Datenight
Guru
So does the cone help? And if so, where did you find a “hard” cone?
Maybe stop up the hole on the top, turn it over and fill with concrete. Viola! A non marring hard cone.
The above assumes a typical traffic cone.
Rob
So does the cone help? And if so, where did you find a “hard” cone?
But twisted chain is not the OP's problem. It is chain piling up in the chain locker - nothing whatsoever to do with twisted chain.
I used to stop retrieving my all chain rode every so often and with a chain hook holding the chain outboard of the windlass in place grab the chain where it went down the chain pipe into the chain locker. Then I lifted up several feet of it and yo-yo'd it up and down until I would hear the piled up chain tumble over. Then I continued retrieving.
The problem of chain castling in the locker got me thinking. How about putting a small traffic cone in the bottom of the locker, so that all the chain would be directed to the outside? I haven't had this problem (yet) or tried the solution, just sharing the idea for critical comments.
Try taking the boat into deeper water, let the chain out but don't let the anchor hit the bottom. Give the chain some time to untwist before hauling it in. See if that will fix your knotting problem.
Be very careful if you do this. I know someone who did this mid ocean and the windlass wouldn't handle trying to haul up 300ft of chain and the anchor. He then managed to burn out the windlass trying. Then he had to cut it free as he wasn't up to pulling 600lbs by hand.Try taking the boat into deeper water, let the chain out but don't let the anchor hit the bottom. Give the chain some time to untwist before hauling it in. See if that will fix your knotting problem.