anchor chain

[el jefe]

I have questions about how much anchor chain I should have or need. I have a 2005 Marlin. I am using a 14lb Delta anchor. I am located in South Florida, so bottom runs from sand to muck (No Name Cove) to reef conditions. I currently have about betwen 40 to 60 feet of anchor chain before I get to the plaited rode. The boat came that way when I purchased it. I am beginnig to think I have to much anchor chain and should shorten the chain. The weight saving will be substantial. Any comments or thoughts?

 

[seabob4]

20' ought to do you...

 

[magicalbill]

I have 15' on my 232 Gulfstream. I wish I had more, but it does the job. I always thought the more chain the better but 40-60 seems like a lot. I'm with Seabob4. but no less than 20 feet.

 

[ocnslr]

A good rule of thumb is chain = boat length. I'd measure that chain you have and cut it in half - if it is at least 40ft.

Your 14# Delta is just barely right for your boat. I'd sell it and get the 22#. That's what we have on our Islander 270, with 30-ft of chain and 600-ft of 1/2" plaited rode.

Brian

 

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

30 feet on my Grady, 15-20 on my others. I still have trouble with the Grady though, my anchor(came with the boat)is too small, but can't fit a bigger one there.

 

[Pez Vela]

I am beginnig to think I have to much anchor chain and should shorten the chain. The weight saving will be substantial.

I think you're wrong. The weight of the 10' or 20' length of chain you might eliminate is not substantial relative to the displacement of your boat. The sacrifice of the greater holding power your existing rode provides is not worth the minimal weight savings. Your anchor rode is a vitally important part of the safety gear aboard your boat ... at least that is the way I look at it. If you are broken down in bad weather and drifting perilously out to sea or towards the rocks ... well you get the idea. So much of all this depends upon how you use your boat though. If all you do is drop your pick for lunch or for few hours of fishing on a reef in 10 fathoms while you're on board in calm conditions, greater lengths of chain may seem like overkill. If you compare your combination rode to larger boats that carry an all chain rode, you may appreciate the issue from a different perspective, and realize that a compromise has already been made in the weight savings department.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

A great question el jefe and the responces equally great. I have realized I perhaps rely or trust the folks at the Grady dealer sometimes too much. I have maybe 10 feet of rode on my 228 with think a #10 danforth.....I honestly don't remember. What is clear yo me is my rode is on the short side. It is also clear to me my anchor locker is already cramped and not sure I can change my set up much more too. I don't have a windlass, but have contemplated it. Do any of you more knowledgeable captains have a good source on this topic I can read up on? Thanks.

 

[Pez Vela]

The West Advisor has this and other anchor discussions which may be useful in selecting your ground tackle.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... de-Upgrade

For me, there was no better education than putting on the mask and fins and watching the performance of my combination rode in a sand bottom under varying conditions as the wind began to blow and the seas increased. Actually seeing the chain lift and fall, the drag marks, and the perilous consequences of using marginal gear showed me the importance of getting things right for the style of boating I enjoy.

 

[uncljohn]

I upped the gauge of the chain and shortened the length for my 228. So I have about 12' of heavy gauge chain made for big boats. 30' seems like a lot, but it all depends on how much it weighs.

 

[LeapFrog]

I just replaced my setup a couple weeks ago on my Marlin thanks to a snagged anchor... I consulted West Marine and several other sources before buying. It was suggested to go with a minimum of one foot per foot of boat length. I went with 50' and a 22 lb Delta plow anchor. The manager at West Marine is an avid sail boater and convinced me that more was better for a better/faster hold. It has worked flawlessly with at least 20 drops already.

 

[lgusto]

All the science and practical experience I'll ever need to know about anchoring was in "The Complete Anchoring Handbook" by Alain Poiraud. Many factors go into staying put on any bottom in any weather, including seabed characteristics, wind, waves, currents, etc. and this book covers them all in amazing detail. One of the most important details is that the anchor is just the "hook" that keeps your chain from sliding across the bottom, so weight is not the most important factor. It's more important to choose the type of anchor that will hook in to the seabed you most frequently encounter.

The book also explains that simple overkill isn't the right answer (why not 50' of 5/8" chain? why not 100'?) because there's a cost to everything. For example, what will unnecessarily hauling 150 pounds of chain do to your windlass over time? And reducing line in favor of chain reduces shock absorption and catenary, properties that are critical to protecting a boat's pulpit and hardware.

We carry 600' of 3/8" Brait spliced to 20' of 1/2" chain shackled to a 13 pound danforth. We sometimes overnight in 200' of water, occasionally with winds up to 20 knots. We also carry a 7 pound Fortress with 200' of 1/2" three strand and 10' of chain as an emergency backup. We're always learning and improving our techniques, often just for "fun" and for practice.

 

[ahill]

Longer is better, at least boat length. 40' is loong built will do you well in high wind conditions. If you don't pay out scope to get to nylon rode I'd suggest a snubber to ease shock on your deck hardware.