I suppose it is time to chime in on the anchoring thread. Paul Luke of Maine makes (made?) a nifty "fisherman" style anchor that comes apart into three pieces to stow nicely in the bilge. I think he makes it in bronze too.
I have been told that chafing is the biggest problem using rope rodes, whereas shock loads break chain loads. Someone told me he uses four truckers straps (Harbor Freight) to connect the chain to the boat and freshens the rubbing points during a lull in the action. Another person says he lays out all his anchors in a star pattern connected to a large (like 1") swivel to which he connects the boat. Ann-Marie was washed into the bushes when her 1/2" anchor chain or shackle (she never found the 110# Bruce) failed. He was crosswise to the seas when it parted. If I don't have the facts right I hope she will correct them. Another friend also came loose from his anchor. He later found the anchor, minus shackle so it was apparent the shackle failed. I don't use Chinese anchor hardware, just on general principles. I am sure the Chinese can make good hardware, they do lots of heavy construction, but I don't trust their exported goods. I use only Crosby parts. Many people say chafe and other floating objects are the main problems during a storm. One fellow on the list years ago reported weathering a storm while watching an airplane attached to another boat survive also. I have often experienced rusting of the anchor chain causing it not to fit the windlass any more. That is the only reason I am forced to replace the rode. I give it away to a friend for his floating dock moorings. I buy only ACCO or Campbell anchor chain. A drum of 1/2" chain is about 200 feet and 600 pounds. Best source is a fisherman's supply house. Not related to the above, but since leaving Florida we have traveled at 6.4 Kts (1280 rpm) and get 3 MPG, whereas in past voyages at 7.0 Kts we got 2 MPG. The lower speed seems easier on the running gear too, less rattling and crackling in the propeller area. Norm S/V Bandersnatch Lying Atlantic City NJ > [Original Message] > From: Ben Okopnik <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Date: 6/24/2009 11:43:43 PM > Subject: Re: [Liveaboard] Test - Anyone There? > > On Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 07:20:16PM -0400, Lee Haefele wrote: > > Once the pitch of the chain changes by more than 1-2mm, the windlass gypsy > > will no longer pull it very well. BTDT. > > True enough; BTDT myself (money for luxuries like chain replacement > often being in short supply while being a broke sailor in the Caribbean, > and hauling by hand can put it off for a while. :) However, rusty chain > is not necessarily an indicator of excessive stretch - although you > could, theoretically, lose enough metal due to rusting to make the > difference. In any case, chain, stretched or not, is not a bad thing to > have on board as spares: if you have to weather a hurricane, what seemed > like ridiculous amounts of chain and rope, as well as stupidly-large > anchors can suddenly become your best friends - and be just barely > enough for the job. > > I once knew a Cuban-American steelworker who built himself a 34' boat > and sailed down to the islands; he had also built himself a 150-lb and a > 250-lb anchor, and used them as part of his ballast. Just before > hurricane Luis, he used his mainsheet to winch these two hooks out of > his bilge and laid them out, on 1/2" and 3/4" chain respectively. When a > 65' boat dragged into him during the hurricane (we were both watching > our boats from the beach), he looked at it for a minute and said, with > utter confidence: "it'll hold." > > As far as I'm concerned, that works better than any kind of insurance > you can buy. :) > _______________________________________________ Liveaboard mailing list [email protected] To adjust your membership settings over the web http://www.liveaboardnow.org/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard To subscribe send an email to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] The archives are at http://www.liveaboardnow.org/pipermail/liveaboard/ To search the archives http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] The Mailman Users Guide can be found here http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html
