We all have our favorite type of anchors. Some prefer Danforth/Fortress/fluke anchors. Others swear by CQR, plow or claw types. And a whole new breed of anchors seems to be coming to the market, some with funny names like Bulwagger. Yet anchors are only as good as the method used to connect them to your boat. Conventional wisdom seems to call for all chain for cruising and voyaging boats. But chain, like most choices on your boat, has an up and down side. Chain, for example, is very strong, helps your anchor set and hold with much less scope than line, is self-stowing in the locker, has a long life, and does not chafe. On the other hand -- and there always is one -- chain is expensive, heavy, will probably rust, collects mud and crud easily, and seems to require some kind of gypsy or windlass to use safely. Add the required amount of chain to the bow of your boat and you may also change your boat's sailing characteristics. Next to all chain, nylon -- either 3-strand or braided -- seems to be a very popular choice. Properly sized, nylon is pretty strong stuff, too. Nylon rodes have the ability to stretch under load, are relatively easy to stow and use, and clean up nicely with a deck wash pump or a hose back at the dock. The primary downside to nylon seems to be its susceptibility to chafe if not adequately protected. Yet many sailors seem to split the difference by having a 10-20 ft piece of chain and then an all nylon rode. What do you do on your boat? All chain? All nylon? Some of each? Tell us how you connect the anchor to your boat and then take the quick quiz on the homepage. (Discussion topic and quiz by Warren Milberg)
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All chain...
We do extensive cruising on our Hunter 54 in the Mediterrenean. We prefer all chain rode due to its safety and ease of mind it provides us. We have a 60 pound Bruce connected to 120meters (380 feet) of chain connected to about 150 meters (500 feet) of 8 braid nylon rope. If we are going to do anchoring for a long term we connect a 80 pund CQR connected to another 20 meters (65 feet) of chain to the eye on top of the Bruce. This setup has never failed us and we have rode through storms gusting to 90 kts with it. When one has such a long chain rode it stops to be a self-stowing. It keeps stacking on top of itself and looks like a pyramid and then when the boat heels while it is sailing the pyramid collapses. Then when you are letting the scope out it is pulling the chain from the under all that mess and it is just asking for trouble as it is very hard to get the chain knots undone! So it is important to stowe your chain rode if you are going to be sailing in a good blow afterwards. Chain is also tends to twist so it is very important to have a turnbuckle atached to the anchor and then the chain. On the plus side chain lasts a very long time. We still have the chain we purchased when the boat came to us in 1983. all we did was to get it regalvanized maybe every 5 years. It costs about $300 dollars where we sail the boat and only takes about a month to do so we do it at the off season. If I had to buy a whole new anchor rode, I wouldn't get anything short of what we have now. It has served us very well for 20+ years and we are extremely happy with it. Cheers, -Ali S/V Alosh
We do extensive cruising on our Hunter 54 in the Mediterrenean. We prefer all chain rode due to its safety and ease of mind it provides us. We have a 60 pound Bruce connected to 120meters (380 feet) of chain connected to about 150 meters (500 feet) of 8 braid nylon rope. If we are going to do anchoring for a long term we connect a 80 pund CQR connected to another 20 meters (65 feet) of chain to the eye on top of the Bruce. This setup has never failed us and we have rode through storms gusting to 90 kts with it. When one has such a long chain rode it stops to be a self-stowing. It keeps stacking on top of itself and looks like a pyramid and then when the boat heels while it is sailing the pyramid collapses. Then when you are letting the scope out it is pulling the chain from the under all that mess and it is just asking for trouble as it is very hard to get the chain knots undone! So it is important to stowe your chain rode if you are going to be sailing in a good blow afterwards. Chain is also tends to twist so it is very important to have a turnbuckle atached to the anchor and then the chain. On the plus side chain lasts a very long time. We still have the chain we purchased when the boat came to us in 1983. all we did was to get it regalvanized maybe every 5 years. It costs about $300 dollars where we sail the boat and only takes about a month to do so we do it at the off season. If I had to buy a whole new anchor rode, I wouldn't get anything short of what we have now. It has served us very well for 20+ years and we are extremely happy with it. Cheers, -Ali S/V Alosh
I tend towards the heavy side
on our thirty foot Islander. 35 pound CQR about 30 feet of 3/8 inch chain, a big swivel, and 300 feet of 5/8 inch 3 strand laid nylon. I can't say that it is perfect because we haven't had to test it in extreme circumstances. However it has always set in the chesapeake when we put it down.
