How Many Rocks on the Bow?

[xeon_tsd]

For those with 2 (or more??) bow rollers, do you keep 2 anchors set up and ready to go all the time? OR do you keep your primary only? With two anchors does the one you rarely use get in the way or annoying? This may be my next project area.... (FWIW my boat came with a CQR and a bruce type anchor.)They are a PITA together up there.)

Also with the "new gen" anchors seems they would not play well with others in the roller next to em.

[Cheechako]

I think on many boats it doesnt work out well.... anchors dont play well together. CQR's with the pivot used to work sometimes. A special designed roller with one forward one aft may be needed. Most my boats had two forward anchors and rodes but only one in the roller, the other often a large Fortress attached to the deck or lifelines etc.

[witzgall]

On our Pretorien, we have two anchors ready to go. It required a custom bow roller assembly. The two anchors did touch each other, but other than that, worked a treat. The two anchors are a Rocna 44lb and a bruce 33lb

Chris

[Paperbird]

We use a Manson Supreme as the primary and a Fortress as the secondary. The Manson lives on the roller, the Fortress in the anchor locker. So it's not completely ready to go as it requires lifting it out of the anchor locker. But the locker is divided so it's not a real hassle.

[noelex 77]

Two bow rollers, but only one anchor set up.

A good big anchor and lots of chain is the solution to most anchoring problems in my opinion. Combined with a Fortress that can be deployed off the bow, stern or via the tender you will have most anchoring situations covered.

A good stored spare, preferably demountable, anchor (Spade or Mantus) is a great (or essential extra)

[georgelieber]

Two... a 22 pound (10 kilo) Bruce and a 44 pound (20 kilo) Bruce. Mostly we use the 22 pounder but the larger one is great insurance. Our boat, and bow pulpit, are steel so a nice wide platform for two anchors is welded on with no problem. We are lucky that functionality precedes aesthetics on our style of boat. I also keep my kid on the bow so he can haul them up!

[dianaofburlingt]

George, do you actually have the anchor rodes leading off the end of the bowsprit? Are you not worried about metal fatigue and flexing?

[FSMike]

Rocna on the bow, Fortress on the deck. My boat has only one roller, last boat I was on had two, but we only kept one anchor (Delta) on the roller.

[jeremiason]

I think it depends on how often you are anchoring and where...

When we were living in San Francisco Bay we did not feel the need for a second anchor, since if we lost the primary, we could always head back to our home port.

Then when preparing for cruising we added a second anchor and rode, since if we lost the primary anchor we could be in real trouble in the middle of no where. Not to mention there was a real possibility of having to use to anchors during storms.

We have a Rocna 25 kg as a primary and a Lewmar 66 lbs. law as a secondary. They nestle well together on the bow rollers of our C-470.

[georgelieber]

Originally Posted by dianaofburlingt

George, do you actually have the anchor rodes leading off the end of the bowsprit? Are you not worried about metal fatigue and flexing?

Thanks for your question, Under normal circumstances I am not worried about flexing. The bowsprit is 3 1/2" schedule 80 steel pipe attached with 1/2" steel plates and 3/4" stainless bolts. The frame of the bow pulpit is 2x2x1/4" stainless angle and the rollers have 1" stainless axles. It is all held in place with 5/16" grade 70 chain whiskers and bobstay. So all parts are heavier than average.

However, if the wind and waves are up, we do lead the anchor rode in through a hawse to the samson post in the foredeck.

[Stumble]

One giant anchor on the bow. A spare fortress disassembled in the lazarette.

[Capt RonB]

We kept the Bruce on the bow roller but we had the big Fortress lashed to the bow pulpit and ready to deploy. A knife or Leatherman could just cut the parachute cord lashings and over she goes. Both rodes were stowed in the forward snchor well.

[dianaofburlingt]

George, I'm glad to hear you're aware of the liabilities of a ferrous-steel cantilevered bowsprit with anchor leads on it! I rebuilt one (added to one of our C44s by an overzealous second owner) and it was a wonderful mass of rust, dust, bimetallic corrosion and inaccessibility-- with no options but to continue leading his rode off the end. I wouldn't advise my worst enemy to go to that.

[georgelieber]

Yes, the end of the bowsprit is a good place to store anchors... but not so good for the lead. In calm inland waters it works fine on my boat, but when any serious anchor holding is required we are lucky to have a hawse on both sides of the bow through the steel bulwark. That way we can lead the rode to a heavy steel samson post in the foredeck.

It can get tricky however retrieving an anchor in rough seas and getting the rode back up to the bow roller to store the anchor. Sometimes a secondary line hitched to the anchor rode is needed. All in all I am happy with the system.

As for ferrous metal I love it. I will never own another boat that is not steel. You are correct that accessibility is key to using steel. The design and installation of all components absolutely has to include one of the following:

1) All surfaces must be accessible for scraping and painting.
2) All surfaces must be protected from water by welding an area watertight.

When possible we choose to weld things on rather than bolting. Any two pieces of steel bolted together will rust and will have to be separated at some point to facilitate painting and scraping. There are almost no exceptions to this rule.

[valhalla360]

Two rollers with two anchors all set to go.

Of course, we don't have a pointy boat so the anchors sit either side of the head stay and don't conflict. (1 plow & 1 fortress).

It's really handy when one doesn't work, the other is quick and easy to deploy.