I ordered a HopBall, i might get a few more :-) I'd like a lift, that's the goal, that will be my project for next year (I wonder if they can be rented/leased?)...i've blown my boating budget for the year and another $8-10K for a lift isn't going to happen this year (for now, my lift will be putting it on it's trailer if bad weather is expected).

I have been thinking about what SCT Kota and f_inscreenname are describing. It sounds like they are very similar in concept with a couple differences in implementation. It seems the key to this method working is in how the buoy is secured as this will be the force holding the boat from the dock. My follow-up question to this is, how do I secure they buoy such that it remains stable while the boat attempts to move closer to the dock. An anchor in mud isn't going to do it. I had thought about bending a piece of re-bar and pouring a few bags of concrete around it creating a weight to which I could attach a cable/rope....and use this to keep the buoy sturdy and in place. The question would then be, how much weight is needed to hold a 6,500 lb boat with wind, etc. in place?

The other thing I have been wondering is if I could make my own whips vs forking out $500+ for them. I found fiberglass rods here - 8ft sections are $26 for 1", $39 for 1.25", $59 for 1.5". (smaller lengths and diameters are available too) and they can be chemically bonded/welded together. It would take some time to determine the appropriate thinckness to get the desired flexibility/strength and some playing around with hardware on top and bottom of the rods, but it could make for a nice DIY project....has anyone tried this?

I wouldn't recommended it. It does sound like an interesting project, but the money you might save pales in comparison to being able to sleep at night and not worry if the contraption is going to keep the boat off the dock.

We've had the same set of Monarch mooring whips since 1994, they have been flawless and have only needed a coat of wax once a year. These are used in northern NY for about 6 months a year.

I have used a few other brands including some of the two-piece models, and there is no comparison to a set of single piece Monarch whips.

I bought a bunch of this cordage last year, really happy with it, especially for the price and the color selection.

http://www.maddogproducts.com/cordage.html

Our water drops during the winter so they were able to dig a hole, two or three feet across a foot deep, put some chain rapped around rebar (I believe) and then filled it full of concrete. It has been there for over 50 years and all the dirt has washed out around it but it is still there though the chain link going into the concrete finally broke. After that we wrapped a chain around the block (the top was larger when the dug the hole so it had a "lip" in the top). We do have some storms but the boat was downwind of the dock so the weight of the boat was pulling on the dock, not on the mooring. The set up we had was just like f_inscreenname's image except we had the bow and stern clipped to keep the boat from rotating.


We used 5 gallon buckets with large landscaping nails between the links of the chain (then filled with concrete) for jet ski moorings, it wouldn't be enough for a boat but you could try linking several of those together if you need another option, maybe even an old cooler full of concrete (handles to help move it) You could tie on fenders, mooring ball, life jackets etc to help with the weight in the water, then cut the rope once it is in place.


Edit: I just remembered that the club I worked for in high school used an engine block as an anchor to hold a small dock in place.

2 pilings with a pulley screwed into each piling, 2 coffee cans full of concrete, keeps the boat off the dock,
boat goes up and down with wave action, tide, etc. without jerking the lines tight.
my dad did it that way for 25 years without incident and probably only changed the lines on the coffee cans a few times

I guess my question is- how deep is the water at the dock? Coolers and pails full of concrete are all fun and games until you're the poor SOB that catches a prop/skeg on one in shallow water.

I prefer the four point method with big lengths of pipe I can see sticking out of the water, and some of these attached to the bottom
https://www.google.com/shopping/prod...256300#sgro=om

BBCLiberator - I was looking at the Maddog site last night shopping for cordage. Thanks for the quality recommendation on the bungees. What really caught my eye were the inflatable life vests, are these quality, seemed reasonable?

STL Kota - now I wish I saved the cracked block on an old 454. I joked about using it as a paper weight, this is far more practical :-) . I wonder if about 200 lb of concrete can hold a 6,000 lb boat in place? (once the Eurasian Milfoil takes off, that would most certainly hold the concrete in place...what a sad thought). Maybe I could daisy-chain orange home depot buckets of concrete via heavy chain?

outonsafari - Just 2 coffee cans? How did that work out for wind? those can have some pretty strong pull (I would think). As mentioned above, I was thinking of 2-4 home depot orange buckets of concrete...Guess that would be overkill :-)

The only issue with concrete buckets is that they can slide on the bottom (not much surface area dragging when they fall over) but you can always keep adding more until it held.

Anytime we have white caps they come from the same direction and the dock was up-wind of the boat so it did most of the "holding" of the boat.


Water depth was never an issue here but it is something to keep in mind.

Still wondering about the dock construction. Is it removeable or permanent? I ask because here in Western NY, on Chautauqua Lake, most docks are removed in the winter because of the ice. If that is the case tying to the dock or using mooring whips could be a problem. I would go with four posts along placed along side the dock.

Years ago I used to leave the boat at the dock on calm days when I was home and moor it at night or when I was not home. I used a 100# mooring a anchor and changed the chain and rope yearly. After I got a boat Lift I slept much better and it was easier keeping the boat bottom clean.

Padraig

Well damn, I actually never noticed these, so I'm useless on advice about quality. But they look pretty nice, and the price seems reasonable for sure.


Also, I don't know what the bottom is like, but what about an anchor auger??? Those things hold like a mother.... if you get the right size, AND they are relatively cheap.

Something large and it ain't going anywhere https://shop.hamiltonmarine.com/prod...FZRahgodZasP_Q

Or even better, again depending on the bottom (this is actually for dry earth, but doesn't really matter): http://www.gmesupply.com/66-galvaniz...FU5ZhgodPhQD5A

I've been tying to the same auger for about 20 years...