Information on projects and trials of Environmentally Friendly Moorings (EFMs).
The map below shows the locations of trials and EFMs that we have been made aware of. Trials of EFMs for use as vessel moorings have taken place
in areas including Lundy, Mylor Yacht Harbour, Calstock (River Tamar), Cawsand,
Salcombe, Torbay (Fishcombe Cove, Brixham), and the Isle of Man. EFMs have been used as marker buoys at Studland and the Helford River. While a few failures have occurred, there
have been many successful trials, some of which have been running for a number
of years. For example, three EFMs have been in operation in Lundy since 2004.
If you are involved in a trial, or use an EFM that is not listed here, please fill in the form at the bottom of the page to add the details to our dataset. This information would be gratefully received to help
share experiences and ensure these pages are a comprehensive and valuable
resource for users.
Overview Map
Further information on specific moorings
Please click the relevant trial/ project below to open further information.
Garwick Bay, Isle of Man
EFM at Garwick Bay, Isle of Man © Bryan Gullan
Mooring(s) information
- Location: Garwick Bay, Isle of Man
- Type: modified Hazelett system
- Status: current (seasonal)
- Ownership: private
- Purpose: Vessel mooring (20' sailing boat)
- Date Installed: 2009
- Date removed: N/A
Environmental conditions
- Max water depth: 10 m
- Tidal range: 7m
- Conditions: open bay location sheltered from prevailing (summer) SW winds; exposed to wind from other directions. General tidal movement with some back eddies into the bay.
- Substrate/ habitat: sand / rock
Maintenance
- Maintenance type: Regular inspection from dinghy (lifting buoy & riser manually). Lower section to seabed inspected from dinghy using bathyscope. Occasional inspection by diver to check block and riser fitting.
- Schedule: The mooring has been inspected and the riser cleared of weed growth on a fairly regular basis during the seasonal periods when in use – approx. 4 week intervals – and when used for boat mooring. When there is no boat on the mooring, inspection is less frequent – approx. bi-monthly. It has been found useful to clear weed growth, etc, from the riser so as to allow the spar buoy to float higher relative to the surface although this has not caused excessive problems. ‘Twist’ in the riser has caused some degradation to the outer casing – current modification to the system is being trialled to eliminate this problem.
Additional Details
Summer use only – due to the nature of its use as a mooring for a private pleasure craft, this mooring is only used during the summer months (approx.. May-September) although testing to date indicates that use at all times of year is quite feasible.
Maximum wind exposure experienced to date - est. F5.
Summary Report
Contact Details
Fishcombe Cove, Torbay, Devon
EFM being installed, Torbay © Mark Parry
Mooring(s) information
- Location: Fishcombe Cove, Torbay
- Type: Modified swing mooring with additional floats
- Status: Current with further moorings in same location proposed
- Ownership: Visitor mooring
- Purpose: Vessel
- Date Installed: March 2017
- Date removed: N/A
Environmental conditions
- Max water depth: 4.1 m
- Tidal range: 5.32 m
- Conditions: Sheltered bay
- Substrate/ habitat: Sediment/ mud near seagrass bed
Maintenance
- Maintenance type: Unknown
- Schedule: Unknown
Additional Details
Stirling Mooring Style
Contact Details
Salcombe Harbour, Devon
EFM at Salcombe © Mark Parry
Mooring(s) information
- Location: Salcombe Harbour, Devon
- Type: Modified swing mooring with additional floats
- Status: Current with further moorings in same location proposed
- Ownership: Private mooring
- Purpose: Vessel mooring
- Date Installed: 2014
- Date removed: N/A
Environmental conditions
- Max water depth: 0.8 m
- Tidal range: 5.26 m
- Conditions: Sheltered estuary with strong tidal currents
- Substrate/ habitat: Intertidal seagrass
Maintenance
- Maintenance type: Unknown
- Schedule: Unknown
Additional Details
Stirling Mooring Style
Presentation by Nigel Mortimer
Contact Details
Cawsand Bay, Southeast Cornwall
EFM at Cawsands © Mark Parry
Mooring(s) information
- Location: Cawsand Bay
- Type: Modified swing mooring with additional floats
- Status: Current with further moorings in same location proposed
- Ownership: Private mooring
- Purpose: Vessel mooring
- Date Installed: 2015
- Date removed: N/A
Environmental conditions
- Max water depth: 2.8 m
- Tidal range: 5.4 m
- Conditions: Sheltered bay
- Substrate/ habitat: Sub-tidal seagrass
Maintenance
- Maintenance type: Unknown
- Schedule: Unknown
Additional Details
Stirling Mooring Style. Privately maintained.
