Anchor chain length

[Chris_Robb]

John, 10 mm chain takes up much more room in the anchor locker, indeed you will have to knock the pile over when weighing anchor - a pain as access is thorugh the forepeak.

On my Oceanlord, I have 80 meters 8mm chain and 20 meters of nylon snubber - forget the weight of the chain the snubber does the work much better. The chain will all go in the locker without help.

You can get one grade stronger if you want to Grade 4? (see Vyvs web site)

Only trouble that means is changing the Gypsy on the winch - but with 8mm chain there is only one type - not 3 as for 10mm chain. If the gypsy is badly worn - you may want to replace anyway.

I have not read much of the thread as I have come late to it!

 

[Tony Cross]

John, 10 mm chain takes up much more room in the anchor locker, indeed you will have to knock the pile over when weighing anchor - a pain as access is thorugh the forepeak.

I'm fortunate that my anchor locker is large and the hatch over it opens to allow complete access. When weighing anchor I catch the (10mm) chain as it comes off the windlass (i.e. underneath where my hand is well away from the windlass itself) and I flake the chain in the locker as the anchor comes up. This of course has the added advantage of ensuring there are no snags next time we drop the anchor.

 

[Jock89]

I inherited 50m of 3/8ths chain on my 38' Nicholson & when I eventually got it all laid out to inspect it on the pontoon I found a 1-ton st/st shackle joining it in about the middle of the length.
I now have 80m of 3/8ths in the chain-locker & although I haven't let it all out yet it seems not to be too much weight for my boat.
On hauling in 30m-35m I do have to go below & knock down the 'castle' under the hawse-pipe 2-3 times though. If I reduced the length of the hawse-pipe down into the chain-locker that would probably fix the 'castle-ing'.

 

[Monique]

We've gone for 100 meters with a 35 kg ULTRA anchor. Secondary anchor is a CQR with 30 meters 10 mm chain and 60 meters rode. The aft anchor is a Danforth with 30 meters 8 mm chain and also 60 meters rode. We want peace!

On a 53 footer Amel Super Maramu