How much chain??

[pwilletts]

I seem to have quite a lot of anchor chain on the boat.....its only 24'..weighs 4k....I sail the chesapeak which is not deep...what size chain and how much would be appropriate?? I rarely use it

[model 10]

You should give more info about your gear, a Fortress and and 10' of chain is the lightweight set-up.

[Steve Bedford]

Chain length, chain/nylon rode combination are topics similar to what happens when someone asks, "what is the best anchor?" Lots of folks have opinions and each opinion is correct in the mind of the person offering the statement.

A lot of factors go into the decision about how much chain. These are listed in many excellent publications from our anchoring experts. These include (not limited to), type of seabed you are anchoring in and amount of chain needed to prevent chafing of a nylon rode against the seabed, type of weather conditions you anchor in and whether or not you need more chain to maintain sufficient catenary due to the chain's own weight, the impact of additional chain weight (if deemed not necessary) on the cruising performance of your vessel.

I am in agreement of many on this and other lists that recommend add weight to your anchor and not more chain. Your anchor locker can not tell whether or not the anchor or chain is adding the weight. However, seabed performance using a larger, heavier anchor and chain in adverse conditions will generally perform better than a lighter anchor with added weight in chain.

There is so much more that can be written to assist you in your decision. I am sure that some on this and other lists will be of great assistance.

Steve