we have been working on our 1995 hunter 430 Legend and get her ready for cruising to Mexico most people who've been there and done that recommend 300' of chain which sounds great but i am not sure how that much weight will effect her sailing and trim. I am asking for anyone who has had this experience already to share if they've encountered problems or not. thank you
chain anchor rode
- Thread starter bortiz
- Start date
down the baja penisula and in the sea of Cortez. so do you keep all the chain in the lower or upper storage locker? do you have the chain secured in any way? how much wind have you experienced? thanks for replying
Another SBO contributor @Monty VM , with the same year and model as mine, has taken 20' seas without issue.
He has sailed that Area of Mexico.
My anchor chain secured to an additional 100' of anchor rode, which is secured to the boat.
Maximum sailing winds for me, 28 knots gusts.
I don't not fear my boat's Class A rating.
My biggest seas, was ≈8 feet, the boat just yawned, my back didn't.
Jim...
He has sailed that Area of Mexico.
My anchor chain secured to an additional 100' of anchor rode, which is secured to the boat.
Maximum sailing winds for me, 28 knots gusts.
I don't not fear my boat's Class A rating.
My biggest seas, was ≈8 feet, the boat just yawned, my back didn't.
Jim...
In all fairness I would not say without issue. The boat handled it just fine. We went north out of Newport Oregon for about 11 hours thinking we would be on the tail end of a storm and be able to catch the following wind. The store must of slowed and never passed over us. There's no way decided the safe thing to do is turn around since there were only two of us and it was obviously very difficult conditions. Obviously with time things very carefully turn on the crest of the wave as much as possible. It took us only three hours to get back to our starting point.
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Never ever i have seen a mexican boat with 300 ft of chain. You really do not need it. I will carry like half of that with a good rope instead. Remenber is the size of the anchor not the weight what is holding you. So is better a bigger anchor and less chain. If you get 30 knots of wind almost all the chain is of the ground, is the scope and the holding of the anchor to the ground that is holding you.
This is an American boat. Wretched excess, remember?
I've friends with 300 ft of chain in MX, but my boat came with about 150 ft, and maybe 100 ft rope.
She's been in MX over 10 years and never dragged according to the PO.
I have a 1991 Passage 42, which has a hull, keel, and displacement that is very similar (if not identical) to yours. I routinely carry between 300 and 350 feet of 3/8" chain in my anchor locker, and we've sailed over 50,000 miles and crossed the Pacific 4 times. We've been in all kinds of seas and weather short of full cyclones, and have been OK with that extra weight. HOWEVER, it will affect your trim. As to how much it bothers you, that's a different story. While it is a concern, it need not be a problem. Our forward water tank capacity is around 60 gallons, which is 480 pounds when full. The chain and anchor combo (60 LB CQR) is slightly less than that water. If you fill your aft water tank and run with an empty forward tank, the trim is unchanged. Once you complete your open passages you can again fill the forward tank. Alternatively, you can decide to use your forward tank first. Or, like us, you can just add the chain and anchor and act like it makes no difference.
Have fun in Mexico!