Too Much Chain?

[markpierce]

Fortress is a lightweight yet strong construction high performance Danforth design anchor... with adjustable shank to fluke angle for different bottom compositions. It is a good performance, hand manageable anchor.

That kind of anchor with its movable parts bites, pinches my hands. I'm sold on anchors without moving parts. Have a Fortress in the boat's lazarette, but haven't yet needed to use it, thank goodness.

 

[Andy G]

Slight thread hijack.

I have 3/8" chain and am looking to add another 100' or so. Chain links sold at the local chandlerly seem a bit flimsy to trust my beloved anchor to. Without replacing all the chain, does anyone have a recommendation for a good chain link joiner.

 

[what_barnacles]

If your fuel tanks are too far forward, 20 pounds of chain will make the bow dip.

The PO of my boat had the replacement tanks placed too far forward to gain storage room and had to add over a ton of lead weight in the stern to regain stability.

With the tanks cut out and the ton of lead removed the 400' of chain and anchors make no difference.

 

[BruceK]

IG36s I know have the fuel tanks aft of the engines. A plus if you ever have to remove them, but, my side water tanks are outboard of the engines.
Andy, I just replaced my chain with 80M in one length. 3 or 4 lengths needing to be joined would have been easier to handle, I became nervous of the joiners available, and the word here was "no joiners". But you want to add, not replace, so don`t dismiss joiners.
My chain was 5/16. I have the larger Muir Cheetah(Cheetahs are bigger than Cougars), always thought I had 3/8. Chain never broke, so I got more 5/16. Flywright used joiners and reported no probs 5 years on.
If still concerned, why not add some nylon? But could be you also want to keep the nose down at speed(haha)and the extra chain will help that.

 

[Gordon J]

Not sure where you got that

Chain is great , when anchoring in coral.

How often do you do that?

Remember chain has to be scrubbed clean each time its used before dropping it in its locker , or it will stink like low tide.

300ft of scrubbing ,every AM?, no thanks !

The chain locker is a design , built to properly hold the size and volume of your chain.

Just dumping it down a hole can causes problems when letting the chain run out.

On my last boat I did not have a chain washed out. I scrubbed almost never, perhaps once or twice, and never had a smelly chain locker. I suppose if the chain is entirely filled with mud and goes into your locker that could be a problem.

Gordon

 

[Lepke]

The anchor is also a piece of safety equipment. Your anchor and rode should be able to stop and hold you in almost any conditions. Chain's weight helps keep the shank pulling in the proper direction. In heavy swells your boat is moving up and down. I've seen 30 feet.
If it was my boat, I'd keep the extra chain. Either by moving other weight around or storing it where I could access it quickly and setup to add on to the rode.
I have 600' and wish I had more.
Other than hosing off mud, I've never "washed" anchor chain anywhere in the world.

 

[BruceK]

I`ve this odd picture of someone kneeling on the bow, scrubbing link by link, bucket of water to rinse the brush......whereas most people stand and hose using a strong water jet.
IGs (some/most) have a 240v washdown pump, well up to the job.

 

[Peter B]

On my last boat I did not have a chain washed out. I scrubbed almost never, perhaps once or twice, and never had a smelly chain locker. I suppose if the chain is entirely filled with mud and goes into your locker that could be a problem.

Gordon

I was about to say the same thing. I think FF has un un-founded and somewhat distorted view of the issues of mud-fouled chain and smell. I seldom need to hose my chain as it comes up, as most of the mud seems to drop away as it retrieves. So if at all necessary, I find it is only the last metre or so, and maybe a bit stuck on the anchor itself. We never have an issue with chain locker smell.

Much more water, and therefore mud also, tends to permeate into rope rodes however. So, as even rusted on, mixed rode aficionado, Nomad Willy has admitted, there are more issues with rope rodes retaining muddy water than chain.

 

[markpierce]

I always give the chain a fresh-water wash while hauling it in. What's two or so gallons versus 200?

 

[markpierce]

I always give the chain a fresh-water wash while hauling it in. What's two or so gallons versus 200? Sometimes need to remove vegetation on the chain by hand. Also, the mud here is sticky. That's why I'm always controlling recovery at the windlass.

 

[FF]

"I've got 200 feet of 3/8-inch chain."

"I always give the chain a fresh-water wash while hauling it in. What's two or so gallons versus 200?"

WOW! 2 gallons of water to wash 200 ft of chain.

Impressive!

 

[dhays]

For our typical long weekend jaunts, I have my washdown pump using fresh water. When away for a while, I use raw water, and use copious amounts. I never have any smell in my chain locker. When I return to my home dock, whether I have used fresh or raw water in the washdown pump, I always give my chain locker a good rinse with fresh water.

