I have been using the bow eye on my 23' VN as the primary attachment point for my mooring pendant for over 30 years and It has all of the benefits mentioned before, the best of which is NO CHAFE. I did beef up the U-bolt backing so that it is stronger than the deck cleats. I do have a backup line from the buoy to a deck cleat that also serves as a pick up line that I grab with a boat hook when approaching the mooring, but the primary attachment is to the bow eye. I use a large 1/2" dia ss locking carabiner that snaps right on. I don't have to reach over the bow to connect it. I attach it from the dinghy I use to get to the mooring. The first thing I do when I get to the boat is release the line from the bow eye. The boat is still moored by the backup/pick up line on the deck cleat. The last thing I do after sailing is to hook the carabiner back on the bow eye (and lock it!) I also use this method with my M17 Monita. She is alternating summers on the mooring with Chiquita (VN23.) Henry Rodriguez On Fri, Jun 1, 2018, 12:40 AM Lawrence Winiarski via montgomery_boats < montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> wrote:
It is really tippy in the bow for sure. In fact, that is part of my reason for wanting to pull from down low, rather than up high on the deck cleat. But you are right, that I wouldn't want to be reaching down either to attach anything either, so anything that you fiddle with hasto be accessible. Seems like there has to be a way to have your cake and eat it too...........
From: Dave Scobie <scoobscobie@gmail.com> To: Lawrence Winiarski <lawrence_winiarski@yahoo.com>; For and about Montgomery Sailboats <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2018 12:43 PM Subject: Re: M_Boats: Bow Eye or not to Bow Eye
Lawerance: I also add a little fact about the M15 - An adult at the bell reaching over the side will cause the boat to roll really easily. This relates to a David Letterman-like 'stupid Montgomery trick' Jerry told me about - you can be in the water and reach up to the bow pulpit, and with a good tug with body weight you can put the boat on her beam ends.
Just a little thing to think about going way forward on a little boat and reaching low over the bow. For this reason I don't recommend having your bow low for attaching anything to the bow eye.
:: Dave Scobie :: M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com On Thu, May 31, 2018, 12:29 PM Dave Scobie <scoobscobie@gmail.com> wrote:
Lawerance: Your boat didnt come with a bow eye as the bow plate has a big eye for attaching the trailer winch line/strap. You want a ubolt boweye such as - http://www.sea-dog.com/groups/180-u-bolt You cut an access port at the forward end of the vberth through the hull liner. Use a hole saw to match the plate you choose - https://www.westmarine.com/search?Ntt=Screw+in+deck+plate
Back the ubolt with good marine OK hardwood shaped to confirm with the bow that you coat with resin and then fiberglass into place. Install the bow eye and bed with 3M4000 or 4200 or Sikaflex 291. The bow eye will be strong enough to lift the boat like a giant fish. A snubber should run off the bow cleat and have chafe protection (chocks help). I disagree with your idea of the attachment being low ... search net for photos of how people use a shock line for an anchor chain. Make sure where you install the bow eye it doesn't interfer with the trailer's bow stop.
:: Dave Scobie :: M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com On Thu, May 31, 2018, 10:17 AM Lawrence Winiarski via montgomery_boats < montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> wrote:
I'm thinking about putting a bow eye, or u-bolt in the bow stem closer to the waterline (My m-15 doesn't have one) . I've got a few reasons for wanting this.
1. I'd like a mooring attachment down low, so the line/pendant can't catch or chaffe. I want to have one of those big pool noodles to put aroundthe line as a float/stiffener to keep the mooring ball away from my nice boat and have the whole thing near water level. I learned the hard way the last time when my boat drifted around and around and around the ball, eventually wound up stuck to it. Seems therehas to be a better way.
2. Another attachment point for a mooring ball so there are 2 points if one fails.
3. I'd like to have a low attachment point for a snubber for the anchor in rougher waves. It just seems better to be pulling fromdown low, especially if the waves are coming sideways.
I read through the archives and found thishttps:// www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/1882/bow-eye-rebuild-kit-c-22.cfm but they say explicitly in the description
"Never moor your boat from the trailer bow eye. It is intended to take the load from the trailer winch directly forward of the boat....." I see the point. Bolt's aren't meant for side loads, but but reading lots of stuff on the net, it seems LOTS of people moor from the bow eye, andit seems that while side loads are bad for the bolt, side loads are also a reason to attach closer to the waterline to make the boat less tippy.
So what is the solution?