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goboatingnow · 24-05-2022, 23:48

As an aside I have a locker with 70m chain ( bav36) this takes up over half the chain locker and as a result it tends to “ cone “ badly. It’s a horizon windlass ( loftrans cayman 1000w) the locker flor is not angled

Any suggestions on how to modify things to make it less likely to cone

Loftrans suggest an forward angled floor immediately under the windlass drop

**Dockhead** · 24-05-2022, 23:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

As an aside I have a locker with 70m chain ( bav36) this takes up over half the chain locker and as a result it tends to “ cone “ badly. It’s a horizon windlass ( loftrans cayman 1000w) the locker flor is not angled

Any suggestions on how to modify things to make it less likely to cone

Loftrans suggest an forward angled floor immediately under the windlass drop

Coning is inherent to all of our systems. Kick the cone over with your foot. The only thing you can do about it is use stainless chain, which doesn't cone because there's not enough friction. But that's expense and has other drawbacks. Coning is something we all live with.

**Dockhead** · 25-05-2022, 00:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

My chain locker was designed for 3/8” chain and to be 100% self stowing, it is narrow and high so I can’t take more volume of chain with me.

Strength wise I don’t worry after a couple of hurricanes incl. a cat.5 one after which I did replace the chain out of caution but didn’t see any damage to it.

I wouldn't worry about the strength either, and I'm considering the same chain for my boat.

What you lose is the mass of the chain which is VERY nice in deep water. With 12mm chain I don't need a snubber at all until gale force conditions.

The 10mm G40 chain from Chaineries Limousines has breaking strength of 6400kgf, just slightly less than the original 12mm G30 chain on my boat. I think this is plenty. My friend's Discovery 67 has 12mm G40 chain, with 1.5x the mass of my boat. And if in doubt, this French company also makes G70 with breaking strength of a whopping 11 200kgf. For less than €20/m.

I would save 100kg in the bow. On the other hand, even the whole 330kg of chain plus 45kg of anchor doesn't seem to make much difference in either trim or sailing performance, so I don't know.

Trying to decide.

Caleb_Grey · 25-05-2022, 00:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

As an aside I have a locker with 70m chain ( bav36) this takes up over half the chain locker and as a result it tends to “ cone “ badly. It’s a horizon windlass ( loftrans cayman 1000w) the locker flor is not angled

Any suggestions on how to modify things to make it less likely to cone

Loftrans suggest an forward angled floor immediately under the windlass drop

Ive seen fighting coning with a cone work. Placed right under the drop it forces the chain to the sides, and build ups tend to fall over depending on room.
You can use rugged sports cones or small traffic cone

goboatingnow · 25-05-2022, 00:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Coning is inherent to all of our systems. Kick the cone over with your foot. The only thing you can do about it is use stainless chain, which doesn't cone because there's not enough friction. But that's expense and has other drawbacks. Coning is something we all live with.

No it’s far too dangerous ,to place your foot anywhere near the chain as it’s coming in. If it cones it jams the gypsy and then jumps off and runs out unrestricted.

We use a wooden stick but the effort is too great for my wife. I have to have a system that doesn’t cone to this extent.
( at night etc it’s exceeding difficult to judge the cone forming )

**Dockhead** · 25-05-2022, 03:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

No it’s far too dangerous ,to place your foot anywhere near the chain as it’s coming in. If it cones it jams the gypsy and then jumps off and runs out unrestricted.

We use a wooden stick but the effort is too great for my wife. I have to have a system that doesn’t cone to this extent.
( at night etc it’s exceeding difficult to judge the cone forming )

It depends on your anchor locker etc. I can stand on the divider between the two sections of my anchor locker, and push the stack over from the top of it without risk to my foot. YMMV.

Coning is less of a problem with this boat than with previous ones because the anchor locker is very deep, standing room, so a very good long drop, and plenty of volume. In fact coning is only a problem here because the cone can fall over onto the end of the chain, causing it to jam coming out. Other boats, the cone can reach the top of the anchor locker and that's a bigger problem.

If you have the volume in the anchor locker, the traffic cone idea someone suggest above might be a good one.

goboatingnow · 25-05-2022, 04:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dockhead

It depends on your anchor locker etc. I can stand on the divider between the two sections of my anchor locker, and push the stack over from the top of it without risk to my foot. YMMV.

Coning is less of a problem with this boat than with previous ones because the anchor locker is very deep, standing room, so a very good long drop, and plenty of volume. In fact coning is only a problem here because the cone can fall over onto the end of the chain, causing it to jam coming out. Other boats, the cone can reach the top of the anchor locker and that's a bigger problem.

If you have the volume in the anchor locker, the traffic cone idea someone suggest above might be a good one.

I’m going to add a temp sloping floor to see if this helps

Muaddib1116 · 25-05-2022, 05:02

I've always like this guy's solution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ejt2XX6kVY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-_nMkrA1AA

I can't find it, but I feel like I remember there being a retrieval video, showing how it prevents coning.

tamicatana · 25-05-2022, 05:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

We use a wooden stick but the effort is too great for my wife.

Two solutions:
-get a small cone placed under the chain pile area, as mentioned above
-put your wife at the helm and have the likely larger, arguably stronger, person be the deck squirrel.

goboatingnow · 25-05-2022, 07:08

It’s still a pain I was resetting the anchor and it coned and jumped the gypsy today. 3/4 of 70 m ran out before I could control it.

Wifey does helm but even I find it a pain

Number one project to find a solution

**s/v Jedi** · 26-05-2022, 00:43

A 12” diameter PVC pipe will work. You just need enough height for the chain to fit.

goboatingnow · 26-05-2022, 03:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

A 12” diameter PVC pipe will work. You just need enough height for the chain to fit.

How it that arranged , the locker is fairly constrained so removing significant volume isn’t likely to work

**s/v Jedi** · 26-05-2022, 04:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

How it that arranged , the locker is fairly constrained so removing significant volume isn’t likely to work

This works perfect. The bottom needs an end cap and some drain holes, then the pipe needs to stand straight up with the chain feed falling straight down into it. My windlass has a short piece of exhaust hose under deck to make sure the chain goes into it.

Because of the tight diameter, chain auto stores without any wraps so that it feeds out without hanging up.