Jumpin' wildcat...

When bringing up my Delta anchor with 3/8" all chain rode, the last fifty feet of chain jumps off the wildcat. The Sicilian is at the chainlocker flaking out the chain, so I know it is not due to "pyramiding." Would adding a swivel to the rode help any?

"The Sicilian?"

Not if the gypsy is worn or it's the wrong sized chain/mismatched. Does it jump while the anchor is still on the bottom or dangling? Can you see if the chain is twisted? I can't see how it could be unless you anchor sets and stays put while you swing around it.

My windlass was mounted poorly in my estimation.

The hole to the chainlocker was too far back and when a large anchor shank comes up and over the roller...I think there's only 2 maybe 3 links with good connection to the wildcat.

If I put a little pressure anyplace it seems to help and I did move the hole a little forward.

So now instead of the chain jumping a lot...it's only as the anchor clears the water.

I think the hole to the locker needs to be further forward and or the drop to the bottom of the locker deeper to keep more tension on the chain and possibly raising the windlass a tad.

So in one way or another I need to change the geometry to get another link firmly embedded in the wildcat...and it's brand new so it's not worn.

Usually raising the windlass to get the chain more securely wrapped in the chain gypsy is the answer. A block between windlass and deck can be of hardwood, laminated plywood, an aluminum box, or some sheets of G-10 (fiberglass). The hawse pipe should be directly (vertical) under the aft edge of the gypsy, so the chain drops vertically off and runs below.

To check this stand on the chain (just with one foot!) between bow roller and windlass and bring it up slowly.......

Are you positive that the chain and the wildcat are a good match? I agree that a riser block might help. i had to do that with my previous windlass. The biggest problem though was quite simply, the wildcat and the chain were not a match, close but not close enough. It would jump and once in a while roar back overboard for a bunch of feet.

If you see the chain between the roller and the wildcat bouncing a lot then you may have a mismatch. I used to flat foot the chain to take out some of the bounce but be carefull, very carefull.

The chain only "jumps" the wildcat on the last 50 feet. What got me thinkin' about a swivel was an article in the latest edition of " Power and Motoryacht in the Boatyard section. In essence, : without a swivel on an all-chain rode, is to impart a twist loading to the chain rode with rotational energy, which can cause a link or a succession of links to jump the wildcat.
P.S. I also use the "flat foot" method to limit some of the jumping but as you say it is risky.

If it only jumps in one spot perhaps it's a stretched link? Or it's where the full load (anchor and 50' of chain) comes onto the windlass? If the second then probably the chain and gypsy are miss-matched.

ancora said:

...In essence, : without a swivel on an all-chain rode, is to impart a twist loading to the chain rode with rotational energy, which can cause a link or a succession of links to jump the wildcat...

Click to expand...

I measured 2 feet of 3/8" G4 HT, about 20 links. I then twisted it to see what happens. I easily twisted the chain 1 complete revolution with no kinking. At 50' and a bunch of turns, I don't buy the rotational energy idea unless you have a super high speed anchor windless.

As mentioned my previous setup jumped numerous times and roared back out.
My chain/wildcat were mismatched.
I had swivels on the chain/anchor joint and also at the rope/chain joint. Still jumped.

I replaced the whole thing this last spring with a matched wildcat and chain, of course all new.
I did NOT replace the swivels.
No more jumping and I could see the chain had twisted from the overnight on the hook.
I will not discount that a twist , if bad enough, might add to the problem but I don't think it will cause it.