Mooring stakes

[Mark R]

I’m just about to buy a set of new mooring stakes and wondered what people’s opinions were regarding the best design.

 

I was thinking of buying 2 straight ones and 2 with a single d loop so I can secure one with another at opposing angles. Would I be better buying 4 with ‘D’ loops instead, with the boat tied through two loops of both sides?

 

Alternatively I’ve seen these:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185822030164?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=TnnhK9cHTTW&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=THaSCMSZQzq&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

I can’t imagine these would be good in hard ground but has anyone had any experience of them in softer ground?

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Mark R said:

I’m just about to buy a set of new mooring stakes and wondered what people’s opinions were regarding the best design.

 

I was thinking of buying 2 straight ones and 2 with a single d loop so I can secure one with another at opposing angles. Would I be better buying 4 with ‘D’ loops instead, with the boat tied through two loops of both sides?

 

Alternatively I’ve seen these:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185822030164?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=TnnhK9cHTTW&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=THaSCMSZQzq&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

I can’t imagine these would be good in hard ground but has anyone had any experience of them in softer ground?

 

I bought some of these spirally ones about 25 years ago. They look like a good idea but I've yet to find a mooring spot with suitable ground to use them.

 

Regarding plain mooring stakes, always buy them with "D" loops and put the line through the loop so you get to keep the mooring stake should it pull out. Also, avoid those mooring stakes with a whole ring welded onto the side instead of a D loop. The whole ring tends to break off as you hammer them in as the weld fractures.

 

 

[Bee]

I just use straight pins from many sources but I've got a couple made from re bar, the knobbly concrete reinforcing bar, they don't half hold the ground well but getting them out can be hard work.

[Mark R]

Cheers Chaps.

 

I'll stay away from the ones with rings that go through the 'D' loops. I'll take a look at the rebar ones, I'd not spotted those before.

[magnetman]

The best ones I have come across are the Standall hexagonal army ground anchor with the forged eye at the top.

 

About a metre long and being hexagonal you just spin it using another bar and it cuts its own hole larger and comes out easily. 

 

I've tried the picket pins (spiral ones) as well but they can be a nuisance and time consuming.

 

Also used 1.2m machined american army tent spikes which are a bit crazy but do the job well. About 30mm dia bar with machined points on them. 

 

There are some very sexy pins under the search "tent pegs" on fleabay with the 'used' filter. 

 

Army tents don't come from Millets so the Army surplus throws up some nice gear. 

 

 

Aircraft hangar anchoring equipment can be interesting but perhaps a little large for a narrow boat. 

 

I do have a 1.5m long aircraft hangar picket screw. Bit of a beast that one. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

19 minutes ago, magnetman said:

The best ones I have come across are the Standall hexagonal army ground anchor with the forged eye at the top.

 

About a metre long and being hexagonal you just spin it using another bar and it cuts its own hole larger and comes out easily. 

 

I've tried the picket pins (spiral ones) as well but they can be a nuisance and time consuming.

 

Also used 1.2m machined american army tent spikes which are a bit crazy but do the job well. About 30mm dia bar with machined points on them. 

 

There are some very sexy pins under the search "tent pegs" on fleabay with the 'used' filter. 

 

Army tents don't come from Millets so the Army surplus throws up some nice gear. 

 

 

Aircraft hangar anchoring equipment can be interesting but perhaps a little large for a narrow boat. 

 

I do have a 1.5m long aircraft hangar picket screw. Bit of a beast that one. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These look useful with the head on them 

[MtB]

39 minutes ago, Mark R said:

I'll stay away from the ones with rings that go through the 'D' loops.

 

I don't think you read my post quite properly. 

 

Avoid the ones with rings welded on, instead of D loops welded on.

 

These are ok:

 

These, the rings will snap off the first time you use them. DAMHIK:

[magnetman]

Mooring pin porn 

 

 

39 inches long. And a bag!! 

