mooring anchor

[liz873]

How effective would a bare 350 chev engine block be as a mooring weight for a 20 ft sailboat weighing only 1700 pds. It would be in a harbor mostly landlocked with a small inlet . Anyone ever use one for this purpose?

 

[solar7647]

Re: mooring anchor

....I would fill it with concreat just to add some extra weight and so you can add a chain to it and it be solid...also make sure that block is super clean before putting it in the water...to answer the question i think it will work..never used an engine block like that but i have used a 5gallon buket filled with concreat ..with out the math i would think they are close to the same weight...my boat weight about 3500lbs dry...

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: mooring anchor

That's about the only thing a Chevy 350 IS good for! LOL

 

[HappierWet]

Re: mooring anchor

We have used engine blocks for more than 30 years. No problems other than running new chain thru the cylinders every 7 - 10 years. You would not believe how deep in the mud an engine block will sink. I would not use one on a sand or rock bottom. I would also not recommend the concrete suggested above. The amount of time involved in cleaning a block cannot be over stated. For the cost of a mushroom anchor, it's worth considering.

Frank, I'll guess you're not a Chevy man

 

[Bondo]

Re: mooring anchor

Ayuh,... I've got a 351 windsor Ford, chained to a 3.0l Chevy that holds the bow of my houseboat all summer,...
And a 327 Chevy holdin' the stern...

It'll work...

My theory in chaining the little motor between the big motor,+ the boat is,...
By the time the boat pulls hard enough to lift/ drag the little motor, the big motor will Always hold...

 

[tswiczko]

Re: mooring anchor

I've taken a lot of 350's to the scrap yard, bare block no heads no crank no cam weighs real close to 250 pounds and if i were putting it in water I'd have it dipped and steamed. don't want to put any oil in the water.

 

[liz873]

Re: mooring anchor

Thanks, I like the two block idea, since I have two ready to go. Better safe than sorry. The bottom is all mud. The regs here mandate 3/8 chain. I was thinking of using 1/2 on the bottom securing the anchors and the 3/8 to the mooring buoy.

 

[Bondo]

Re: mooring anchor

Ayuh,.... Sounds like a Solid plan...