Anchor chain to rode options

[Dutch01527]

I currently have a 30m x8mm short link chain joined to 50m of 16mm 3 strand nylon rode ( Bristol Channel hence slightly overkill size and length) on my 28 foot yacht. All new. They are joined by a eye splice with thimble and a shackle. I do not currently have a windlass so all is good.

I would now like to add a manual windlass and the thimble / shackle will not fit down the integral stove pipe or on the windlass obviously. My plan was to long splice the rode onto the chain but the links are too closely coupled to pass 2 strands through a chain link to splice.

Any ideas how to join the rode to the chain?

Eye splice without a thimble and lots of loops of thin dyneema?

 

[Tranona]

16mm is too big to splice into 8mm chain. Normal is either 12 or 14mm then you can do either a long splice or a back splice. Plenty of instructions for splices on either Jimmy Green's website or google rope chain splice.

You might want to reconsider whether a manual windlass is a good investment as the Lofrans horizontal is hard work to operate and new is expensive. An electric windlass is so superior in every way and the price differential is now not as great as it used to be. However if you can source somebody's cast off look for an SL anchorman which is a vertical shaft and much better to operate. However don't think there are many around to take 8mm as this is way OTT for your size of boat. I had a 6mm Anchorman with drum on a similar size boat and it was excellent.

 

[zoidberg]

I imagine that what's wanted is a line which joins the chain to the nylon rode, which is both strong enough and small enough ( diameter ) to weave through the chain links and not compromise the fit on the winch gypsy.

That suggests a length of Dyneema SK78, of 8mm diameter ( single ), or 5mm spliced into the chain 'doubled' up and down. The task then is to long-splice the SK78 into your nylon 3-strand rode - and for that technique, I'd ask the excellent people at English Braids.

http://www.englishbraids.com/rope-selector/dynamic-line-sk78-4-detail

 

[Neeves]

When you buy the new windlass, and I agree with Tranona - go electric, I'd 'retire' the current cordage and use it as your spare rode (you do have a spare anchor of course). I'd then replace with anchor plait that fits the the windlass, 12mm or 14mm for 8mm rope (again as Tranona said).

I might understand your reluctance to consider the electric route - as you need cabling, circuit breaker, solenoid - but it will make anchoring so much more pleasurable. I'd bite the bullet and go the electric route. You will then find you are more enthusiastic about anchoring and are happy to move location if your original choice gets a bit frisky. Most windlass come with copious instructions on installation including wiring and you have a good resource here (YBW). Installation is actually very easy.

Maybe read this thread

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?498998-Anchor-chain-piling-up/page4

I think Thinwater makes comment on a decent splice, Post # 49, or most of the cordage makers or Jimmy Green have decent instructions (as Sarabande said). There was comment on splices on another thread - but cannot recall which (a search here, YBW, will pay dividends).

If you decide not to install the windlass - what you already have is fine - and I'd stick with it.

Personally I think 8mm chain more than adequate - and if you go the windlass route I would consider 6mm chain - before you commit. It will take up less locker space and will demand less power to retrieve. Don't worry too much about battery capacity with a electric windlass - deploy and retrieve with the engine running. Just ask again here as the questions form

Jonathan

 

[Dutch01527]

“However if you can source somebody's cast off look for an SL anchorman which is a vertical shaft and much better to operate.” Quote.

That is good news, the new (to me) windlass I have bought is a 8mm SL Anchorman. https://www.dropbox.com/s/9whki7ycz0jx79q/IMG_0353.JPG?dl=0

I agree that electric is better however I have to prioritise time and money across a number of improvement projects and I decided to take the simpler / cheaper option with the windlass. The new one cost me £120 and will take a couple of hours to fit vs £1000+ total price and a couple of days for electric. I can always upgrade to electric in the future if it proves to be an issue.

Loads of room in the anchor locker and easy access to fit. Looks like I should keep the 8mm chain and replace the three strand with 12 or 14mm anchorplait.

Does anyone know if the anchorplait will go around the chain gypsy or would I need to use the drum?

 

[stevie69p]

I have the SL Anchorman on my boat with gypsy for 8mm chain and agree, it's a great basic windlass (after I stripped it down and got it all moving again). I have 50 metres of chain and 30 metres of 12mm multiplait available to join to it via a thimble / eye splice, but the rope lives in a cockpit locker and only gets brought out and added when required, as I wouldn't have the space in the anchor locker for it.

 

[Neeves]

Just out of interest - how often do you use the rope (as part of the rode)?