 

 

I'm getting excited 

 

 

 

 

Oooh !! 1.4m check out the sexy profile of these ones ! That boat ain't going nowhere. 

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2023 by magnetman

[koukouvagia]

Does anyone have a picture of the ones made by floating blacksmith Dennis from Wolverhampton about 20 years ago? They are by far the best I've used, but since they were stamped with our Josher's fleet number, I let them go when I sold Owl.  They are heavy duty flat steel which slot behind the piling.  They have a mooring ring attached.   

I'm sure some enterprising person could make them, since I think Dennis no longer operates.

[ditchcrawler]

3 minutes ago, koukouvagia said:

Does anyone have a picture of the ones made by floating blacksmith Dennis from Wolverhampton about 20 years ago? They are by far the best I've used, but since they were stamped with our Josher's fleet number, I let them go when I sold Owl.  They are heavy duty flat steel which slot behind the piling.  They have a mooring ring attached.   

I'm sure some enterprising person could make them, since I think Dennis no longer operates.

Seen lots of them about with a rolled top.

 

[magnetman]

My favourite overall are these ones

 

 

Quite hard to find but they are absolutely brilliant mooring pins. Sadly I don't have a surplus. 

 

 

One of the ones I have has STANDALL forged into it. Same company made road drill fittings I think. 

 

 

 

I also have these ones from the US via Keighley in Yorkshire. They did send 3 by courier for a decent price. 

 

 

About 4ft long 1.1/4 inch diameter. Machined spike. 

 

Very heavy duty and the handle part at the top is actually wrapped around the main shaft and continuously welded above and below. 

 

Only moan with these is that they break your eardrums when hammered in. Shockingly loud but once in they are very good pins. 

Edited October 1, 2023 by magnetman

[Jon57]

29 minutes ago, magnetman said:

My favourite overall are these ones

 

 

Quite hard to find but they are absolutely brilliant mooring pins. Sadly I don't have a surplus. 

 

 

One of the ones I have has STANDALL forged into it. Same company made road drill fittings I think. 

 

 

 

I also have these ones from the US via Keighley in Yorkshire. They did send 3 by courier for a decent price. 

 

 

About 4ft long 1.1/4 inch diameter. Machined spike. 

 

Very heavy duty and the handle part at the top is actually wrapped around the main shaft and continuously welded above and below. 

 

Only moan with these is that they break your eardrums when hammered in. Shockingly loud but once in they are very good pins. 

Chopped 12 in off to fit on the box. They drop nicely behind the arco so no bending down in the grass and dog shxt. 😁

[BWM]

I'd definitely recommend getting some a little longer than the standard length, you can't beat them on softer ground. 

[magnetman]

Another thing I have used before is sawn off wrecking/aligning bars. Used to find a lot of them with the magnet. I still have 3 or 4 nice old blacksmith forged wrecking bars. The big ones about 5ft long. 

 

1.5m aligning bar £27. Cut the wedge orf with the angel grinder. Mind the peening though it will be sharp. Worth regularly dressing the cut end with a grinding disc. 

 

 

 

Never tried it but I do wonder if the answer in reality is to have a triangular steel plate with three holes and a ring in the middle. Hammer three pins into the holes right down to the plate then tie boat to ring. 

That way one could use shorter pins and get more grip. 

 

 

 

 

There were some hammer-in ground screws but not sure if they were available here I think it was a Dutch product. 

 

Looked quite interesting.

Spirafix that was it. 

These ones are designed to be inserted using a hammer not by twisting. Removal is by twisting. 

 

no

[blackrose]

2 hours ago, magnetman said:

The best ones I have come across are the Standall hexagonal army ground anchor with the forged eye at the top.

 

About a metre long and being hexagonal you just spin it using another bar and it cuts its own hole larger and comes out easily. 

 

I've got 3 of those but I hadn't thought of spinning them to get them out. I usually just knock them sideways with a club hammer. I'll try the spinning technique next time.

