Anchor deck chain pipe...how do you use it?

[Murv]

Obviously it allows the chain to feed out from the locker, but the little flap on the front flips down and makes it difficult to feed the chain into it, without securing the flap open.
The only way it can hold the chain at anchor is when it is open, with the flap up, which is how I assumed it had to work. Until Saturday night, anyway, when the force of the wind broke the flap off.
So, what are they supposed to do?

Mine is like this one (or was, it's now sans flap)

 

[NormanS]

The flap was never meant to secure the chain, merely to stop big dollops of water from going down into your chain locker.

 

[Murv]

Oh, simple as that then! thank you.
How are you supposed to secure the chain when at anchor? assuming of course you don't have it all out.

 

[sailorman]

Oh, simple as that then! thank you.
How are you supposed to secure the chain when at anchor? assuming of course you don't have it all out.

A cleat dear Henry, a cleat

 

[Poignard]

A cleat dear Henry, a cleat

But the cleat has no backplate, dear Liza, dear Liza ........

 

[sailorman]

But the cleat has no backplate, dear Liza, dear Liza ........

Buy a better built boat Henry, a better built boat

 

[Murv]

A cleat dear Henry, a cleat

I know this is a really stupid, novice question, but I genuinely don't know...
So, the chain loops around the cleat? I doubt it would fit but I'll give it a try. The front cleat isn't very large.
If not, would it be reasonable to tie a length of rope to a chain link, bit like a snubber line and secure it that way?

 

[Lakesailor]

Bollards. http://www.vetus-shop.com/vetus-stainless-steel-bollard-achilles-110-p-2198.html

 

[Murv]

Superb, thank you.

 

[sailorman]

I know this is a really stupid, novice question, but I genuinely don't know...
So, the chain loops around the cleat? I doubt it would fit but I'll give it a try. The front cleat isn't very large.
If not, would it be reasonable to tie a length of rope to a chain link, bit like a snubber line and secure it that way?

always use a snubber on chain, either secured wirh a chain hook or rolling hitch

 

[john_morris_uk]

always use a snubber on chain, either secured wirh a chain hook or rolling hitch

I usually secure the chain AND put a chain hook on with a length of nylon rope as a snubber. The chain hook has never fallen off, but its a bit of belt and braces and its hardly an onerous job to put a couple of turns of chain round a cleat.

I note that some people believe that chain hooks fall off chains as the leaves fall off a tree in the autumn. However I have to report that I have never experienced a chain hook falling off a chain.

 

[sailorman]

i would also secure the chain but loosely so as not the damage a cleat

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

Oh, simple as that then! thank you.
How are you supposed to secure the chain when at anchor? assuming of course you don't have it all out.

If your chain is all out, you will customarily have only a short length of light line securing the bitter end to a ring inside the chain locker. This is to allow you to quickly jettison the ground tackle should this become necessary, so you should always cleat the chain off. When securing chain to a cleat, just wrap it round a few times. If you cleat it like you would a rope,it can become extremely difficult to uncleat.
I doubt very much that a boat will have been built without proper reinforcement to the cleat nearest the anchor chain, perhaps more investigation would help. Is there an existing builder or a class assocation for your boat?
When I see questions such as yours, which display such lack of knowledge of the very basics, I would respectfully suggest that you take a course covering the type of sailing you intend to do.

 

[sailorman]

If your chain is all out, you will customarily have only a short length of light line securing the bitter end to a ring inside the chain locker. This is to allow you to quickly jettison the ground tackle should this become necessary, so you should always cleat the chain off. When securing chain to a cleat, just wrap it round a few times. If you cleat it like you would a rope,it can become extremely difficult to uncleat.
I doubt very much that a boat will have been built without proper reinforcement to the cleat nearest the anchor chain, perhaps more investigation would help. Is there an existing builder or a class association for your boat?
When I see questions such as yours, which display such lack of knowledge of the very basics, I would respectfully suggest that you take a course covering the type of sailing you intend to do.

he has chain + warp & is Medway based so wont come to much harm.
We all have to learn my first boat was a 17`3" Silhouette Mk2, very few had lessons / courses in those far off daze

 

[Murv]

