Anchors

My old boat had a single Bruce anchor with 75' of chain followed by nylon rope.
On the new boat I have 2 anchors.* One with 350' of chain only.* The second anchor has the rope rode only, no chain.* In what circumstance would I use the anchor with rope only?* It would seem that the rope only arrangement would rarely be used - maybe never.
Also, with the chain only rode, I would probably need to employ the use of a snubber.* Any suggestions on how to configure a snubber would be appreciated.

**grabs popcorn**

GonzoF1 wrote:

**grabs popcorn**

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Popcorn? This one will probably go through the cocktail hour, at the very least, for several days maybe.

Here's a couple of PMM articles to start:

http://www.passagemaker.com/MagazineandEvents/TheMagazine/ReadArticle/tabid/277/articleID/1146/Default.aspx

http://www.passagemaker.com/MagazineandEvents/TheMagazine/ReadArticle/tabid/277/articleID/1145/Default.aspx



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Well***** ..we haven't done this for a month or two.

Chuck says:
" In what circumstance would I use the anchor with rope only?"
If your'e going to go out in medium seas or larger you will not want to have excessive weight in the bow. The bow needs to lift up quickly and not allow the boat to play submarine. Anchor chain is almost always well above CG so when you're in a beam sea you will be more likely to roll over. With a stern sea you will be more likely to broach.
Many to most will consider this fly stuff but if your boat is already bow heavy it could be more than that. The short of it is that unless your'e CG is too far aft (most trawlers are too far fwd) your'e boat will be less seaworthy underway w excess chain (weight) in it's anchor rode.

ChuckB wrote:

My old boat had a single Bruce anchor with 75' of chain followed by nylon rope.
On the new boat I have 2 anchors.* One with 350' of chain only.* The second anchor has the rope rode only, no chain.* In what circumstance would I use the anchor with rope only?* It would seem that the rope only arrangement would rarely be used - maybe never.
Also, with the chain only rode, I would probably need to employ the use of a snubber.* Any suggestions on how to configure a snubber would be appreciated.

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I would imagine that the light all rope setup was to be used only as a lunch hook, or only as a stern anchor.*

*

ChuckB wrote:

* Any suggestions on how to configure a snubber would be appreciated.

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My*intention is to purchase one.* I'm interested in hearing which make/model people use/recommend.

*

Mark!* The hull is painted!

back to topic...

I'm at the Toronto Boat show and have just seen an awesome devil claw/ snubbed from Quickline (www.quickline.us)

ChuckB wrote:

*Any suggestions on how to configure a snubber would be appreciated.

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There's a ton of stuff about snubbers in the archives which you can search.* Just use the keyword "snubber" and you'll come up with more information than you'll know what to do with.

Most people use one of two types of snubbers.* A single line or a V-bridle.* If there are ready-made snubbers for sale I've not seen one but since they are a no-brainer to make I cannot see paying for someone else's labor to do the same thing you can do.

The main purposes of a snubber are to provide shock-absorbing in an all-chain rode and to transfer the strain or pull of the boat off of the windlass gears*and the*pulpit*to a deck cleat or sampson post that is mounted or back-plated to take high loads.

Snubbers use nylon line since it stretches.* Lengths vary by the boater's preference and anchoring philosophy.* We use a V-bridle snubber with two 35' (I think)*1/2" nylon lines with stainless thimbles spliced in one end.**The lines are connected to a chain grab plate with shackles.* We let our chain grabber way down under the water and then let a very long loop of slack chain hang down between it and the bow roller.* Other people use a shorter snubber setup.

A lot of people use a single* line as a snubber.* Same deal usually--- an eye or a thimble in one end is shackled to a chain hook or other chain-grabbing device and the bitter end is cleated to the boat.

-- Edited by Marin on Tuesday 11th of January 2011 02:42:26 PM

Here is a view of the chain locker access hatch*in the Coot's forward cabin.* The locker looks like it can easily hold the 200-feet of chain to be provided.* Being a 14-ton boat, I don't think*the chain*will have much effect on the boat's handling in a sea.



On my Dad's 28-foot, 4-ton sloop, only the first 20 or so feet of the anchor rode was chain, with the remaining length nylon rope.* Used mostly for racing, we didn't want the handicap of a heavy rode.* Also,* sailing in the often*choppy*waters of San Francisco Bay, excess weight at boat ends needed to be minimized.

markpierce wrote:

The locker looks like it can easily hold the 200-feet of chain to be provided.* Being a 14-ton boat, I don't think*the chain*will have much effect on the boat's handling in a sea.

