How much anchor chain?

[jeffnick]

Re: How much anchor chain?

I don't use any chain - it's a mess and hassle. And in my chainless adventures I have found that some bottoms simply require a heavier anchor. If I were you, I'd get a bigger anchor, or try a different kind rather than mess with chain.

 

[rbh]

Re: How much anchor chain?

No offense, but this piece of information is incorrect. As stated earlier, the chain changes the angle of pull to a more horizontal and keeps the anchor set. True the boat will need to lift the chain off of the floor which reduces the force placed directly on the anchor itself, but this is not for 'shock absorbtion' purposes it's to ensure the anchor remains set.

Maybe that may be true, but in the big/little scope of thing's the weight of the chain vastly decreases the sharp and agonizing abrupt stop you feel if all you were using was just a chunk of rope.
For example if you are tied of directly to the anchor with an anchor rode with no chain, and tied of to shore tightly, how much play are you giving your boat every time it rises and falls from an incoming wave???
On the other hand if you have sufficient chain/fiber rode out to the anchor and tied of to the shore, do you not think that the weight of the chain vastly effects that abrupt stopping feeling.
Put out 60 feet of chain (real chain not that little girly man stuff), tie it to the base of a tree, climb up a 40 forty foot ladder and pull it tight.
heavy EH.

 

[marcortez]

Re: How much anchor chain?

I don't use any chain - it's a mess and hassle. And in my chainless adventures I have found that some bottoms simply require a heavier anchor. If I were you, I'd get a bigger anchor, or try a different kind rather than mess with chain.

Seems to me the bigger hassle would be to haul around different anchors, and heavier at that... for different situations, rather than a few feet of chain.

 

[jeffnick]

Re: How much anchor chain?

Seems to me the bigger hassle would be to haul around different anchors, and heavier at that... for different situations, rather than a few feet of chain.

You're probably right...I was just offering an opinion that I've arrived at for the kind of boating I do. When we lived aboard (3 years - 1,000 nights on the hook) I had 5 anchors aboard including an all chain rode; to prevent chafe...didn't find the chain any better than all nylon, especially if the weight of the missing chain was added to the weight of the 'recommended' anchor. 'Just wanted to share that as an option for someone that might want to try something less conventional.

 

[TOPGUNmich]

Re: How much anchor chain?

He's talking about a 14 foot aluminium boat that ways 500 lbs at the most. Unless your trying to hold position in a river or tide, forget it. Go chain free or maybe a couple feet. Not worth the weight!!!!!

 

[Shife]

Re: How much anchor chain?

He's talking about a 14 foot aluminium boat that ways 500 lbs at the most. Unless your trying to hold position in a river or tide, forget it. Go chain free or maybe a couple feet. Not worth the weight!!!!!

I agree. I would still use a few feet of chain though. I was having trouble holding bottom in 15ft with mud/very weedy bottom on my little lake using a 9lb slip ring fluke (17ft tinny ~1000lbs wet). The anchor would just drag on top of the dense weed bed, even at 7:1 scope. Six feet of chain solved that.

 

[commander315]

Re: How much anchor chain?

I agree. I would still use a few feet of chain though. I was having trouble holding bottom in 15ft with mud/very weedy bottom on my little lake using a 9lb slip ring fluke (17ft tinny ~1000lbs wet). The anchor would just drag on top of the dense weed bed, even at 7:1 scope. Six feet of chain solved that.

agreed, i would go with about 2-3 ft of chain just to safe

 

[cr2k]

Re: How much anchor chain?

A general rule of thumb for boats that are used in near shore ocean conditions is 1' of chain for every foot of boat length.
IE: A 25' boat....25' of chain.

A calm lake is a whole different story and 6' is plenty....or even less...up to you.

Someone has some damn big thumbs.

2 to 4 feet of chain is plenty. The only purpose of the chain is to weigh the end of the anchor down so the flukes will drag in to the bottom.

I can just see someone dropping 19 feet of chain in their Bayliner and watching it go right through the hull and in to the water.

 

[Boatist]

Re: How much anchor chain?

The best shock abosober is not chain. Use 3 strans twisted Nylon.

When we used our 8 pound Danforth with 4 feet of chain the wife could not pull the anchor even with gloves on. She would not drive the boat up on the anchor when it was foggy so it was a real problem when we fished alone.

After we got the 4 pound Fortress FX-7 for boats to 27 feet and no chain she had no problem pulling the anchor. First time she pulled it she said the line broke but to her suprise still had the anchor attached.

I just hate the way the chain scratches the bow rail on anything it slide over. Also in salt water it rust and then marks up anything it put on. Stainless Steel chain does not rust but for the price of stainless steel chain you could have got a Fortress and forget about any anchoring problems.

 

[Tig]

Re: How much anchor chain?

Use 3 strand twisted Nylon.

I would agree to the point that 3 strand twisted Nylon is a good rode if you use the correct size. Too thick and you start to loose that stretch. I came across a formula for rode once. For my 15' under 1500 lb rig it worked out to 15' of chain and 1/4" 3 strand twisted Nylon. I offer those details although don't expect me to defend them as gospel. FWIW When I anchor on the sand bottom in 3' surf at the in-laws I use a 10# navy anchor, 10' chain, 50' 1/4" 3 strand nylon. Scope varies because of the waves, but from bow eye to bottom it stays better than 7:1. Boat always holds on the spot all afternoon as the breaking waves bounce it around and occasionally come over the bow. I sit on shore and nervously think about the working load of 1/4" 3 strand nylon.

 

[Jeepster04]

Re: How much anchor chain?

I don't use any chain - it's a mess and hassle. And in my chainless adventures I have found that some bottoms simply require a heavier anchor. If I were you, I'd get a bigger anchor, or try a different kind rather than mess with chain.

Same here. We boat on a lake and usually only tie up for a few hours during the day. ~100 foot of 1/2in line and a 6lb fluke anchor has never let me down. Never used any chain for the run-a-bout.

For our other boat(78ft long), weve got a 25lb CQR anchor with ~6-8ft of chain and 200ft of 1/2in line. It'll hold in moderate winds but any kind of serious storm would pull that anchor right out.