I have a 2000 Hunter 340. From chartering sailboats I have found a chain anchor rode to hold much better than line. Do you think 100 ft of 5/16 chain is to much weight for my boat? My alternative would be to go with 25 or 30 feet of chain with the rest line. I sail in the Chesapeake Bay. Thanks in advance for any advice. Donald
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Terry
Hi Donald, we have 50 feet of chain and 250 ...
of rope rode on our P42 connected to a 40 pound Danforth. Seems to work quite well in our mostly mud and sand bottoms of the NW. I understand if you intend on anchoring in mostly tropical waters where coral is common then an all chain rode would hold up better. Terry
of rope rode on our P42 connected to a 40 pound Danforth. Seems to work quite well in our mostly mud and sand bottoms of the NW. I understand if you intend on anchoring in mostly tropical waters where coral is common then an all chain rode would hold up better. Terry
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Fred Ficarra
Oh Oh Terry
I think the flames are going to start. Anchoring on coral is a no no. We did the tropics for 10 years and made sure we were over sand. Where we were, the Caribbean and such, it was not hard to miss the coral.
I think the flames are going to start. Anchoring on coral is a no no. We did the tropics for 10 years and made sure we were over sand. Where we were, the Caribbean and such, it was not hard to miss the coral.
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Colin
30' of 5/16 chain and the rest line.
Dont go for all chain unless you really need to. You will find for sheltered anchorages, 25-30' of chain and the balance line will be more than adequate. Your choice of hook is more important, make sure you get a Bruce and sleep easy.
Dont go for all chain unless you really need to. You will find for sheltered anchorages, 25-30' of chain and the balance line will be more than adequate. Your choice of hook is more important, make sure you get a Bruce and sleep easy.
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Ken Osborne
Chain Gang
I have a 1996 336 and use about 30ft chain, the rest 5/8th inch nylon rode, and a 25lbs CQR. Works well and think more chain will just weigh down the bow needlessly. Ken
I have a 1996 336 and use about 30ft chain, the rest 5/8th inch nylon rode, and a 25lbs CQR. Works well and think more chain will just weigh down the bow needlessly. Ken
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Clyde Lichtenwalner
Chesapeake Anchoring
If you are staying in the Chesapeake, I would say you will not be anchoring in water shallower than about 4.5,' and seldom deeper than 10'. Using a 5:1 scope you could probably anchor with 25 - 30' of chain and have the equivalent of an all chain rode with a nylon snubber. Don't bother with more chain unless you are cruising farther afield.
If you are staying in the Chesapeake, I would say you will not be anchoring in water shallower than about 4.5,' and seldom deeper than 10'. Using a 5:1 scope you could probably anchor with 25 - 30' of chain and have the equivalent of an all chain rode with a nylon snubber. Don't bother with more chain unless you are cruising farther afield.
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Joe Mullee
My Experiance
Don, I'm in the middle Chesapeake and have a 1983 H34. I use a Bruce anchor with 20' of 1/4" chain and have 250' of 1/2" "super stregnth" rode from Sampson. I was just out this past week and as you know the winds were gusting up over 40 knots with sustained winds of 25 knots on Wednesday night. I've been out overnight several times with winds in the 30- 45mph range and never once dragged. I use at least a 7:1 scope and will legnthen according to space and conditions. Good luck. PS. Don't forget the secondary anchor.
Don, I'm in the middle Chesapeake and have a 1983 H34. I use a Bruce anchor with 20' of 1/4" chain and have 250' of 1/2" "super stregnth" rode from Sampson. I was just out this past week and as you know the winds were gusting up over 40 knots with sustained winds of 25 knots on Wednesday night. I've been out overnight several times with winds in the 30- 45mph range and never once dragged. I use at least a 7:1 scope and will legnthen according to space and conditions. Good luck. PS. Don't forget the secondary anchor.
