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Old 11-14-2012, 07:38 PM   #2
DavidM
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City: Litchfield, Ct
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,785
If you are a serious cruiser, who anchors out in situations where winds can get up to the 30s, then you need all chain rode, if for no other reason than to avoid the nylon parting due to chafe.

Anchoring in 30' water depth means that the total vertical depth is about 35' (water depth plus height of your bow roller). For decent holding power you need a 6:1 scope ratio. So that means 210 feet of rode deployed. So your 160' is not enough. And it is way, way too short for 45' water depth.

Can you get by with 160'? Sure if you only anchor in nice weather in places with little fetch where the wind will be 20 kts or less.

I always try to deploy 6:1. In a tight anchorage I will sometimes compromise on less, but when the wind picks up, the boats in the anchorage are usually lined up well and I will put out more rode to get to 6:1 and if it is really blowing, 7:1.

And FWIW there are cruisers who have dragged at anchor and there are cuisers who are going to drag at anchor.

David
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