Catamaran Rode

[Mark Johnson]

Your standard primary anchor, which is to usually be used alone, should always be a plow type... like the big Rocna that you've chosen. It should reset 99% of the time. 3/8" HT chain, with an equally as strong shackle to the anchor, is plenty strong enough.

I agree with Cotemar regarding a secondary anchor, along with a Fortress. (although I like NERs 12 strand braid a bit better. (Besides our Delta primary, we carry 3 successively larger Fortresses).

For hurricanes on the hook, you need to prepare for reversal of the wind, if it is a direct hit. (been there, done that) On my little 34'er, we carried a HUGE fortress 55, broken down in its bag, for just such an occasion. For hurricanes, you might want to go even larger! For single direction max holding power, it exceeds even the large Rocna. You could set the best anchor in the direction of the highest expected wind, and two more to oppose the biggest storm anchor... In a triangular pattern. HOWEVER...

Your best bet in many places, is to head for REALLY good shelter. We have tied off like a spider web, in the middle of derelict canals, between docks, up a narrow creek, or our favorite... go WAY up in mangrove forest where you are surrounded by mangroves 40' tall! (Like the Shark River in the Everglades)

Anchoring out in the open for anything worse than a Cat 1 or 2, is really asking a lot of your tackle... Although I did get a sistership to ours through a cat 4, using 3 REALLY big anchors, and at the far end of a 3' deep bayou.

Photos... Hurricane Ivan, with gusts to 150 MPH! "Just before" and "during" for us, and "the day after" for the sistership I helped put on the hook!

Mark

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by cat49

thanks for all the info i will go with a nylon/chain rode.....my next question is, is a 3/8"HT chain big enough or should i go up one more size also the rocna 88 should i go up to the 121? is that that just overkill? i want something that will hold in a hurricane force conditions. keeping in mind that the cat is only 18000lbs. loaded.

There is probably no such thing as overkill where ground tackle is concerned, as long as you can handle and carry it. But I think the 40kg (88 pound) Rocna ought to be fantastic for your boat. I have the 55kg (121 pound) Rocna on my 44,000 pound (light ship; probably 48,000 pounds well loaded and with all the tanks full) boat. It seems a bit overkill compare to the 25kg standard Delta which the boat was delivered with. It does not work well on the bow roller and it is tricky to retrieve. In my opinion -- FWIW -- 40kg will be plenty.

[cat49]

what kind of rode do you use with your 121 rocna? all chain? combination? thickness? lenght? my boat will be 18,000 fully loaded and i want the biggest anchor possible but i think 121 might be slowing performance down.

[Cotemar]

cat49,

Keep in mind that an 88 lbs Rocna is already overrated for your cat. Bigger is better, but make sure it will seat in your anchor roller. Also at 88 lbs you still have a chance to bring it up by hand if you’re windless fails.

Mark

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Here is a picture of my 200 feet of 8 strand plait rope & Chain splice.
Very easy to do.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post452041

Ditto!!!!!

I no longer use three strand. I really got tired of chain twist. The plait lines even stack better and in less space. Not as durable. But keep it off coral and other snags and it'll be fine.

Plait is slightly more expensive but well worth it, IMHO!

[mark_morwood]

Originally Posted by cat49

I am getting a 49' catamaran with a displacement of 18,000. i was thinking about a 88lb rocna with 150' of 3/8" HT spliced to 200' of nylon. My question is, is a different rope realistic? like kevlar or dyneema or spectra? if i use a snubber? Is the anchor way to big? i want something to where i do not have to worry about it at all.i want total piece of mind but at the same time i dont want to kill performance either. would 5/16"HT be better suited than 3/8"HT.

I have a 48' Catana with a 66lb Rocna and 3/8" HT chain. This combination of sizes was recommended by Rocna. If you're happy with the weight, not a lot of problems with bigger on the anchor I guess. We went for 200' of chain (1/2 drum) with 200' of 3/4" 6-plait nylon. Normally we just anchor on the chain and add a nylon bridle. But we have the line spliced on in case we need more scope. With our windlass it is a bit awkward switching to the line, as there isn't a rope/chain gypsy available for it.

We have been incredibly happy with the Rocna, though we have not anchored in any really difficult environments yet. Only once has it failed to set on the first try. A very different story from with the CQR it replaced.

The question of second anchors is interesting. I had originally thought along the traditional lines of getting something that is different for different conditions e.g. a Fortress, but am now thinking along the lines of getting another anchor the same so my backup really is a backup I will be happy with if I lose my primary. So it will probably be another Rocna for us (or maybe a Spade because it can be broken down for storage). And if I ever have to put out a second anchor for serious conditions, I'd like to be able to trust it as much as my primary.