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carisea
Chain/rode Cesapeake
I have spent most of my adult life on the chesapeake ( North of the Choptank)Every where I have spent on the hook has been in mud so thick it takes 10 guys to get it off the bottom. I would not think you need more than 15-20ft. of chain
I have spent most of my adult life on the chesapeake ( North of the Choptank)Every where I have spent on the hook has been in mud so thick it takes 10 guys to get it off the bottom. I would not think you need more than 15-20ft. of chain
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DJ Dreyer
What can you handle
Donald, Everyone has their own opinion when it comes to anchoring, sail tactics, politics, religion…. The question is what anchoring system will work for YOU and your boat. 100 feet of chain is nice but could you pull it up without hurting your back? Do you want to install a windlass to do the heavy lifting? Are you going to cruise down south in coral areas? Are you going to anchor in deep (40 feet or more) water? In rocky areas of New England? Or are you just going to anchor in a small cove for lunch on a day trip in the Chesapeake Bay? I've had my boat from Maine to Pensacola Fl and went down the intracoastal. Most (98%) of the time I am in the Bay. What works for ME and my '84 Hunter 34 is 10 feet 5/16 chain and 200 feet of 1/2 inch Yale Brait (8 strand single braid) with the original 22 lb Bruce anchor that came with the boat. Originally, I had 20 ft of 5/16 chain but I do not have a windlass and most of my anchoring is in the Chesapeake Bay so I cut the chain in half. I anchor most of the time with one anchor in less than 10 ft of water in a sheltered cove with a mud bottom. The chain picks up a lot of mud. I do use an anchor sentinel more to keep the anchor line from wrapping between the rudder and keel then for extra holding though I sleep better at night with the sentinel. And sleeping peacefully at night in all wx is what it is all about. I have a second anchor in the rear cockpit seat locker with 250 ft Yale Brait, 6 ft of SS chain (about 3/8 if I remember) attached to a Fortress FX-23 14 lb anchor. I used two anchors from the bow spread 180 deg apart in the intracoastal to reduce swing and ensure a good night sleep. Now take this information, read some more books about anchoring and come up with a solution that works for you and your boat. DJ
Donald, Everyone has their own opinion when it comes to anchoring, sail tactics, politics, religion…. The question is what anchoring system will work for YOU and your boat. 100 feet of chain is nice but could you pull it up without hurting your back? Do you want to install a windlass to do the heavy lifting? Are you going to cruise down south in coral areas? Are you going to anchor in deep (40 feet or more) water? In rocky areas of New England? Or are you just going to anchor in a small cove for lunch on a day trip in the Chesapeake Bay? I've had my boat from Maine to Pensacola Fl and went down the intracoastal. Most (98%) of the time I am in the Bay. What works for ME and my '84 Hunter 34 is 10 feet 5/16 chain and 200 feet of 1/2 inch Yale Brait (8 strand single braid) with the original 22 lb Bruce anchor that came with the boat. Originally, I had 20 ft of 5/16 chain but I do not have a windlass and most of my anchoring is in the Chesapeake Bay so I cut the chain in half. I anchor most of the time with one anchor in less than 10 ft of water in a sheltered cove with a mud bottom. The chain picks up a lot of mud. I do use an anchor sentinel more to keep the anchor line from wrapping between the rudder and keel then for extra holding though I sleep better at night with the sentinel. And sleeping peacefully at night in all wx is what it is all about. I have a second anchor in the rear cockpit seat locker with 250 ft Yale Brait, 6 ft of SS chain (about 3/8 if I remember) attached to a Fortress FX-23 14 lb anchor. I used two anchors from the bow spread 180 deg apart in the intracoastal to reduce swing and ensure a good night sleep. Now take this information, read some more books about anchoring and come up with a solution that works for you and your boat. DJ
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Ivan Bekey
All chain = no give
One more suggestion in this area where there are as many opinions as people. But most experts that write about anchoring in the magazines and books recommend that you should have considerable nylon line as well as chain out, as there is no give with chain. It will jerk your boat a lot in surge or waves, and beyond 30-40 ft of chain it hurts, not help, fiberglass boats. In addition you should have 200-250 ft of line to make sure the scope is adequate in a big blow. Keep in mind that the purpose of the chain is to keep the angle of the pull on the anchor as nearly horizontal as possible, not to weigh it down. Ivan
One more suggestion in this area where there are as many opinions as people. But most experts that write about anchoring in the magazines and books recommend that you should have considerable nylon line as well as chain out, as there is no give with chain. It will jerk your boat a lot in surge or waves, and beyond 30-40 ft of chain it hurts, not help, fiberglass boats. In addition you should have 200-250 ft of line to make sure the scope is adequate in a big blow. Keep in mind that the purpose of the chain is to keep the angle of the pull on the anchor as nearly horizontal as possible, not to weigh it down. Ivan
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Scott
Chain = stay put
We are currently in the Bahamas and have been cruising full time for nearly a year. My opinion which is shared by most cruisers is that there is no such ting as too much chain. Chain is not going to pull off your bow despite an earlier post. Most of the boats I see using all chain (including mine) use a nylon snubber. Chain not only keeps the pull as horizontal as possible but it's weight provides an arc (catenary) that actually absorbs shock not create it. When we see boats with nylon rode out we try to anchor elsewhere. Those tend to be the dragging boats. As far as what anchor you choose it all depends on the bottom. We carry 2 deltas and a fortress. These seem to work in most bottom conditions. Scott
We are currently in the Bahamas and have been cruising full time for nearly a year. My opinion which is shared by most cruisers is that there is no such ting as too much chain. Chain is not going to pull off your bow despite an earlier post. Most of the boats I see using all chain (including mine) use a nylon snubber. Chain not only keeps the pull as horizontal as possible but it's weight provides an arc (catenary) that actually absorbs shock not create it. When we see boats with nylon rode out we try to anchor elsewhere. Those tend to be the dragging boats. As far as what anchor you choose it all depends on the bottom. We carry 2 deltas and a fortress. These seem to work in most bottom conditions. Scott
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Carl Reitz
Test weight
100 ft of 5/16 will weigh from 100 to 125#. To see what it does to the balance of your boat, put #100 pounds on the bow, check your water line, and sail around. Three five gallon buckets of water weight 100#. Maybe you have a big hunk of steel or a lead pig that would fit in the anchor well. We carry 100 ft 5/16 Hi Tensile on our '87 h40. With the water tank full, we are certainly down it the bow a bit. For the Bay, probably the biggest plus of that much chain is shorter scope for those nights when you get in a tight spot with deeper water. Read the other responses and all that you can get your hands on, then make up your own mind. The two rules of thumb that I've seen are chain=boat length and feet of chain = pounds of anchor suggest your 25-30 ft alternative isn't bad.
