Anchor rode, attached or not

[monkster]

Will be cleaning out my anchor locker for cleaning, maintenance etc. do most boats attach their ride to boat.?

Rick
MV Elaine May
Monk 36

[rslifkin]

Yes, the rode should be attached in some form to prevent accidentally losing the whole thing. If there's a rope portion and nothing to tie it to, just tie something on to the end that won't fit through the spurling pipe or windlass.

[sv_pelagia]

Absolutely YES!

(saved us once decade ago when chain jumped out of windlass and all proceeded to go to the bottom... until it was stopped by rope that tied it to ring in anchor locker.)

[skipmac]

Ever heard the tail end of a rope called the bitter end? That's what you see going over the bow if you do not tie the end of the anchor rode onto the boat.

Rope or chain you should use a smallish to medium size piece of line to tie the end of the rode to a strong point in the anchor locker or on the bow. You should use something strong enough to hold the rode so it won't go overboard BUT also small enough to cut quickly if your boat is in danger and you have to dump the anchor and leave urgently.

[Orion Jim]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Ever heard the tail end of a rope called the bitter end? That's what you see going over the bow if you do not tie the end of the anchor rode onto the boat.

Rope or chain you should use a smallish to medium size piece of line to tie the end of the rode to a strong point in the anchor locker or on the bow. You should use something strong enough to hold the rode so it won't go overboard BUT also small enough to cut quickly if your boat is in danger and you have to dump the anchor and leave urgently.

This is precisely what I do

[donradcliffe]

I tie the chain end off to a metal loop that I glassed in. The metal loop is designed to fail in the event of a runaway chain. Its cheaper to buy a new anchor and chain than fix what breaks after stopping a runaway 400 pound load.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLLBhIJbVFs

[nhschneider]

We have 350’ of 3/8” chain on our boat but at the ‘bitter end’ we have 50’ of 3/8” polypropylene rope that’s attached to a secure fitting in the anchor locker. The theory is that if we had to abandon an anchorage quickly, we could let the chain run free and cut the polypropylene rope easily. Since polypropylene floats, it might make it easier to find our anchor and chain when conditions warranted.

Fair winds and calm seas.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by nhschneider

We have 350’ of 3/8” chain on our boat but at the ‘bitter end’ we have 50’ of 3/8” polypropylene rope that’s attached to a secure fitting in the anchor locker. The theory is that if we had to abandon an anchorage quickly, we could let the chain run free and cut the polypropylene rope easily. Since polypropylene floats, it might make it easier to find our anchor and chain when conditions warranted.

Fair winds and calm seas.

You'd be better served tying a fender or small bouy to the chain outboard of the roller before dumping your chain.. 50ft of floating rope is a hazard for other boats.

[chrisr]

absolutely ! bitter end of your anchor cable should be attached to the boat (imagine the embarrassment to be using all your cable and suddenly see the last bit going over the bow !)

but...very important...make sure you are able to cut it in an emergency. we have all chain, but the end of the chain is secured in the anchor locker with rope.

cheers,

[Mike OReilly]

Definitely attached via a quick-cut line. And yes, have a buoy handy in case you need to cut it free.

[Chotu]

As usual, I’m different. Lol

I have a chain to rope splice to save weight.

It’s been so long since I’ve used the new boat, I forget if I have 100ft or 200ft of chain. I think it’s 200ft. Then a couple hundred rope.

After the rope rode runs out, there is simply a big hunk of wood the bitter end of the rope is tied to. No fancy extra fittings in the anchor locker. Just a hunk of wood too big and too strong to go through the hawse pipe.

If I ever was at the end like that and had to cut things free, the rope rode cuts nicely.

Super safe setup. Does everything required of an anchor setup.

[rslifkin]

The piece of wood is how my boat was before I redid the chain locker floor and added an attachment point. I've got a mixed rode as well, so it's cuttable by nature.

[Toccata]

I too have a rope section on the end of the chain, long enough so the rope extends up onto the deck (easier to cut it there)
I have alsoe attached the rope to a stainless steel strap, bolted to a knee in the anchor locker
The SS strap is at right angles to the lay of the rope when stretched out through the spurring pipe. The attachment bolt is tight.
The theory is that the rope/rode will decelerate as it finally pulls on the stainless steel strap hopefully avoiding a catastrophic snatch on the attachment point.
Thoughts??

[Benz]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

I tie the chain end off to a metal loop that I glassed in. The metal loop is designed to fail in the event of a runaway chain. Its cheaper to buy a new anchor and chain than fix what breaks after stopping a runaway 400 pound load.

Why not tie it to a long tail of nylon rope, which will decelerate the load slowly enough to not shock anything but still let you keep your chain?
But I'm curious to know how many folk have had a runaway chain? One so far on this thread, but I've never had it happen.
Also, how many have slipped their cable with a buoy and come back for it later?
Maybe we should make a poll...

[chrisr]

on a small boat i think it's more likely to need to cut the anchor cable in a storm or fouled anchor or other emergency, rather than a run away chain...

cheers,