on our thirty foot Islander. 35 pound CQR about 30 feet of 3/8 inch chain, a big swivel, and 300 feet of 5/8 inch 3 strand laid nylon. I can't say that it is perfect because we haven't had to test it in extreme circumstances. However it has always set in the chesapeake when we put it down.
oversize and chain
Good article by fatty goodlander in the latest cruising world on his experience with mostly rode and not a lot of chain in the south pacific around coral - right now we for our 40 Jeanneau - we have a 45 lb cqr with 70' of 3/8 chain and 250' of 34" 3 strand rode - as a backup we have a 55 lb delta with 70' of 1/2" chain and 250' of 3/4" 3 strand rode - the cqr is our primary with the delta as a backup and really only used when a real blow is coming and as a backup to the primary. when we leave from cruising we will change to an all chain and add a 44lb bruce and all chain as a backup - the larger delta will go along and be a 3rd anchor if we get hit with big named winds - year before last we used these for hurricane season down here and she did not move a bit but did do a 360 - the cqr was buried and took a bit to get it out while the delta came out fine but the heaver weight and chain, in my belief help hold against some tough winds. chuck and soulmates
Good article by fatty goodlander in the latest cruising world on his experience with mostly rode and not a lot of chain in the south pacific around coral - right now we for our 40 Jeanneau - we have a 45 lb cqr with 70' of 3/8 chain and 250' of 34" 3 strand rode - as a backup we have a 55 lb delta with 70' of 1/2" chain and 250' of 3/4" 3 strand rode - the cqr is our primary with the delta as a backup and really only used when a real blow is coming and as a backup to the primary. when we leave from cruising we will change to an all chain and add a 44lb bruce and all chain as a backup - the larger delta will go along and be a 3rd anchor if we get hit with big named winds - year before last we used these for hurricane season down here and she did not move a bit but did do a 360 - the cqr was buried and took a bit to get it out while the delta came out fine but the heaver weight and chain, in my belief help hold against some tough winds. chuck and soulmates
I sail
mostly only on the Chesapeake which has mostly a mud or sand bottom. Grass is rare. As a result, I use a 30 lb hi-tensile Danforth and the formula of one foot of chain for each foot of boat length (30 ft), connected to 200 ft of half-inch braided nylon rode. This ground tackle system has never failed me in many years of sailing. When I've chartered bigger boats in the Carribean and other places, they mostly all have all chain rodes -- and they worked very well in the those locations, but all required an electric windlass to operate.
mostly only on the Chesapeake which has mostly a mud or sand bottom. Grass is rare. As a result, I use a 30 lb hi-tensile Danforth and the formula of one foot of chain for each foot of boat length (30 ft), connected to 200 ft of half-inch braided nylon rode. This ground tackle system has never failed me in many years of sailing. When I've chartered bigger boats in the Carribean and other places, they mostly all have all chain rodes -- and they worked very well in the those locations, but all required an electric windlass to operate.
For our hunter 260
which is mostly used for lakes, but an occasional trip to bigger waters, we use a 22lb delta with 30' 5/16 chain and 200' 5/8 3 strand for the primary. A 12 lb danforth that came with the boat on 15' of chain and 200' 1/2" 3 strand for the 2nd anchor. And a Fortress FX15 with 6' chain and 150' 7/16 3 strand for a 3rd/lunch hook. We have had the danforth pull out, but never the Delta.
which is mostly used for lakes, but an occasional trip to bigger waters, we use a 22lb delta with 30' 5/16 chain and 200' 5/8 3 strand for the primary. A 12 lb danforth that came with the boat on 15' of chain and 200' 1/2" 3 strand for the 2nd anchor. And a Fortress FX15 with 6' chain and 150' 7/16 3 strand for a 3rd/lunch hook. We have had the danforth pull out, but never the Delta.
