Florida Gulf coast anchors

I agree with the posts above. Read the instruction manual for your windlass. Mine warns that the windlass is intended only to lower and raise the anchor and not to use it to pull the anchor free. The rode must be secured by other means when anchored or when underway.

It even came with a warning label but I didn't install it because I know how to use it and what not to do.

OK, I'll think of something and your posts make sense. There is no chain stopper, or any way to secure the chain between the windlass and the bow roller. When I tie off when I am anchoring, I slack the line at the windlass and run it aft to the samson post. I have 75' of chain and then rode, I always let all the chain out so I'm tying off with line. Perhaps a chain hook on about 15' of line? I could tie it to the samson post, hook it onto the chain and then slack the windlass.

Yes that is what I referred to in post 60, a snubber. Rolling hitch or chain hook, whatever works for you. I'd guess there are times you just have chain out, the snubber is nice to have when at anchor in that case. By the way, how do you snug up the anchor when under way?

Thanks for the tips guys.

When underway I have a carabiner spliced on to about 6 ft of line. I clip the 'biner into a link of chain then tie the other end off to the Samson post. I don't slack the chain from the windlass though. The anchor is lodged pretty tight on the roller, basically no pressure on the windlass. The line is more of a safety.

Also, why do you say there would be more strain in shallower water? In 10' of water with say 15' of line out there is almost no scope angle. Isn't it almost like tripping the anchor?

It pops right out of the bottom.

Dougcole said:

Also, why do you say there would be more strain in shallower water? In 10' of water with say 15' of line out there is almost no scope angle. Isn't it almost like tripping the anchor?

It pops right out of the bottom.

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You have less line out in shallow water so there is less shock absorption taking place with a line rode and you'd have less cantenary with a chain rode.

Not sure what you mean by only 15' of line out in 10' of water.

Capt.Bill11 said:

You have less line out in shallow water so there is less shock absorption taking place with a line rode and you'd have less cantenary with a chain rode.

Not sure what you mean by only 15' of line out in 10' of water.

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I don't think I did a good job of explaining it, sorry about that. My point was that I don't put much strain on the windlass until the boat is right on top of the anchor, in other words, the anchor is straight under the boat.

Maybe there is more than 15' of scope out in 10' of water, but not much more than that. As the anchor is being pulled straight up it pops out of the bottom really easily most of the time, unless it is hung on a rock or some sort of obstruction.

When I deploy the anchor I tie off to my samson post, I don't hang from the windlass.

I like the snubber idea though, I've used snubbers in the past on boats with all chain rode, I just never thought about using one to pop the anchor out of the bottom. I can see the advantages though, even if I only use it when the anchor is harder than usual to pull out of the bottom.

Dear Dougcole...you'd have MUCH more than 15' of line out in 10' of water IF you deployed adequate rode to achieve a scope of 7 to 1 (which is nominal for a chain-line combination rode). In fact you'd have at least 70' of rode, and likely quite a bit more as scope is the ratio of rode deployed to the distance from your bow roller/chock to the bottom at high tide. If your bow roller is 4' above the water and the depth of water is 10', then you'd have 7 times 14' of rode deployed, or 98'. Forgive this post if this is something you already understood.

He is talking about when he is pulling the anchor up. He had much more than 15 feet of rode out but he is leaving and has pulled all but 15 feet onto the boat at this point.

Dougcole said:

I don't think I did a good job of explaining it, sorry about that. My point was that I don't put much strain on the windlass until the boat is right on top of the anchor, in other words, the anchor is straight under the boat.

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As you already seem to know, you don't really need to use a snubber to break the anchor loose at the end. In most cases you can just get the boat over the anchor and come over the top of it by bumping the boat forward a bit to break it free if need be.

Capt.Bill11 said:

As you already seem to know, you don't really need to use a snubber to break the anchor loose at the end. In most cases you can just get the boat over the anchor and come over the top of it by bumping the boat forward a bit to break it free if need be.

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That's not doing the windlass any favors in other than pretty calm conditions and soft bottoms, now isn't it Bill? Yes I know the pulpit absorbs some of the strain and yes I do it myself fairly often... ;o)

caltexflanc said:

That's not doing the windlass any favors in other than pretty calm conditions and soft bottoms, now isn't it Bill? Yes I know the pulpit absorbs some of the strain and yes I do it myself fairly often... ;o)

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Yeah, kind of my point. I'm going to rig a snubber with a chain hook before my next trip though, and keep it in the anchor locker. Around here, and in the Bahamas, MOST of the time you don't need it. But I can see how I would.

No offense taken on the 7 to 1 scope lecture, I've done a ton of anchoring, I likely just didn't explain myself clearly.

