New Anchor Rode

[Bad Obsession]

I just purchased a new anchor rode for my Compac 23. I went through Cajun Lines and I bought 100 feet of 1/2" nylon rode. It will be combined with my 1/4" chain at 30 feet.

To avoid the huge, long drawn, knock out drag out anchor war, I won't post my anchor type.

So I was left with trying to figure out how to mark my anchor rode. I have been using three strand for years and I marked it with a product from West Marine. Since I couldn't really use those I decided to get some green whipping twine to mark my rode.

My system was to start with one green whip at 30 feet. I did write on it with permanent marker and put 30 on it. I put two whips at 60 feet and wrote on it as well. Finally I put three whips at 90 feet.

The green whips stand out on a white rode. They are also a place that you can feel in the darkness, which I like. It also shouldn't get hung up on stuff.

We shall see how this works.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Good ideas, b.o. Only thing that keeps recurring with these rode markings is: what use is the 30 foot marker? So I did this: Let's say your bow is five feet off the water. Also that 30 feet of chain PLUS the first 30 footer on the rode is 60 feet of line. 65 feet total. 65 / 3 = 21 foot water depth (at a 3:1) scope. Hmm, I just talked myself into thinking it would work! Good for you! You'll most likely be anchoring in way less depth and 3:1 ain't useful in my book. What I see too often is folks over-marking their rodes.

 

[Bad Obsession]

I usually anchor in less than 10 feet. I have anchored in 4 feet (I draw 2.5 feet). Once in a while it is nice to have a true pocket cruiser because I go to a busy anchorage and look for a shallow area and I have plenty of room. It is really funny when I get a few raised eyebrows when I go through a skinny area and anchor. The biggest key is to watch my chart plotter and tide chart. If I go in really skinny water to anchor I make sure I am at dead low tide and I leave room for tide fluctuation.

I like 7 to 1 scope. Unless it is a bad storm my 7 to 1 is based on water depth because, remember that the depth fluctuates with tide too. My bow isn't that high, low free board on a Compac, so that doesn't kill me either. If I anchor in 7 feet of water and add 3 feet for my bow that means that I want 70 feet of rode out. That is 30 feet of chain, 40 feet or rode, or just 10 feet past my first mark. If I anchor in 5 feet, add 3 feet for my bow, and then I only need 56 feet of rode or 30 foot of my chain and 5 feet before my first mark (I would probably just let out the rode to the mark just to make it easier).

I am thinking about going to 50' of chain in the future but, we shall see.

 

[Brian S]

Hey, Bad O, do you think you NEED 50' of chain? If I recall, you anchor on the Chesapeake, which is pretty much all sand, mud, or a combination of both. There aren't many rocks. So, tucked up in the shallows (and protected areas, one assumes) what with 40' of chain and a 7:1 scope, do you feel that's working well for you? What about 50' would be better for you? I'm just wondering what your thoughts are overall.

 

[Bad Obsession]

The extra chain would help some, maybe, but the other reason is that I need some extra weight in my bow. After I upgraded my housebank I am slightly heavy in the stern so I need weight up front to balance things.

 

[Benny17441]

BO, if you run aground you can always get off and push.

 

[Bad Obsession]

That is a theory....but remember, if I run aground it is likely in that famous Chesapeake Bay Mud....Yummy!

 

[Bad Obsession]

My current anchor system has worked well.
I am using a 22 pound lewmar claw with 30' of 1/4" chain right now on a 3/8" three strand rode. The 3/8" three strand will be a spare rode now and I like having a newer and better rope section.

Sometimes I don't do 7:1 scope. Places like Solomins Island that have good holding and tight anchorages I will reduce the scope.

There has been a few times where I have been pretty shallow, say 4 feet of water, and I just threw out the 30' of chain and about 4 feet of rope.

 

[Sumner]

.... Since I couldn't really use those I decided to get some green whipping twine to mark my rode.

My system was to start with one green whip at 30 feet. I did write on it with permanent marker and put 30 on it. I put two whips at 60 feet and wrote on it as well. Finally I put three whips at 90 feet. ...

I do something similar....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor/rigging-4.html

.... and started with the tape marked but now just use black electrical tape and it lasts about forever and is easy to replace if necessary. At 125 feet I start over with one tape marker again.

The benefits of this is you don't need to read anything and can easily see how much rode is out without having to stop while letting it out.

I usually anchor alone so put out lots of rode (7:1 minimum) and two anchors if I think things are going to get possibly bad and can honestly say in all the times I've been anchored in the West, Florida and the Bahamas I drug one anchor about 20 feet one night and I anchor out every night (been in a slip about 5 nights total on all the trips combined). Hardly anything wakes me so I want to have complete trust in the anchor gear (22 lb. claw and 25 lb. Manson for the Macgregor with 25-30 feet of chain on both),

Sumner
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1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas