Main Anchor, chain and rode specifications

[Andrew]

Any thoughts on what's the optimal range of sizes used for the main anchor , chain and rode on Investigators.?

My main anchor chain is currently really heavy stuff, 8 mm with links 28x46mm which won't even fit in the anchor roller (assume its a standard roller, there's a custom stainless rub plate protecting the wood gunwale strip where the chain goes over) so thinking of downsizing chain to 6 mm.

I replaced a huge Danforth that wouldn't fit in the chain locker with a 10 lb CQR plough copy (that still sticks out a bit, but then there is no hatch either, tie the anchor's shank end to the pulpit rail)

My rode is 1/2" white rope which is nice to handle.

Cheers
Andrew

[Yara50]

Andrew, did you see the posts on here about a minor mod to make the CQR fit in the well? You can keep the Danforth in the cockpit locker as a backup or a stern anchor.

[Dr. Peter]

Search for anchoring and mooring.

You actually anchor very few times IMHO.

I like all chain - very light weight about 20m of 5mm chain and 10m of nylon just for going over the bow. I use a fairly small Danforth which fits in the anchor well with a little bit of grinding (Thanks Ian).

I think of it as a lunch-time hook. Its not ever going to be left to its own devices.

My heavy cqr sits under the companionway step next to my battery. I have an all nylon line for this, about 200m fed into a green shopping bag (it comes out better) in one of the lazarettes. I figure on putting it together in the cockpit and launching from there either as a stern anchor or as an extra bow anchor. I've used it once this way.

Keep the weight off the bow it does make a difference especially in heavy weather.

[Ozzie]

I have two Danforths, one for each end and they are fine for Lake Mac and Port Stephens type bottom conditions . I have the minimum recommend chain and the rest rope. This keeps the weight down in the forward locker. You can add a weight to your rope rode close to the boat to improve holding without having to carry and haul in large amounts of chain The front anchor fits in unmodified into the front locker and came with the boat.

While on the subject, I use the rear one rarely but wondered where others secure it to. Mine gets tied to the rear rail , but I have a spare t bollard, and was thinking of bolting that somehow to the transom. What do others do?

[Yara50]

I added some decent size plastic cleats on the deck at the stern. They are needed also to tie up to a pontoon, and also for genoa sheets.

[Andrew]

Thanks for the anchor info everyone.

I've rigged 7m of 6 mm chain to the 10 mm diam anchor warp. Now the CQR plough can fit into the anchor locker due to the reduced bulk of the chain.

The stern anchor , trying a small 4 lb Danforth i had, it has 4m of 5mm chain and 8mm warp. It stows in the port quarter locker below a floorboard covering what looks like an old outboard well which has no aperture to the sea below. Envisage stern anchor would be mainly for holding the stern into a beach for a short visit,

Will test these anchors out

Cheers
Andrew

[Ozzie]

Recent Wikipedia article shows that the huge US WWII landing ships used Danforth anchors to kedge themselves off of beaches after dropping off their loads of tanks and troops ...... must have something going for the design. .

Makes drying out an Investigator look like a piece of cake.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LSTs_ ... 032501.jpg

[Andrew]

That's a fair sized kedging Danforth,

I went out and tested Terias main anchor, it's a good size and weight to handle now. Set well and didn't drag in 15 knot winds. May need to upsize my kedging danforth tho..

[atles]

for our investigator weight say with all your gear 1200 kg
i have an old coast guard book uk got it off my dad long time ago says for less than 7.5 meters boat but more that 5 meters

gal chain 1/4 " or 6mm breaking strain 1,835 kg that will hold 8 meters

shackle 3/8" or 10mm breaking strain 3,796 kg it,s good as well

rope 3/8 or 10mm breaking strain 1,800 most use silver rope breaking strain 980 kg dry
now this is were we have to be careful, Nylon rope 3-strand cheapest and easy to splice
good for normal weather combination of good shock absorbing properties, wear resistance and its imperviousness to UV light and chemicals
it the fiber of choice for anchor warps and dock lines. but when it get wet it loses 10% of it braking strain.
after some time of being pull around and stretch it loses 30% of it breaking strain.

Polyester not Polypropylene
If one were limited to just one fiber for all uses this would be it. It is strong, resistant to UV light and chemicals, kind on the hands and stretches just moderately when loaded. This is the fiber to choose in any application where ultimate performance or minimum weight is not absolutely essential.
i have some 14 mm laying around for heavy weather breaking stain 3,588 kg the anchor will pull out or the boat will give way before that does.so i have nylon on one anchor and polyester on the other.

Polypropylene do not use!!
A lightweight fibre that is also cheap. Farmers use it for bailer twine. From a sailor's point of view polypropylene has the great advantage of being less dense than water. Not only does it float, so other boats cut it up for you
it refuses to absorb water too. Unfortunately it is not very strong and doesn't offer much resistance to stretch. Left outside in the sun it deteriorates quickly. Polypropylene melts at a low temperature and it's easy to generate sufficient frictional heat to cause damage or failure.

anchor 8lbs -3.7 kg just for lunch on board maybe too light for me best go for 10lbs 4.5 kg

CQR (also known as a Plough anchor)

Good holding power
Ideal for mud or weedy bottoms
Difficult to stow
Will not dig in on a rocky seabed
Should be used with a buoyed trip line to ensure easy recovery
Favoured by many sailors

Danforth

Excellent holding power
Ideal for sand
Easy to stow
Favoured by many sailors
Should be used with a buoyed trip line to ensure easy recovery

[no way]

Was interested in the comments above on Danforth anchor. They don't mention that they are hopeless in any weed and mud. They just clog up and skate over the bottom. when I bought my boat it had a danforth with 5m of 5/16 chain and I added 2m of 3/8 at the anchor but in all but sand on the Myalls it let go in a breeze. Changed to CQR with Ian's mod and never a problem since in all types of bottom.