GEAR TEST: BUNGY Stretching diagram Different number of Bungys on 20 mm line There it is again - that sickening sound. I lie there, eyes wide awake, wondering if there’s any more I can do. But I've already got double springs and warps out and it's probably only really blowing an eight. But that sound - a loud, inconsistent, eerie creaking - as if the very loins of my boat are being stretched against the torture rack of a pontoon. 'Will the cleats rip clean away from the gunwhales?’ I worry to myself, as my floating wooden home gets elasticised by an increasing sou'wester. In reality though, it's my naivety that fuels my concern - the warps merely sound so severe because they lack absorbance. Echoed inside my wooden cabin, the fearful sound this produces is enough to prevent many a sound winter night’s sleep. The cure for my wind-induced insomnia lay in the hands of 'Bungy' - mooring compensators from Swedish marine equipment innovators Aronowitsch & Lyth AB. These simple, weatherproof, rubberlike shock absorbers take the sting out of any tight mooring lines - and the more you use the better they compensate. Suitable for all lines up to 20mm (including webbing), Bungys are small (70x40x40mm) and super-simple to fit - all you need to do is slacken the warp, feed a loop through the gap and close the gate above. They've fared admirably in compensator load tests and make a wise addition to yachts tied alongside for any lengths of time. I fitted three each on my bow and stern lines plus two on my springs. The difference has been positively pleasurable. Like rusting mechanics receiving a long awaited dose of oil, I could tell my cleats were equally as thankful. For exposed moorings, 4 or 5 bungys are recommended per warp; 2-3 in protected areas. Price: £10.60 for two pack Contact: Aladdin’s Cave Tel: 01489 555996 Website: www.arolyth.se Cut your cleats some slack: loosening the line a little allows Bungy compensators to be easily fitted to most mooring warps, without needing a free end.