Mooring buoys

P

Planeguy

Active member
Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
RO Number
1963
Messages
411
Has anyone here ever used the mooring buoys at Put In Bay? Just curious how you tie to a buoy? Is there a line attached that you use or just some type of ring or something you use your own line to tie up to it?
 
There's a ring. If you look at 5 boats on the buoys, you'll see 5 different ways of tying to them. I run a line from each fwd cleat through the ring and back to the cleat. It's secure, swings well and is easy to release when the time comes (but you need long lines).

The Boardwalk manages the buoys. Shuttles to and from your boat are included in the fee.
 
Thanks for the information. I like to go over to the island from Huron with my 34' Silverton. Am going to try to go over and moor and have lunch and spend the day a few times this summer. Our cruising club goes there for Historical Weekend and it is so much fun. I noticed you are at Cedar Point, is Famous Dave's still there? How is the dockage for having lunch or dinner there?
 
Yep. Dave's is still going strong. They follow the schedule of the park (for the most part). I haven't eaten there yet this season - I like to let the seasonal trainees get a little more experience...

During peak season, the day pier will fill up, esp. during mid-afternoon. I wouldn't let that discourage you though. If you find the day pier full and were determined to get a spot, go to a fuel dock for a pump-out or gas. ($4.15 /gal btw!) Once you're face-to-face with an attendant, you'll have a chance of getting an advantage of them trying to make room for you. They WILL move boats to free space, but only upon request.

There are other nearby choices too: Clinkers, the restaurant in the old Lyman factory in the SonRise Marina basin. They have LOTS of day spots - even more than CP. If you want to venture under the causeway into Pipe Creek, you can stop at the Castaway Bay Marina day pier near the fuel dock, and then walk around resort to Friday's. (even with rising water levels this season, I wouldn't take a big boat all the way to Friday's) Then of course there's always Damon's in Battery Park. The guest wall is short there, but I've always found a spot.
 
Been to Damon's plenty of times and always get a great meal there. Thanks for the information. If you see JETLAG passing by give me a shout!
 
quote:
Originally posted by Planeguy

If you see JETLAG passing by give me a shout!

Click to expand...


Will do!

Correction on my previous post: I noticed while driving past Lyman's the other day that the name "Clinkers" is no-where to be found. It's not on their website either, so I guess they dropped that name.
 
Back to the original question in this thread. I understand how to tie lines through the ring on the buoy. But how do you approach the buoy and grab the ring? I have a 32' cruiser. Do I have somone on the bow with a boat hook to snag the ring? Or do I come along side the buoy, grab the ring, put a line through the ring and walk the lines to the bow?
 
Sailboaters typically approach the buoys head-on and work the line from the bow. (you can buy a special hook to make this easier) I would probably do the same if I had a single engine and lower freeboard, but with twins, I find it much easier to put the stbd edge of the swim platform alongside of the buoy, and then back up as someone walks the lines fwd.
 
That was going to be my next question! Walking the lines forward makes the most since for me. I also think that may be the safest way to do it. Now just to figure out how long of line you need.
 
Some boats seem to "swing" better than others. Mine gets unruly, and as you know, there's not a lot of room between buoys up there and that's not the way I like to meet new people!

I moved to the 2-line method when I realized that the lazy way of a single line running from port, through the ring to starboard would result in the boat pulling the line back and forth through the loop. This not only chafes, but it makes the boat swing out of sequence with the other boats. It must depend on the boat and the conditions though - a lot of people get away with it.
 
SLW, I guess I don't understand the advantage of your two line system. If they are the same length lines it would seem like both lines would be tight, both bearing the load. But how does that cause your boat to swing better?
 
When the line can be pulled through the loop, the wind can push my BOW, so instead of only the stern swinging, the whole boat moves. After a few feet, the tension catches up and the bow stops, but now I'm out of phase with everyone else, and of course, it start all over again in the other direction. If your bow cleats are close to each other, or if you have a center cleat, or you can run the line through the anchor chock etc., this whole action is reduced, if not eliminated.
 
I, like SLW back the stern of the boat up to the buoy, my wife runs a line throught the ring and I take it forward. Maybe I'm tempting fate, but I run a one 5/8 line from cleat through the ring and to the other forward cleat. The boat rides fine.
 
That sounds like a great way to "grab" the buoy. Just can't wait to get over and try it! Bill how long of a line do you use to swing? Thanks.
 
I always stood on the bow with a boat hook and pulled the ring up ran the line through it and tied each end to the forward cleats. Worked well even in violent storms. Water taxi is free when you rent the buoy. Have two fees, half day and all night. Half day is over at 4 O'Clock.
 
I checked out the methods used on the buoys over the wkd. Just I suspected, it was about 1/3rd-1/3rd-1/3rd between a bridal/dual lines to cleats, one line from cleat to cleat and centered single or doubled-up line which I assume they run through the anchor chock.
 
I think I use about a 25' line, so by the time it runs out and back and gets cleated, I'm maybe 10' off the buoy. We never come anywhere near another boat.
 
Thanks for all the information. This is just another thing I have to try this summer. Watch for Jetlag on the buoy!
 
I'm one that would use one line through the ring and then to port/starboard cleats. My boat would swing quite a bit, it never dawned on me to use two lines, one to each cleat. That's what I'll do this summer. Thanks!
 
Planeguy I have wanted to do this for years. I was there last weekend. I took the ferry as it was pretty bumpy on the lake. I went over and asked questions. I was told the ring will come up about 5 ft. then put the line or lines through. You need to call them on channel 10 when you get there and they will come out to get you and collect the fee...cash only. I was told 35 for overnight.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top