It is interesting to me, I think the strain on the windlass as it pulled in say 60' of chain and the anchor in 65' water when it was rough and the boat was bouncing around would be greater than the strain put on to pop the anchor out of soft bottom in 10' of calm water. But maybe I'm wrong.

It is interesting to me, I think the strain on the windlass as it pulled in say 60' of chain and the anchor in 65' water when it was rough and the boat was bouncing around would be greater than the strain put on to pop the anchor out of soft bottom in 10' of calm water. But maybe I'm wrong.

The strain might be the same but most folks might only hoist the anchor perhaps 200 times a year,

BUT the strain of dodging and bouncing in the waves might load and unload the windlass 200 times an HOUR!


Cyclical loads accumulate , hence the requirement for a chain stopper.

caltexflanc said:

That's not doing the windlass any favors in other than pretty calm conditions and soft bottoms, now isn't it Bill? Yes I know the pulpit absorbs some of the strain and yes I do it myself fairly often... ;o)

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I guess George. But as you noted, that is how it's done 90+% of the time I'd say. And windlasses aren't blowing apart on a regular basis.

As others have noted, the hours and hours of at anchor loads without a snubber are probably far more damaging to a windlass then pulling the anchor.

Of course if the anchor is fouled or stuck in hard bottom then yeah I can see the need to use a snubber to releave the load on the windlass.

>And windlasses aren't blowing apart on a regular basis.<

IF folks have a windlass that has a locking pall on the drum the loads are less on the windlass guts.

BUT the constant cyclical loading does play havoc with the fastening and goop seals to the deck.

How many posts are about fwd deck rot , under the windlass?

Ever wonder why?

FF said:

>

How many posts are about fwd deck rot , under the windlass?

Ever wonder why?

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Just a guess but probably most of the boats w/o chain stoppers.


Via iPhone.

FF said:

>And windlasses aren't blowing apart on a regular basis.<

IF folks have a windlass that has a locking pall on the drum the loads are less on the windlass guts.

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Or just locking down the chain stopper if you have one.

I really don't have a place for a chain stopper but use a snubber. The previous owner did not use a snubber thus the mess that I am repairing.Should be done by the end of the weekend. The present snubber that I use is a chain hook with 3/4 inch line to a deck cleat. Works good for a 58,000 lbs boat. However, it is not that easy to connect it to the chain. Especially if I am having someone help with the anchoring. Any recommendations on different snubber chain conneting devices?

I use a rolling hitch and just let it feed through the roller....for a single snubber.

If I feel I needed a bridle for a bigger blow or more control...I would rig it, pass the chin end up through the chain feed and tie...let chain out till the snubber is tight and you have a reasonable loop in the chain dangling.

Rogerh said:

I really don't have a place for a chain stopper but use a snubber. The previous owner did not use a snubber thus the mess that I am repairing.Should be done by the end of the weekend. The present snubber that I use is a chain hook with 3/4 inch line to a deck cleat. Works good for a 58,000 lbs boat. However, it is not that easy to connect it to the chain. Especially if I am having someone help with the anchoring. Any recommendations on different snubber chain conneting devices?

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We use a dynema soft shackle.

what size soft shackle do you use?

Rogerh said:

what size soft shackle do you use?

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This one.
http://www.westmarine.com/shackle-g...oft-connectors-soft-shackle-xl-long--12501946

N4712 said:

This one.
WEST MARINE Dyneema SK-75 Soft Connectors, Soft Shackle, XL Long | West Marine

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How do you connect the snubber to the soft shackle?

psneeld said:

How do you connect the snubber to the soft shackle?

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Were temporally using a 3 strand dock line and just use the splice to connect the 3/8 chain.

N4712 said:

Were temporally using a 3 strand dock line and just use the splice to connect the 3/8 chain.

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How do you loop it????

Cow hitch fashion?

Rogerh said:

I really don't have a place for a chain stopper but use a snubber. The previous owner did not use a snubber thus the mess that I am repairing.Should be done by the end of the weekend. The present snubber that I use is a chain hook with 3/4 inch line to a deck cleat. Works good for a 58,000 lbs boat. However, it is not that easy to connect it to the chain. Especially if I am having someone help with the anchoring. Any recommendations on different snubber chain conneting devices?

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How exactly is it difficult? Pulpit configuration?

I too used a rolling hitch for years, only one boat we ever chartered had a bridle/snubber come with it as customers almost all went to marinas. The hitch worked in some really nasty conditions where the snubber line was tight as a guitar string for a day or two. I used one for awhile on my Hatt until a buddy gave me this:



Something like that pictured or a "devil's claw" is far preferable to standard chain hook, which puts a twisting force on the chain link. The paranoia I had about running a snubber line through my pulpit/roller was chafe of the line as the boat horsed around. Going to the two line bridle also seemed to lessen the horsing. 80% of the time due to wind/current, the boat was laying to one of the two lines, not both.