Learning about anchor, gear & locker

kloudie1 · Sep 16, 2015

The tip of the Bruce fits under the bar and the fast pin goes through the hole in the shank. Nice and secure. I have been happy with the Bruce. I don't anchor out a lot, but it sets and holds in the clay/mud/sand here.

kloudie1 · Sep 17, 2015

H-34 Anchor locker

Looks like this:

Allan12210 · Sep 17, 2015

I have both a Danforth and a Bruce stored in the locker together. It was a nice design where two anchors can nest together. I am able to keep the rodes and chain somewhat separated so I can use either without ending up with a tangle. Regarding tying off the bitter end: feed the line through the hole in your cleat and tie a bowline. That way the horns of the cleat are still clear for cleating the anchor when deployed.

PGIJon · Sep 17, 2015

Allan... Do you have a picture of your anchor locker? Thanks... Jon

JamesG161 · Sep 17, 2015

I wanted to comment on your picture #3.

By the isolated links you seemed concerned about corrosion of the links.

Corrosion is natures way of "scabbing" the metal skin. The weakness problem normally is knocking off the scab and exposing new fresh metal to air/sea.

We galvanize (hot dip zinc on iron ) to let the zinc corrode.

Don't clean and expose the fresh structural iron!

If you want to restore the zinc, in an easy way, but not really needed.

1) lay out chain and wash all salt and loose dirt off the links. Move it around to get the links salt free.
2) Let it dry and then use this or similar rust neutralizers.
http://www.loctiteproducts.com/surface-treatments.shtml
3) After that combination neutralizer/primer. Spay coat the links with something like this..
http://www.rustoleum.com/en/product-catalog/consumer-brands/stops-rust/cold-galvanizing-compound-spray

It may give you peace of mind and a pretty anchor chain.
Jim...

PS: A@koudie1

holds in the clay/mud/sand here.

Where did you find the sand in Mandeville?

markwbird · Sep 17, 2015

H-34 anchor

I have that same anchor and it holds very well even in the windy choppy SF Bay when I use my boat for committee duty. That is with a very sticky, mucky bottom. It actually takes some effort to get it unstuck. I would replace the line for sure and secure it to the cleat in the bottom of the anchor locker. Difficult to tell from the photos how bad the rust is on the chain.

Allan12210 · Sep 17, 2015

PGIJon said:
Allan... Do you have a picture of your anchor locker? Thanks... Jon

Jon,

I just looked all over and I don't have a picture of that. I'll have to take one next time I'm at the boat.

My set up is the Bruce with 200' of 1/2 rode and 20' of chain. Then my Danforth is 150' of 7/16" rode and 15' of chain. I stow the Danforth rode as far aft as possible with the chain piled on top of it. Then I can get the Bruce rode to start under the shelf and as that builds up it ends up on top of the shelf with the chain on that pile. When we know we are going to be anchoring, I move the Bruce out to the anchor roller. To keep it secure I actually use that bracket inside the locker and feed the pin through a link in the chain. Our locker did not come with a cleat inside. Instead there is a bow eye (loop) that I have tied both bitter ends to. Of course when anchored and cleated at the bow, the rode bears against the edge of the anchor roller assembly and can chafe. I have a short piece of line that I tie to the anchor rode with a rolling hitch that I cleat to the opposite side after centering the rode.

Like Mark, our Bruce has served us well in SF Bay and surrounding areas.

PGIJon · Sep 17, 2015

Thanks for the description Allan.... I want to add a Danforth in the well. While the Bruce works extremely well here... I would definitely like some anchoring options and wasn't sure what would be the best way to store it all in the one well.

What size Danforth do you use?

Thanks.. .Jon

Benny17441 · Sep 17, 2015

Good application, I never trusted a loose anchor in the locker. Remember a chain is just as strong as its weakest link so inspect all of the links for corrosion damage. The line attachment to chain seems a little iffy, it looks like the thimble has corroded away and the line is deteriorated. You do not mention the size of the chain but 60' seems a bit much for a 34' boat. Sometimes excessive chain prevents an anchor from setting. I really like the performance of the Bruce anchor and its ability to hold on short scope.