100 ft of 5/16 will weigh from 100 to 125#. To see what it does to the balance of your boat, put #100 pounds on the bow, check your water line, and sail around. Three five gallon buckets of water weight 100#. Maybe you have a big hunk of steel or a lead pig that would fit in the anchor well. We carry 100 ft 5/16 Hi Tensile on our '87 h40. With the water tank full, we are certainly down it the bow a bit. For the Bay, probably the biggest plus of that much chain is shorter scope for those nights when you get in a tight spot with deeper water. Read the other responses and all that you can get your hands on, then make up your own mind. The two rules of thumb that I've seen are chain=boat length and feet of chain = pounds of anchor suggest your 25-30 ft alternative isn't bad.
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Jack Pavesich
1/4 HT
You might want to consider 1/4 high tensile chain instead of 5/16. It would reduce weight and thus be easier to handle by hand. On the east coast I have anchored in all chain or 60 feet, and really feel better on all chain. Weight really becomes a factor on a Hunter when you add a windlass and too much chain. I reduced the chain on our Legend 37.5 to 105 feet, with the rest nylon rode. We seldom need the nylon rode, so we are in essence anchoring with all chain.
You might want to consider 1/4 high tensile chain instead of 5/16. It would reduce weight and thus be easier to handle by hand. On the east coast I have anchored in all chain or 60 feet, and really feel better on all chain. Weight really becomes a factor on a Hunter when you add a windlass and too much chain. I reduced the chain on our Legend 37.5 to 105 feet, with the rest nylon rode. We seldom need the nylon rode, so we are in essence anchoring with all chain.
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Ivan Bekey
Carl: Your numbers are off
Carl: Your numbers are not right. Some engineering numbers: Fresh water weighs 62.4 lb per cubic foot, and salt water weighs 64 lb per cubic foot. There are six gallons in one cubic foot. Therefore one gallon of fresh water weighs 10.4 pounds and one gallon of salt water weighs 10.7 pounds. So a 5 gallon bucket weighs 52-53.4 pounds depending on whether it holds fresh or sea water, and your 3 buckets on the bow weigh 156-160 pounds, not the 100 pounds you think. If you want 100 pounds of weight then use only two 5 gallon buckets. Ivan Bekey S/V Victoria H356 #157
Carl: Your numbers are not right. Some engineering numbers: Fresh water weighs 62.4 lb per cubic foot, and salt water weighs 64 lb per cubic foot. There are six gallons in one cubic foot. Therefore one gallon of fresh water weighs 10.4 pounds and one gallon of salt water weighs 10.7 pounds. So a 5 gallon bucket weighs 52-53.4 pounds depending on whether it holds fresh or sea water, and your 3 buckets on the bow weigh 156-160 pounds, not the 100 pounds you think. If you want 100 pounds of weight then use only two 5 gallon buckets. Ivan Bekey S/V Victoria H356 #157
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Ward
Three five gallon buckets of fresh water is 125#
Fresh water weighs 8.336 pounds per gallon and there are about 7.5 gallons in a cubic foot. 100' 5/16 galvanized chain is 115 pounds Your test of 3 five gallon buckets should be a good simulation. If it were me I would just put a smaller person up there to see how much effect it has. Exact weights aren't that important for what you are doing. Having a secure anchor at night IS important Ward
Fresh water weighs 8.336 pounds per gallon and there are about 7.5 gallons in a cubic foot. 100' 5/16 galvanized chain is 115 pounds Your test of 3 five gallon buckets should be a good simulation. If it were me I would just put a smaller person up there to see how much effect it has. Exact weights aren't that important for what you are doing. Having a secure anchor at night IS important Ward
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