?Wind VS. Current?...Mooring a Cub

[Dave Calkins]

I have some ideas, but...Help! I'd like some advice.

15 knots of wind from the West.
6 knots of water current from the East.
about 6 inches of chop from the West.

I have a spot with the above conditions prevailing. The bottom is a very gradually sloping sand/silt shoal. Tidal action is NOT an issue.

Any advice?

Here's the big question: a) moor it from the bows and hope it stays weather-vaned with the nose into the wind? b) moor it from the bows and hope it drifts down-current (tail toward the wind)?(NOT)! c) moor it from the heels and hope it drifts down-current with the nose into the wind?

Something Else??? :oops:

[Dave Calkins]

Moor it from the heels and the bows? That's what I figure I'll do if all you guys can give me for advice is smart-aleck comments. :D

[Dave Calkins]

Thanks ahead of time! DAVE

[Erik]

David - it sounds like SALT water. So, my advice is don't even go NEAR the place! Sorry, couldn't resist. I just can't imagine getting salt water on my beatiful cub.

[Hyrdflyr]

Dave, moor it so it will weather vane. The wind is always more likely to kick up to damaging levels than the current, so its safer that way, and when it is able to face the chop when it weathervanes, that limits the chance of taking in water around the hatch tops.

Hyrdflyr

[Yard Dart]

I would use a sea plane bridle on prop and let it weather vain. PS water rudders up! Yard Dart

[Aviator]

Best to avoid mooring there. But if I had to, I'd moor her so she'll weathercock and let out a sea anchor from the bow to keep her pointed downstream. Had limited success with this setup but you have to keep an eye on the wind.

[StewartB]

Gently sloping silty/sandy shoreline? Why not tail it in on the beach? Chop and boat wakes don't bother the bows much. Lift the tails and drag it up so the keels are on the bottom, and the wind and current won't bother it, either.

SB

[Dave Calkins]

OK, I'm not sure that I've heard the 64,000 dollar answer yet.

It's not salt.

Normally I'd just let it weathercock from a bridle off the bow cleats, but that pesky current is liable to mess me up. It's 6 knots of current opposite of the wind!! That's 6 knots of current hitting the float transoms. I'm not sure a 15 or so knot wind will be able to keep the bird weathervaned.

The shoreline is parrallel to the current and wind, so, SB, tailing onto the shoal may not work. It may! But we're talking a pretty good current forcing the bows upwind/downcurrent.

I'll be nearby the aircraft, but will be participating in some water-sports activities (kitesurfing) and won't be able to rescue the bird immediately if I see it drifting :o

Thanks again, you guys! Any more ideas? Would an anchor on each end be stupid?

The sea anchor idea from "aviator" sounds feasible.

[StewartB]

Dave,

I did just what I described for years. It works well, until the river either drops or rises, which only happens in the middle of the night, it seems. The river rising is definitely worse. I liked my keels sitting on the bottom.

Isn't the purpose of mooring/anchoring to tie-off the bows and let the plane take it's own path of least resistance? In southeast when a plane or boat's on a buoy the wind and tide aren't necessarily going the same direction. It seems that having the plane secured at the tails and getting the worse, whether chop, current, or wind from behind would be a bad thing.

SB

[Dave Calkins]

Thanks, SB.

Yeah, I agree that tieing from the tails is not the smartest thought.

The guy I respect the most told me to do what you've been doing. He said to tail it ashore and let it go "...where God wants it to go..". In other words, let it find it's angle against the shore/current/wind.

He said to always have it tied to something. He said he lost one once. Never to be seen again. I didn't get details on this, but maybe you know who I'm talking about now.

Thanks, DAVE

[Yard Dart]

If you use a bridle , tie to prop not cleat.

[Dave Calkins]

I go off both bow cleats with a "Y" so the thing weathervanes nicely.

Cavi, why a bridle off the prop?

[mvivion]

Bridle off the prop tends to keep the nose from rising a bit better in a wind. The prop is what pulls the beast through the air, so it can take the guff.

MTV

[Webfoot]

I have had a cub sit through a couple good blows on salt water. I made a bridle and tied to the pork chops at the front spreader bar. Then I put in full forward trim. It rode really well, always weather vaning into the wind. I wouldn't tie to the bow cleats if there is much wave action.

[Dave Calkins]

Good points! Thanks guys!

I'll go off the prop next time.

I thought the cleats were best because they were the furthest thing forward of all the lateral area. Also, it allows me to walk my cable to the other float.

I can see how tieing to the prop trumps the above reasons cause the nose can't rise as easily.

...still learning, I guess.

Thanks, DAVE