August 2020 – TD 316 OPERATING MANUAL – Motus Wave Sensor 5729
Page 117
10.7
Mooring
10.7.1
General mooring information
Traditionally navigation buoys and data buoys not equipped with wave sensors have been moored with chains or a
combination of chains and ropes. These traditional moorings are initially designed to stabilize and limit the buoy motion
in waves. When installing a wave sensor on a data buoy, it is important that the mooring does not limit the motion we
want to capture. A more flexible mooring is required so that the wave sensor captures the required movements of the
buoy fully. To obtain the required flexibility one section of the mooring should consist of a rubber cord.
A typical flexible mooring normally includes these sections:
Section 1:
•
Ballast and bridle chain.
•
Purpose:
-
Stabilize the buoy vertically.
Section 2:
•
Swivel.
•
Purpose:
-
Avoid twisting of mooring due to buoy rotation.
Section 3:
•
Rubber cord with safety line and short chain.
•
Purpose:
-
Enables buoy to follow wave motions.
-
Chain is used to stabilize rubber cord.
Section 4:
•
Rope with subsurface flotation and light chain.
•
Purpose:
-
Enables slack in the upper part of the mooring enabling the buoy to capture wave motions more
accurately.
-
This section is used to adjust the total mooring length.
-
To eliminate tear and wear caused by mooring rubbing against seabed the attached buoyancy lifts
the rope and light chain above seabed.
Section 5:
•
Sinker and ground chain
•
Purpose:
-
Make a robust connection between the mooring and the bottom weight.
-
Keep the buoy positioned in its originally deployed location.
