Mooring prices

I think the train wheel idea is a Tassie thing. We used train wheels 40 years ago in NSW.

Like the OP I also was floored by the price of Tassie moorings. A lot of the cost was the money for moving the barge around as Hobart moorings are stretched over 100 miles of shoreline or more. So about a grand was just moving the barge.

That said, When I made my last mooring the stud chain was picked up at a scrap yard for not much, and I still have some in my shed. As to the idea of train wheels, I am not a convert.

Mass is mass and the idea of being quoted two train wheels at 600kg was not something I was happy with. My 1200kg block in NSW (which is still in great nick after 15 years) may have less density but it still has 1200kg of mass which is what resists changes in momentum/velocity. You still have to pull 1200 kg sideways to get the thing to move. Think of it like a large heavy tug. Sure a tug floats but its mass resists you pushing it sharply. More mass is helpful even if it has some buoyancy to resist changes in motion - inertia has nothing to do with how things float or don't.

When I was shown a pic of the prospective setup it showed two train wheels shackled on after the other. So in effect the boat pulls on one 300kg wheel and then its movement is restricted eventually by the other. So instead of 1200kg of block resisting the boat's pitch moment you really only have 300 with another 300 backup.

Get to a scrap yard and ask about chain required. Make a ply scrap box with lots of reo in it and ask the local concrete company to sell you their leftovers whenever. Add on chain and swivels. You could video the whole thing (for insurance) and then put it in a box trailer, take it to a launching ramp and ask a friend with a large catamaran to tie the block to their forestay and then launch the trailer into the water and the cat floats the block. Let it go where you want.

I did this 20 years ago with a mates cats and the mooring apparatus is still going fine. The idea of concrete not working is pretty easy to rebut as almost all NSW moorings use blocks.

cheers

Phil

In my opinion concrete blocks should be sunk into the sea bed. I have sunk mine below the sand into the shell bottom and I've had no problems.

But on the mid north coast here I have noticed a trend by commercial operators to use truck tyres filled with concrete. My recommendation is that you should never use tyres as a permanent mould. Why, well I was down at Port Albert some years ago and they had just suffered a big blow [nothing more than what we get up here] and they had several vessels ashore, some a total loss. All were still attached to their mooring apparatus which all included concrete in tyres. Because of the round shape the tyres have no ability to dig in like a concrete block does. In effect they become flying saucers over the sea bed. The holding power of mooring blocks relates to how deeply they are buried.

This was seen today at Camden Haven Inlet. The wire is only 12mm reo. Note the smaller ones on the launch.

Of the same wieght taking in account Concrete buoyancy etc Do you think a concrete block will have a better holding capacity than train wheels. We had severe winds here in Tas and alot of yachts dragged moorings, Over 30 yachts have ended up on the banks in the last 2 weeks, Making Marina costs seem better and better to me.................

In Drummoyne in June16 my 3.7 tonne yacht (5.5 loaded up) dragged its 750kg block for 15 meters damaging the bow rollers in the process. I added a 1 ton block and rebuilt the bowsprit.
Now it is staying where it is supposed to stay.
The double block is only a few bucks more to service than as single one as long as no new parts are needed.
As far as moorings are concerned, the insurance companies can be obstructive if a claim is made on a self made mooring as they might demand a mooring inspection report by a pro.

It is my conviction, especially after a successful claim, that bucks spent on insurance are NOT money thrown into the wind.

+1 for Wheels or anything that will sink into the bottom. For single point moorings, the second most important characteristic is to not tangle the ground chain as the wind/tide winds the rode around in circles. My old dad lost his boat because the local mooring contractor/nazi decided to tow it to the supposedly 'correct' location (been on that spot since 1950). Pulled it out of its sunken position, chain wrapped around same, and a gale pulled boat shorewards into breakers until chain snapped.......
Now, on the Mornington Peninsula (PPB), Parks Victoria will only accept twin-anchor moorings, with a bridle and riding chain. Sure, mostly they seem to work, but at a huge service cost to their owners - and good business for the local mooring/salvage company!!