How to make an inexpesive mooring buoy - looking for suggestions.

Mark W

Mark W

Well-known member
I want to be able to moor one of my boats off shore just a little ways in water that is no deeper than 4 feet.. I took a tree anchor and screwed it into the bottom of the lake. It goes down quite far and I can't pull it out if I were the incredible hulk. Over the weekend I just attached a rope to the bottom anchor and then through a little rope buoy and then tied up the small boat (850 lbs). While this works fine, I can see the rope getting scummy and it won't work well for long. I started looking at mooring buoys but they are too expensive ($100 starting point about) and they are overkill for what I need. I looked at crab pot buoys and they seem to be better priced but I don't know if they would do the job. Suppose I should mention this mooring buoy will only be used during the day when we are down at the lake. Rather than having to put the small boat back on the lift every time after using it, it would be much easier to clip it onto a mooring buoy during the day and put the boat on the lift at night.

Here is my plan.

1. Keep the anchor in place - no need to change this as it is going to work just fine .
2. Attach the buoy to the anchor with either light chain or wire.
3. Keep a short piece of stretchy rope with clips on both ends in the boat to be moored. One end of the clip will attach to the boat, the other to the mooring buoy.
4. Be able to keep the mooring line clean and not get scuzzy during the summer.
5. Semi durable buoy. I don't think the straight Styrofoam buoys would work well for long.

The part I don't have is the buoy. I want the buoy to have some sort of ring or something on the bottom to attach the anchor chain to. This buoy also has to have some sort of loop or ring on the topside so that I can attach the boat line to. I've been looking, nothing comes to mind that I am familiar with. Appreciate all suggestions.

Something like this would be perfect although a little expensive. Can't find a "rod buoy" in the US. Rod Buoy in the UK must equal Mooring Buoy in the US https://www.marinescene.co.uk/category/291/rod-buoys/

Mark
 
Last edited:
A good large crab trap bouy should work fine. Even the standard styrofoam ones will last a whole season in the water down here.
I may have one lying around for the cost of shipping it. Let me know, I will check my shed tonight.
 
You want what Roy suggested. Those are very tough and buoyant, plus you'll be the only person out your way with a tuna ball.
 
Carl said:
Checked my shed, no buoys. Thought I had a few. Sorry.
Click to expand...

Thanks for looking Carl and then he offer to send one this way. Sincerely appreciated.

Mark
 
Last edited:
Huntindave McCann said:
I usually find one or two of these floating along the shoreline. Should work fine for a mooring buoy. They have an attachment point on both ends and one can purchase various diameters and lengths.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave. I have thought about these bumpers but think the end not attached to the anchor is going to get slimy. Those bumpers tend to lay sideways in the water unless under tension I guess.

Mark
 
Good morning, Mark~


Galvanized chain from anchor up to buoy is the standard. So, your buoy needs enough buoyancy to float the chain.


More important: I would not fasten your mooring pennant to the buoy or the boat with snaps (learned the hard way...). Such an approach is fine for temporary rigs - like a layout boat - but not for an unsupervised mooring. Wind and tide can unsnap even the best hardware, in my experience.






View attachment Mooring Buoy.gif



Pennant should be eye-spliced to buoy and then fastened to a cleat on the foredeck of your boat. Eye-splice on the buoy is best protected with a thimble.


Hope this helps!


SJS

 
Mark W said:
Huntindave McCann said:
I usually find one or two of these floating along the shoreline. Should work fine for a mooring buoy. They have an attachment point on both ends and one can purchase various diameters and lengths.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave. I have thought about these bumpers but think the end not attached to the anchor is going to get slimy. Those bumpers tend to lay sideways in the water unless under tension I guess.

Mark
Click to expand...

Yes, I was thinking, sized with the right chain, the bumper would float upright with the upper end out of the water.

Another option might be a small round floating platform. 16 inch diameter exterior plywood. Builders foam glued to bottom side, with an eye bolt top and bottom in the middle. Similar setup always worked well for floating muskrat traps on the marsh.
 
I have some crab pot buoys that I find all the time on the river shore. I’ll post some pics of what it looks like and if you want one or two I’ll send them to you
 
If you put a dowel through the bouy, then put a weight on the bottom of the dowel, the dowel will stand up.
Makes it easy to pick up when you come back. If the bouy and weight are large enough you might be able to hook the mooring line to the top of the dowel and that would keep it clean
 
Everyone where we had a place on the lake used a tire on a rim. Chain the rim to the anchor and chain the boat to the rim. Some painted the tire and rim. Some didn't.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top