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12-05-2010, 15:58
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Vashon, WA
Boat: Haida 26', 18' Sea Kayak, 15' kayak, 6.5' skiff, shorts
Posts: 837
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Anchor Cable
Anchor rodes typically come in 3 types on recreational sailboats. 1. All nylon rode, which is best used on dinghies and the like.
2. A combination of a length of chain either spliced or shackled to a nylon rode.
3. All chain, from the anchor to the hawsepipe.
Each of these has their relative merits. However, why is anchor cable made of steel wire rope not more popular?
Steel wire rope is cheap, strong, chafe resistant, easy to store, and readily available. The only issue is stowage. It seems like it would be the ideal choice for boats over 30', where hauling in an anchor by hand is impractical.
I think that a lot of commercial boats use this system, so why not recreational?
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12-05-2010, 16:34
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,190
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My guesses:
- pain to store / loops too big
- windlasses
- how do you pay out half your wire and "cleat it off". i don't use the windlass as a lazy man's cleet; chain hook into the chain on a three strand nylon through a fairlead to the sampson posts. no idea how you'd rig a snubber line to a wire.
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12-05-2010, 17:16
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between the devil and the deep blue sea
Boat: a sailing boat
Posts: 20,398
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Seen the same question before here - search the threads, you will get your answers there.
b.
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12-05-2010, 18:47
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Gloucester, MA
Boat: CS 36t
Posts: 387
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I have been on boats that anchor this way before and they have a large drum of wire up on the foredeck. They do not need to make off the rode since it is on the drum at all times.
Some reasons that I see it not being good for a small sailboat:
The drum takes up a lot of space and is quite heavy and will put a lot of weight up high.
Wire rope has poor shock absorption and it is hard to put a snubber on one.
I am not aware of anyone who make a winch for a drum in the right size.
Corrosion is a bit different since wire rope effectively has much more surface area for the volume of metal. For this reason, people tend to pour oil on it a lot.
It certainly works but only on larger boas in my opinion. It is quite common of fishing boats since they simply unhook their trawl, hook on the anchor and toss it over.
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12-05-2010, 19:13
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Boat: Columbia 41
Posts: 522
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I bought a Goiot windlass on line last year. It takes 10mm chain. Does anyone know of a supplier in the US. BBB and other US type chain will not fit.
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13-05-2010, 13:23
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between the devil and the deep blue sea
Boat: a sailing boat
Posts: 20,398
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Change the gypsy perhaps?
b.
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13-05-2010, 16:23
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Boat: Columbia 41
Posts: 522
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I found a manufacturer that would provide a custom gypsy. It was prohibitivly expensive. I would rather find a sypplier for 10mm chain.
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13-05-2010, 18:27
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Southern Chesapeake Bay
Boat: Norseman 430, Jabberwock
Posts: 1,207
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I think Vetus may be able to suppy 10mmchain in US.
Sam, I found a Goiot manual windlass as well (eventually). In fact I have 2 as I got one for (in essence) next to nothing.
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15-05-2010, 15:34
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between the devil and the deep blue sea
Boat: a sailing boat
Posts: 20,398
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If Maggi have retailer, they will deliver.
b.
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16-05-2010, 10:27
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Louisiana
Boat: 85' Shrimper
Posts: 25
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Trawl boats use wire rope for anchor rode. Tulsa winch is the winch of choice..hydraulic or electric. Inexpensive...20,000#'s for $2500 [rebuilt]. SS Cable needs no oil and weight to strength ratio beats all options.
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16-05-2010, 17:34
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#11
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 46,356
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seafish
Trawl boats use wire rope for anchor rode...
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How often do trawlers anchor?
As a matter of perspective, I've spent over 2,000 nights at anchor, as a cruiser.
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"
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16-05-2010, 18:29
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#12
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CF Adviser
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: sausalito
Boat: 14 meter sloop
Posts: 7,260
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why we don't play with commercial toys
here's one that handles chain, cable and rope. it will handle up to 160mm chain, and has a rated pull up to 30 tons. Most of the big boys buy them in pairs.
__________________
cruising is entirely about showing up--in boat shoes.
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17-05-2010, 03:25
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Louisiana
Boat: 85' Shrimper
Posts: 25
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A common configuration is the two large hydrolic winches [re:Bash] aft the cabin and a smaller electric winch as an emergency winch to pick up the trawl in the event the main fails. Normally the anchor is pulled by either one of these with the lead to the anchor going up the bulward to the bow.
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17-05-2010, 04:47
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: St. Georges, Bda
Boat: Rhodes Reliant 41ft
Posts: 4,131
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bash
here's one that handles chain, cable and rope. it will handle up to 160mm chain, and has a rated pull up to 30 tons. Most of the big boys buy them in pairs.
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Hey Bash,
Would I need to re-inforce the foredeck of my 41 footer to mount that critter
__________________
so many projects--so little time !!
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17-05-2010, 05:13
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Boat: Columbia 41
Posts: 522
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Again, does anyone know of a US supplier for 10mm anchor chain?
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