Presentation by Beth Siddons
Contact Details
Helford River, Cornwall
Mooring(s) information
- Location: Helford River (three marker buoys situated between Toll point and Durgan)
- Type: Modified existing mooring - rope with midway submerged buoy to keep the slack line off the seabed
- Status: Current
- Ownership: N/A
- Purpose: Markers
- Date Installed: March 2017
- Date removed: N/A
Environmental conditions
- Max water depth: Unknown
- Tidal range: Unknown
- Conditions: Unknown
- Substrate/ habitat: Subtidal seagrass
Maintenance
- Maintenance type: Lifting and inspection
- Schedule: Annually
Additional Details
N/A
Contact Details
Calstock (River Tamar) and Cawsand Bay, Cornwall
Mooring(s) information
- Location: Calstock (River Tamar) and Cawsand Bay, Cornwall
- Type: Helical
- Design: Helical screw pile replaces concrete block and scrub chain. Testing is also being completed on soft risers, and modelling underway for possibility of more efficient mooring field design.
- Status: In place
- Ownership: Private
- Purpose: Anchor replacemnent
- Date Installed: 20/04/2018
- Date removed: N/A
Environmental conditions
- Max water depth: 7.0 m
- Tidal range: 5.0 m
- Conditions: Range of conditions and depths from 1m to 4m at LAT. High current flow in in ebb and flood conditions up to 2.5 knots. Range of salinity.
- Substrate/ habitat: Firm shale substrate in shallow water. Mud in deeper water. Test area only for corrosion and performance appraisal.
Maintenance
- Maintenance type: Product has been developed to deploy and recover helical screw mooring from the surface in depths up to 4m. Each screw pile can be effectively removed and redeployed from surface. Underwater camera equipment in use to monitor deployment and removal.
- Schedule: At present they are being monitored on a weekly basis for research purposes. Once concluded the research will inform the planned maintenance - intention however would be an annual check.
Additional Details
The work is being conducted in conjunction with Plymouth University with a number of objectives.
1. Cost effective riser design
2. Empirical uplift calculations to best match use to deployment specification (data on a variety of boat slip, windage and shock loads is currently being collected.
3. Life cycle analysis of the mooring.
By the end of spring 2018, up to 20 helical screw moorings will be in place with a variety of risers for study and appraisal.
Contact Details
- Contact: Chris Pollard
- Phone: 07398 774799
- Email: info@tradewindmarine.co.uk
- Website: http://tradewindmarine.co.uk
Mylor Yacht Harbour, Cornwall
Mooring(s) information
- Location: Mylor Yacht Harbour, Cornwall
- Type: Seaflex
- Status: Unknown
- Ownership: Unknown
- Purpose: Unknown
- Date Installed: 2005
- Date removed: 2005
Environmental conditions
- Max water depth: <2 m
- Tidal range: ~6 m
- Conditions: Unknown
- Substrate/ habitat: Unknown
Maintenance
- Maintenance type: Unknown
- Schedule: Unknown
Additional Details
N/A
Contact Details
- Contact: Unknown
- Phone: Unknown
- Website: Unknown
Lundy Island
Mooring(s) information
- Location: Lundy Island
- Type: Seaflex x 3
- Status: Unknown
- Ownership: Visitor and private
- Purpose: Vessel moorings
- Date Installed: 2004
- Date removed: N/A
Environmental conditions
- Max water depth: 14 m
- Tidal range: 9 m
- Conditions: Unknown
- Substrate/ habitat: Unknown
Maintenance
- Maintenance type: Unknown
- Schedule: Unknown
Additional Details
One mooring removed after three years due to failure from lack of maintenance, but trial still ongoing successfully and maintenance measures put in place.
Contact Details
Studland Bay, Dorset
Mooring(s) information
- Location: Studland Bay, Dorset
- Type: Seaflex rodes with helix helical anchors
- Status: Trial completed
- Ownership: N/A
- Purpose: Markers for Voluntary No Anchor Zone (not EFM trial)
- Date Installed: 2009
- Date removed: 2011
Environmental conditions
- Max water depth: 3 m
- Tidal range: 6 m
- Conditions: Sheltered bay
- Substrate/ habitat: Subtidal seagrass
Maintenance
- Maintenance type: Unknown
- Schedule: Unknown
Additional Details
The focus of
this project was the results of the implementation of the No Anchor Zone and
not a trial of the use or impact of the eco-mooring type marker buoys.
The Crown Estate Mooring Viability Appraisal
Contact Details
Note: The information provided above is that given to us by the contact listed. We are not responsible for any inaccuracies in the information.
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