Extending your anchor rode while anchored

[Soo-Valley]

Originally Posted by Comodave

I don’t know about faster. I can tie a bowline in about 1 second with 2 hands. With 1 hand it takes me about 4 seconds. I can tie it behind my back and in the dark just as easily, but then I used to teach marlinspike.

Now that brought back a memory of the sailing days, one hand bowlines. Now where is that rope, need to re teach.

[Retired. Crabber]

Sheet bend it or carrick not sure that spelt right lol

[psneeld]

Seems like anchor testing, knot testing is all over the map.


Three strand knots and bends act much differently than braided, jacketed lines.


Seems spliced loops still win, so I agree with the lines with end thimbles, shackled together as strongest....whether best.... has to work for you.


On my one sailboat...I did do all my lines with end thimbles....anchor, dock, misc..... did give lots of flexibility with a bucket of shackles.

[BYNW]

I have used back to back bowlines. You might invest in a sentinel.

[Nikko]

Originally Posted by jclays

What knot, 5/8 three strand to 5/8 three strand would you use if you where anchored, Ground tackle deployed to it maximum and you needed to add more line to get more scope? Bowline to bowline knots? Adding say another 100ft or so.

Bowline on one, double sheetbend (with a long tail) on the other. This is the combo used when gillnetting in the PNW - spent many a night hanging off the net with this knot combo - never once came close to letting us down

[Vardande]

Originally Posted by jclays

What knot, 5/8 three strand to 5/8 three strand would you use if you where anchored, Ground tackle deployed to it maximum and you needed to add more line to get more scope? Bowline to bowline knots? Adding say another 100ft or so.

40 years ago (& probably today) the US Coast Guard taught its Boatswain Mates to use a Double Becket Bend, if the 2 lines are of different Diameter. I've always found it works perfect even if they are the same size line.

One of the goals (besides holding lol) would be to spread/disperse the energy of the knot. I'd think it does this nicer than the single contact point of a pair of eye's (bowline or other wise).

If someone wanted to "safety" off the bitter ends to sleep better, that's fine. But, with any strain at all the knot alone will be fine.

Just my Humble Opinion.

[BeeJay]

Is it possible to tie a bow line without releasing the the bitter end ?.
Would it not be smarter to use a bend so you could have the anchor attached at all times. I suppose if the deployed warp is already secured along its length to a bollard there's little risk.

[AlanT]

Originally Posted by Comodave

Bowlines are a great knot but if you want to be absolutely sure that it won’t come undone in a loaded/unloaded situation I use a safety. If it will be under constant load it won’t come undone. But loaded and then unloaded repeatedly it might come undone. Leave the bitter end long enough to put a half hitch around the side of the bowline loop and snug the half hitch tight. That is the safety.

+1

[Leo Reise]

Extending the anchor line. The question's answer is - it depends.

The first "it depends" is the necessary speed in which this has to be done. Consider increasing wave action coupled with increasing winds with a anchor dragging or about to drag. If you can get to the bitter end, bowlines with 1/2 hitches would be the fastest choice.

Second "it depends" is being prepared before you need it - best to splice an eye with a thimble in the bitter end and likewise the extension and use a rated shackle. BUT - this works only if there is a method for the spliced eye on the bitter end to bypass the windlass gypsy.

Third "it depends" in my view, if option 2 is not possible, would be to splice an eye with thimble in the extension, and connect the bitter end with a bowline with 1/2 hitches to the eye. Only one knot to worry about. The splice is stronger than the knot.

But only my suggestions.

[RickyD]

Originally Posted by DDW

Zeppelin bend or Carrick bend. Either are more secure that a bowline. Both will be able to be untied even if you break the rode.

I have used the Carrick Bend many times. Even when used to tow another boat, it breaks down easily. I have never had one jam seriously. I believe it is much better than double bowlines. I'll have to look up the Zeppelin as this is the first I have heard of it. Ok The Zep looks good also. I just tried it out. I'll add it to my knot portfolio.

[AquilaCat]

Two bowlines is not safe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MBBNeAOabQ

[rgano]

Originally Posted by psneeld

Seems like anchor testing, knot testing is all over the map.


Three strand knots and bends act much differently than braided, jacketed lines.


Seems spliced loops still win, so I agree with the lines with end thimbles, shackled together as strongest....whether best.... has to work for you.


On my one sailboat...I did do all my lines with end thimbles....anchor, dock, misc..... did give lots of flexibility with a bucket of shackles.

I placed SS thimbles in the ends of my fiber rodes to be ready to shackle them together, especially after finding a galvanised shackle that had been installed on a stored line some years earlier rotted away.

[phillippeterson]

can you tie a bowline over there from over here?

[captnhunt]

The easy and secure way to tie two lines together, even if different sizes is a double sheet bend. Easy, secure, easy to untie. I have been using this to connect two lines for almost fifty years and never had one fail.

[DDW]

I think the relative strength of bowlines or carrick bends may depend a lot on the type and even manufacture of the line. A plain bowline can come loose if the tension is cycled and it is not safetied somehow, again worse with some lines than others. If it is shaken or flogged it will come apart even if finished with the end doubled back or half hitched. I think both a carrick bend or a Zeppelin bend is more secure in that respect. Also only one bend rather than two knots (a bowline is technically a knot not a bend). If they have equal chance of coming undone two back to back bowlines are twice as likely.

For strength eye splices will be much better than any knot of bend. Or a long splice but you probably aren't going to do that in the rain, at night, in the heat of the moment.

[Peasegrn]

Isn't the Sheet Bend designed for this purpose? It's what I was taught to use for this. Because of the greater contact area between the two lines it's less prone to failure, no?

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by AquilaCat

Two bowlines is not safe

I don't think I would say two bowling are unsafe..... but I would agree long term use is not recommended.

For very long use in anchoring situations where the lines may be subject to sand in the knots or bends, I go back to thimbles ends, shackled together for all but permanent use.

If longer term or worried about abrasion/sawing....nothing like all chain and at worst...adding line to existing chain.

[rslifkin]

Personally, I'd prefer to plan ahead to avoid this situation. Given an adequately sized anchor locker, plan out however much chain (and rope if desired or needed) you'd want or need. Then just add rope to the end of that until you either have a bunch of extra or are approaching the practical capacity of the locker (where chain will still fall in correctly on top of the rope pile).

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by Peasegrn

Isn't the Sheet Bend designed for this purpose? It's what I was taught to use for this. Because of the greater contact area between the two lines it's less prone to failure, no?

I was always taught it was for lines of different diameters.

[Jeff F]

Originally Posted by psneeld

I was always taught it was for lines of different diameters.

Me too. But it's a great knot regardless. It's exactly the same knot as a bowline.