Has the line been piled in a saltwater-saturated heap in the chain locker for a long time, with chain that is so rusted that it leaves stains on the foredeck of your boat? Perhaps you're beginning to distrust the integrity of the shackle, thimble and the whole works. We're discussing this Inexpensive New Boats For Sale 404 topic because secure anchoring is very important for safe boating; a reliable anchoring system can save you, your boat and your family in an emergency.
If you are like many boaters, you may have experienced an engine malfunction�probably at the worst possible time in the most inconvenient location�and been thankful that your anchor was ready for rapid deployment to keep you, your crew and your boat out of danger.
We've been there and could share some embarrassing tales. Once�after changing the engine oil and making an adjustment to the transmission�our foot boat died mid-channel in our local harbor entrance. So much for the planned fifteen-minute test run. Our Claw anchor became our best friend as we drifted closer to the rock breakwater, a mere yards from the security of our slip. We hailed our harbormaster and meekly sat in the cockpit waiting for a tow.
The rode should meet the following four criteria. First, it must be chafe-resistant to stand up to abrasion from the seabed and the boat's anchor roller, deck pipe and chocks. Second, an anchor rode should keep the pull on the anchor shank horizontal to maximize the anchor's holding power. Third, the rode should be lightweight so you are not carrying a lot of extra pounds in the bow of your boat.
Finally, it must be strong enough to resist the pull of wind, waves and current. Since boats come in so many configurations, floating in a wide variety of waters, no single type of rode meets these requirements for every boating style. We will describe four basic rode combinations, and help you find an anchor rode that works great for your boat and how you use it. All of the rodes discussed Inexpensive New Fishing Boats 02 here rely on one or two main components: quality three-strand line from a company like New England Ropes; and quality hot-dip galvanized chain from ACCO.
Three-strand nylon line has excellent abrasion resistance, shock-absorbing elasticity and strength. And galvanized chain is flexible, heavy, abrasion resistant, and extremely strong. This yields the proper line diameter for the "average" boat. The least expensive anchor chain is called proof coil chain, or Grade 30, with G3 stamped on the links. It's what most boaters use, but will not work for windlasses since it has longer links than other types, and a short link length works best for gypsies.
Proof coil also does not have a uniform pitch the length of the opening in each link. Use Proof Coil chain for non-windlass boats. Identified by the 3B stamp on the chain link.
Its links are uniform in pitch and shorter by 10 to 15 percent compared to proof coil. While it is the same in strength, the short link makes it good for windlasses. High Test chain-Grade called HT or G4, is the preferred chain for most modern windlass applications, according to Lewmar's windlass expert, Kevin Donohue. The strongest chain that West Marine carries is called Transport Chain, since it is used by trucks and the transportation industry. It is another 20 percent stronger than high test, resists wear because of its exceptional hardness properties and can be identified by the G7 stamp on the links.
Every windlass for chain includes a drum or wheel called a gypsy. Whatever chain you select, it must fit the gypsy on your windlass perfectly, or the windlass won't perform properly and the gypsy may be damaged by the poor chain alignment. Most windlasses can be purchased with different gypsies to fit different chain types. Most older windlasses were made for Triple B chain. The majority of windlasses sold today come with gypsies fitting G4, and very few windlasses use G7 Transport Chain.
For BBB and proof coil chain, the chain size should be half the line diameter. As a general guide, for winds up to 30 knots, we recommend the following line and chain diameters for light, average or heavy boats, using three-strand, high quality line. This table assumes an safety factor. The classic rule is to use seven times the sum of the water depth plus the boat's freeboard. Many boaters will use a scope of more like five times, and will compensate with more chain or more vigilance!
The simplest anchor rode involves connecting the anchor directly to a spliced nylon anchor line. An example uses a West Marine 8lb. This is great for day use with a small boat. It's lightweight, inexpensive, and will hold well as long as the scope is sufficient. To make this anchor package even more effective, you can add a short length of chain between the anchor and the line. The classic rule is to add a boat length of chain, which does two things: it protects the nylon line from chafe caused by seabed rocks and debris, and the chain's weight keeps the angle of pull on the anchor parallel to the bottom.
But even a short length, like coated Acco chain, will make a big improvement in anchor performance and the longevity of the system. Small galvanized shackles connect the anchor to the length of chain, and attach the chain to the thimble on the anchor line.
This system, with a long length of three-strand nylon line, a moderate length of chain and a properly sized anchor will satisfy the needs of the majority of boaters, with boats up to the 30' feet. Things get a bit trickier if you want to use a windlass because windlasses do not allow passage of the thimble and shackle joining the line to the chain. About 25 years ago, a windlass manufacturer came up with a combination rope-chain gypsy that allows you to pull anchor rode in one continuous operation, a feature that is now standard equipment on virtually every windlass in the lb.
Rope-chain gypsies operate using a rode with a splice connecting the three-strand line to the chain. Chuck Hawley's Practical Sailor report documented that the splices retained 80 to 87 percent of the line's strength before they failed. You can use a rope-chain spliced anchor rode with or without a windlass. It's secure, with no mechanical parts to fail or shackle pins to unscrew, plus it passes over anchor rollers and through chain pipes with less hassle.
We recommend it for anyone using a combination rode. Chuck and Kevin show the basics of making this splice in our companion Video Advisor. If you own a boat over 40' of length and cruise to lots of different anchorages with a variety of seabed types, you should consider an all-chain anchor rode. There's nothing like the feeling of security provided by the strength and abrasion resistance of chain for open-water and heavy-weather anchorages.
The negative side of chain is its weight. Since boats require ' or more of chain for an all-chain rode, and since chain is very heavy, all that chain adds up to a bunch of weight in the bow of a boat. That's why many boaters and especially sailboat owners with big and lightweight boats choose higher strength Grade 40 or Grade 70 chain. These reduce the weight of the chain by 30 percent, yet achieve the same working load and ultimate strength.
Matching anchor chain to a specific vessel can be challenging since the windage of the vessel is probably the key selection factor, and windage is hard to determine. You might want to consult a naval architect or marine surveyor for advice on how to size ground tackle on boats over 60 feet. See our West Advisor articles online at westmarine. Determining the length of anchor chain is based on the maximum water depth and the freeboard of the vessel, but since chain is so heavy, generally you can plan on using scope.
And, due to the weight of the chain, you actually need less scope as the water depth increases. All-chain rodes are often around feet long.
For deep anchorages, the chain can be spliced to a length of nylon rope. Beware that rope-to-chain splices can wear due to the load encountered when anchoring�so the splice should be checked frequently. If there is any evidence of chafe or wear, the splice can easily be redone. Regardless of whether you use nylon rode, it's extremely important that boats with chain rode have some nylon at the bitter end so that the rode can be cut in an emergency.
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