Anchor Chain

[tara11]

Anybody use all chain for their anchor and no rope at all, I can get a good deal on chain and my rope does bunch up at times, so I am considering using only chain, as my splice on my set up needs to be redone, so looking for pros or cons on using all chain ! 300 feet of chain weighs about 200lbs or so, and the room in the locker is plenty Thanks for your input !

 

[TheOtherLine]

Tara,

I don't know of anyone that uses all chain but Grouper Jim has about 30ft of chain ahead of his line.

An extra 200 lbs up front could be a good thing.

 

[Porkchunker]

My OEM rode came with 10' of 1/4" BBB chain and 200' of 1/2" rope. It only took me one season to swap out that 10' of chain for 30' The more the better, but 30' works well in 50' of water and the current ripping through the CBBT in Dec. With only 10' of chain, the current pushed the anchor back up against the chine of the boat and took out a big chip (See my post on Gelcoat A to Z for the recovery).

 

[Jersey Jim]

The 41' Viking a few buddies and I dive from on weekends has 300' of solid chain. I can almost guarantee that it weighs over 200 pounds though. At any rate, while pulling the hook in rough seas and 170' feet of water, the chain went taught the moment we were carried back up with a wave. The anchor must have just left the bottom. The pulpit cracked with a loud BANG, as I recalled from below tending the locker. This was the first time this had happened in the few years that I've been on this boat. I suppose that's one downside of all chain. I want to mention that we also tie into the wreck with 1/2" braided line for the down-line.

 

[tara11]

I never thought of the slack, shock absorber with the rope, but I had 75 feet or so of chain and the rest rope, and there was alot in my anchor locker, I think about 300 feet, where we anchor, it is mostly wind and so so swell, 250' weighs 170lbs, well maybe someone has all chain, all the larger boats I see have all chain, but they are wayyyyy bigger, I have been told rule of thumb, is have a least the feet in chain as the lenght of the boat, so mine is I think 30 plus from tip to tail !

 

[greatcir]

I have found that the chain length on my boats has much to do with the type and weight of anchor I am using. A plow anchor (good on a pulpit) usually weighs more than a blade anchor so it can set fairly easy with just some chain to help level it on the bottom to dig in. My windlasses have worked better with all chain feeding through but once I had to release an anchor stuck in a sunken tree and it would have been much simpler to cut a line than fool with the bitter end of the chain bolted in the anchor locker. Or I should have had line at he bitter end spliced into the chain in the locker. We did retrieve the anchor and 300 ft. of chain a week later.

With a boat up to 26 ft., I use enough chain to make the anchor I use set well. The point above is true on chain really getting your attention when it gets taught and you hear a bang. This can be dampened with snap in elastic shock absorbers, but in the case of a Parker I would think a length of chain (say 30 feet) and the rest slightly over sized line with some stretch is a great combination. If I cannot get the hook to set, I have a weight with a snap hook on a line I feed down the anchor rode about 3/4 down the line and it helps the hook set without having all chain.

Not sure I would want to add to my fuel bill with 200 pounds forward all the time either. And if the windlass quits, heaving up 300 ft. of chain and an anchor is a sweaty heave for any crew.

But anchoring is an art and we all have different methods and preferences. ......................Pete

 

[grouperjim]

I have been told rule of thumb, is have a least the feet in chain as the lenght of the boat, so mine is I think 30 plus from tip to tail !

Yep. But I have 35 ft of chain (a little extra) and a 22 lb Delta anchor which I believe adds up to about 75 lbs total of metal laying on the bottom. Hey, the windlass does all the work.........and I hate doing things twice, so it's nice when you hook up on the first try. It is also nice when you spend the night and wake up and still be where you were when you laid down.

jim

 

[greatcir]

Grouperjim - looks like you are on a tight chain in the photo above. Must be shallow water? ..............Pete

 

[grouperjim]

4 ft. The girls are behind the boat in 2-3 ft looking for sand dollars. Only chain in the water there. Another nice thing about not having rode in the water, is that there is nothing drip water into the bilge or nothing to worry about drying later.

jim

 

[tara11]

Well, were most of my boating is is about 50 miles offshore At Catlina, so not sure if all chain is the ticket, but if I do, then a small pair of bolt cutters is a must, I to have some days when getting the splice from chain to rope though the windlass is almost impossible, and that is what chews up my splice, I have had many different splices done, and as always, they can be a bear to get that connection through the windlass sometimes !

 

[tara11]

Anybody care to explain what a snubber line is, it has something to do with using all chain, some kind of shock thing y that is attached up at the pulpit ?

 

[Megabyte]

Anybody care to explain what a snubber line is, it has something to do with using all chain, some kind of shock thing y that is attached up at the pulpit ?

Here you go...
http://www.ropeinc.com/anchor-chain-snubber-line.html

Essentially, a snubber relieves the stresses of your ground tackle on your windlass while on the hook.

The rope allows a bit of stretch and shock absorbtion should the catenary of your all-chain rode be taken out due to wind or tide.
Without a snubber, serious damage could be done to your windlass or pulpit.

 

[tara11]

Thank you sir I understand it all now, thanks for the link, I will get me a snubber line and we are good to go !

 

[jonas grumby]

Full chain would make a better hook-set. It will however, add a lot more unecessary weight, there is zero stretch so your hull will feel it and if you are hooked up and need to get underway quickly (emergent situation) you will definately be in the "hurt locker" because it is very hard to cut chain wit a knife. Full chain is recommended for 90 ton warships aka carriers though!

 

[duckbutler]

I've consideted and ez puller but it would be a little ugly on the foredeck!