The owner's manual for our 2007 Hunter 31 says that the cleats on the deck are the "strong points" and that we should not use the cleat in the anchor locker if the boat is left unattended. Why is the cleat in the anchor locker not as strong? What can be done to "beef-up" the anchor locker and or its cleat?
Cleating the anchor rode
- Thread starter Iluna
- Start date
I always use the anchor locker cleat to snub my anchor rode on my 1997 h40.5. I have never seen any warning to the contrary. If anyone has different info on the 40.5 please post.
If it rips the cleat out, as long as it and the rode stay together, it's not fitting through the bow roller assembly. 
I'd suggest to look at the cleat backing in the anchor locker if you can. If it relies on a thin FG floor or small doublers, it may require you to beef it up.
I once had a trailerable with bow eye pulling out. A little fiberglass cutting revealed it was mounted in wood with a tiny washer about the size of the nut. It was pulling through the wood. It would have been easy to loose a boat o the highway that way if one forgot the transom tie downs, or just pulling it up a steep ramp before the transom was tied down. When in doubt look for yourself.
Ken
I once had a trailerable with bow eye pulling out. A little fiberglass cutting revealed it was mounted in wood with a tiny washer about the size of the nut. It was pulling through the wood. It would have been easy to loose a boat o the highway that way if one forgot the transom tie downs, or just pulling it up a steep ramp before the transom was tied down. When in doubt look for yourself.
Ken
I always thought the cleat in the anchor locker was provided as a convenient place to tie off the bitter end of the anchor rode, and was not intended to carry the loads of the boat at anchor. I use two nylon snubbers from the bow cleats to the all-chain rode.
Cleats are supposedly designed to hold loads along their length-wise (fore-aft) direction, i.e., normal to the fasteners; not to be loaded "up" or "out" vertically, or even to be side-loaded much. Although, some empirical testing on 6-inch cleats mounted on steel plates suggests that might not be universally the case; i.e., angle of pull not the important factor. Nevertheless, cleats inside the anchor locker might not be best oriented to safely hold a high load on the ground tackle whereas the ones on deck should be.
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I have one tie off for the bitter end and a cleat to tie anchor line from windlass all in anchor locker and been using since 2007 and never had any problems in some very windy conditions at anchor and yes also also use a double line snubber to my chain.
Tom...how do you attach your snubbers to the chain? I am new to cruising, looking for a simple/clean way to accomplish that...we just took delivery of a 2005 H33, and are looking forward to our first overnighter as the weather improves...
Jim
Hi Jim, here is a link to one solution. My boating buddy made his own using three strand nylon and a standard galvanized chain style hook (trucker cargo chain hook).
https://www.ropeinc.com/anchor-chain-snubber-line.html
Hope this helps.
Another very good link showing how to rig it, similar to my boating buddy style.
http://www.bosunsupplies.com/Snubber/
https://www.ropeinc.com/anchor-chain-snubber-line.html
Hope this helps.
Another very good link showing how to rig it, similar to my boating buddy style.
http://www.bosunsupplies.com/Snubber/
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Hi Jim. Congrats on your new boat. Where do you plan on your first overnighter?
Haven't got that far in the planning yet...
We are mooring in Anacortes Marina, so will likely be somewhere like Sucia Island...went there on the Bare Boat charter training last year, liked it a lot. Got a few things to do first, like finish the physical part of the renaming process and getting comfortable sailing her locally....probably toward the end of March will plan a two or three day trip.
We are mooring in Anacortes Marina, so will likely be somewhere like Sucia Island...went there on the Bare Boat charter training last year, liked it a lot. Got a few things to do first, like finish the physical part of the renaming process and getting comfortable sailing her locally....probably toward the end of March will plan a two or three day trip.
That was what I was envisioning, glad to have the sizing info...but was wondering if the grab hook would tend to slip out when the chain is not under tension such as slack tides etc. Would a hook with a catch, something like a snap shackle, be more trouble than it's worth?
Not likely to slip out regardless of tide state. The weight of the chain to the bottom will always be sufficient tension. Although some people like the idea of a belt and suspenders.
Echo Bay on Sucia is a wonderful place. Lots of mooring balls to choose from but I prefer to anchor out.
Hope to see you on the water this season. I will look for you.
John Lund, an AMEE flotilla member, is on the north side of D dock. He has a Freedom 32 cat sloop. Say hi if you see him. Mark Maulden, a regular from this site, is there, too.
Echo Bay on Sucia is a wonderful place. Lots of mooring balls to choose from but I prefer to anchor out.
Hope to see you on the water this season. I will look for you.
John Lund, an AMEE flotilla member, is on the north side of D dock. He has a Freedom 32 cat sloop. Say hi if you see him. Mark Maulden, a regular from this site, is there, too.
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Nice....will keep an eye out for John. We are on D dock until Monday, then get moved to our more permanent slip on F Dock.
I use a simple grab hook and there have been times when I have found it disconnected and just hanging when I raised the anchor. I am not really sure why it occasionally happens.