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Mooring Ball advice

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Dev75

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NYS Finger Lakes Region - Skaneateles Lake
Good morning everyone, we are slowly coming out of our Northern hibernation even though we're still looking at about a foot of snow on the ground.

We have moved our boat to another marina up the lake closer to where we enjoy being but with that move we will be hooking up to a mooring ball / buoy. Wondering if anyone has any experience with this and if so any wisdom, advice or do's and don't you could share?
 
It’s been a few years but my last my last morning ball experience was with a 47’ cat in the BVI’s. Don’t run it over, approach slow and steady and make sure you line is reasonable length to the surrounding boats. Last but not least a great dingy captain is always good!! :)
 
Try and approach upwind and have a mooring hook handy.
 
Thanks! Not many actual docks on this lake, a lot more mooring balls unless you own property on the lake. My biggest concern was always getting out to the boat. The guy that owns this place has invested in some very nice sized dingy's for us to use so hopefully, things will go fairly smooth. Just also found a device that's basically a pole on a buoy connected to the mooring lines that stands up over the mooring ball so all we have to do is pull up and grab it. Hoping it's this simple, lol.
 
Yes, that pole on the mooring line buoy will help.
Better look into means of repelling the birds. Some of the boats at that marina get plastered with crap.
 
Thanks Joe, I never thought of the birds. This place we will be at is run by the Sailboat Shop. The moorings are on the East side about 8 miles south of the village. I haven't actually had a chance to drive down there yet but I've seen them before from the water.
 
Oh, just South of Borodino, right? We are about 1.5 miles north of those moorings.
Our boat is on a lift, but I do have a mooring and used it when my dock was being built. I keep two fake birds at opposite corners of the lift, mounted on pieces of threaded rod to get them above the canopy. When I put the boat on the mooring, I zip tied a short piece of conduit to the ski bar at the stern, and just dropped the rod mounted bird into the conduit. Could easily remove it when underway. A second at the bow would have helped.

Hint-my mooring was a single 55 gallon drum of concrete. The first windy day my boat was dragged 100’ south. So I had the marina add another drum. You may want to inquire about how your mooring is anchored.
 
Yes that's the one. Thanks for the bird advice. The owner, John, seems like very good guy. He explained the moorings and they sound pretty secure. If I remember correctly their typical moorings are 1300lbs.

Coincidentally, I probably need to stop moving from place to place but I tend to be a little picky. My wife told me I'm probably never going to be happy until I have my own dock. I think she's right.
 
Dev75 said:
Thanks! Not many actual docks on this lake, a lot more mooring balls unless you own property on the lake. My biggest concern was always getting out to the boat. The guy that owns this place has invested in some very nice sized dingy's for us to use so hopefully, things will go fairly smooth. Just also found a device that's basically a pole on a buoy connected to the mooring lines that stands up over the mooring ball so all we have to do is pull up and grab it. Hoping it's this simple, lol.
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Do you know what that pole is called or where you got it? I'm looking in to getting something similar but can't find anything. I tie up to a mooring and struggle when it's super windy out. I need something that's easier to grab. Thanks!
 
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