Cleats, Ropes, Fenders, Buoys and Mudweights
An introductory guide to the various deck fittings (cleats, fair leads and fender eyes), their siting and usage, our recommendations for a set of ropes/mooring lines including their length and diameter, the difference between fenders and buoys, recommended sizes, and how best to use them on a Hampton Safari. Finally we look at mud weights (our "anchor" on the Norfolk Broads, and on canals?), rhond anchors and mooring spikes.
A Hampton Safari will typically have a bow cleat and two stern cleats, one at each corner. Typically, you would use a stern cleat and bow cleat for side on mooring, and two stern lines/cleats for stern on mooring.
Fairleads are shaped guides made from similar materials as cleats and are fixed to the gunwales to guide the mooring line and to stop it chafing/rubbing along the deck.
Some Safaris have additional side cleats fitted roughly half way down either side. A side cleat is a very useful addition as an aid for single handed boaters with no crew and is fairly easy to fit. The exact siting depends on ease of access (see our article "Fitting a side cleat").
Cleats, Fairleads and Fender Eyes
Ropes and Lines (What Do We Need?)
If you've ever hired a boat you may remember that the ropes never seemed quite long enough...As an owner you are more in charge of your own destiny and the following guidelines will hopefully help you.
N.B: Mooring lines can be bought online in standard lengths with a spliced 12" loop at one end (for fixing to the boat cleat). Choose the closest length to that required (you can always trim down to size but not add a bit on!). Shop around online - there is plenty of choice!
What mooring lines/ropes do we need?
For our inland waterways use we recommend 3 strand, twisted multifilament, polypropylene ropes (cheaper and simpler to splice) or braid on braid polyester ropes (more comfortable/softer, slightly more expensive and more advanced splicing technique required). Having used 3 strand twisted ropes initially, we have upgraded to the braid on braid!
Mooring/Docking Lines
The following mooring line lengths are recommended
1 x Bow Line and 2 Stern lines (1 each side) of minimum length 6mtrs/20ft, or preferably 8m/26ft - to allow for turning the boat pivoting around the bow or stern). A couple of shorter mooring lines (4-5m) are useful/recommended for mooring stern on (and/or for occasional "rafting up" alongside another Safari).
A line attached to a side cleat can be attached to a bank side mooring post quite quickly (and with practice, without even leaving the boat,) and once it is secured, although the boat may swing either bow or stern out, it will not be able to pivot right round through 180 degrees, or more awkwardly, stop at 90 degrees to the bank/quay heading. Once the side line is attached the bow and stern lines can be attached in turn to fully secure the boat side on. The 4-5m lines for stern mooring lines can also serve for use as "spring" lines when used with a side cleat.
"Spring lines" help stop your Safari moving backwards and forwards with the tide/wind but still leaving it free to rise up and down with the tide while moored.
What size diameter ropes do we need?
The recommended mooring lines diameter for a 25-30ft long boat ism 3/8"/10mm as minimum or the normally recommended 1/2"/12mm (based on the weight/strain). The smaller (10mm) diameter line may be slightly cheaper, but 12 mm lines are more comfortable to grip and handle.
Fender lines are generally 8mm diameter and around 1-1.5M long and have a spliced eye (loop) at one end. You may wish to trim a 1.5 metre length down as fenders on a Safari generally hang from the gunwales.
Mud weight lines (10-12mm) have a metal shackle eye spliced into the end and the line is attached to the mud weight using a U shaped screwed/locking Shackle bolt. Mud weight lines are normally around 1 to 1.5 x boat length (27-36 ft). A mud weight chain (to add drag) is not really required on a Hampton Safari as the deep muddy bottom in most Broads is more than enough to hold the mudweight.
A Guide to Fenders and Buoys
Fenders and Buoys - What's the difference?
Fenders are usually cylindrical in shape, hang vertically and are evenly spaced along the length of the hull. They are there to (hopefully) protect your Safari from impact during docking, scuffing on quay headings, and/or other boats while moored alongside. They can also (if you are lucky) reduce the impact of collisions by/with other boats (- boating being a non contact "sport" of course!).
Buoys are generally ball shaped floating markers but on a Safari is used as special fender towards the bow and/or hung over the stern when mooring stern on (see mooring lines).
Corner Fenders can be permanently screwed/fixed on the stern corners of your Safari to help protect the vulnerable corners when reversing into small spaces or when leaving the quay heading.
Bow Fenders hang over the bow to try and protect against front end bumps and scrapes (one boat's bow, bumping the boat in front's stern)..
How Many Fenders and what size?
The generally recommended fender diameter for a 25-30 ft boat is 220 mm (nominally 8"). A good length (given that on a Safari they are hung from the gunwales (and not rails) is 660-750mm (or (roughly 2'-2'6"). A Majoni Star Size 3 Fender or similar (there are many makes available) would fit the bill. Shop around online for single or multi (usually in sets of 4 or 6) fender deals with Fender lines.
You will generally have 2 large Buoys e.g Polyform Size A2, hanging one on each side. approximately midway along the bow curve, with 2 medium sized buoys e.g Polyform Size A1 hanging over the Left and Right hand sides of the transom.
You may have 1 or 2 Corner Fenders installed on each stern corner
You may also have a bow fender or another ordinary large fender hung horizontally over the bow.
Several variants of the above recommendations are demonstrated by the following short video clip of Safari's at Ranworth in 2023 
Mudweights, Rhond Anchors and Mooring Spikes.
