H38 - How to prevent anchor chain piling up and jamming windlass

[flightlead404]

I have an '07 Hunter 38. My primary anchor rode is 50' of rope and 200' of chain.

When using the windlass to pull up the chain, the chain will pile up on the flat angled aft wall of the anchor locker and will quickly get high enough to jam the windlass. When weighing anchor I am at the bow with wife at the helm, and I will just grab a handful of chain every 10' or 15' of chain and move it.

I will be single handing for a month heading south in a few weeks and will need to manage this by myself. I have purchased a wireless remote winch control to install, but this isn't going to help me if the chain issue isn't fixed.

Anyone faced this before? Any suggestions? Perhaps something I could insert into the locker to prevent the piling up?

 

[dlochner]

This is caused by the drop from the windlass being too shallow, the chain just piles up. If there is a slope, you might try putting a slippery plastic on the slope to help the chain slide down into the deeper section of the anchor locker.

 

[flightlead404]

This is caused by the drop from the windlass being too shallow, the chain just piles up. If there is a slope, you might try putting a slippery plastic on the slope to help the chain slide down into the deeper section of the anchor locker.

Yes, that is the reason. Just reducing friction won't make much difference as the slope is shallow enough that the chain rests against itself.

I was thinking an insert like a peaked roof or something, so the chain falls off to either side.

Anyone with actual experience solving this?

Thanks

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

My primary anchor rode is 50' of rope and 200' of chain.

Don't you mean the other way around ?

I will just grab a handful of chain every 10' or 15' of chain and move it.

I've got exactly the same arrangement and haven't come up with a solution to the problem yet.

I will be single handing for a month heading south in a few weeks and will need to manage this by myself.

This is where you make the difference. Raising the anchor with a windlass is a one man job. The person on the helm is just there to keep an eye on things and cheer you on. First thing is the engine is hot at 2000 RPM and all batteries and alternator headed towards the windlass. The next thing to do, solo or not, is to check the depth and know that I'm not going to drift until the anchor comes off the floor as seen on the rode depth markings. That gives me time to make sure I'm not drifting and everything is clear. Once I get off the floor, I've got to get up as fast as my winch will haul the anchor and I can sweep the chain into the locker. In one of my favorite neighbourhood anchorages, I'm hauling from a depth of 100 ft. and don't give it another thought. Just get the anchor up as fast as possible in one non stop pull after it's free.

 

[dlochner]

I frequently hoist the anchor by myself. Unless the wind is blowing fairly hard, it can be done with engine in neutral and running. The trick is to let the weight of the chain pull the boat forward. Pull up a little chain to make it taut, then stop pulling, the chain will sink the boat will move forward. Keep doing this until the chain is vertical. If the anchor is set deeply, the windlass will not bring it up, just keep the chain taut and the boat's motion from waves will work the anchor free, bring it all the way up and get back to the helm. In heavier air, put the AP on to hold course and put the transmission in forward at idle.

In a crowded anchorage it may be necessary to leave the anchor hanging off the bow until you can get to safer waters. This also helps to get the mud off the anchor.

 

[flightlead404]

I frequently hoist the anchor by myself. Unless the wind is blowing fairly hard, it can be done with engine in neutral and running. The trick is to let the weight of the chain pull the boat forward. Pull up a little chain to make it taut, then stop pulling, the chain will sink the boat will move forward. Keep doing this until the chain is vertical. If the anchor is set deeply, the windlass will not bring it up, just keep the chain taut and the boat's motion from waves will work the anchor free, bring it all the way up and get back to the helm. In heavier air, put the AP on to hold course and put the transmission in forward at idle.

In a crowded anchorage it may be necessary to leave the anchor hanging off the bow until you can get to safer waters. This also helps to get the mud off the anchor.

Yeah its the strong wind/current situations that will be a problem. I certainly don't want to pull the boat with the windlass, and running back and forth to motor forwards a few yards at a time won't work well.

I don't expect to be in any crowded anchorages before the wife rejoins me - that's the intent anyway.

The other thing I may have to do is pick up a mooring ball single handed. That's going to be fun.

 

[dlochner]

Yeah its the strong wind/current situations that will be a problem. I certainly don't want to pull the boat with the windlass, and running back and forth to motor forwards a few yards at a time won't work well.

The windlass doesn't pull the boat, it picks up the chain from the bottom until the catenary is gone. That's when you stop hoisting. The chain will sink and the sinking causes the boat to move forward. Pick up the chain again until the catenary is gone. and so on.

The other thing I may have to do is pick up a mooring ball single handed. That's going to be fun.

Pick it up from the cockpit not the bow.

 

[Rich Stidger]

All good advice heere, but the OP wanted to know how to keep the anchor chain from piling up and jamming the windlass. I have the same problem and I'm looking for a solution also. So we have a bit of subject drift here...

 

[dlochner]

All good advice heere, but the OP wanted to know how to keep the anchor chain from piling up and jamming the windlass. I have the same problem and I'm looking for a solution also. So we have a bit of subject drift here...

