Where does rec stop and commercial start?

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Mooring blocks move around unless they are of proper weight for their function and at a minimum depth of 90' to ride out the storms. They're also bad for the environment if the mix has not been properly Ph balanced. All reasons why they are no longer installed in Hawaii for our environmental "day-use" moorings. Environmentally friendly moorings such as Halas, Helix or Manta's are your best choice if you're concerned about protecting the underwater environment. Please let me know if I'm wrong, but from what I understand about Kwajalein there isn't much in the way of deep (8'+) sand pockets where you could install a helix or manta type of mooring system near an awesome dive sight. You'd drive down a couple feet and hit ancient coral beds. You cannot install a helix, manta or pin "Halas" type of mooring system in coral, living or ancient. For a pin to work You must have solid rock to drill into since coral simply will not hold the bolt. I have 20+ years of installing and maintaining moorings in Hawaii, let me know if you need a consultant, no charge. We're more interested in protecting the environment. Aloha.
 
Mooring blocks move around unless they are of proper weight for their function and at a minimum depth of 90' to ride out the storms. They're also bad for the environment if the mix has not been properly Ph balanced. All reasons why they are no longer installed in Hawaii for our environmental "day-use" moorings. Environmentally friendly moorings such as Halas, Helix or Manta's are your best choice if you're concerned about protecting the underwater environment. Please let me know if I'm wrong, but from what I understand about Kwajalein there isn't much in the way of deep (8'+) sand pockets where you could install a helix or manta type of mooring system near an awesome dive sight. You'd drive down a couple feet and hit ancient coral beds. You cannot install a helix, manta or pin "Halas" type of mooring system in coral, living or ancient. For a pin to work You must have solid rock to drill into since coral simply will not hold the bolt. I have 20+ years of installing and maintaining moorings in Hawaii, let me know if you need a consultant, no charge. We're more interested in protecting the environment. Aloha.

These guys are the premier mooring experts in the Pacific. If they offer help, take it. Since I install in the Gulf of Mexico/Bahamas, we have different corals (read limestone) than you do, or we have sand that goes forever. As Arcreefer says, you need 8 feet of sand to drive a Manta which you may find inside the atoll, but likely not on the outside. We drive a 8 foot copper grounding rod to make sure we have deep enough sand, cause once you start a Manta, you are committed, and you can't drive it through basalt.
 
As Environmental Officer of The Kwajalein Scuba Club, I'd me happy to address Matt's concerns. I'm a little disappointed that he didn't bring this directly to me.

1. Environment impact: How can a 1inch pin in the reef have more impact that a 3000lb concrete block. As you see in the above post, concrete blocks are no longer used, and can be bad for the environment. Think of the logistics of lowering a large block into the water, hooking a 4000lb lift bag (the size of a large waterbed) to it and towing it 5-10 miles away. Now do this 10 times. The other way would be to use an LCM and crane to load and up load, trying to place the block on target not damaging coral in the process. The crane and LCM are not available to the local dive community. This operation could only be done by commercial divers. Supporting the local recreation divers is not in their scope of work. Once again not available to support the local diving community.

2. Stability: Critical yes, impossible no. It is most important to drill into hard old coral. We have the same coral reef as Kosrae, and they have a very successful mooring program. I dove there in January of this year.

3. Safety: What makes you think, I have not had training in underwater drilling? One more incorrect assumptions.

4. Guidelines: There are many online, and we've look through all of them. The PADI Mooring Buoy Planning Guide, was submitted to the Army and RMI, as our primary guideline we will follow. Terry Hunt, in Hawaii, of the American Reef Coalition, has provided much information as well as hands on training. Terry and his volunteers have installed over 100 sites. They do great work in Hawaii, check out their website.

5. Not sure why you would state: "The governing authorities on the U.S. side more than likely hasn't been give all the the information to make an informed decision". This project has been in works for over two years. Every agency on Kwajalein has had input or chose not to. Including, the US Army, KRS, and the Real Property Board, as well as others. The biggest help has been USAKA Environmental office. Their office views this as a great effort to protect our natural resources.

6. $15,000: Keep in mind this is a start up effort. Please go online, start pricing out the equipment and material needed for installing 10 buoys. Start with a Hydraulic Power Unit, $5,000 to $6000.00, Stanley Hammer Drill Model HD45, 100ft of duel hydraulic hose, carbide drill bits, hose clamps, shackles, stainless steel pins. Then add in shipping to an island far far far away. Let me know what your total is.

7. Liability: Correct, the club insurance doesn't cover diving accidents, it is only liability. DAN also doesn't cover underwater drilling. That is what you have your company insurance for. I know, I've checked.

8. Sites to be moored: This was discussed at the August meeting, a map was available for those that attended. They are our most popular dive sites, included is Troy's Coral Head.

I will be happy to speak with anyone interested in this mooring project, or attend the monthly club meeting for updates.

Bill Williamson
PADI Staff Instructor
Kwajalein Scuba Club Environmental Officers
 
Mooring blocks move around unless they are of proper weight for their function and at a minimum depth of 90' to ride out the storms. They're also bad for the environment if the mix has not been properly Ph balanced. All reasons why they are no longer installed in Hawaii for our environmental "day-use" moorings.

Arcreefer. I had thought about the pH, but didn't know if that was something that would have a major impact. I didn't know there was a certain depth requirement for their use though. All good info. Thank you.


KwajDiverBill. I'm writing you an e-mail. :)
 
As an engineer, I can't understand why anyone would think a one inch pin in coral would hold anything larger than a 15 foot whaler. Concrete anchor blocks must be heavy enough to withstand the wind load against the size vessel you plan to moor. You need to know all the vessels in the area to figure the largest that might tie to your mooring. You should really get some professional help as to the mooring design before you start drilling into the local strata or dropping objects you can't possibly lift off the bottom.
 
As an engineer, I can't understand why anyone would think a one inch pin in coral would hold anything larger than a 15 foot whaler. Concrete anchor blocks must be heavy enough to withstand the wind load against the size vessel you plan to moor. You need to know all the vessels in the area to figure the largest that might tie to your mooring. You should really get some professional help as to the mooring design before you start drilling into the local strata or dropping objects you can't possibly lift off the bottom.

As an engineer and dive boat captain, seeing a picture of a guy wearing a superlite, I'm surprised you'd make this statement. Anyone who ever installed a mooring knows that a concrete anchor won't hold hardly anything, a big liveaboard will drag 4 55 gal drums of concrete around all day. If you're making an anchor it has to grab the sand like an anchor, or a stack of railroad wheels or a long chain. No one would use a concrete sinker. A 1" dia type 316 SS U-bolt (95,000 lbs break strength) sunk 2 1/2 feet into a dead stony coral and secured with Portland type 2 will last far longer than the 1 5/8 Sampson Ultra Blue (58,000 lbs break strength) attached to it. No one in the world would ever question using a line strength of up to 50,000 lbs to hold any 100 foot liveaboard in up to 100 knots of wind, and if the fine folks at Kwaj are out diving in 100 knots, the strength of their moorings are the least of their concerns, or at least way down on the list.
 
I've drilled and installed moorings in Majuro and Rongelap, and they worked fine in the local coral. This was many years ago and they are still in use. You just need a good eye to pick the right type of coral formation. Alice Leney (sp?) used to rent out the drilling equipment, so there may be no need to purchase it. I assume you are only mooring the rental cats and the occasional local boat, so this system should work fine. US Department of Energy is talking about doing some coral sample drilling next year so you may be able to piggyback on their program.
 
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Where does rec stop and commercial start?

Getting back to the OP's question....... Answer..... When money starts changing hands....:wink:
 
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