How to Make Your Own Mooring Bridle Plate

A mooring bridle plate is a multi-piece metal assembly that allows boat mooring lines to be connected to a buoyed chain attached to a submerged anchor. This allows boats to be moored without dock attachment. Its primary purposes are quick connect capability, multi-lanyard attachment and 180-degree rotation of the mooring lines. Commercially available bridle plates have connections that are manufactured together. However, with creative design and only a pair of welds, a DIY bridle plate of stainless steel is easily achievable.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • T-square
  • Permanent marker
  • 1/2-inch stainless steel plate
  • Power hacksaw
  • Heavy steel file
  • 1/2-inch power drill
  • One 1/2-inch by 1-inch stainless steel U-bolt
  • 140-amp stick welder
  • 308L DC welding electrodes
  • Two 1/2-by-1-inch stainless steel shackle bolts
  • One 1/2-by-3-inch stainless steel shackle bolt
  • Welding gloves and mask
  • Wrenches
  • Socket set
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Instructions

    • 1

      Use a tape measure, t-square and permanent marker to lay out a 3-by-4-inch piece of 1/2-inch stainless steel plate. Cut it with a power hacksaw and file the edges smooth.

    • 2

      Use a heavy power drill to bore two 5/8-inch holes, 1 inch apart on center, on the 3-inch side of the cut plate.

    • 3

      Weld the U-bolt to the flat side of the stainless steel plate, on the plate end without holes. Lay the bolt on the plate so both straight flanges are on the plate but none of the u-curve. Use a 308L (stainless steel) rod to make the welds.

    • 4

      Connect the 1-inch shackle bolts through the holes in the mooring plate. Lubricate the threads with machine oil and bolt the crosspieces with lock washers between double nuts.

    • 5

      Loop the 1-by-3-inch shackle bolt through the loop on the mooring plate. Lubricate the threads with machine oil and bolt the crosspiece with a lock washer between double nuts.