I just have never seen the problem with washing down chain or nylon rode. I don't have a washdown pump on my sailboat. I would just give the locker a rinse when I got back to the dock. Even there, no problem.

Maybe the problem isn't chain, isn't the rope road or the type of mud but simply the design of some chain lockers?

 

[Nomad Willy]

Rope is line when employed on a boat.
It's part of the rode but not "the rode".

Speaking of anchor line the stink could very well come from nylon line, not chain. We had a significant stink problem on our previous boat where we put the line down through a hole in the deck. Didn't manefest itself until our return run southbound from Alaska to Puget Sound. It was just 3 strand nylon and about 15' of chain. But we had been anchoring for about 2 1/2 months. It was only after that that the stink started. And I've never washed a rode.

Now we have 5/8ths Brait (nylon) and 4' of chain. No stink problem at all but we store the rode on deck in a plastic box.

 

[markpierce]

WOW! 2 gallons of water to wash 200 ft of chain.

Impressive!

Usually deploy only a portion of the chain, and the fresh-water spray is low volume.

 

[BruceK]

I pee on the chain as we retrieve. Pressure and flow is not what it was years ago, and I have to keep drinking water to maintain flow.
Is this a good way to clean the chain? Would I be better spraying the water direct on the chain rather than drinking it first?

 

[FF]

"Maybe the problem isn't chain, isn't the rope road or the type of mud but simply the design of some chain lockers? __________________"

Many boat assemblers have never seen a proper chain locker , and think a place to dump the chain is all thats required.

Skeens will show what IS required.

AS most chain lockers are above the WL I would look for a large drain , 1 1/2 or 2 inch that could be plugged with a cork.

At the end of a cruise after scrubbing the muck off the locker could be plugged , filled and a cup of Chlorox added.

Over soak night would do.

 

[clyde]

i took off the silly little dc anchor winch that came with skybird 25 yrs ago, and put on a commercial hydrolic/drum winch...have 100ft of 5/16 chain, and 250ft of 5/8" 3 strand nylon line [which i can splice] have a rope/chain splice, and a bruce 45Lb copy, with a longer shank, and 2"wider flukes. don`t need to mark anything to show the amount i`ve got out, just go to the end of the chain + a little line, then add line if i need to for more wind/depth. with the hydrolic winch, i can almost pull up the bottom if needed! the real bruce 44, is in the lazeret if i need it...also, never use a bridle! 50% of the people that use bridles, do it wrong!...clyde

 

[FlyWright]

I have 300' of 5/16 chain on my 43' 33,000 lbs boat. This summer I could have used a bit more. Nothing wrong with a combination rode (length of chain followed by rope) but I wouldn't start looking at making any changes in your anchor tackle for at least a year. Use it as is and them you can make some more informed choices if you decide you want to change.

This is sound advice. Try it...you might like it just the way it is. I also think 300 ft is a good general number if the bow can carry it, unless you anchor in very deep waters.

Slight thread hijack.

I have 3/8" chain and am looking to add another 100' or so. Chain links sold at the local chandlerly seem a bit flimsy to trust my beloved anchor to. Without replacing all the chain, does anyone have a recommendation for a good chain link joiner.

I used a Crosby Missing Link in 2010 and bought a spare. The spare has not been needed so far.

I searched past threads on the topic and found this thread you started 3 1/2 years ago about the same topic! What are you waiting for???

I've this odd picture of someone kneeling on the bow, scrubbing link by link, bucket of water to rinse the brush......whereas most people stand and hose using a strong water jet.
IGs (some/most) have a 240v washdown pump, well up to the job.

What? Doesn't everyone scrub the chain links? Is it just me?

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

To the OP, I have a Taiwanese boat and I bought a "Barrel" of BBB 3/8 chain. (I think it is 3/8 or one size smaller). 550 feet all chain and it had little effect on my bow. My only complaint was the design of the chain locker. I have to knock down the pile every 40 feet. Based on the places I have anchored the past two years, I would recommend all chain rode.

 

[Simi 60]

If we drained the fwd ballast/water tank I reckon we could easily carry another 300 metres /980ft in our chain locker and she'd probably still float high in the bow.

Huge chain locker, when I climb inside I can almost stand full height on top of the 328ft/100m of chain there now.

I have most of it out now, we have had 30knots + for the last 4 days and a few more days to go and we are anchored in a high current area.
Sleeping like a baby every night.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Huge chain locker, when I climb inside I can almost stand full height on top of the 328ft/100m of chain there now..

