Is it possible to haul in all chain by hand?

[onestepcsy37]

Depends on where you are anchoring. In Florida/Bahamas we never anchor in more than 15ft, so thats about how much chain I have to lift, plus the anchor at the end. We have 3/8" BBB and a 45lb Manson Supreme. No trouble lifting by hand. The manual windlass sits mostly unused. We have 140ft of chain and I've never put out 100ft yet.

[gjordan]

My first cruise from SF Bay to Santa Barbara and back in a boat a little smaller than the OPs , taught me 2 things. #1 build a dodger, #2 install a windlass for my 180ft of 5/16, and 25lb plow. I was young and fit, and still hurt my back, and was stuck in an anchorage for a few days to let the pain go away. The OP is asking about world cruising, and there are many deep anchorages in out of the way places that may have coral, or old sharp garbage. I always wonder about people who claim they only anchor in shallow water,and can see the bottom. The real world often doesnt cooperate like that. Even in a 28 footer (OPs) all chain and a windlass makes life easier. Electric is possible in a 28 foot boat, but manual is better than nothing. Like all other things on this forum JUST MY OPINION. Grant.

[RTB]

Originally Posted by gjordan

#2 install a windlass for my 180ft of 5/16, and 25lb plow. I was young and fit, and still hurt my back, and was stuck in an anchorage for a few days to let the pain go away.

You hurt your back hauling in a 25# anchor and 5/16" chain? You must be doing something wrong......We anchor nearly everywhere we go, and at my age, never pulled a muscle. I might have got a bruise or two, a scrape here or there, in really bumpy anchorages, but never seriously injured.

Ralph

[brownoarsman]

Having a sturdy bow roller will help a lot, ask me how I know!
That said, I met a single-handed lady sailor in the Bahamas who was pulling in her 35# Bruce which anchored a 40' LOA boat, without a bow roller. So if she can do it ...


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[Sandero]

This is an dopey thread. Obviously hauling chain can be done in shallow water with no wind. But the reality is that virtually all cruisers who live on a hook use all chain and have a windlass. It's not very prudent NOT to have a windlass and chain... But you can do it and live to tell how cool (macho) you are!

[northoceanbeach]

It's not a dopey thread. I was also wondering this:


The OP has a Cape Dory 28. Surely a 25# anchor and maybe 1/4" chain is all that's needed. I'm not sure how much weight he can add to the bow, without upsetting the balance. Anyone?


It's not at I'm anchoring in coral now, but all major purchases should be made with an eye to the distant future. My boat came with a box of pre splices 150 feet of west marine rode and I had with me two 25 foot sections of 1/4" chain I put together with a shackle. I also have a 22 pound Rocna from my last boat.

It seems like a better setup is in order, although with a lot of heavy chain, the 22 pound Rocna should work. My backup is a fortress anchor that comes apart, hopefully I will never need.

[RTB]

Originally Posted by Sandero

This is an dopey thread. Obviously hauling chain can be done in shallow water with no wind. But the reality is that virtually all cruisers who live on a hook use all chain and have a windlass. It's not very prudent NOT to have a windlass and chain... But you can do it and live to tell how cool (macho) you are!

Now....that's funny! It's really not that big a deal, even with the wind blowing stink. Just have your wife follow hand signals and put you on top of the anchor. Once there, secure the chain, move the boat forward to break the anchor loose, and haul it up.

Now, if I was anchoring in 20'+ water regularly, I wouldn't be so eager for the task.

....and you are wrong. I've seen plenty of other "macho" cruisers without windlasses where we cruise. Now, about that AP. Yep, I'd love one (way before a windlass).


PS- most cruisers aren't on 28' boats. I really don't see the need for a windlass on a 28' boat.

Ralph

[Hard Rock Candy]

One step. If you ad your maximum anchoring depth (15 FT) to height of the bow roller and multiply by 7 you come out with a 140 ft. If you are only putting out enough anchor rode to reach the bottom, it will not anchor the boat except maybe for a short lunch. Even 7 times is not really enough if you get much wind. Ive drug twice in 30 knots of wind, when I had over 7 times my bow above bottom, of anchor chain out. Mac

[Greggegner]

In 15' of water I almost cannot retrieve my anchor. It is a 44# Bruce with 35' of 3/8" chain and the 3/4" braid. I am 6'2" 250# and not in bad share. We use the engine as much as possible (I am planning for a windlass). I do not think it is realistic to recover an all chain rode on a regular basis.


