A new use for your bow eye.....

[Peter B]

I don't like them because you need to use two hands to set them and often three to retrieve them. When working on the end of the boat the bow tends to rise and fall twice the wave height. One hand for the ship as they say.

OK, now I get it, thanks Cappy. However, I'm with cafesport. I''ll stick to my chain hook, as it is quick to put on, and I place it so it drops off by itself on retrieval, and has never let me down. I think if I was going to avoid a metal hook or plate, I'd just tie the snubber to the chain by a bowline knot before letting the the chain out to take up tension on the snubber.

 

[rwidman]

Interesting - It's a shame anchorage space is being taken up with moorings. ........................

Well, at least moorings maximize the number of boats that will fit in a given space. No arguing about someone using too much scope.

 

[foggysail]

Well, at least moorings maximize the number of boats that will fit in a given space. No arguing about someone using too much scope.

And also maximizes the riches ($75+ per night) of commercial mooring companies such as Nantucket Moorings which is the primary owner of those in Nantucket Harbor.

 

[what_barnacles]

Interesting article from the rocna guy.

Catenary & Scope In Anchor Rode: Anchor Systems For Small Boats

 

[dhays]

OK, now I get it, thanks Cappy. However, I'm with cafesport. I''ll stick to my chain hook, as it is quick to put on, and I place it so it drops off by itself on retrieval, and has never let me down. I think if I was going to avoid a metal hook or plate, I'd just tie the snubber to the chain by a bowline knot before letting the the chain out to take up tension on the snubber.

A soft shackle won't weaken the chain, is more secure, is less expensive, and won't ding up your gelcoat.

I use a chain hook to secure my anchor when under way since there is no real tension on the chain and rode. The "better soft shackle" is easy to put on and off. On the sailboat I could often do it one-handed when used to attach a spinnaker sheet for example.

I have also attached my two bridle sections to a short length of mooring pennant with a shoft shackle creating a "Y". I then have tied the tail of the pennant to the chain with a hitch. That works great as well. I think it works better than a bowline and is quicker and easier.

No right or wrong way obviously. Just lots of options. Don't discount the soft shackle though, it is simple and easy.

Here is a link that is useful.
http://l-36.com/soft_shackle_9.php

 

[TONTOROSS]

What's a soft shackle then..?

Me too. I had to google it. Makes sense.

 

[GFC]

OK, I see the benefits of a soft shackle, but how do you attach that soft shackle to the chain without it sliding? I feel like I'm missing something here.

 

[twistedtree]

OK, I see the benefits of a soft shackle, but how do you attach that soft shackle to the chain without it sliding? I feel like I'm missing something here.

Just run it through one of the links.

They aren't too expensive, so you might want to just try one. Ropes.com can make them up in a size appropriate for your boat and chain. I think I paid $35 for mine.

 

[dhays]

OK, I see the benefits of a soft shackle, but how do you attach that soft shackle to the chain without it sliding? I feel like I'm missing something here.

Three ways that I know of.
1. As Twisted mentioned, just slip it through the chain. This works great but you get more abrasion on the shackle I think with this.

2. Use a dyneema loop. This is what I do most of the time. I was too lazy to make my own (they are easy but require stitching) so I bought a couple. I will see if I can find the link. This is what it looks like.


And then on the chain.


Then with a soft shackle attaching a bridle or 1/2 a bridle (whatever the word is which has temporarily escaped me).


3. I used to do this all the time before I started using the dyneema loop. I have a 10' length of double braid with a galvanized eye on one end. I attach both legs of my bridle to this eye with a soft shackle. I would just leave these connected and have each leg of the bridle coiled separately.


I would simply tie the double braid to the chain with a hitch. It never slipped and was very quick and easy to tie.


All of these ways are easy on the chain and easy to setup.

 

[Bigsfish]

Back to the original premise, certainly I can see the advantage to attaching the snubber to the bow eye. Question is what is that worth to the individual anchoring? Is it worth the time and how big of a PIA is it on his individual boat.

Personally I use an all chain rode and I use a snubber overnight but it is usually a single line snubber as opposed to a bridal because it is quicker and easier to do. If I was expecting high winds I would bridal. I like boating to be fun and easy and I'm lazy!

 

[GFC]

Ahhh, it all becomes clear now. Thanks for the pics. I think I'd be inclined to use the hitch to attach a line to the chain. That is my favorite knot and I use it all the time. Easy to tie, easy to untie. My kind of knot.

 

[cafesport]

Big fish if you want to see for your self whether it's a big pia pm me and I can arrange a demo when your in the neighborhood.

