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Old 11-15-2012, 09:40 PM   #49
Peter B
TF Site Team
 
City: Ex-Brisbane, (Australia), now Bribie Island, Qld
Vessel Name: Now boatless - sold 6/2018
Vessel Model: Had a Clipper (CHB) 34
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 10,101
Eric, if you have a quick look at the Rode length thread recently started, I concede your favoured concept of mixed rode is probably correct, as well-explained by an excellent treatise on rode length FF put up a link to, but I can't retrieve. It all boils down to the weight of chain being enough and concentrated at the anchor end, so no matter how much pull is exerted, the different catenary characteristics of the different parts of the mixed rode make it almost impossible for the whole rode to be drawn straight and taught, all the way back to the anchor - ie there is always some laying flat.
I do still feel however, that you try to get away with too little chain. My overall impression is that about 100' would be an ideal minimum, such that in shallower waters, when chafing is likely to be more of an issue, one would essentially be using all chain, (preferably with snubber), but as the water got deeper, more rope rode comes out giving more shock resistance without the need for a snubber, but also at less weight cost.
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