bow and stern anchors

[Bavaria 38E Owner]

The quandary with all chain rodes

The discussion on scope brings up the issue (question) of using chain rodes. Normally, one hears or reads that the scope for all-chain rodes can be less than for chain/nylon rodes (i.e., mostly nylon) because the heaviness of chain keeps the angle of pull that the anchor "sees" more horizontal. But, what happens if you're in the big blow and the chain rode is stretched out all the way down to the anchor? Would you at that point be on "short scope" and in danger of dragging?BEO

 

[Brian M H23]

Why don't anchors

Come with a little slip of paper telling you how to use an anchor, like PFD's do? (well, they come with a pretty substantial booklet). Would it cut down on dragigng-ancor accident?  I talked to a guy the other day who recently totalled an 80,000 twin-engine speedboat by dragging anchor into rocks. He left the bar in a Lotus Elise and definitly at a point where I turned down a chance to go for a ride.

 

[Brian M H23]

bar-tight

Any anchor rode at the point where it cannot stretch is pretty useless. the boat rising and falling on the swell will either A: dislodge the anchor from the bottom or B: rip the deck fitting off.I guess the other option is C: move closer to the anchor, but in that case, you lose your horizontal pull, the wind will drive you back again until the chain goes tight and shocks something. Rinse and repeat.

 

[Ross]

BEO, I have wished that someone would

do an anchor test using a standard anchor (say a plow) and the test would compare the effect of the chain weight/length ratio and the chain length/nylon rode ratio. For example using the minimum recomended length and size of chain and increasing the length until you have all chain and then increasing the size and length of the chain until you reach the absurd. It will be much harder to pull 1/2 inch 50 feet long chain bar taut than 5/16 inch 15 feet long chain. Somewhere along that test we could find a practical optimum.

 

[Bavaria 38E Owner]

True, but...

most boats anchored with chain have a snubber attached; that is, a chain hook attached to a short piece of nylon which acts as a "shock absorber" for the chain against the windlass/bow roller, etc. On the swells, the chain hardens, relaxes, then hardens, but the nylon "buffers" the hard jerking effect.BEO

 

[Bavaria 38E Owner]

Ross

That would be very useful; maybe a job for Practical Sailor?BEO