Intalling a New Bow Roller - Advice?

[Vic de Beer]

How about some input here...
I have an Albin Ballad (30'-00"). It has a single forestay (roller furler) with the stay mounted right on the very bow and not much space on either side if it to mount a roller for an achor chain.
Everytime I anchor (I have 70'-00" of 5/16" chain) I have to drop the chain over the side and, as I am getting older, I have trouble controlling the chain as it runs out.... the result, a few chips on the side of the boat.
I have toyed with the idea of screwing a stainless steel strip where it runs out, but I would rather come up with a better idea... if there is one.
When raising the anchor, especially if it is caked with mud , or stuck a little, make for more damage, which I would like to avoid......
Any ideas?

[s/v Moondancer]

Need a pic to see what is happening.

For my previous boat I bought a ready made stainless bow roller at West Marine and mounted it at an angle of about 20-30 deg to clear the forestay. It needed a base and I used a very hard kitchen cutting board...virtually incompressable.

[Cheechako]

a picture would help for sure. But in most cases you can get a purchased bow roller, put it on the starboard side of the stay attachment, use a shim on the deck to raise it up to clear anything on the bow and devise a way to bolt/anchor it well.