🔍 Key Concepts

• Windward vs. leeward mooring lines and how they share load in heavy weather • How catenary moorings (chain lying on the seabed) reduce vertical tension at the fairlead • The main safety concern at the fairleads when tension increases in bad weather

💭 Think About

• When the wind and seas increase, what happens to the angle of the mooring lines at the lower fairleads if the vessel/unit is held too tightly in one direction? • Think about which side (windward or leeward) should carry more of the load, and why you might want several lines sharing load instead of just one or two. • Which option focuses on protecting critical structure/equipment on the unit rather than just staying on exact position or using an arbitrary chain length?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which choices deal with load sharing between lines vs. which deal with tension direction/angle at the fairlead. • Ask yourself: in heavy weather, what is more dangerous – being a little off the exact hole position, or having an excessive vertical pull on a mooring fitting? • Verify which option reflects a general mooring principle (applies broadly) instead of a specific distance value that may not always be appropriate.