Guest Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Ok I understand that the AC will only let apprioved contractors install a mooring, but technically this doesnt stop someone building there own block, chain, etc etc and "getting" said approved people to lay it in.... so how hard to build the mooring block? what is the spec so to say ? concrete block plus steel eye???? I have buoy and chain..... already is this do able Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 http://www.ecan.govt.nz/publications/General/MooringBookletfhmx.pdf Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 alternatively who in Auckland makes 4T mooring blocks call me direct on 021 380 611 and we can talk - peter i have an approved contractor ready to install. and approval for the mooring. Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 243 Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 as long as you build it to the council spec you shouldn't have a problem. Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Everyone uses Train Wagon wheels up here. They sink into the bottom and Steel weighs more under water than Concrete. Central Iron in Manakau have some in stock for $150 (or was it $180) each. Chains Ropes and Anchors have the rest of the gear and it is a case of simply welding the shackles between chains and a top rope fitted with a special knot and Bobs your mums brother. The Harbour Master gives you and most importantly, the guy that drops the mooring for you, the GPS position. I used Tidal Engineering as they are the most reputable here(without going into some shocking stories of the other) and it is Tidal Engineering that signs it off. The Harbour Masters office will spec what you need for the boat, but they also tend to be overkill. Tidal engineering sign off that the mooring meets all the requirements, places a cert tag on the Mooring and then sends you the certificate after you pay them. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Yeap, quite do-able. Needs to be checked as Wheels mentioned. Could be cheaper and easier to find a pile of train wheels, big feck off old flywheel or something along those lines though. Concrete can be done. You'll need a couple of tonne. Use a 'stud'* when making it as it will produce a far better item. Put a couple of BIG mooring points into it i.e. 50mm steel isn't small. Put reinforcing steel onto it also and tie the mooring lugs onto that pre-pour. You could use a length of big feck off chain laying thru it and out each end as the mooring points. Make it flat rather than high as you'd look pretty stupid running aground on your own mooring weight at low tide, don't laugh it has happened more than once. Best to chat to a contractor and tell them what you are planning on doing, using and the lengths before you rip into it. No point making one if no-one will sign it off and I can assure you they won't just sign any old knocked up thing off as if anything goes wrong it's the small contractors who get targeted by the powers that be 1st. Also talk weights as depending on where you are putting it some weights are better than others. Weld up the connections. They are cheap and should be regarded very much as consumables. Don't do what some dicks do and rescue steel the shackle pins so they come out easy. Those dudes do tend to find their boats on the beach a lot more often than those who weld theirs. * - a concrete spud is basically a vibrator. When you pour the concrete you put this in and it wiggles the air out of the mix making the block stronger, smaller for it's weight and most importantly heavier when immersed. You can rent one from Hirepool or the likes cheap just for a few hours. They are worth using. Don't stud and you're just adding concrete to offset the trapped air to get to a given weight. Renting a stud is cheaper than buying another 500kg of concrete. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I have heard of forklift counterweight being used (in BOI) - apparently it was a lot cheaper than concrete. The harbor master there specified the weight of a steel block and the forklift reconditioning company was able to supply a block that weight. Much easier than concrete! Link to post Share on other sites
Grinna 2 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 What effect does a large footprint mooring weight have in terms of resistance to sucking it out of the mud? Is a physically large weight harder to lift out of the ooze than the same mass in a smaller package?? Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I have heard of forklift counterweight being used (in BOI) - apparently it was a lot cheaper than concrete. The harbor master there specified the weight of a steel block and the forklift reconditioning company was able to supply a block that weight. Much easier than concrete! Yeap used them ourselves more than once. They are very good but watch for water depth, they can land and sit 'up right' so could make a serious mess of your keel if you aren't in deeper water. But these weights are becoming bloody costly. But hunt around and keep your eyes open, they do pop up cheap now and again. I had to stop Wheels admiring the forklift at work recently, roughly about the same time as he was building his mooring It's a bit weird in the BOI at the moment. The rules tend to say you have no choice but concrete which is dumb dumb and if you ask me it's dumb. The worst bit is 2t minimum but most are 4t. So if you are playing moorings in the Far North asking a local contractor is probably more important. One is anal but pragmatic (very good qualities to have in a mooring dude) and the other seems to have no bloody idea about anything at the moment. An ideal weight Mr Grinna, would be a large doughnut shape. Sinks into the grunge nicely or if in lumpy bottoms 'hooks' over things. Or a flattish disk with a con-caved bottom if you know is a soft mud like seabed, the concave creates a vacuum which can be incredibly hard to break free, even with a 30t barge and big lifting gear. If anyone ever runs across one of those big old flywheels, approx 2-3mt in diameter, hang onto it, they are the bees knees. The size of a mooring weight doesn't really matter as long as the 'height' is watched if you are in shallower water and obviously it's fecking heavy. One thing to bar in mind is how you will wrap/connect the bottom chain to the weight. That wants to be secure obviously so if you were thinking of just shackling it onto say one of the small lifting lugs on a counter weight you will be called a dickhead. generally the weight and bottom chains don't wear out that fast and can last 20 plus years, especially in deeper water with a muddy bottom. So make that part grunty from the get go and save the drama of replacing it more often. Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 The big issue with steel weights is that they are getting expensive due partly tp Scrap prices but I expect being sought after for mooring weights I guess. I saw a 2T tractor weight a few weeks back being asked a rediculous price for and advertised for use as a mooring weight. It was over a couple of K in cost. The thing I like about the wheels is that each acts like a buldozer instead of just one weight being so. Link to post Share on other sites
rigger 47 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Scrap metal prices http://www.metalexchange.co.nz/index.ph ... al-prices/ http://www.metalcorp.co.nz/pricelist.php suggest that if you are after a large chunk of steel go to one of the scrap metal places and ask them if they have anything you could use Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 great ideas thanks guys Link to post Share on other sites
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