Anchor questions ...

[eliems]

Today the anchor was coming up twisting in the water like it usually does and arrived at the roller almost lined up and being drawn in by the electric windlass. When it hit the roller it jumped out of the channel and slammed the front of the bow taking a chunk out of the fibleglass! :cussing:

Do you have some sort of protective ring around the channel to prevent this?


Question number two: Lately I have not been using more than the 150 feet of chain (18 lb Plough Anchor in muddy bottom at 40 feet), because I do not like the look of the frayed line and the knot. Last night the wind picked up and I wondered about the scope of 40 feet deapth to 150 feet of chain.

Does all that chain make up for less rhode?

 

[Don12364]

Windlasses with rapid pay out & retrieval rates are seen to be good because the boat has less time to drift off station before the anchor is on the bottom. Simpson Lawrence even call one model "Sprint".
The inevitable consequence is the 'flailing' and possible damage you have experienced. I have painted the last yard and a half of my chain and when this begins to appear over the bow roller, I stop retrieval and then go in short steps so the anchor does not build up momentum. It also gives time for any turns in the chain to unwind.
50 yards of chain is good - though a tad heavy. I sleep much more soundly on an all chain rode - and it limits the 'sailing around the anchor'. A 4:1 rode is okay in good holding so long as you keep an eye on the weather and are prepared to veer more scope should conditions deteriorate - including in the middle of the night in driving rain!
Frayed anchor rode is a no-no as is a knot. If you have plenty of length cut the bad bit off. Or, if it is still strong though tatty, just end for end the rope.
A back splice of the rope in the end link of chain (rather than a knot) is the norm so it will pass over the gypsy without jamming.

 

[Ed Schenck]

That seems like more than you need for a light 28-footer. I'd rather have 50 feet of chain and 200 feet of rode making the bow much lighter. But yes, many owners have rollers with guards: http://store.crowleys.com/servlet/-...-dsh-/Detail?gclid=CJ3G26_x6qsCFUPAKgodjUi1HA

 

[captainpat]

You should attach a bail to the anchor roller fitting. Its purpose is to prevent exactly what happened. Another good addition is an anchor swivel.