What anchor and rode will physically fit the bow and anchor locker?

sail sfbay · Mar 9, 2022

Do you have a bow roller to secure a Rocna/Manson/Mantus style anchor? if you do, then the anchor can be secured there. Can you provide a photo and dimensions or cubic feet of your anchor locker to calculate the anchor chain and line storage requirement to confirm whether you can stow 100 feet of 1/4" chain plus 200 feet of 1/2" line? Chain and line supplier can provide the cubic feet for each. This 1983 Catalina looks to have a relatively sizeable anchor lock hatch and bow roller for the anchor.

jeepbluetj · Mar 10, 2022

My C-30 had a roller that I plopped a Mantus on. 25lb IIRC, but may have been 30. That thing stuck like glue in SoCal.

Your chain choice seems a bit small to me, 5/16" maybe? (I'm not an expert on chain.. Just sounds a bit small) I had around 200' of rope + maybe 30' of 3/8" chain in my C-30 locker and it fit fine.

Where are you going to be anchoring that requires 300' of rode? Do you have a windlass? 100' of chain by hand is quite a workout.

sail sfbay · Mar 10, 2022

Estimated weight for anchor / rode system = 30 lb (anchor) + 69 lb (100 ft 1/4" chain) + 15 lb (200 ft 1/2" nylon line) = 114 lbs

RoyS · Mar 11, 2022

30 Lb.s seems a bit over large to me for your boat. 100 feet of chain is basically an all chain rode. Hope you have a windlass. Suggest that you consider the manufacturer's recommendations to select the correct size anchor for your boat. In the old days when sailors were using CQR's and the like the consensus was always to go bigger. These new scoop type anchors grab the bottom rather than plow it and set and hold much better than the older types ever did. Here is a photo of my 22 Lb. Rocna on my 1980 Hunter 33 (displacement 10,600 Lb.s). Note roller is not original. No telling if your roller will work with your anchor without trying it for fit.

RoyS · Mar 12, 2022

Rocna recommendations use 50 mph winds so their sizing is very conservative.

Josef508 · Apr 16, 2022

Where do you plan to anchor? I suggest purchasing an anchor to meet the needs of the typical bottom you'll encounter (e.g mud, stones, sand, grass, etc.) Here in the Chesapeake Bay a plow style anchor works well, and due to the shallow waters (aprox 25 feet) and minimal tide differential, 25 feet of chain is often sufficient for most day sailors (especially if you wish to race sometimes). Overnight cruisers may want to double the chain length for heavier weather nights. Naturally most of us have a second anchor for those atypical anchorages when we sail to new England to catch a decent breeze come August.

Tom J · Apr 16, 2022

fox9988 said:
Point taken on 5/16" chain (edited). I'm going to start out in the Caribbean, up the east coast for the first summer, no final destination in mind. I'd rather have too much anchor and rode than too little, I'll sleep better at night. ~30 lb anchor is at the upper end of manufacturer's recommendations. No windlass for now. I'm prepared for a workout.
Thanks for the replies.

My primary anchor is a Manson Supreme with 100' of chain and 100' of 1/2" nylon. I also have a Fortress anchor with 30' of chain and 150' of three strand nylon. The Manson works great in most bottoms, and the Fortress is best for mud and silt.
When I cruised the East Coast, I had three complete anchor setups. A Delta plow was primary with 100' of chain and 100' of three strand. It worked well in most bottoms, at one point it held in 60 mph winds with all 100' of chain deployed in 12' of water. An old Bruce claw was a secondary, with 30' of chain and 150' of nylon. Finally, the Fortress came in handy in the soft silt bottoms around the Chesapeake area.
Actually, the 100' of chain isn't that much of a workout. I usually anchor in 20' or less of water. When retrieving the anchor, the Admiral motors up to the anchor while I take in the slack. When the chain gets tight, I secure it to a cleat, and the Admiral powers ahead to break the anchor loose. Picking up the 20' of chain and the anchor is doable, even for my old back. Unfortunately, we don't have a gypsy on the windlass.
In my opinion, you can't have too many anchors when cruising.
There were times I had the primary deployed from the bow, and the secondary from the stern. At other times, a Bahamian moor, with both anchors on the bow worked best. Be prepared!