ratchet strap mooring lines

[Tusses]

seems like a good idea to me !

 

but I havent seen anyone using them.

 

the other idea is a line to a winch.

 

put the pin in and tighten the winch/ratched - eaasy peasy

 

any thoughts ?

[magpie patrick]

I've seen them used at permanent moorings...

 

If you use them with a mooring pin, I'd have thought they would pull the pin out! You could moor to rings or bollards with them, but bear in mind that even on a canal water levels fluctuate and some give on your ropes is essential.

[blackrose]

seems like a good idea to me !

 

but I havent seen anyone using them.

 

the other idea is a line to a winch.

 

put the pin in and tighten the winch/ratched - eaasy peasy

 

any thoughts ?

 

Why would anyone want their ropes that tight? As Magpie says, what happens when water levels go up or down?

 

The only place I can think of where you can have your mooring ropes as tight as that is on floating pontoons.

Edited March 25, 2008 by blackrose

[zenataomm]

Sounds dangerous to me.

Apart from the change in water level I can think of many reasons you may want to cast off in a hurry.

Have you ever tried to release a ratchet strap in a hurry? After you've worked out which set of spring loaded teeth you have hold back against a spring, you discover you are handicapped by only having two hands as you now have to pull the webbing back off the spool, this invariably twists and jams.

 

Meanwhile "The animal/person" wedged down between the front end of your boat and the bank is drowning.

[Lady Muck]

Agreed, the water levels on our pound go up and down like a yoyo. Infact a boat sank in December during the night, he'd tied his ropes tight and gone away for a few days. We are forever having to loosen boaters mooring lines, usually ccers, who have left their boat with the ropes tight and then the water levels gone down. They don't know that this pound might suddenly dewater with no warning at all. So this is why you need ropes and not something fixed.

[Tusses]

all good info peeps ! thanks.

 

I onced asked if a boat rocked alot whilst living on it - I was told 'not if its tied up nice n tight' thats what got me thinking !

 

As for undoing the straps - the ones I use on my car trailer simply undo when you move the ratchet lever to the top position ! dead easy and quick with one hand.

 

besides - who said you have to tie up tighter with a strap/winch than a rope ?

[blackrose]

besides - who said you have to tie up tighter with a strap/winch than a rope ?

 

I didn't think ratchets worked unless whatever was being ratcheted had some tension on it?

 

Anyway we've given your idea the big thumbs down!

Edited March 25, 2008 by blackrose

[Tusses]

I didn't think ratchets worked unless whatever was being ratcheted had some tension on it?

 

Anyway we've given your idea the big thumbs down!

 

 

 

oh well - plenty more where that came from

[Alastair]

I use some big ratchet straps on the boat, for pulling things round, snugging stuff in tight. They are very slow to work with compared with a rope. Also a bit short.

 

Dead useful as emergency winches and to hold things together, tho'.

 

Whoever told you about tight ropes stopping a boat rocking was talking out of their rear orifice. Correctly rigged ropes can stop a boat from banging around - do a search on 'springs'.

[Chris Pink]

if you need more purchase on a mooring line then take the rope back to the t-stud then to the ring/spike again, then you can tighten up with 2-1 purchase.

 

The smart way to moor to a ring is to take a bight through the ring back, over the t-stud, picking up the end and using that to tie off on the boat. one advantage of this, other than the purchase gained, is that to let go, all you need to do is loose the bight over the t-stud and pull the untied end thus not needing to get on the bank to let go.

 

gosh, difficult to put these things into words, what?

[blackrose]

The smart way to moor to a ring is to take a bight through the ring back, over the t-stud, picking up the end and using that to tie off on the boat. one advantage of this, other than the purchase gained, is that to let go, all you need to do is loose the bight over the t-stud and pull the untied end thus not needing to get on the bank to let go.

 

Tying off to the boat also has the added benefit that any evildoer who wants to untie you in the night will probably have to get on the boat to do it, in which case you'll have a better chance of feeling the boat move or hearing what's going on. This doesn't stop them cutting ropes of course.

[Scotty]

This doesn't stop them cutting ropes of course.

Which is why I sometimes backup my ropes with a chain and lock when I feel the need.

[Tusses]

what dasterdly deed is this

 

untieing or cutting the lines

 

I feel another thread comming on

[Tony Brooks]

I didn't think ratchets worked unless whatever was being ratcheted had some tension on it?

 

Anyway we've given your idea the big thumbs down!

 

 

I do not think so.

 

I have seen both ratchet straps (very wide ones) and a small winch being used to tension springs on permanent moorings.

 

If the springs (long ropes running a fair way in front and behind the boat to the bank OR crossed in the centre of the boat) are long enough the boat can still rise and fall when they are very tight. You will also need breast ropes to keep the boat against the bank but the springs will prevent the surge forwards and backwards as boats go past.

 

I agree they are little use on temporary moorings but I can pull the springs up tight using a chain loop on piling.

 

I would worry about the quality of the T stud/dolly weld though.

[DHutch]

Ive never seen using ratchet straps as a good idea.

- The only time or place i can thing they would be even somthing i would consider would be when mooring to a floating mooring long term.

 

As has been mentioned, you want to do some research on the use of springs.

- They are a pair of long lines to prevent the fore-aft movement of the boat without swinging it into the bank running more or less parralell with the bank often most of the length of the boat (stern tied and bow and visa versa). Used in conjuntion with a pair of ropes more or less at right angles to the boat/bank which hold the boat into the side.

 

 

Daniel