Location, Location, Location
The typical bottom conditions suggest the type of rode as well as the type of anchor, as the below-mentioned article in Cruising World suggests: Fatty let out multiple anchors to prepare for a gale, but more than one of his nylon rodes became entangled on coral heads and one by one began chaffing through. He would have been a goner on a near lee shore if not for the help of a local fisherman who dived on his anchors and straightened him out. He needed to carry more chain in his locker if he's going to be anchoring in coral. A length of chain leader helps to keep the pull on the anchor horizontal by virtue of its weight, and I'd never connect nylon directly to the hook because of the loss of this characteristic. But nylon is fine for most of the places I go, i.e., sand and mud with kelp, which spares me the weight and ground-tackle handling equipment necessary for chain. I'll admit my coastal cruising is pretty mundane stuff. The only advantage of using all-chain rodes in my cruising ground would be the ability to lie to shorter scope. That factor alone doesn't offset all the negatives. Bottom line: select your ground tackle to match your cruising ground. ___ ___ ___ The relative merits of using a shackle, arguably the weak link in any anchoring system, would produce an interesting thread.
The typical bottom conditions suggest the type of rode as well as the type of anchor, as the below-mentioned article in Cruising World suggests: Fatty let out multiple anchors to prepare for a gale, but more than one of his nylon rodes became entangled on coral heads and one by one began chaffing through. He would have been a goner on a near lee shore if not for the help of a local fisherman who dived on his anchors and straightened him out. He needed to carry more chain in his locker if he's going to be anchoring in coral. A length of chain leader helps to keep the pull on the anchor horizontal by virtue of its weight, and I'd never connect nylon directly to the hook because of the loss of this characteristic. But nylon is fine for most of the places I go, i.e., sand and mud with kelp, which spares me the weight and ground-tackle handling equipment necessary for chain. I'll admit my coastal cruising is pretty mundane stuff. The only advantage of using all-chain rodes in my cruising ground would be the ability to lie to shorter scope. That factor alone doesn't offset all the negatives. Bottom line: select your ground tackle to match your cruising ground. ___ ___ ___ The relative merits of using a shackle, arguably the weak link in any anchoring system, would produce an interesting thread.
Swivels, anchors
For my MacGregor 26M I have 10m chain and 40m rope, but no swivel. I have a Danforth anchor, but carry a Bruce as a spare. Both are slightly over the recommended weight for the boat size. Not yet used the Bruce, but the Danforth held well in a F7 in a relatively exposed part of the Bristol Channel. Coral is not a problem round here. A friend in the club bought a new swivel for his, fitted it, and then before he deployed it, he noticed that due to a manufacturing fault, there was a piece missing and it would have quickly come apart in use. Moral - don't assume that a new part is good - check and double check if your boat/life is going to depend on it.
For my MacGregor 26M I have 10m chain and 40m rope, but no swivel. I have a Danforth anchor, but carry a Bruce as a spare. Both are slightly over the recommended weight for the boat size. Not yet used the Bruce, but the Danforth held well in a F7 in a relatively exposed part of the Bristol Channel. Coral is not a problem round here. A friend in the club bought a new swivel for his, fitted it, and then before he deployed it, he noticed that due to a manufacturing fault, there was a piece missing and it would have quickly come apart in use. Moral - don't assume that a new part is good - check and double check if your boat/life is going to depend on it.
Chain for anchoring in Coral
My biggest problem with all chain for anchoring in coral is the anchoring in coral part. While diving I have seen what anchoring in coral can do to a reef. The anchor chain breaks off all the coral that branches and scars the brain coral. I have talked to people who deliberately anchor in coral with a hook type anchor. they are hopeing to hook into a big piece of coral. On my Pearson 323 we have a 33" claw with about 25' of chain and 120' of 1/2" nylon. For backup I have a large Danforth with 20' of chain and 100' of nylon.
My biggest problem with all chain for anchoring in coral is the anchoring in coral part. While diving I have seen what anchoring in coral can do to a reef. The anchor chain breaks off all the coral that branches and scars the brain coral. I have talked to people who deliberately anchor in coral with a hook type anchor. they are hopeing to hook into a big piece of coral. On my Pearson 323 we have a 33" claw with about 25' of chain and 120' of 1/2" nylon. For backup I have a large Danforth with 20' of chain and 100' of nylon.
