Mooring buoys are used instead of traditional anchors to protect fragile coral reefs. Three types of reef mooring buoy systems are commonly used, including the Halas and Manta-Ray systems. Heavy-duty and propeller tethered buoys are also available for different environments.
A mooring buoy is a buoy firmly anchored so that boats moor it instead of letting it anchor. A complete system often includes a fixture fixed to the seabed and a weighted rope connected to a floating buoy. Reef Mooring Buoys are used by boaters in areas where anchors can damage fragile corals and other marine life. Traditional and propeller tethered buoys are also used to secure boats for long periods of time in heavy-duty environments.
In many parts of the world, including the United States, the Caribbean, and Asia, coral reefs coexist with recreational and commercial boaters. A traditional boat anchor and chain can easily damage or tear a coral reef. Since the 1970s, mooring buoys have been used near reefs to provide safe alternative anchoring systems for corals. Three different types of reef mooring buoy systems are frequently used in the Florida Keys, Hawaii, and islands around the world. In each of these systems, the smaller vessels can be moored together, while the larger vessels are attached directly to the buoy pickup lines.
The Halas Reef Mooring Buoy System includes an eye bolt cemented into the seabed. Developed in the 1980s in Florida, it uses a three-part polypropylene rope to attach the bolt to the buoy. Two or three eyebolts in a triangular configuration can also be used to support boats up to 100 feet (33 meters) long. The Halas system requires a solid, preferably flat, seabed for drilling and cementing. Based on a utility pole anchor, another common boat mooring buoy called the Manta-Ray system works well on gravel, sand, and clay.
The Manta-Ray is similar to the Halas system, except that it uses an anchor and utility rod instead of a cemented eyebolt. The anchor mechanism is driven deep into the seabed, then upward force is applied to lock the anchor in place. Installation time and effort for a Manta-Ray mooring buoy is much less than a Halas system. Traditional reef mooring systems can also be used in areas with a soft or unstable seabed. This type usually includes a large concrete block, engine block, or other heavy device connected by chain to the buoy line.
For waters that do not contain coral or other fragile life, a standard heavy duty mooring buoy can be used. In this type of system, the mooring buoy anchor is usually a large mushroom type. Each buoy is attached to a light chain, which is attached to a heavy chain strung to the anchor. During the winter, a long narrow cement-ballasted buoy can prevent freezing in the ice better than a standard round buoy.
A propeller tethered mooring buoy can be used to secure larger vessels even in very stormy conditions. This type of system is based on a helical screw anchor designed for lighthouses in the 19th century. It has been used successfully during hurricanes and generally provides many times the holding force of a traditional heavy-duty anchor. Also known as a sea screw, a Helix anchor is screwed as far into the sea floor as possible with a hydraulic torque motor. It can be used with most types of soil, including clay and mud.
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