 

[foggysail]

Personally I use an all chain rode and I use a snubber overnight but it is usually a single line snubber as opposed to a bridal because it is quicker and easier to do. If I was expecting high winds I would bridal. I like boating to be fun and easy and I'm lazy!

The only times I would consider using a bridal is when I have a friend rafted with me. At that those times, one end of the bridal is tied to the other boat. Just a PITA to setup and I cannot see any advantage over a single snubber.

 

[psneeld]

On my boat a bridle does reduce both total scope and height above water....a double gain, small but there.

Plus the chafe issue if it gets bad.....

I like a single too...but the bridle has benefits for me.

Takes less than 10 seconds to deploy my bridle, less when I am anchoring every night and leave the bridle hooked to the Sampson post but off the chain on the bow.

 

[Larry M]

On my boat a bridle does reduce both total scope and height above water....a double gain, small but there.

Plus the chafe issue if it gets bad.....

I like a single too...but the bridle has benefits for me.

Takes less than 10 seconds to deploy my bridle, less when I am anchoring every night and leave the bridle hooked to the Sampson post but off the chain on the bow.

All of the above plus the bridle reduces the sailing around. We hook the bridle on the little flag pole on the bow rail so it's ready.

 

[Bigsfish]

Cafesport

I'm computer illiterate, PM???

On my boat I have a bridal but it requires passing lines under the pulpit to hook on the chain. With a single I can let the hook run over the roller. Where are you in Miami (general area)?

 

[Pura Vida]

Yes lower is better. The question is use or not to use?

 

[Peter B]

...the bridal is just a PITA to setup and I cannot see any advantage over a single snubber.

Me neither, and especially as my boat does not have hawse holes through the bow either side to facilitate the bridle, and I don't want yet another chafe point to worry about. With a single snubber I can pass it over a secondary bow roller next to the main anchor roller with no chafe worry, as I also have a section of split conduit over the snubber at that point to reduce chafe even more. Easy to line up with a single, real PITA with a bridle.

 

[psneeld]

Last year I did a single snubber, this year a bridle...

No great advantages for me ether way....both take seconds to attach....so I am still experimenting.

 

[Bigsfish]

Scott

I have a hoop over my roller on the bow to keep the anchor secured in heavy seas. I can use a single snubber and have it pass through the hoop no problem. To use a bridal I have to hook it on the chain after the hoop and pulpit which requires leaning out over the bow and trying to get it hooked up without falling in. Consequently I use a single but in an expected big blow I would use the bridal.

 

[psneeld]

Scott

I have a hoop over my roller on the bow to keep the anchor secured in heavy seas. I can use a single snubber and have it pass through the hoop no problem. To use a bridal I have to hook it on the chain after the hoop and pulpit which requires leaning out over the bow and trying to get it hooked up without falling in. Consequently I use a single but in an expected big blow I would use the bridal.

Yep...99 percent of the time I really don't even need the snubber or bridle.

Probably go back to a single...thought the bridle would reduce chain twist....though my twist is probably mostly induced by me hand pulling and feeding it for washing and inspection.

Tried the bridle ...as on my boat it is easy to reach past the bow roller and hoop.

 

[dhays]

Scott

I have a hoop over my roller on the bow to keep the anchor secured in heavy seas. I can use a single snubber and have it pass through the hoop no problem. To use a bridal I have to hook it on the chain after the hoop and pulpit which requires leaning out over the bow and trying to get it hooked up without falling in. Consequently I use a single but in an expected big blow I would use the bridal.

I have a hoop over the roller as well. To attach my bridle I do have to lean out to feed both legs of the bridle back through the hoop. However, when anchoring daily, I can just leave the bridle fed back through after I detach it when bringing in the anchor.

A single snubber is great however and I use it as well by simply using one leg of my bridle setup. I do have hause holes on my boat however and those are a more robust section of the boat than the bow roller.

 

[Bigsfish]

If my bunk wasn't under the bow roller I wouldn't use the snubber most of the time but it does quiet the chain noise.

 

[clyde]

anchor in 90 ft!! i always find a sheltered bay, drop the hook in no more than 50 ft of water! always check a tree, or a mark on shore to check for the anchor dragging! i have 100 ft of 5/16 chain, the rest is 5/8 stranded line. i use a rope /chain splice, and my swivel is at the anchor! i use stranded line becausei can splice it, i really dislike braided line! my main anchor is a 50 Lb bruce copy! it`s wider at the digging end, and the shank is longer! sets great! i have a real bruce for my (never use) spare...clyde (again)