Combination of chain and nylon
We have a 20lb plow and a 20lb danforth on DreamBoat, our H30. Both have been used in gale force winds with good results. The rode on both anchors consist of 30' of 1" chain and 150' of 3/4" nylon. We also have an 8lb danforth, on 1/2" nylon as a lunch hook. The bottom in our normal cruising area is mud/sand, so we don't worry about chafing on coral, but I do like the chain to maintain the horizontal pull on the anchors.
We have a 20lb plow and a 20lb danforth on DreamBoat, our H30. Both have been used in gale force winds with good results. The rode on both anchors consist of 30' of 1" chain and 150' of 3/4" nylon. We also have an 8lb danforth, on 1/2" nylon as a lunch hook. The bottom in our normal cruising area is mud/sand, so we don't worry about chafing on coral, but I do like the chain to maintain the horizontal pull on the anchors.
Mostly chain
We typically anchor in depths between 10 and 20 feet and carry 100 feet of chain to 150 feet or nylon rode, for a total of 250 feet on our Catalina 36MkII. Too much for our normal needs, but we can anchor in fairly deep water if we ever needed to. This set up has given us great security thus far - and we have anchored in proximity to rocky shoals in Georgian Bay in pretty good winds. Chain is the way to go, I would suggest, for ALL sail yachts, regardless of size (and adjusted to its size)...
We typically anchor in depths between 10 and 20 feet and carry 100 feet of chain to 150 feet or nylon rode, for a total of 250 feet on our Catalina 36MkII. Too much for our normal needs, but we can anchor in fairly deep water if we ever needed to. This set up has given us great security thus far - and we have anchored in proximity to rocky shoals in Georgian Bay in pretty good winds. Chain is the way to go, I would suggest, for ALL sail yachts, regardless of size (and adjusted to its size)...
Outside the box
Has anyone ever experimented with stainless wire rope, similar to what is used for rigging/halyards, etc., as an anchor rode? Seems like it would be stronger than nylon, lighter than chain and perhaps less expensive, easy to store on a small drum in the anchor locker, and easy to use through a chock? Just a thought...
Has anyone ever experimented with stainless wire rope, similar to what is used for rigging/halyards, etc., as an anchor rode? Seems like it would be stronger than nylon, lighter than chain and perhaps less expensive, easy to store on a small drum in the anchor locker, and easy to use through a chock? Just a thought...
nylon/chain rode
I have 20 feet of chain and 280 feet of nylon rode with a 35 lb.CQR anchor on my Catalina 36MkII. I cruise mid-coast Maine from Casco Bay to Frenchman's Bay with Penobscot Bay as my primary cruising ground. My secondary anchor is a Fortress FX15 with 10 feet of chain and 200 feet of nylon rode. I have a Maxwell 800 windlass.
I have 20 feet of chain and 280 feet of nylon rode with a 35 lb.CQR anchor on my Catalina 36MkII. I cruise mid-coast Maine from Casco Bay to Frenchman's Bay with Penobscot Bay as my primary cruising ground. My secondary anchor is a Fortress FX15 with 10 feet of chain and 200 feet of nylon rode. I have a Maxwell 800 windlass.
Norm part of the reasoning for nylon rode
is that it does stretch and thus absorbs stock loads. Even with all chain rodes it is common to attach a length of nylon by means of a hook to the chain to serve as a shock absorber. One of the reasons for chain is to provide enough weight to the tackle to keep it from going bar taut. just for fun tie fifty feet of rope to a tree and pull it tight and straight. Then hang a ten pound weight in the middle and try to pull it out straight. Or you could first use all rope and then use half rope and half chain.
is that it does stretch and thus absorbs stock loads. Even with all chain rodes it is common to attach a length of nylon by means of a hook to the chain to serve as a shock absorber. One of the reasons for chain is to provide enough weight to the tackle to keep it from going bar taut. just for fun tie fifty feet of rope to a tree and pull it tight and straight. Then hang a ten pound weight in the middle and try to pull it out straight. Or you could first use all rope and then use half rope and half chain.
Only put the anchor on coral when
the choice is that or a lee shore. When I was stationed in the Philipine Islands we had much coral out on Poro Point but a half mile away around the point was nice clear sand and good holding. If you have ever seen the crevases in a coral reef you would expect to loose an anchor in there.
the choice is that or a lee shore. When I was stationed in the Philipine Islands we had much coral out on Poro Point but a half mile away around the point was nice clear sand and good holding. If you have ever seen the crevases in a coral reef you would expect to loose an anchor in there.
