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Dougiestyle wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 5:47 pm Well we got a mooring ball in 2021 which is about 40 minutes from the house. So thats not bad at all. High mountain lake so the winds are either on or off. I learned how to stall the rudders in low wind conditions , and get back when the squall lines start showing up .But we LOVE IT. It gets out on the water more often, and camping with it, especially with all the covid restrictions that have taken place .

Ok...while on the topic of a permanent mooring I'll explain here what I did this past summer. The plan was to sink 750-800 lbs of Home Depot Qwikcrete concrete/scrap steel and rebar. It was on Youtube that I came across the following video. I thought it was very clever and was determined I could construct the same and launch it from our neighbors boat ramp on our utility trailer near our cabin.



I constructed the form at home with a sheet of OSB on the trailer and brought it up to the lake.





My plan hit a road block once I arrived at the lake...literally. The boat ramp I was relying upon to launch the floating
anchor was occupied with plastic dock blocks and they weren't moving this summer. The nearest boat ramp was many kms away and it would
have been too risky to float the anchor the long distance (bro-in laws 14 ft boat with a small outboard) whether it be from the wind picking up or the wake from another boat swamping it prematurely from my anchor destination. Filling it on the shoreline would also be risky as the form is flimsy and the wave action could destroy it while the concrete was curing. Plan A was not going to work.

Ok, so it was now Plan B. Hmmm...years prior I brought up to the lake a polyethylene cube. I figured it might be useful one day at the cabin for whatever. This was the day. I cut an opening with a sawzall and dragged it down to the lake shore. It was a perfect vessel. Filled it with concrete and steel so that the water line was 6" or so from the top. Also added was about 10 feet of heavy 7/8 inch ground chain. From the end of that ground chain I used 5/16 inch chain to the mooring ball. After a couple days for the concrete to cure we towed it out to the destination...rocked the vessel 2 times and down it went very quickly.

You can see the truck brake rotors I used to give you some scale.



Concrete curing prior to launching it. See the water line.



Some may argue it might not be enough weight. Submerged my estimate is close to 500 lbs.
Enough to give me a good nights sleep I hope when the winds get nasty. I only had the Mac moored on
it a short time last summer so it hasn't really been tested. I complemented it all with a quality Mantus
mooring bridle.

mac n cheese wrote: ↑Sun Jan 16, 2022 8:44 am

Be Free wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 6:26 pm
I like the little step for climbing up over the bow. It looks like if folds up very nicely. Who makes it?

That little step of 13" or so can make a huge difference when getting in and out of the boat whether on the dock or beach.
Lots out there to choose from.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=folding+step ... doa-p_1_12

Thanks.

The male sockeye in the pic is just starting to turn pink and about to spawn. The meat is still very much edible and firm for bbq or smoking.

Inquiring minds want to know; when is the meat not edible

Answer from a fishing guide acquaintance…. It depends:
The farther up river the less appetizing and the greater the risk…
(Are we talking sport fishing or backwoods survival? )

https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2017/10/ ... ency-room/


Best Regards
Over Easy

mac n cheese wrote: ↑Sun Jan 16, 2022 10:52 am

Very interesting.

What's the bottom like there? If it's mud, that ground tackle will likely sink deeper and become like a mushroom anchor.

Russ wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 6:10 am
Very interesting.

What's the bottom like there? If it's mud, that ground tackle will likely sink deeper and become like a mushroom anchor.

Jus wondering how much slack you have on the line down from the ball?…..

OverEasy wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:11 am

Russ wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 6:10 am
Very interesting.

What's the bottom like there? If it's mud, that ground tackle will likely sink deeper and become like a mushroom anchor.

Jus wondering how much slack you have on the line down from the ball?…..

Lake bottom is mostly mud. Maybe the ribs on the polyethylene (former) vessel will give it some suction...I never thought of that.
Or it could act like an underwater toboggan and drag. I don't trust any body of water especially this big lake. Water depth is 13 feet low water and 16' high as they control levels (gates) at the mouth for salmon management. I've got 30' or so of ground chain and riding chain combined.

The Mantus bridle length is 23' which will also take up much of the shock load. We'll see...I haven't seen it behave in really stormy weather yet.
I still have the OSB form and hope to use it one day. It may come in handy for a floating dock mooring.

Bobglas wrote: ↑Mon Jan 10, 2022 9:22 am Wife's new business venture had me single handing all Summer hence not too many photos. Really cool trip up the Otter Creek to Vergennes in VT. This is where boats were built for the battle of Valcour 1776 and the battle of Plattsburg 1814. Nice restaurant, public dock and the falls are lit at night w colored lights. Met an interesting 26x owner who runs the enigmamuseum.com site.

Our turn, today:

How cool. Same location.