Installing a course in tidal water

[Justin_C]

A few years ago I began researching the best way to install a permanent course in the creek behind my house which is subject to about a foot of tide everyday. Although it is freshwater it is close enough to the bay where the river dumps into the ocean that when the ocean is at high tide the river backs up.

 

I couldn't find much information on how to best set up the buoys so they wouldn't be under water at high tide and floating loose at low tide. After some research and talking to some people I devised a system that I have had a lot of luck with.

 

When I was getting ready to set up some new buoy lines I figured I'd take a video to show our set up to help anyone else who's looking to do the same.

 

 

[BraceMaker]

Always nice when folks document this stuff. Do your bottles UV degrade ??

[Justin_C]

@BraceMaker They've held up for 2+ years but I always have a few in the boat on standby. I purposely made everything out of cheap, easily replaceable in case it needed to be replaced quickly.

So far the weak link is the pullies. Going forward I plan on replacing them annually as they are rusting. The swivel is pulling through the body of the pulley. At 80 cents a piece you only have to lose a few buoys in the run of a year to pay for an entire set of pullies shipped to your door!

[daryl]

@Justin_C I do almost exactly the same thing. I used pulleys for a while but they do corrode as you mention. I found that a stainless steel o-ring in place of the pulley worked well for me (find them on sale sometimes). There is a little more friction than the pulley but i found they let the buoy slide enough. You might need just a little more weight and/or a little more air in the buoys. Anyway just thought I'd pass it along.

[Justin_C]

@daryl that was my original plan actually! I was just afraid that without something spacing the "two" lines (the line going up through the pulley and the other one coming back down to the weight) they would twist together. Figured the 2" that the pulley is wide was enough the help prevent that. Also, the stainless cable would help to avoid tangling as well as it's stiffer than the regular 1/4" poly rope.

[JackQ]

I was in tidal water for 15+ years in Mission May and on the Potomac in Maryland. I used surgical tubing that easily worked with my 2 foot tidal swings. Also protected the anchors and sub (where I had enough depth for subs). One end of the course was about 3 feet deep the other 15.