Heh Barett... thanx for a sailing related question! :-D

Couple of questions...

"Barrett Bonden" wrote in message
...
Whole new mooring (mushroom , chain, ball) in 2001. Left it in 3 years,
figuring less rusting than sitting in a yard over the winter and better
holding as the mushroom buried itself. . Checked upper links with diving
periodically and all was well.

That's a proper maintainence schedule.
You seasonally cleaned and inspected each link and the shackle to the
mushroom as well as the shackle to the Mooring ball? Your chain lenght was
1.5 times maximun high tide? You utilized oversized swivel shackles on each
end?


After haling out the boat 3 weeks ago , I noticed the top shackle was
sliding into the ball,(junk) and I called the yard to have it pulled.
Yard
guy was out of town, said he'd get to it this week. I check on it
yesterday, and the ball and 10 feet of chain have drifted off to shore.

Could you elbrate on the phrase.... "I noticed the top shackle was
sliding into the ball,(junk)".....


The chain ends with a shackle and a swivel ; the bottom of the swivel is
fine. This means (?) that the top link of the heavier chain has rusted,
and
that it must have gone from being able to hold a 30 foot sailboat to
powder
unable to hold itself in 3 weeks.

Need a bit more info here..... you have a shackle and a swivel between your
chain and the mushroom anchor?

When you state " heavier chain"... do you mean a seperate section of heavier
section of chain placed between the mushroom anchor and the main mooring
chain to the mooring ball?

What are you using for chain?

Is this possible ?

Look Barett... anything is possible... from link failure to the yard guy
trying to haul it and breaking the chain. I check moorings and have placed
moorings that have lasted for 10+ years. Go oversize... refer to first
question.... inspect it seasonally and any other time you get a chance. Wire
brush the chain and shackles every year. Replace anything that looks
deformed..... I keep records and a photos of inspections for insurance
purposes.

I haven't tried the mushroom anchor yet .... I generally like to go with 15
grader blades of high carbon steel. I string them with threaded bar
[1/2"].... and appropriate nuts and washers, I then place a 1 inch dia. PVC
spacer cut to 4" in length on each rod between the grader blades. You end up
with a 1500 lb weight that has immense holding power in silt and mud due to
it's wide foot print and the cupping action of the grader blades under
lift.. I used a three point attachment to the structure, fastened by
shackles to the grader blades. This terminates into a single swivel shackle
which is shackled to the main mooring chain and mooring ball.

Hopes that helps.....

Capt. Mooron - "Moor On with a Moorons Mooring"

[Treat Your Crew with Disdain... and Other Vessels with Distaste"]