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I don't know where you are going to be boating but in the PNW 200' of chain is barely enough.* We replaced the shorter length of chain that came with our boat with 200' of 3/8 chain and we now wish we had gone with 250' or even 300'.* That kind of weight in the bow of a GB makes no difference whatsoever to the boat's handling or performance.* It can in other types of boats, however.

But we have anchored in places where it took all 200' to set out the proper scope.* More would have come in handy many times, particularly if the weather was predicted to kick up.*

Marin wrote:The main purposes of a snubber is to provide shock-absorbing in an all-chain rode and to transfer the strain or pull of the boat off of the windlass gears*and the*pulpit*to a deck cleat or sampson post that is mounted or back-plated to take high loads.

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Every boat/windlass/anchor/rode/snubber design/installation/deployment may be different to a certain degree.

With our old wood boat, the main purpose of the snubber was to reduce noise in the forward stateroom when the chain would drag across rocks on the bottom.* It only took a relatively short, single snubber (about 12' of 1/2" nylon") to break the noise conduit.* The key was to make sure the chain was looped into the water.

This particular windlass was overbuilt for the loads with a robust locking system, and transferring the load to a non-existent cleat/sampson post was not an option.*

We relied on putting out extra rode (all chain) with an increased catenary that provided additional shock-absorbtion, if needed.*

This system worked great for 23 years that I had the boat, add another 13 years for the current owner.

*

Marin wrote:

I don't know where you are going to be boating but in the PNW 200' of chain is barely enough.*

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We don't have fjords here.* San Francisco Bay has lots of shallow water, and there are few anchorages where water depth is over 20 feet.* Shipping channels cover most of the deeper water.

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Marin wrote:
I don't know where you are going to be boating but in the PNW 200' of chain is barely enough.**But we have anchored in places where it took all 200' to set out the proper scope.* More would have come in handy many times, particularly if the weather was predicted to kick up.*

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I agree with Marin, 200' is the minimum rode for Puget Sound/San Juan Islands/Gulf Islands.* Of course, most of the time 100' or less is appropriate.* But*you could occasionally want more than 200' in high wind situations and deeper anchorages.

Our current boat has 325' rode, and works good for Puget Sound, British Columbia and SE Alaska.* I've only had it all out once, but slept well.

*

Jay, Marin,200' of 3/8 is about 300 lbs. 200' is not enough rode. That only gives one 4-1 scope in 50' of water. In Alaska you will anchor from time to time in 75-85' of water. Many modern anchors require more scope to set readily and most have reduced holding power at 4-1. And Marin w 400lbs of chain, plus anchor and winch you've got 1/4 of a ton of ground tackle on the bow of your boat. Any way you slice it less weight on the bow is good.

I have 200' of chain, followed by 200' of 5/8 nylon line. I have never had it all out, but frequently in Desolation Sound have been on the nylon part. At that point I don't need the snubber, as there are no shock loads and the nylon takes care of the gronching of the chain as it rolls on the bottom. I use a 1 part snubber when on the chain. 10 ft is ample to cure the noise.

nomadwilly wrote:

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And Marin w 400lbs of chain, plus anchor and winch you've got 1/4 of a ton of ground tackle on the bow of your boat. Any way you slice it less weight on the bow is good.

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Makes zero difference to a GB.* Most of the people I know today with GBs have at least 200' of chain and most of them have 300' -350'.* No ill effects at all.* The more weight you put in a GB the better it rides

*


-- Edited by Marin on Tuesday 11th of January 2011 06:02:03 PM

ChuckB wrote:

My old boat had a single Bruce anchor with 75' of chain followed by nylon rope.
On the new boat I have 2 anchors.* One with 350' of chain only.* The second anchor has the rope rode only, no chain.* In what circumstance would I use the anchor with rope only?* It would seem that the rope only arrangement would rarely be used - maybe never.
Also, with the chain only rode, I would probably need to employ the use of a snubber.* Any suggestions on how to configure a snubber would be appreciated.

Click to expand...

We use 36' of 1/2 inch 3 strand dacron spliced onto a stainless steel shackle with captive pin.* Once the chain is out, we attach the shackle, let out another 50' of chain so the strain transfers to the snubber line, and cleat the snubber off. This keeps us from listening to the anchor chain grinding as you shift at anchor at night, and provides a shock absorber in a a blow. In a blow, we let out more chain to create catenary on the snub line.* This works for us because we have a roller off the bow above the chain roller that allows us to use a single line.* Without bow deployment, I'd have to put the shackle on a bridle.

You might use the all rope rode in a hurricane with 12:1 scope, or you could avoid the hurricane.* Other than that, perhaps not much use so you might think about adding 30' or so of chain and keep it as a backup.

*

And hope everyone directly upwind of you*is as prudent and well-equipped.