New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-19
Commodore Baker Shows
How Various Conditions
May Be Met.
HUDSON CURRENTS
NECESSITATE CARE
Government Supplies Durable and
Efficient Type of Float for
Permanent Anchorage.
BY y. J. BAKER.


With the coming % spring ev.-,
owning a motor boat gets busy, the ,ev..
is on and the monring is one OF ,ha -.
sential things to look TO.
In the Harlem River, where tho .,.
mel Is narrow, it is necessary 10 ma.
the boat bow and stern by ropes at,.cs.
to stakes at either end and clos. >.
shore. In fact, when the tide is a, elm
the keel Of the boat will be lying fl, -.
mud at times. This is about the o,,y
way to moor in narrow channel. There
being no great swclls. this answers eyerv
purpose.
In the Sound and bays. where ,ids,
current is small and the water shallow
a piece Of wood or small spar viii an
swer for a float holding up the sman
amount Of chain attached to the weigh,
at the bottom for an anchor.
But in the Hudson River, Here 70
where you have TO set down to bus.
ness. \ current sometimes approaching
four miles an hour, lots OF traffic of larps
and fast boats causing fairly big sweus
drift spiles and portions of docks loaded
with spikes and all kinds OF furniture
from various points along the river
mean that your boat must have A good
anchorage or she will not be there on
your return.
There are several kinds OF floats used
in our own waters, but undoubtedly the
spar is the hardest to pick up after
sail. These are good only in sheltered
coves or where there is not too much cur.
rent. Cork buoys, plain ana canvas GOV.
cred; galvanized iron Duoys, barrels, etc.
all have their use in some places.
1t was my misfortune to tie Nd one
night TO a can buoy with a stiff iron
upper rigging. 1 could only wonder
through the night how many holes nv
boat would get or If there would be any
paint left on the hull after continue,
prcdding all night long.
Undoubtedly the most permanent moor.
ing where there is plenty OF current is
the galvanized can, such as Is supplied
by the government. II costs 81. The
painter is attached at the top in a loon
and the chain the same way at the bot.
tom. About six or eight feet below the
surface OF the water beer keg is vel
shackled 10 the chain. This keg no ds the
weight OF the chain, allowing the buoy to
stand nearly upright.
One swivel, or better. two. should BE-
used in connecting the chain to the bar
rel and buoy II not swiveled the chan
will twist, cramp, strain and shorten il.
self until something gives way. moor.
ing Of this kind will last about six years
IL saves lots Of work. as in the fall It's
only necessary 10 take off the can. leay.
ing the rest IN the water, where it can b.
readily picked up in the spring.
The most popular type Of mooring in
the Hudson River is wine barrel well
braced with an iron pipe running through
and made fast at both heads, allowing
for the fun passage OF the chain Il Is
best Tended by an old rubber auto tire
To the chain shackle well a rope painter
also small chain somewhat longer than
inc pdil4Atls Aot Allt poAiNNA ~ iHtN NiN
boat and the chain 10 catch and hold i
driftwood cuts the rope.
The best anchor is the mushroom So
named because it is almost identical N
shape to that toothsome fungus. The
action of the boat or buoy coins round
end round gradually bores the mushroom
deeper and deeper in the mud. BY benz
planted a few days the anchor Is well
set before the boat is moored.
A way to approximate the right weight
of mushrooms TO the size Of the boat
to multiply the length Of the boat by the
beam plus two and take three-fourtns OF
the resultant total in pounds This VIII
work out very well up TO a 4o-too'er
When plenty OF room is 10 be had there
should be twenty feet or more OF saeA
chain. but in most places. in fact Wnes
my boat IS moored, ten feet Is all tnA'
can possibly be spared.