Allan12210 · Sep 17, 2015

PGIJon said:
Thanks for the description Allan.... I want to add a Danforth in the well. While the Bruce works extremely well here... I would definitely like some anchoring options and wasn't sure what would be the best way to store it all in the one well.

What size Danforth do you use?

Thanks.. .Jon

Jon,

The size is easy. The one that fit in there! LOL sorry, couldn't resist as I can't remember what weight it is. I've actually had two of them. The first we pulled up with our own anchor a long time ago. I think it was serial number 1 but it fit and I thought that was pretty cool. Except that it was so rusted that it finally fell apart in the anchor locker. So I replaced it with a Danforth knock off that was maybe 12 pounds. It is a pretty good alternative anchor. I use it as a lunch hook and on many occasions as a stern anchor (oh, oh not that discussion again). Whenever we are anchored in a river or in a large raft up with several bow anchors deployed we also put out stern anchors so the raft doesn't swing with the tide and we end up with a tangle of anchors. It actually holds our boat nicely once set. When I set it as a stern anchor I walk it down on the outside of the lifelines and set it with the dinghy or while motoring forward. Then I cleat it on the stern. When I want to leave I pull up to the bow anchor while letting more stern anchor line out. Once the Bruce is on board, I just let the boat drift back and the Danforth becomes a bow anchor and I retrieve it the same (easy) way.

Allan

JamesG161 · Sep 17, 2015

James thanks for the links and advice, but didn't understand your PS.

I mistyped kloudie1's name too. It is a local joke since I live about 40 min drive from him on I-10 on coastal Mississippi. Mandeville is located on a large inland lake in Louisiana. Remember LA is delta MUD. You have to go almost to 100 miles to get SAND. Inside joke.

But...

I think the Bruce does a better MUD job than the Danforth and my boat has both stored outboard on roller rack.

I spent many years in corrosion control (notice I didn't say prevention). In fact zinc corrodes so rapidly it gets a grey haze on the surface which is Zinc Oxide (corroded Zinc). The last tip is so does Stainless steel. Totally submerged SS must have Oxygen to form Fe2O3 protection. Luckily the SS corrosion rate is very very small.

Jim...

PS: That you can understand.

All of the links shown in Pict #3 look good to me. You must lose about 25% of diameter before you might change that link. Designers test to 140% of rating.

Allan12210 · Sep 17, 2015

H3newdog said:
Allan I'll have to try your suggestion on going through the cleat for the tie off. I've already hacked through the bottom of the false bilge like you said to do.
I have only anchored a few times since I got the boat and have very much appreciated the cleat in the locker to tie off so I'll have to see how the end knot works. One time was in Sandy Hook Bay overnight with a stiff wind blowing me around, I didn't know there was anchorage available behind the breakwater, the anchor held so well I needed the wave action to help me pull it from the bottom.
James thanks for the links and advice, but didn't understand your PS.

I learned that trick with my semi permanent topping lift for my whisker pole. That way if it got away from me it wouldn't let the pole fall to the deck. But i could still cleat the line without the horns already full.

Hope your boat is staying fresh and dry now. Mine sure does without that pan liner in the sump.

kloudie1 · Sep 18, 2015

Laughing.. James, I am always amazed when I head east along the coast .. When I bring up the anchor, it is clean!.. Yup.. have plenty mud/clay in the poncho-train.

Allen.. Thanks for the note about storing both in the locker.. I have wondered if the Bruce and a Danforth could co-exist in there.. I carry a next-size-down Bruce in the lazarette as a lunch hook, or to keep the stern from swinging around in a narrow bayou.

PGIJon · Sep 20, 2015

Allan.. Thanks for the reply... loved the humor! Sorry for the delay, I was a bit under the weather... I was wondering if there would be enough room to split the well by fiberglassing (is that even a word?) a divider. That way the rode could be kept separate. Thoughts? -Jon

a65sailor · Sep 21, 2015

I wanted to ask the same question this spring!! I got busy and forgot. Thanks for asking!!

Learning about anchor, gear & locker

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SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

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SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

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