anchor weight and chain length

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by jwalker

Yeh, but go away and leave it for a week and see how many nights you sleep.

It's one thing anchoring while you go fishin, but it's another thing setting up an anchor you feel you can trust and leave for a good length of time. It's all chain for me. I've experienced the fretting where the chain and warp join and I've experienced the gasp, but relief, when lifting an anchor to find only the last threads of the warp still connected.

I agree I would never leave the boat unattended like this. Don't think I would want all chain though - nylon rope is a good shock absorber and ther shouldn't be too much chafe with a decent connection - especially if inspected frequently.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Agree with all this


Codprawn - what were you doing anchoring out there in a F6?
I expect you were taking photos of all the dories running back to the harbour

My mate insisted he wanted to go fishing - I told him it was pointless but he wanted to try anyway. Layed out the anchor and he chucked his line over the side - he was rather shocked to find he only needed 10' to hit the bottom - this is when he gave up!!!

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by wavelength

Hey codders - hows that new camera of yours doing anyway? Still happy with it?

It's awesome - absolute bargain!!!

[Aidan]

Originally Posted by psychopic

Hi all,

I have a humber 5.3 with a 90hp. I never anchor in more than 2m of water (usually sand / pebble bottom). What would be the optimum anchor style, weight and chain length taking into account limited deck space?

thanks........

Hi there Psycho...
Ok as no one asked, what about tide and how much tide and what rate of flow for springs.

In Yachts where they have capacity for a few anchours, they will use grapnel or Admiralty for rocks and Plough for sand shingle and mud.

In any event, it depends on a few things. For yachts they recommend x5 max depth to lay out. However Yachts have a very large wind profile and weight so when they bop up and down they can Crab the Anchour bit by bit.
Firstly, it is the weight of chain that keeps the Anchour from coming under pressure because if it comes under strain, it will move. Ribs will require much less.
There is also the gauge or weight of chain, if in any doubt look at the big ships so this is another variable.

There is much writen on what will do but the best is to ask the local RNLI COx who will be deligted to advise.

[psychopic]

Hi Aidan,

the tide can run at about 8knts at springs, and there is about 1.5m max total tide rise. At the moment a have one of the folding grapnel anchors at the moment about 8kg with 2m of pretty heavy duty chain and a load of rope. The point of the post i guess was to see if i could get away with a smaller one as i'm a bit short on space. The sea bed is sand / silt mainly and i've never had a problem with the anchor dragging before. I have however almost lost my last rib because the plough type anchor with loads of chain and about 10m of rope dragged in about 1m of water

[codprawn]

I suspect your plough dragged becuase it hadn't set properly. There is no way a folding grapnel is anywhere near as good in sand - they really are crap - I didn't believe it either until I dragged one through wet sand - horizontal pull and just one hand!!!

The normal CQR style anchor is difficult to set - because of the stupid hinge. The Delta is the same anchor without the hinge and is great. A Bruce is very good and a Danforth is also excellent and takes up little space as it folds flat.

[alystra]

Originally Posted by codprawn

I suspect your plough dragged becuase it hadn't set properly. There is no way a folding grapnel is anywhere near as good in sand - they really are crap - I didn't believe it either until I dragged one through wet sand - horizontal pull and just one hand!!!

The normal CQR style anchor is difficult to set - because of the stupid hinge. The Delta is the same anchor without the hinge and is great. A Bruce is very good and a Danforth is also excellent and takes up little space as it folds flat.

Spot on Mr. CP

[PeterM]

I anchor off/ inside Mudeford ( I guess where you are ?) and use 5m ( 5MM) chain & about 5m rope ( more if further out & its deeper ) and this holds great ( I've tried in about 4knts ) with danforth anchor . Generally the advice I got from all locals was the bigger the better & the grapnel type anchors will pull through sand & mud easily - as has been said !( And i know from experience!)

[PeterR]

Originally Posted by wavelength

Bet you postman was well chuffed shoving that thru the letterbox just have to see how you go on with it and keep going to the gymn in the meantime I rather think the thought of lifting it by hand would persuade me to fish on the drift rather than put the 'ook down though
We had two Cygnus 28ft hardboats side by side on pontoons here in the marina, one of which was noticably down by the head. Reason was absolutely shedloadsa chain in the anchor space. If you are on all chain it is recommended to bend the last link to the boat with some hefty rope rather than a shackle-then if you ever need to get rid of it in a hurry a knife will do it rather than that rusty hacksaw or shackle key that cant be found when you desperatley need it .

Very good advice something i had missed