Bla bla bla bla, I have a stand up chain locker!!!! Dang, how many times did I hear this from Pairadice last summer...

 

[Simi 60]

Bla bla bla bla, I have a stand up chain locker!!!! Dang, how many times did I hear this from Pairadice last summer...

Touchy subject for you eh?
And I have no idea how many times pairadice mentioned it. Care to tell us?

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Touchy subject for you eh?
And I have no idea how many times pairadice mentioned it. Care to tell us?

It is about the only thing I hate about my boat is the chain locker. It is poorly designed. No access from above, you have 2 doors in the forward cabin. It is shallow which means every 40 feet I have to run down 2-3 flights of stairs (depending where I am) to knock over the pile then back up the stairs. When you have 250 feet out, it gets old quick.

 

[Bigsfish]

Alaskan Sea

Find a small parking cone (about 12 inches tall) and put it where your chain will drop exactly on top of it so the chain spreads out. When you find the spot epoxy the base down, problem over.

 

[FlyWright]

I added slippery, interlocking plastic tiles so the chain doesn't get a grip on the hull. It just keeps sliding down. Works great for about $10.

I'm sure glad my anchor locker isn't a walk-in style. It's just one more room to clean!!

 

[macka17]

Where I usually cruise. (Around Australia.) 42 ft steel yacht Nowadays.
I carry 80lb (Admiralty) Bower.
Drop that with 300ft Chain. Plus 100 mtr 25mm Nylon behind it. You sleep for the night. ANYwhere.
Port Roller.

45lb Plough or Bruce on STBD side. With 100ft 5\16th stud link and 100mtr 20mm NYLON behind it for daily work.

Also a 40lb Danforth with 20\30ft 5\16th chain\100mtr 25mm Silver rope on STERN rail drum.
That's an Emergency brake for when you going up\down stream in river in a
yacht with tall mast heading for an opening bridge. In 5 kn current. and the bridge sticks halfway. Whoops.(Brown jocks, (By myself. Under sail).
Quick release on anchor. Dropped rags. Too close to gybe. or tack
Stopped with mast about 1.5 mtr from bridge rails.
If you have a yacht. Sngle hander or not. ALWAYS have a stern Anchor ready.

I also carry a 45lg Plough in lazarette. with Swivel. 50ft 3\8th chain and big shackle.

Heavy. Weather coming you anchoring. or temp, Mooring.

Just set that first, with shackle to head of Bower. Then run bower out. 2 bites at the cherry hey.
Or a three way triangle. link for temp mooring.

If your motor ever stops in coastal area. or sail problems.

Just drop ALL your mooring set.
It'll hook something.... well before you near enuff to bang on beach\rocks.
And if you have a LOT out.
It's surprising how well you ride to real big storm sets.
Normally.
I've done that with trawlers a coupla times in the '60's. Wooden hulls, rocky shoreline (N'East UK)

3 most inportant things on ANY boat.
Navigator. Working machinery (incl Sails). and GOOD anchoring system.
Which is MORE than one pick.
I've been doing it over 60 yrs. Ridden out 3 Cyclones here.
plus a lot of North Sea and Atlantic storms, decades ago
Any Cruising boat of any size. Should carry 3 anchor rigs.
2 x Bow. one X Stern. With a coupla looong stern lines on rollers.

17 ton of 42ft steel yacht.
A coupla picks and a few yards of chain actually help my ballast situation when cruising.
But seriously. Do NOT skimp on your Anchoring equipt.
It CAN save your life one day.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Macka17,
What is an “(admiralty) Bower”?

Interesting using the Dan as a brake from the stern. What if it’s rocky? Wouldn’t a Super Sarca work better?

 

[stubones99]

Macka17,
What is an “(admiralty) Bower”?

Interesting using the Dan as a brake from the stern. What if it’s rocky? Wouldn’t a Super Sarca work better?

An admiralty bower is a standard fisherman's anchor with two flukes and a crossbar at the top. Better than nothing but not as good as many of today's anchors.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Aaa Sooo,
Like a Kedge eh?
Still see them on boats .. amazing.

 

[aboatman]

I would estimate length of chain based on how deep I most commonly anchor in my cruising grounds. I don't anchor any deeper than about 15 feet. .................

There may come a day when you'll have to anchor in water much deeper than that. Like if you run out of fuel or have a mechanical problem.

But yes, I think 300' of chain is overdoing it unless you commonly anchor in 100' of water.

A combination of chain and line has worked well for me. I've never felt I needed all chain.