Thank you all, it's greatly appreciated.
As I say, a fairly ridiculous question, but I've not seen it covered in any of the books I've read.
I've only anchored the once overnight, the chain was secured to the cleat with a nylon line in that case, in case the bitter end securing the chain gave way.
Only other anchoring has been lunch stops in shallow water so it's not been an issue.
I really just want to be aware of proper procedure in case of engine failure and being reliant on a strong hook hold.
The rode is all chain, but 20m of 8mm is proving to be extremely difficult to hand haul so I will most likely switch to the 14mm 3 strand nylon and short length of chain for fishing stops etc.
I totally take the point about training, but I'm hoping to self teach from books. I'm obviously aware of colregs and have joined the local cruising club to learn from experienced boaters.
My boat is, as above, a small motor boat based on the Medway, so I stick within the limits of what I know is achievable.

 

[sailorman]

Thank you all, it's greatly appreciated.
As I say, a fairly ridiculous question, but I've not seen it covered in any of the books I've read.
I've only anchored the once overnight, the chain was secured to the cleat with a nylon line in that case, in case the bitter end securing the chain gave way.
Only other anchoring has been lunch stops in shallow water so it's not been an issue.
I really just want to be aware of proper procedure in case of engine failure and being reliant on a strong hook hold.
The rode is all chain, but 20m of 8mm is proving to be extremely difficult to hand haul so I will most likely switch to the 14mm 3 strand nylon and short length of chain for fishing stops etc.
I totally take the point about training, but I'm hoping to self teach from books. I'm obviously aware of colregs and have joined the local cruising club to learn from experienced boaters.
My boat is, as above, a small motor boat based on the Medway, so I stick within the limits of what I know is achievable.

3 strand nylon goes hard use octoplait ( anchorplait ) see ebay for good prices. It much easier to handle & get back down that hawse pipe

 

[VicS]

Thank you all, it's greatly appreciated.
As I say, a fairly ridiculous question, but I've not seen it covered in any of the books I've read.
I've only anchored the once overnight, the chain was secured to the cleat with a nylon line in that case, in case the bitter end securing the chain gave way.
Only other anchoring has been lunch stops in shallow water so it's not been an issue.
I really just want to be aware of proper procedure in case of engine failure and being reliant on a strong hook hold.
The rode is all chain, but 20m of 8mm is proving to be extremely difficult to hand haul so I will most likely switch to the 14mm 3 strand nylon and short length of chain for fishing stops etc.
I totally take the point about training, but I'm hoping to self teach from books. I'm obviously aware of colregs and have joined the local cruising club to learn from experienced boaters.
My boat is, as above, a small motor boat based on the Medway, so I stick within the limits of what I know is achievable.

An ordinary cleat is not 100% satifactory for chain. Even the Vetus bollard in Lakesailors link has no means of positively securing a cahin to it.

My chain bollard is illustrated below.
The anchor chain drops in the vertical slot in the aft face before a couple of turns are wrapped round under the horns ...... very secure.

The mooring chain has a loop in it which drops over the bollard and under the horns.

The rounded rear corners make it kind to rope when its used as an ordinary mooring cleat.

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

always use a snubber on chain, either secured wirh a chain hook or rolling hitch

Google "animated knots" to find out how to do a rolling hitch.

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

he has chain + warp & is Medway based so wont come to much harm.
We all have to learn my first boat was a 17`3" Silhouette Mk2, very few had lessons / courses in those far off daze

Mine was a Leisure 17 and strangely, the flap on the hawse-pipe was broken when I got it

 

[Murv]

An ordinary cleat is not 100% satifactory for chain. Even the Vetus bollard in Lakesailors link has no means of positively securing a cahin to it.

My chain bollard is illustrated below.
The anchor chain drops in the vertical slot in the aft face before a couple of turns are wrapped round under the horns ...... very secure.

The mooring chain has a loop in it which drops over the bollard and under the horns.

The rounded rear corners make it kind to rope when its used as an ordinary mooring cleat.

That looks an extremely useful thing to have, thank you.
I'd assumed that as my boat is 30 Years old, the deck hardware would all be sufficient.
However, it may well have come from the non tidal side originally so would have had no need for anchoring equipment.