long term method.

 

It's hard to use goats chains though without some crouching or kneeling, (and often a wet grassy stain on one knee!")

[pearley]

10 hours ago, Jennifer McM said:

Sounds far too painful! Hope you're soon mended.

 

My husband always carries a paint roller handle, it makes a great hook, and it saves a lot of pressure to his knees.

 

Sorry can't help you with a pin, except perhaps using a couple of these, they are 1.3 metres, perhaps pushed through the armco and down into the mud below? 

Thars what we use. One of the long ones. Only a £1 or so from Wilkinson. 

10 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

From what I have seen of the many boats local to here that try to moor with a mooring stake dropped into the piling it can be an unreliable method and they oiften come adrift.

 

Some however contrive to also loop the rope down behind the lower part of the stakew, where it emerges below the horizontal bit of the piling.  However to me that would involve more kneeling down and faffing around than "nappy pins" or "goats chains".

 

Personally I find "nappy pins" less than 100% reliable, and only use them for short term securing whilst queuing for locks or waterpoints, and reckon that "goats chains" are the only 100% reliable long term method.

 

It's hard to use goats chains though without some crouching or kneeling, (and often a wet grassy stain on one knee!")

You drop the goat chain througn the Armco with one hand then pick the end up with the paint roller. Easy and no kneeling.

[David Schweizer]

15 minutes ago, pearley said:

Thars what we use. One of the long ones. Only a £1 or so from Wilkinson. 

You drop the goat chain througn the Armco with one hand then pick the end up with the paint roller. Easy and no kneeling.

And when there is so much untrimmed vegetation covering the Armco? What Then?

[WotEver]

Around £3.50...

[alan_fincher]

25 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

And when there is so much untrimmed vegetation covering the Armco? What Then?

Or, (worse), down the back of the horizonal rail is completely filled with soil and growing grass?

I regularly have to do "gardening" before I can get a chain in at all.

[David Schweizer]

45 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Or, (worse), down the back of the horizonal rail is completely filled with soil and growing grass?

I regularly have to do "gardening" before I can get a chain in at all.

Yes That is what I often experienced, especially when seeking to moor in locations out in the countryside

[Slim]

12 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have seen Nappie Pins with a T handle welded on the top so you dont have to bend down to slip them in or remove them

I've got them!

 

When I mentioned them before someone posted a photo of someones. I made mine out of 6mm bar in about 10 minutes each (and I'm no welder). Were I making them again I would use 8mm.

 

No bending, no wet knees.

 

I've never seen them available commercially

[Horace42]

3 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

It's hard to use goats chains though without some crouching or kneeling, (and often a wet grassy stain on one knee!")

........And the stinging nettles on the knuckles...!

[matty40s]

3 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

From what I have seen of the many boats local to here that try to moor with a mooring stake dropped into the piling it can be an unreliable method and they oiften come adrift.

 

 

Ah...you've not seen my mooring stakes then have you...

[Horace42]

1 hour ago, Slim said:

I've got them!

 

When I mentioned them before someone posted a photo of someones. I made mine out of 6mm bar in about 10 minutes each (and I'm no welder). Were I making them again I would use 8mm.

 

No bending, no wet knees.

 

I've never seen them available commercially

I improvised mine using a straight length of wood bound with tape to the long side of the safety pin.... but only partial success...the wood was a bit too thick and stopped the pin going through the gap - especially when blocked with weeds. 

I guess an 8mm rod would solve the problem for both of us.

...and also as a refinement...  as I found the pins could somehow become un-hooked and slip out during use (weird geometry of angles, pull and height)  I twisted the pins so the hooks were at right angles to each other. .... I used a blow lamp to get the shaft of the pin red hot... and then to make a left- and right-handed pair ... that then are used front and rear to suit which side the boat is moored.....

 

[pearley]

5 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

And when there is so much untrimmed vegetation covering the Armco? What Then?

Then I stick the handle down the gap and rake it out. Most times its just the grass grown over the piling.

[Arthur Marshall]

4 hours ago, Slim said:

I've got them!

 

When I mentioned them before someone posted a photo of someones. I made mine out of 6mm bar in about 10 minutes each (and I'm no welder). Were I making them again I would use 8mm.

 

No bending, no wet knees.

 

I've never seen them available commercially

Do you mean you made them without any welding? I've never welded and it's a bit late to learn...  in the meantime, I'm picking up a paint roller and a radiator one. Great ideas and my spine thanks you.

Edited March 11, 2019 by Arthur Marshall

[Big Bob W]

16 hours ago, Jennifer McM said:

My husband always carries a paint roller handle, it makes a great hook, and it saves a lot of pressure to his knees.

That's exactly what we use. Got the idea of a chap moored by us a year or two ago. One of the handiest things I have on the boat!

6 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

And when there is so much untrimmed vegetation covering the Armco? What Then?

You hook out the vegetation first with the magic tool. Drop the chain down into the nicely cleared gap, then use the tool again to grab the dangling end.

Another use for it is to hook the mooring line off the bow of the boat.

 

I am clearly getting old ……..

Edited March 11, 2019 by Big Bob W

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, Horace42 said:

I improvised mine using a straight length of wood bound with tape to the long side of the safety pin.... but only partial success...the wood was a bit too thick and stopped the pin going through the gap - especially when blocked with weeds. 

I guess an 8mm rod would solve the problem for both of us.

...and also as a refinement...  as I found the pins could somehow become un-hooked and slip out during use (weird geometry of angles, pull and height)  I twisted the pins so the hooks were at right angles to each other. .... I used a blow lamp to get the shaft of the pin red hot... and then to make a left- and right-handed pair ... that then are used front and rear to suit which side the boat is moored.....

 

Just have to remember to use the right ones, I had a pair of the other type of piling hooks made like that, get them right and they didn't budge, get them wrong and they popped straight out

People on the BCN seem to use a lump of flat bar about 2 foot long and maybe 2" wide with a ring at the top and they just drop them down the back, never seem to come out.

[Slim]

1 hour ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Do you mean you made them without any welding? I've never welded and it's a bit late to learn...  in the meantime, I'm picking up a paint roller and a radiator one. Great ideas and my spine thanks you.

No, it did involve welding. What I meant was that it was very basic welding. Anyone who welds anodes on could do 2 in 15 minutes.

[Arthur Marshall]

1 hour ago, Slim said:

No, it did involve welding. What I meant was that it was very basic welding. Anyone who welds anodes on could do 2 in 15 minutes.

Thanks. I must know someone who can weld... 

[Aquarat]

I hate nappy pins. Chains for me. Or my inherited blacksmith hooks which are lovely.But I have the use of me knees. To the point... The best I saw were 2' long , 1.5" stakes with a ring on top at an angle, bloke had blown knees. Drop them in the Armco and get on with it or drive them in. Have you you thought about splicing up short lines(for Armco) with a loop on?