 

I wouldn't use anything less than 1m long stakes hammered at least 3/4 in. Those "standard" narrowboat mooring stakes are too short for my boat.

Edited October 1, 2023 by blackrose

[MtB]

And then there is the rhond anchor:

 

These when correctly designed, dig in deeper when pulled hard, rather than coming out. 

 

Instead of coming out they just drag an ever-longer groove along in the ground. I like them. Easy to set and never come out (until they run out of bank that is!)

 

 

 

Needs to be a nice big fluke on the tip, which you can't really see in the photo.

 

[magnetman]

Rhonds are great.

 

A good way to make one is get a fisherman's anchor and cut one half orf. 

 

 

And here is a rheasonable rhond anchor I was given which appeared in this country on a Dutch barge. 

 

 

 

I am unsure as to whether it is a cut down anchor or made for purpose. The blade is welded on it isn't a single forged piece.

[IanD]

3 hours ago, Mark R said:

Cheers Chaps.

 

I'll stay away from the ones with rings that go through the 'D' loops. I'll take a look at the rebar ones, I'd not spotted those before.

And to state the obvious, knock them in with the loop facing away from the boat so the rope goes behind the pin, then any stress is on the pin not the loop...

 

It also helps to use a pair at each end, both at an angle leaning away from the boat but at right angles to each other and with the second one through the loop of the first one, with the rope through both loops. Helps stop them pulling out either from boat moving or scrotes... 😉

[magnetman]

I found the best way to hook onto piling was using crane hooks. This was before the dreaded nappy pins arrived on the scene. 

 

Not expensive these non lifting grade hooks are £7.50. Always hook right beside the bolt on the piling or it can jump. Just clips on the top rail. 

 

 

I took off the spring latch as surplus to requirements. 

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

53 minutes ago, MtB said:

And then there is the rhond anchor:

 

These when correctly designed, dig in deeper when pulled hard, rather than coming out. 

 

Instead of coming out they just drag an ever-longer groove along in the ground. I like them. Easy to set and never come out (until they run out of bank that is!)

 

 

 

Needs to be a nice big fluke on the tip, which you can't really see in the photo.

 

I probably have a couple in the shed

[magnetman]

Clevis grab hooks work as well if the piling is in good condition and the armco well against the vertical piles. Right Beside The Bolt. 

 

 

 

£5.50 those ones. 

Much better than nappy pins and they don't squeak. 

Here's one I made earlier (about 25 yars ago). Lifting chain end roll pinned so you knock the pins out and the hook was from a winch thing. put together, knock roll pins back in nice secure item easy to tie to. 

 

 

[robtheplod]

Depends on the canal... we've just come back on the Middlewich and it was so shallow there really wasn't a need to moor!

[Mark R]

Thanks everyone, 

 

I didn't realise that people were using anything other than standard stakes. I've settled on the ones Magnetman suggested. Keighley is only down the road to me so I shall buy the 5 remaining ones. Going longer in length certainly makes sense given my existing ones always seemed a little lacking.

[magnetman]

They are good pins but you will need a sledgehammer to get them in and I do recommend ear protectors. They are unusually loud I think it is because of the material used. It seems to be a high grade steel which has interesting acoustics. 

[Mark R]

8 minutes ago, magnetman said:

They are good pins but you will need a sledgehammer to get them in and I do recommend ear protectors. They are unusually loud I think it is because of the material used. It seems to be a high grade steel which has interesting acoustics. 

 

I've just dug a sledge hammer out. I've got a spare set of ear defenders lying around somewhere. Thanks for the advice!

14 minutes ago, magnetman said:

They are good pins but you will need a sledgehammer to get them in and I do recommend ear protectors. They are unusually loud I think it is because of the material used. It seems to be a high grade steel which has interesting acoustics. 

 

Out of curiosity, should I still be using two on each end of the boat or will one suffice?