Mooring ball question

[sbman]

I have a 27' sailboat on a mooring in San Diego bay. This will be home for my Uniflite once the on-the-hard refit is completed.

I recently moved from one mooring ball to the other. The management company wanted me to move my tackle that is attached with a shackle to a ring on the bottom of the ball. It was installed for me originally and I had never attempted to access it before. I went out to try to see about removing it and could not figure out how I would do so without going for a dive.

I figured lifting the ball out of the water would work, but I tried to do that by hand and could not, it was too heavy, or the gear below the ball was too heavy. My sailboat does not have a windlass.

Is diving the only option for this task or would a windlass be able to lift a mooring ball enough to remove or install tackle from a dinghy?

As I write the question, it seems a rather foolish thing to do, lift it and get anywhere near it in a dinghy that is.

I ask because the management company asked me to do this like it is a common task for boat owners to do.

 

[High Wire]

And if you can’t what happens?

 

[moparharn]

Did you attach it? If not, why does it fall on you to get it off?If you did, how did that happen? Did you try at low slack tide? Maybe you should speak with the person who requested you remove your tackle. This might be your first rodeo, but I doubt it is theirs.
Bill

 

[sbman]

I ended up paying a fee to have it moved for me. I wanted to see if it was something that is normally expected of mooring ball users or not and if I was missing some kind of technique. Diving seemed to be the only way it could be done without special equipment but I am not sure.

 

[O C Diver]

There is usually a company or 2 that service moorings in a given area. I would ask the management company who they use.

Ted