Ericson 35-2 Anchor Chain & Locker Set Up

[Spiny Norman]

Hello Everybody,

I'm replacing the old Sea Tiger manual anchor windlass with an electric Lewmar. In doing this I need to replace my old 50' of 3/8 chain and 150' feet of 5/8" 3 strand with G40 3/8 chain and maybe yes/maybe no on the rope. My main issue is if I move to 200' of chain, I end up with 300lbs +/- in the bow. I've got a little space just aft of the locker and under my feet in the V-Berth, but the transition from the actual locker to this space is a little awkward and I'm not sure the advantage of 2 feet aft is worth the effort. So the question is, what have you done with yours? Are you happy with the current configuration and if so can I see some pix? Also, opinions on that 300lbs on the nose.

Thanks

Leslie

[Farlander]

Wow no replies in a year. I have a 35-2 and with 85' of 3/8 chain I remember it plowed significantly more and was harder to tack, as well as being a lot wetter on deck. Getting the chain aft and low will be well worth the effort, and using as little chain as is safely reasonable. I now leave my 85' of chain on the dock unless I know I will anchor, and instead keep a small chain I can carry in the stern locker with the anchor.

[Spiny Norman]

Thanks for your input. In the last year I've spent a small fortune getting the anchor roller rebuilt to hold my Mantus 35lb, rebedded the deck where the old sea tiger was and installed a lewmar V3 electric windlass. Still working on the actual creation of the locker itself. I don't know about your 35-2, but mine is the whackiest setup. Basically there's the locker which is very V shaped indeed. Then there's a large hole in the aft of the locker where any chain or or rope is going to partially fall into, creating a lovely knot making system when you try to lower the anchor. I'm going to glass that over and hope for the best.

Stay healthy.

[Don C L]

There have been threads about folks who run the chain over the deck to a pipe that leads it down to a compartment near the base of the mast for storage for longer passages. Sorry I can't recall which ones, I'll do a search. My own boat is more sensitive to weight location so I have given it some thought. Your v-berth may allow for a way to be able to draw the chain down through to the second compartment under the v-berth, say through a PVC pipe installed in there. Just an idea, and it does monopolize a valuable storage space, but 300lbs out ahead of the waterline may make a noticeable, negative, difference, I am not sure, in your boat.

[evm1024]

If your windless gypsy is sized for 3/8" G40 then G40 it is. If your gypsy is sized for 3/8 BBB be sure that is will feed 3/8" G40 without issues.

I'm not up on the pitch length differences of 3/8" chain and the "newer" gypsy design may be more forgiving of pitch.

In my case with an Ideal windlass and a 3/8" BBB gypsy I found that 5/16" G70 feeds fine. This gives me the option of 3/8" BBB or 5/16 G70 (Acco chain). The G70 is stronger and lighter that the 3/8"

YMMV - but there are options.