T37 forward chocks are too small

curriernh · **Joined:** 14 Jul 2011 07:14 **Posts:** 60

I had nice eyelets on a prior boat that could easily handle 1" lines. I find the Tartan chocks to be painfully small and trying to add chafe gear for Irene's fury turned out to be a huge task.

Has anyone done anything to enlarge the chocks including replacing the whole front chunk of metal? I'm wondering if I can just heat and bend the ends of the chocks upwards to allow for large lines and chafing gear.

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

Sounds like a worthy investment. I too have found them to be a bit tight, especially when you have a spring line and a bow line going to the same chock. Since the chocks are cast aluminum, I don't think heating and bending will work. I think a replacement will be more appropriate. Finding the right one might be challenging though.

berwick · **Joined:** 21 Oct 2006 18:12 **Posts:** 325

I don't think replacing them would be that hard - just 2 bolts. I have yet to find a quality chock that will give a drawing to make sure they are really bigger where needed though. I think you can just redrill to mount the new ones. If you find some let us know,

Richard

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

Or get smaller lines. If you look at the breaking strength of nylon, I think you will see that you could get two lines through those chocks that would probably pull the cleats out of the boat before even one of them would break. I might be wrong, but it is my impression that many folks think that bigger is better when it comes to lines. It is true that you probably have more to chafe protection with a larger line, but mooring lines are meant to have some give and stretch in them--it is much easier on the boat fittings and helps you not dislodge your anchor and mooring gear by absorbing some of the shock. I use a three strand nylon 1/2" line on my snubber for my all chain rode (where I really want some give) and 3/4 on my mooring (with a chafe cover for where the line goes through the chock. I use 1/2" lines for docking to get some give in the system. Seems to have been good for 20 years of fairly extensive use in a different settings.

Ray

solen · **Joined:** 17 Sep 2009 00:00 **Posts:** 34

The wraparound rubber snubbers will make almost any line strong enough. I had my old boat suspended from 3 snubbers on the windswept prairie in all kinds of weather - safe and sound.

Aside from that I expect to add larger chucks and move them back a bit because the "rightsized" anchor roller I bought is too wide to fit between the stay and the current chucks.

NOTE that I am replacing the old roller as it now rests on the bottom of Lake Superior - The factory roller uses ALUMINUM bolts and they gave out on a windy day with 6' + waves unable to support my 33# Bruce. It looked like I was down to one or two bolts that were longtime broken 1/2 way through from fatigue. I would assume at least 50% of the bolts out there in boats that has been moored or anchored regularly, so replacing them before they break is a good idea. Those of you in salt water should worry about this!

For sure you should consider re-bolting you chucks.

berwick · **Joined:** 21 Oct 2006 18:12 **Posts:** 325

I just replaced mine with a set of Buck Algonquin 8" skene chocks (model 70BCS800S). I can finally fit my chafe gear thru without fighting with it! Easy improvement (a couple of the old screws were tight and needed penetrating oil and an impact tool. Highly recommended.

Richard

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T37 forward chocks are too small

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