Anchor Chain vs rope!

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by DDabs

200' of chain is barely enough to anchor in shallow water? What kind of scope are you using, 25:1?

15 ft of water plus 5 ft from anchor roller to waterline = 20ft.

10 to 1 on 20ft = 200ft.

Did I do the math wrong?

[rslifkin]

10:1 scope is a heck of a lot. With the same 5 ft to the roller, I'd treat 200 ft as plenty for 35 feet of water under most conditions (5:1 scope). And you could go as far as 7:1 scope in up to 23.5 feet. Unless you plan to anchor in 30+ feet under rough conditions regularly, 200 feet isn't short.

[DDabs]

Yeah, 10:1 seems pretty aggressive to me. If you're on a cat you have the ability to anchor in much shallower water- 15 ft. is pretty deep for Florida/Bahamas/Carib

[sailingharry]

The issue is the definition of "shallow" water. Here on the Chesapeake, I have never put out 200 feet (my last boat only had 180, and I never put that out), where we consider 15 feet of water VERY deep and 8-10 is normal and 6:1 scope appropriate (making 100 feet very normal)



Next summer (COVID permitting), we'll be cruising the St Lawrence Seaway, and I'm seriously concerned about my 300 feet of chain (I'm thinking of splicing in another 200' of line). From what I can see, 50 feet may be a common anchorage before tidal considerations add another 10 to that!

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

The issue is the definition of "shallow" water. Here on the Chesapeake, I have never put out 200 feet (my last boat only had 180, and I never put that out), where we consider 15 feet of water VERY deep and 8-10 is normal and 6:1 scope appropriate (making 100 feet very normal)



Next summer (COVID permitting), we'll be cruising the St Lawrence Seaway, and I'm seriously concerned about my 300 feet of chain (I'm thinking of splicing in another 200' of line). From what I can see, 50 feet may be a common anchorage before tidal considerations add another 10 to that!

It wouldn't hurt to add some line for that trip. 300 feet will probably be enough to cover anywhere you need to be, but having a bit more (even an extra 100 feet) may give you more options. For an overnight in 50 feet of water, I'll typically put out about 280 feet (5:1 scope with freeboard included) if space allows.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Mike Banks

...
Nothing beats an all chain rode, and I use a kellet in addition to that, set approximately twice the depth of water if the water is shallow....

How heavy is the kellet?

How is that better than using another 15-25 feet of chain (same weight as the kellet), which results in even better angle and is much easier? In fact, the additional chain can be lighter than the kellet, for the same effect, so the change is swing is trivial.

[SV__Grace]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

10:1 scope is a heck of a lot. With the same 5 ft to the roller, I'd treat 200 ft as plenty for 35 feet of water under most conditions (5:1 scope). And you could go as far as 7:1 scope in up to 23.5 feet. Unless you plan to anchor in 30+ feet under rough conditions regularly, 200 feet isn't short.

Given that we need to plan or ground tackle for all of our anchoring conditions, 200' is bare minimum for most areas.

Yes, 10:1 scope is excessive for normal anchoring, but you want that amount of scope in a gale. The prudent sailor plans for the worse case scenario and doesn't assume optimal conditions.

Some skippers are comfortable with short scope and some anchors work well with short scope. Other skippers and other anchors need more scope. Whatever it takes to sleep well at night is what works for me!

[Sailguy61]

One of my all time favorite boats. Beautiful!

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by SV__Grace

Given that we need to plan or ground tackle for all of our anchoring conditions, 200' is bare minimum for most areas.

Yes, 10:1 scope is excessive for normal anchoring, but you want that amount of scope in a gale. The prudent sailor plans for the worse case scenario and doesn't assume optimal conditions.

Some skippers are comfortable with short scope and some anchors work well with short scope. Other skippers and other anchors need more scope. Whatever it takes to sleep well at night is what works for me!

I agree. I was going more for the point that 200 feet isn't "barely enough in shallow water". It's not enough to go anywhere and everywhere, but there are plenty of cruising areas where 200 feet would never be limiting (and others where you'd be wishing for more every time).

[StuartWeibel]

you may find some useful perspective in this article:

https://www.petersmith.net.nz/boat-anchors/catenary.php

[sv Stella Maris]

We live aboard full time in the Caribbean and see all combinations. For your boat at least 40 meters of 10mm chain with additional 30 meters of 3 strand rode would be a baseline if you are patient with a manual windlass or have an electric windlass.

Get the chain, the anchor is a very small part of what makes 'Ground Tackle' effective.

Specific example, our 46' high-windage catamaran will pull and pivot on the 12mm chain alone and put no stress on the anchor/shackle in less than 15kts wind. When the wind picks up we sleep well with a known-set anchor up to 40kts (Mantus claims higher, but that's the highest I have experienced).

Good luck and Great boat !!!

[Nepidae]

What most don't realize, and yes chain is good in chafing situations, is that chain will hold the anchor shank more parallel to the bottom which helps with keeping your anchor set.

In previous yesteryear, boaters used kellet. A weight that was hung on the rope, at an interval from the anchor to the boat, to produce the same effect. Chain can do away with the kellet.

You can also use an additional anchor which will serve the same purpose and provide additional holding.

We have a trawler and carry 150' of chain and 200 of 8 plait. Usual anchoring would have you using 75 to 100' of chain to achieve desirable scope.

Good luck and stay safe & healthy out there.

[Mickeyrouse]

We use 70 ft of 3/8” hi test plus 200 ft of 3/4” rope on our Bermuda 40. With our Fortress 23 it has only drug once (When fouled by a piece of sheet metal) in 20 years from Brownsville to Roque Harbor, Maine including some pretty strong squalls. I usually sleep pretty soundly, but that weight in the bow plus an Ideal windlass can result in more pitching than I enjoy if we’re having to motor into headseas.

[Don C L]

BTW as a side note, if you stick with more nylon and less chain, be aware that nylon stretches like a rubber band. In a good breeze with a lot of rode out, you may get the impression, or alarm, that you are dragging when it is just the rode stretching. It's happened to me anyway

[tootalltony]

rope & chain is fine......and less weight. The rule of thumb is at least as much chain as the length of your boat. In your case that would be 40 ft of chain. and be sure the chain is heavy linkage 3/8 inch or better. Be sure the rope is 1/2" or bigger and spiral not braided as braided will not stretch. I have a Sabre 34 with about 40 ft of 3/8 chain & about 150 ft of rope. I sail out of Newport