Re FFs post #206.
But the real reason for the high popularity of chain has mostly to do with deploying and retrieving the anchor and rode. IMO.
That's certainly a benefit but I've never heard or read of that being given as the main reason for chain.
Over the years--- even way back when we bought our 17' Arima and the dealer answered our "what kind of anchor should we get" question----the reason given to use a length of chain between the anchor and the line in a combination rode is to prevent chafing, wear, fraying and eventual parting of the line against the bottom as the boat moves around.
So how much chain? The answer I've always seen or heard is "use the same amount of chain as the boat is long." I don't know that there's any scientific reason for this, but it's an easy formula for everybody to remember.
The other advantage of a length of chain between the anchor and the line rode is that it's weight will help lower the angle of pull on the anchor as we have discussed in this thread previously.
I'm sure if one had a heavy-enough anchor one could dispense with the chain altogether as far as any concern about the angle of pull is concerned. But the issue of abrading and fraying the rode against the bottom as the boat moves around remains.
So one would want enough chain that, as the boat moved around, even without much pull on it the pull would be enough to pick up the end of the chain so the only thing dragging around on the bottom is the chain.
If you mean the high popularity of an all-chain rode, the ease of deployment and recovery using a powered windlass is certainly a nice benefit. But as I've stated earlier in the discussion, we elected to use all-chain because it helps the anchor stay put. If we thought a combination rode was the better way to go, we could use it with no problem. Our windlass has a line gypsy and we could pull (or let out under power) a long rope rode as easily as an all-chain rode other than I'd have to be involved with the process by tailing the windlass.
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