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 Barnstable
 Code of Ordinances
 Part IV. Town Manager Regulations
 Chapter 406. Mooring

  § 406-3. Mooring specifications.  

Latest version.
  • All moorings shall meet the minimum standards as set forth below prior to placement. These standards are set for normal weather conditions. In the event of gale winds or stronger and/or extreme tides, it is the mooring owner's responsibility to ensure certain precautions are taken. The Town of Barnstable realizes that mooring loads are variable, that it is impossible to say that all boats of equal length require the same size mooring, and such standards cannot be applied to all boats. The Harbormaster's Office reserves the right to require a boat owner to increase the minimum mooring standard for any vessel should they feel the minimum standard would be inadequate for the vessel because of unusual design, such as, but not limited to, excessive weight, windage, or draft. Furthermore, the Town of Barnstable shall not be held liable for any damage inflicted if a minimum standard mooring fails.
    A. 
    Mushroom anchor.
    (1) 
    Saltwater.
    Boat Size
    (feet)
    Mooring Weight
    (pounds)
    Bottom Chain
    (inches)
    Top Chain
    (inches)
    Pennant
    (inches)
    00-13
    50
    1/2
    3/8
    1/2
    14-17
    75
    1/2
    3/8
    5/8
    18-21
    150
    1/2
    3/8
    5/8
    22-25
    200
    5/8
    1/2
    5/8
    26-31
    250
    5/8
    1/2
    3/4
    32-35
    300 plus sw
    5/8
    1/2
    3/4
    36-40
    500 plus sw
    3/4
    1/2
    3/4
    Over 40
    Harbormaster approval
    (2) 
    Freshwater.
    Boat Size
    (feet)
    Mooring Weight
    (pounds)
    Bottom Chain
    (inches)
    Top Chain
    (inches)
    Pennant
    (inches)
    00-17
    50
    1/2
    3/8
    1/2
    18-21
    100
    1/2
    3/8
    5/8
    22-25
    150
    5/8
    1/2
    5/8
    26 and over
    Harbormaster approval
    B. 
    Helix anchor. The following specifications shall be considered the minimum allowable specifications of a helix mooring system.
    (1) 
    The shaft must be a minimum of 1 1/2 inches thick and at least six feet in length.
    (2) 
    The shaft and helix must be of galvanized or other noncorrosive metal, such as stainless steel.
    (3) 
    The shaft must be designed to allow the bottom chain to swivel around the shaft and to be replaced when necessary.
    (4) 
    There shall be a minimum of two helixes attached to each shaft, with the lower helix being a minimum of eight inches in diameter and the top helix being a minimum of 10 inches in diameter.
    (5) 
    All chain and pennant specifications will remain consistent with the mushroom anchor chart.
    (6) 
    Helix moorings shall be placed/installed at the discretion and direction of the Harbormaster. No helix mooring is to be placed without written approval of the Harbormaster. Installation of helix moorings must be done by a mooring servicer.
    (7) 
    It shall be the responsibility of the mooring servicer to assure that the proper size and length helix is used according to subsoils within a given mooring area and for the vessel to be moored.
    (8) 
    The mooring servicer shall record the position of the helix mooring by a global positioning system (GPS) fix and record all the mooring specifications, including the length of shaft, depth of mean high water, torque reading at set, all sizes and length of ground tackle. All information shall be filed with the Harbormaster's Office within 10 days of work.
    (9) 
    All helix moorings shall be installed as close to flush with the bottom surface as possible with no more than six inches protruding above the bottom surface.
    C. 
    All moorings.
    (1) 
    No vessel shall be moored, and no mooring shall be placed, by a vessel owner or mooring servicer except in compliance with these regulations.
    (2) 
    Any mooring other than a mushroom anchor or helix mooring shall be at the discretion of the Harbormaster's Office.
    (3) 
    Pennants shall be made of nylon or Harbormaster-approved type line.
    (4) 
    All mushroom moorings of 300 pounds or greater shall also be required to have a Harbormaster's-office-approved shaft weight (sw) collar bolted or cast into the mushroom anchor as noted above.
    (5) 
    Chain length shall be three times the water depth at high tide. Maximum length of chain in "closed areas" shall be no more than four times the water depth at high tide.
    (6) 
    Bottom chain shall be 1/3 of the total length of chain.
    (7) 
    Pennant lengths shall be two times the distance from the water to the bow plus the distance from the bow to the mooring cleats.
    (8) 
    All pennants shall have proper chafe gear attached so as to cover an area of one foot on either side of the bow chocks.
    (9) 
    Moorings found to be inadequate with regard to the Town specifications as detailed above shall be corrected by the owner within seven days' notice by those empowered to enforce these regulations. Written notice to the Harbormaster's Office detailing the corrective action taken by the owner and date corrective action was taken shall be required.
    (10) 
    Mooring buoys shall be round and a minimum of 11 inches in diameter; inflated, formed, molded or fabricated from rubber, plastic or fiberglass. Each buoy shall be white with a blue horizontal stripe. Mooring buoys shall carry the permanently assigned mooring permit number in no less than three-inch block letters to be read from above the waterline along with the permit holder's last name in at least two-inch block letters. Additionally mooring buoys shall be at least 50% above the water surface at all times. Any additional pickup buoys shall carry the permit holder's last name.