Greg S/V Sweet Dreams
Pearson P385 out of Racine Wisconsin

[northoceanbeach]

What about retrieving it on a smaller setup like mine? With a 22 pound anchor and 1/4" chain? I'm open to other suggestions though. We could stay with my rope/chain system. I'm not thrilled to spend that much money on chain. It's crazy expensive.

[RTB]

I'm awed by the single-handed sailors out there anchoring or picking up a mooring. I watched the guy on Rubicon (a Saint Francis 44 in George Town, Bahamas)) bump into gear, run forward to bring up chain by hand. Back to the cockpit and bump forward again. Run to the bow and haul up chain and anchor. Then on his way. Took a couple of minutes max.



Ralph

[brownoarsman]

OP, I have a 28' Pearson 28-1. Go on ahead with 5/16 chain, rather than 1/4. 5/16 has been easy for me to take in (30, great shape). My rode is 75' chain, with nylon beyond it. I have been cruising for six or so months and routinely anchor in depths from 7' to 30'.
A few considerations with all chain on a small boat like this: if you pull your chain through a hawse hole, rather than dumping it in an anchor locker, you will get binds in the chain both when it falls and when you're trying to get it back out again. If you're world cruising in 28', your vberth will mostly be storage (mine was just to go to the Bahamas), will you really be able to go below deck to deal with a snag, while lying on short scope because you've already pulled up much of your ground tackle, and risk not being on deck if your anchor breaks free and you careen into boats anchored near you?
30' is much harder to get the anchor up in. I don't have a bow roller as my foredeck didn't allow its easy installation. It will help greatly, rather than wedging yourself into the pulpit and trying to pull up chain while keeping it from ripping up your side decks and rub rail.
All your anchor gear on 28' needs to be sized to handle the rigor of all chain. All chain, because it has no stretch, cost me a front chock, an anchor roller, and the bow pulpit the roller was bolted to. In wave conditions when the anchor is well dug in and you get above your anchor, the lifting force of the wave will break your gear if it's not up to it.
You can get hurt lifting chain by hand. Crunched fingers, wrapped wrists, etc. Be careful.
After about a month or daily anchoring with chain, I developed some elbow tendonitis. Also lifting all chain was a lot of work. Certainly, there have been times when I probably should have reanchored after not placing the anchor exactly in the small sand patch amongst a bunch of weed (tough to do single handed) or where I delayed my cruise to let the elbow heal a bit. Luckily all chain mostly held, but you can see how this could lead to risky behavior.
Finally, when you do drag, trying to take all this up by hand in a bad storm with strong onshore wind when you're dragging will very quickly eat up your lee room.
So yes, it's possible, but depending on your boat setup, gear, and cruising plans, maybe not advisable.


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[brownoarsman]

P.S. Four winns started a thread about not being able to pull his anchor up one day. May be useful to find it and read it, both to get an idea for the forces involved and ways to overcome them.

Also, one more plus for all chain. Have you ever heard the phrase pushing a wet noodle? It's very apt when speaking about trying to shove wet nylon into a hawse hole. Takes forever. Chain just guides right in.

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[DeepFrz]

Now....that's funny! It's really not that big a deal, even with the wind blowing stink. Just have your wife follow hand signals and put you on top of the anchor.

I don't have no wife...

[gjordan]

Wow, running for and aft with the engine in gear (single handed). Now that shows real seamanship. But of course it is probably in all if 15 feet of water. The OP is asking about world cruising. Can it be done without a windlass. Certainly, but it only takes one little thing to go wrong (like tripping over deck gear) and the whole thing turns to snot in a hurry. You dont need a whole bunch of hi-tech gear to make a cruise comfortable, but good, easy to use ground tackle makes a world of difference. _____Grant.