Ralph and I have the same issue with chain piling up. At least my suggestions are about a workaround, i.e., how to weigh anchor by oneself and deal with the chain piling up. I didn't mention grabbing the chain every few feet and pushing it forward, thought it would be pretty obvious that would be necessary. The OP said that's what he does.

 

[flightlead404]

The windlass doesn't pull the boat, it picks up the chain from the bottom until the catenary is gone. That's when you stop hoisting. The chain will sink and the sinking causes the boat to move forward. Pick up the chain again until the catenary is gone. and so on.



Pick it up from the cockpit not the bow.

That's my plan, however I will have a dinghy in the davits so won't be able to do it over the stern, will have to be over the side.

I think I'll rig a long line from a bow cleat to a stern cleat, then also a shorter one from midship to stern maybe. Needs to be short enough that won't reach the prop when it goes into the water!!

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

There is no simple solution to this problem unless you want to rebuild the anchor locker and then extend the locker into the V-berth below, hence we use work arounds. In this case it's not even a workaround, it's just a technique and very simple one at that.

I certainly don't want to pull the boat with the windlass

You retrieve short lengths of rode and then allow the boat to coast towards the anchor location with the windlass sitting idle. The windlass motor doesn't build up any heat doing this and that's the only thing of concern to the motor.

Your boat is 38 ft. not 100 ft. with a massive anchor locker. You are not going to be able to hoist your anchor from the helm via remote control without jamming the chain. And you're not going to be able to launch a couple of personal water craft which are stored within your transom.

Your boat .............. accept it as it is with its built in limitations or get a 100 footer.

 

[Terry Cox]

Been a solo sailor for years, even with crew on board. Our boat has an electric windlass and a shallow anchor well, too. Whatever the conditions, I always bring up the 50' of chain, whatever rope and anchor the same way every time. Never had a problem with the chain bunching/jamming. While the engine runs at idle and in neutral, I pull in any rope by hand unless a strong wind. then I use the windlass drum to bring the rope in, paying it into the locker by hand as it spools off of the drum. When the chain/shackle wraps the drum by a full turn, I move the chain over to the gypsy by hand. As the chain spools off of the gypsy, I pay it into the locker by hand thus avoiding any chance of bunching or jamming. Doing it this way also allows me to inspect the whole system for any issues as I feed it into the locker.

 

[dlochner]

If your anchor locker looks similar to @Ralph Johnstone's then it wasn't designed for 200' of chain. Most coastal cruisers use a short, 30-50' piece of chain and a nylon rode. If you use 8 plait rode, it will not harden up like 3 strand and will collapse into a small pile leaving room for the ~30 feet of chain.

 

[flightlead404]

If your anchor locker looks similar to @Ralph Johnstone's then it wasn't designed for 200' of chain. Most coastal cruisers use a short, 30-50' piece of chain and a nylon rode. If you use 8 plait rode, it will not harden up like 3 strand and will collapse into a small pile leaving room for the ~30 feet of chain.

It's bigger than that, deeper, and with a sloping bottom, but the same issues. Yes I have 50' of 8 plait on the end of 200' of chain, all of which I deploy when anchored behind Flemming Key.

 

[dlochner]

It's bigger than that, deeper, and with a sloping bottom, but the same issues. Yes I have 50' of 8 plait on the end of 200' of chain, all of which I deploy when anchored behind Flemming Key.

That's a crappy anchorage, poor holding in sand over limestone. Behind Wisteria is better and closer to town. Have you been following the new anchoring and mooring requirements in KW? If I remember correctly they are putting more moorings in that area so fewer spots to anchor.

 

[Sailgunner]

I use a boat hook and push the chain down as it comes up. If you don't have a remote for your windless you can easily install one, now cost around $20.

 

[flightlead404]

That's a crappy anchorage, poor holding in sand over limestone. Behind Wisteria is better and closer to town. Have you been following the new anchoring and mooring requirements in KW? If I remember correctly they are putting more moorings in that area so fewer spots to anchor.

I've tried a few spots down there. Yes, Fleming is poor. Heard bad things about the neighbors behind Wisteria but may give it a try.

Used to really like the mangroves between the spoil islands at Boca Chica, but that anchorage is now full with 3 derelicts, a "free wet storage" sailboat on a private mooring in the middle of the creek, and at least three permanent liveaboards, with one guy renting out two other sailboats.

I've been checking on "Spottswood's Bill". Must say I'm somewhat against it, but it won't affect me if I understand it correctly you have to be able to move every 90 days. I don't need to be in KW for 3 months lol

 

[flightlead404]

I use a boat hook and push the chain down as it comes up. If you don't have a remote for your windless you can easily install one, now cost around $20.

have a remote but since it looks like I'll have to be on the bow anyway then its of no value as I have deck buttons there already.

 

[jviss]

Your boat .............. accept it as it is with its built in limitations or get a 100 footer.

On my 38' boat I have no such issue, nor did I on my Catalina 36. It's not the size of the boat, it's the design of the chain locker.

 

[jviss]

If you don't have a remote for your windless you can easily install one, now cost around $20.

Wow, where is that? The cheapest wired Lewmar one I can find is $200.