Jonathan

 

[Tranona]

“However if you can source somebody's cast off look for an SL anchorman which is a vertical shaft and much better to operate.” Quote.

That is good news, the new (to me) windlass I have bought is a 8mm SL Anchorman. https://www.dropbox.com/s/9whki7ycz0jx79q/IMG_0353.JPG?dl=0

I agree that electric is better however I have to prioritise time and money across a number of improvement projects and I decided to take the simpler / cheaper option with the windlass. The one new one cost me £120 and will take a couple of hours to fit vs £1000+ total price and a couple of days for electric. I can always upgrade to electric in the future if it proves to be an issue.

Loads of room in the anchor locker and easy access to fit. Looks like I should keep the 8mm chain and replace the three strand with 12 or 14mm anchorplait.

Does anyone know if the anchorplait will go around the chain gypsy or would I need to use the drum?

Good buy, particularly compared with over £400 for a Lofrans. The great thing about the Anchorman is that you can wind continuously with a 10" winch handle, probably sitting on the coachroof. So much better than using the crank handle on a horizontal axis manual windlass. Don't know if rope will run round the gypsy as I had 50m 6mm so never needed the rope, although from memory there was 20m of 12mm 3 strand spliced on. You might find 14mm difficult to get through the hawse and 12mm is more than adequate. You will probably be using the rope regularly so best to experiment a bit before you commit.

 

[Dutch01527]

I think that I might do the following:

1) add an extra 20m of 8mm chain that already have via a spilt chain link making 50m x 8mm in total
2) secure the chain in the anchor locker via a piece of dyneema long enough to reach just past the windlass
3) keep my current 50m of 16mm nylon loose in the anchor locker

Most of my anchoring is lunch stops and waiting for a tide change before entering a harbour so I am pretty sure that 99% of the time 50m of chain would be more than enough. In the event that I need to anchor overnight in a heavy tidal stream or in heavy weather I could run out the chain, hold it on my chain hook, untie the dyneema and attach the 16m nylon rode. That would give plenty of scope even for the Bristol Channel.

Many thanks to all contributors for helping to clarify my thinking.

 

[prv]

Does anyone know if the anchorplait will go around the chain gypsy or would I need to use the drum?

I used to have the similar windlass without the drum, but on that boat I used all chain (30m was adequate for a shallow-draught boat in the Solent, I had warp I could have added if needed) so I don't know about rope around that exact gypsy. However, it looks pretty similar to the gypsy on my current electric windlass, which handles 14mm anchorplait perfectly well.

I originally made a splice that extends along the chain, but that didn't go round the gypsy well. Remade with a splice that goes through the end link and back up the warp, it gives a bit of a sputter and jerk as it goes through the pipe but works ok.

When I had the manual windlass I often pulled in quite a lot of the chain by hand as it was quicker than winding.

Pete

 

[prv]

I think that I might do the following:

1) add an extra 20m of 8mm chain that already have via a spilt chain link making 50m x 8mm in total
2) secure the chain in the anchor locker via a piece of dyneema long enough to reach just past the windlass
3) keep my current 50m of 16mm nylon loose in the anchor locker

That sounds like a good plan. A 50m warp that's not permanently attached to the anchor could come in handy for other things occasionally, like a long shore line, a tow-rope, passing round the back of a raft to let inner boats out, etc.

Pete

 

[Neeves]

I assume by split link you mean a 'C' link connector, from Crosby.

Jonathan

 

[Dutch01527]

I assume by split link you mean a 'C' link connector, from Crosby.

Jonathan

Yes I do. I know that some people do not trust them but I have read the test reports on Viv Cox’s site and am happy that they are safe for my relatively small and light boat.

 

[JohnGC]

I assume by split link you mean a 'C' link connector, from Crosby.

Jonathan

I've been wondering how easy it is to use these and how I'll be able to tell I've done a good job.

John

 

[Neeves]

I've been wondering how easy it is to use these and how I'll be able to tell I've done a good job.

John

I've never used one but hear good reports. You need a very heavy hammer and a decent 'anvil'. I don't think you can do this on the deck - you need some concrete (and the anvil - steel sheet). Do not use any heat, just secure the rivets.

There was a thread with details on this, within the last month or so.

Jonathan

 

[duncan99210]

I've had c links in my chan for years now, never had a problem with them apart from the galvanising doesn't last all that long, so they need replacing every few years. Fitting them has to be done ashore using something sold as an anvil. Position links carefully and wallop repeatedly with a heavy hammer until the rivet bits of the link are well peened over. Might need a blunt punch to finish the job off. Takes me a good few minutes a link to do.