Best Placement of Anchor Roller? (Pictures)

[OrangeCrush]

Hello again,

(Sorry for posting so much; it's that time of year)

I am planning a big cruise in a small boat, up the coast of Maine in a Pearson 26,
and I bought a 35lb plow anchor to be as secure as possible. It's big for my boat, I know, but I am going to be leaving my boat for at least a week in it's final destination, where tidal currents are strong.

Now I am dealing with the problem of how to manage this thing on deck, since it is too big and heavy to hall aft every time I weigh anchor. I would like to put a bow roller on to help with hauling it up and to stow it when I'm not using it. As you can see from the pictures, the immediate bow is already cluttered with chocks and cleats.

Is there any reason I shouldn't mount the bow roller off to the starboard side more, just aft of the first pulpit stantion? This does not seem like the ideal place but on this boat I don't have many options. Thoughts, anyone?

[AnchorageGuy]

We have seen this done on more than one boat and the owners never seemed to have any problems with it. Just be sure to consider how this will affect your furling line since you will raise the profile of the anchor up quite a bit. WG

[CarlF]

I agree many boats do this. The challenge is mount the roller such that the point of the anchor doesn't scratch your topsides every time your raise it. You might need to mount the roller at an angle - not straight fore and aft. (which will work fine). I'd mount it to port to get it away from that furler line.

I'd get rid of the bail shown on the anchor roller and instead use some cord through the bail's screw holes to really tie the anchor down tight to the roller. You don't want that thing bouncing around when sailing. I'd also install an eye on the deck that is in the right place to tie down the anchor shank end. The nice thing about cord is that you can cut it quickly in an emergency - everyone aboard over the age of 10 always carries a knife - right?

Be sure you have chain on the anchor. 6 feet is minimum but I'd consider more if it's not too in the way. Leave it on the bow too when sailing (unshackle the line from the chain instead of the chain from the anchor. Tie down the chain along the rail.

That anchor looks like a Delta - is a fine anchor but needs plenty of scope. It is unreliable at less than 5-1 (including the height of the bow). In Maine you have to allow scope for the 10-20 feet of tide. This means carrying over 200 feet of anchor line. Since you have to lug it up to the bow, I'd recommend two 125ft. pieces that can be shackled or tied together when anchoring in deeper water. If you need more line, consider Yale Brait - it coils and flakes really easily. You might find that the easiest place to store it is a plastic bucket.

Some parts of Maine have very rocky bottoms. I'd bring about 50 feet of light line that can be tied to a buoy (fender is fine) and the reinforcing bar on the back of the anchor. If the area is rocky, use this so you can free the anchor if it gets hooked under a rock.

When you leave the boat for the week, definitely set a 2nd anchor 180 degrees from the first (opposite current). Consider getting a Fortress as a second anchor. Maine has many muddy areas. The Fortress can be assembled with the flukes set at a steeper "mud" angle that holds really well. Since it's aluminium the Fortress is really easy to row out in the dinghy - be sure to have some chain on it too.

Sorry to go on so long but cruising Maine is a lot about anchoring.

Carl

[Hydra]

OrangeCrush,
With the anchor on a roller offset to port, you cannot come alongside a boat on this side.

If you put the roller abaft the stanchion, either you leave the cable in the roller when the boat lies at anchor or you transfer the cable to a chock at the bow. In the first case, the boat will lie at an angle to the tidal stream. In the second case, you have to lead the cable round a stanchion. I would consider either option carefully.

If the drum on the furler leaves enough room, another possibility is to remove the port chock from the bow and put the anchor roller in this place, then install the chock further aft.

Before it became fashionable to keep the anchor on a bow roller, many small yachts kept their CQR anchor (the ancestor of the Delta) lashed on the foredeck, well seated on small wood blocks. I suppose that it would be easy for you to do the same, provided that the foot of your jib or genoa isn't too close to the deck.

Alain

[hugosalt]

Now I am dealing with the problem of how to manage this thing on deck, since it is too big and heavy to hall aft every time I weigh anchor. I would like to put a bow roller on to help with hauling it up and to stow it when I'm not using it. As you can see from the pictures, the immediate bow is already cluttered with chocks and

Consider deploying/storing anchor at stern of boat...
running rode outboard of all to bow. May solve storage
and potential weight issues at bow.
Just a thought.

[OrangeCrush]

Hello All,

Very helpful posts as usual, thanks.

Carl, yes I am aware of the challenges of Maine and I defitely want to air on the side of caution. That said, I am a novice cruiser and your tips are much appreciated. I have a 300' 1/2" rode and I am going to get a lot of chain. Either 35 or 45´of 3/8 inch proof coil. I have two 100 foot rodes with 6´ of chain too, along with two Danforth anchors for supplementing the plow or for lighter/quicker situations.

When you recommend dropping a second anchor at a 180 degree angle, do you mean off the stern, or placed 180 degrees from the bow (leading under the boat).... I have always been cautious of stern anchors in reversing current. Don´t I run the risk of it getting tangled and thereby shortening the scope? Would it be better to put the supplementary anchors along the chain somewhere to weigh it down?

Hugo, I considered that but honestly stowage is tight in the stern as well and I can´t really think of a good place for it except in the bench lockers, but that will be messy and tiresome considering the amount of stuff I am going to have on the boat. I´d rather stick with the bow option.

Hydra, I don´t really have space for it in the immediate bow. Even if a chock were taken out, the vent is in the way and yes the furler is a concern too. I think it would be easy enough to divert the furling line around the anchor roller if I put it on starboard. The spinnaker pole lives t port and honestly that might be more annoying to reposition that running the furling line through a few more blocks. I envision passing the anchor line forward and in through the chock rather than leaving the line in the roller. Yes I will have to be careful and develop a system. When not in use, I think I´ll just disconnect the chain from the anchor and bring it aft in a bucket with the rode. Wet and heavy but manageable.

Should I put something at the boat end of the rode, like a sling or cable, or just good chafe gear?

I am including two pictures taken 6 hours apart of Moose Cove, my final destination where I´ll be spending a week or so. The pictures are taken from our family cabin there and as you can imagine the boat will be a mere speck if it is out far enough beyond the low water mark. The cove is protected by the bluffs on either side (I´ll be closer to the right bank in the picture since that´s where the water is clear and the prevailing winds will be better blocked, as well as from Grand Manan Island about 20 miles out. It is hardly ever mentioned in any cruising guide (instead they recommend Bailey´s Mistake just to the north, which in my opinion is way more treacherous.) I have spent lots of time up there throughout my life and rarely is the water less glassy than it is in these shots. One of the rare cases in my young sailing career that I feel I know better than the guide does. The mud is soft and worm eaten but still very thick and heavy. Technically, though, it is unprotected from a slight angle off to the southeast. Last year I witnessed the remains of a tropical storm come through and honestly I think it was more than my ground tackle could handle (it blew out some of our windows inthe house). If there is another system like that on its way I may just have to high tail it back 7 miles to Cutler or 15 miles to Machiasport for a better anchorage or mooring ball.

By the way, pretty right? I can´t wait to cruise in there and drop the hook

[Hydra]

OrangeCrush,
If I understand correctly your intention, the heaviest anchor could be used as a semi-permanent mooring and left on the bottom in Moose Cove: you could bend the rode to a buoy when the boat isn't lying at anchor. You still would have the Danforths onboard when sailing.

Alain