The Basics
Your mooring is comprised of chain (top and bottom), a mooring ball, bridles, a swivel, a pickup stick, a mushroom anchor and a series of shackles to connect the whole system together.
The Principles
Any seasoned sailor will tell you that the key to a good mooring system goes way beyond the weight of your mooring anchor. In fact the most important factors in keeping your boat off of the beach are the weight and scope of your chain.
The Eastchester Bay and its surrounding waters typically range from 10-15 ft. during normal tides. Your mooring system has 50 ft. of chain, top to bottom. When wind/weather conditions dictate that all 50 ft. of your chain gets stretched straight, the entire weight of your vessel is transfered from the chain to your bridles. This is not an ideal situation because the bridles are the weakest part of your mooring system. The cantenary in the chain acts as the shock absorber during bad weather. Cantenary is the combination of your scope and weight (dia.) of chain. Since it is not practical nor cost effective to put endless amounts of chain in your system, we tend to install heavier chain to make up the difference. For example, 50 feet of 5/8" chain will have more holding power than 50 feet of 1/2" chain because it takes more force for your boat to stretch the heavier chain than the lighter. Meaning, the heavier chain can withstand higher winds, greater storm surge, etc.
It is based on these principles, and the size/weight/type of your boat, that we can choose the right tackle for your mooring system.
