TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Moorings

Just a gentle reminder to have a look at the ground tackle once you tie up to a mooring ball

Bad stuff can happen to the most seasoned professionals. This happened over in Saba (not Saba Rock) but most people here bareboat and most people use moorings.

There is no diving to check tackle in the 200+ ft water over in Saba It is something you can snorkel in the BVI

http://www.superyachttimes.com/yacht-news/48m-superyacht-elsa-runs-aground-in-saba/

Wasn't due to the mooring though - it was a brand new mooring. It had to do with the keel wrapping around it and chaffing through it.

I posted to warn folks, not to be contradictory.
If you have a look at this article, you'll see it was a 160 ft power yacht. Not really a keelboat.

As I posted on other threads I have had two Mooring failures in the BVI. I check the condition of the Moorings as best I can.
G

I wasn't suggesting one shouldn't check. And I should have read the story - I just saw the text and thought it was a different boat - missed that it was not in feet This is different from the one I was referring to which was a sailboat. I should know better then to comment before reading

Although it is important that even a brand new mooring could fail in the right circumstances.

Last time I chartered from St. Martin. The Moorings told me to *not* use the moorings that are available in several of the anchorages, that I have to pay park fees to stay in, that are supposed to go towards mooring upkeep.

They said they are just not reliable anymore and you just need to use your own hook. Kinda sucks because the balls are usually in the best places. Sigh.

Actually it WAS a keel boat, a week before the big power boat broke loose.

The monohull wrapped its' keel around the mooring and chaffed through the line, with the boat ending up on the rocks near Ladder Bay. The boat's crew decided to stay on shore for a couple of days, leaving the boat alone on the mooring.

The boat was salvaged and brought to St. Maarten with significant damage, as you might expect.

One of the reasons I think the Moorings in the BVI have issues now and then is the big increase in the size of charterboats. The Moorings maintained by moor secure in general are in good shape unless the last user damaged it.
The non moor secure overnight balls (BEYC) and national park service balls can be another story. The national park service balls have a 55 foot limit that is often ignored by crewed boats and some of the bigger bareboats. That puts a lot of strain on the Moorings. I watched a large boat simply snap a park service pennant when the line came tight at the top of a swell.
G

I'm moored at Saba rock right now and was heartened to just see a moor seacure boat and diver proactively checking moorings. I'm assuming proactively because the ball was in use and didn't show any obvious problems.

I learned a expensive lesson and always take a Saba ball instead of BEYC!
G

Yes, Saba Rock mooring balls are $5 cheaper than BEYC. But, some of the Saba Rock mooring balls are extremely close together. We had to move off one when we would have collided with an oversize catamaran (who came in after us) on an adjacent mooring.

Just beware.

My wife and I had that happen to us at Saba Rock. The two of us were on a Moorings 37. It was about three hours after dark when a large power cat, about 47 or 48 feet tied up to a mooring ball on their starboard hull only. Of course they were moving back and forth and coming close to hitting us. We didn't know this as we had already gone to bed and they woke us up yelling. I got up and went topside, I couldn't believe what I saw and then the lady skipper informed me I was going to have to move! There were at least 8 of them aboard and they were intentionally acting like they were trying to intimidate me. I told them I was here first and I had my mooring ball receipt and I wasn't going anywhere. I didn't mention her sloppy seamanship. They started acting like they might attempt to board our vessel. I didn't do or say anything more. I may be getting old, but my wife standing on the companion-way ladder next to the galley, had they attempted to board, I would have asked my wife to hand me the large butcher knife. Although this old former Marine prefers on old fashioned K-bar. We were there first!

Last in first out is always the rule with issues anchoring or Mooring. Sad people don't understand basic rules.
G

I have had the same situation with my own boat once - I just silently hung all my fenders on that side and said "Steel crushes fiberglass", I was here 1st and have a pleasant night". <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />

Anybody have a feel for how many times in a typical year a boat comes loose from a mooring in the BVIs? One a week, one a month, one a year? Particular problem areas?

I don't have any data, but I never really 100% trust the NPT moorings. At least the Moor secure moorings have a business reason for making their tackle reasonably safe and inspecting it (fairly) regularly. I'm not sure that the gov't has the same motivation and ability. Also the NPT moorings are found in less desirable and more challenging anchoring areas close to attractions rather than close to protection.

The Baths and to a lesser extent the Indians stand out for me as areas that have got to be hard on mooring tackle with all of the daily use in often times heavy groundswell conditions. IMHO a prudent mariner should think twice about using these moorings overnight (often seen at the Indians) or in unsettled conditions without someone competent on board.