Combination Rode for Me
In my sailing here in the San Juan Islands and before that in the waters between Ft. Lauderdale, Key West and St Petersburg. I have been very happy with my Combination Rode, attached to a 35 lb CQR, and consists of 50 ft of 5/16 chain, 50 ft of 3/4" Nylon 3 strand, 50 ft of 5/16 chain to 150 ft of 3/4" Nylon 3 strand, have never had any problems. If the weather looks like it will be turning bad I will usually add a sentinel at the end of the first section of chain. In any event I never cut my scope short. I went this way because I like to minimize the weight up forward. From my past experience, with all types of sailers the people that have the most trouble are those who cut their scope short, and this goes for the comercial fishermen in particulat. Hope this helps someone. Ed Pacific Dream Morgan 36 OI, Ketch
In my sailing here in the San Juan Islands and before that in the waters between Ft. Lauderdale, Key West and St Petersburg. I have been very happy with my Combination Rode, attached to a 35 lb CQR, and consists of 50 ft of 5/16 chain, 50 ft of 3/4" Nylon 3 strand, 50 ft of 5/16 chain to 150 ft of 3/4" Nylon 3 strand, have never had any problems. If the weather looks like it will be turning bad I will usually add a sentinel at the end of the first section of chain. In any event I never cut my scope short. I went this way because I like to minimize the weight up forward. From my past experience, with all types of sailers the people that have the most trouble are those who cut their scope short, and this goes for the comercial fishermen in particulat. Hope this helps someone. Ed Pacific Dream Morgan 36 OI, Ketch
Catenary; chain of events
The one most important function is the "Catenary" or the horizontle pull at the anchor, tree, boulder, or CQR. The chain, while being strong and not being too concerned with chafe, the main reason for chain is the line of it on the bottom giving a horizontal pull. I have been aboard many boats, owned a few and anchored some odd thousand times too. For my money the CQR or BRUCE are the best if you want to leave the vessel and not worry constantly of her tugging loose of her reins...;-) The DAnforth is in its own in mud and sand, and for these types of bottoms is indeed superior. The problem however is the DAnforths habit of fouling its flukes when it re-sets, and it will re-set with any signifigant change of wind dirction or current. It is designed to flip over and re-set on its opposite side, but any little deris i betwixt the shank, and flukes will give it the ability to slide along the bottom as if upon an ice-rink, and I have witnessed this while SCUBA diving.
The one most important function is the "Catenary" or the horizontle pull at the anchor, tree, boulder, or CQR. The chain, while being strong and not being too concerned with chafe, the main reason for chain is the line of it on the bottom giving a horizontal pull. I have been aboard many boats, owned a few and anchored some odd thousand times too. For my money the CQR or BRUCE are the best if you want to leave the vessel and not worry constantly of her tugging loose of her reins...;-) The DAnforth is in its own in mud and sand, and for these types of bottoms is indeed superior. The problem however is the DAnforths habit of fouling its flukes when it re-sets, and it will re-set with any signifigant change of wind dirction or current. It is designed to flip over and re-set on its opposite side, but any little deris i betwixt the shank, and flukes will give it the ability to slide along the bottom as if upon an ice-rink, and I have witnessed this while SCUBA diving.
Cap'n ron you are bang on . if the rode goes
banjo sting tight with no catenary it will pull the anchor out of the ground. I was just talking to a friend who was down at the tidal basin to watch the Capital fireworks when they were caught in a squal 45 kts. plus wind, Three pound bruce anchor, some chain, a nylon rode two dink and four kayaks rafted up to them for security. NO DRAG! The Coasties came by to check on them, they reported all is well. The bruce was dug in about two feet dids not drag. But a good time was had by all.
banjo sting tight with no catenary it will pull the anchor out of the ground. I was just talking to a friend who was down at the tidal basin to watch the Capital fireworks when they were caught in a squal 45 kts. plus wind, Three pound bruce anchor, some chain, a nylon rode two dink and four kayaks rafted up to them for security. NO DRAG! The Coasties came by to check on them, they reported all is well. The bruce was dug in about two feet dids not drag. But a good time was had by all.
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