Anchor for the first time

[Searush]

Check out the weights.
8mm chain weighs1.42kg per metre so 30 metres is 42.6kg, add on a 15kg anchor and you are up to 57.7kg air weight. deduct 13% for flotation in water and you get about 50 kg.

(snip)

50kg = one sack of coal. But a sack of coal is awkard to lift, a chain is easy to grip & every metre you pull aboard reduces the load by at least a kg or more. I have not had a problem from deadweight chain, although I cannot lift it as a bundle on land. It would need to be exceptional to have the full weight of chain dangling, it's never come close to happening in 30 years for me.

With a twin keel I tend to anchor in that shalower water, but the large tides in N Wales tend to counteract that, even so I do not often need all the chain.

 

[prv]

I met someone else who thought there were cables laid in anchorages for the anchors to grab hold of, he was very new to boating though

Not the guy on the mobo forum who was moaning that his anchor would never "hook up"? He was dropping it on a length of rope just long enough to reach the bottom, and expecting it to instantly lock onto something

Pete

 

[TamarMike]

I met someone else who thought there were cables laid in anchorages for the anchors to grab hold of, he was very new to boating though

Of course there are, you just have to line your boat up with the big yellow diamond signs on the shore .... ... ...

 

[fireball]

Now you may say that you will never end up with all of the gear hanging vertically from the boat.....perfectly true,until you do!!!! You can arrive at that situation by dragging or because you just have to anchor in deep water, near cliffs for example.

FFS - don't frighten the guy!! You won't get anywhere near those depths around the solent or chi harbour !!

 

[ProDave]

Interesting thread and very useful.

It made me dig out my anchor and have a look (like the OP, I've not used it yet, it's what came with the boat)

My anchor weighs 6Kg and has a short (3m) length of very thick heavy chain, then I have 15m of rope. Good job I checked because such a short chain and rope is only any good for a very shallow anchorage, so I might want to upgrade that for a bit more chain at some point.

Once we get sailing again this year, we will have to put this theory into practice and try anchoring for lunch to start with.

 

[Searush]

Interesting thread and very useful.

It made me dig out my anchor and have a look (like the OP, I've not used it yet, it's what came with the boat)

My anchor weighs 6Kg and has a short (3m) length of very thick heavy chain, then I have 15m of rope. Good job I checked because such a short chain and rope is only any good for a very shallow anchorage, so I might want to upgrade that for a bit more chain at some point.

Once we get sailing again this year, we will have to put this theory into practice and try anchoring for lunch to start with.

Get a second bit of rope (or a longer one) to add for slightly deeper water if you wish, but while that will only do for say 10' depth overnight, for a lunch stop it would be fine for deeper.

 

[dougg]

Not the guy on the mobo forum who was moaning that his anchor would never "hook up"? He was dropping it on a length of rope just long enough to reach the bottom, and expecting it to instantly lock onto something
Pete

You would need a rocna for that

 

[VicMallows]

Breaking Anchor Out

No-one seems to have mentioned actually breaking the anchor out, which in heavy mud such as Chichester is often an issue. I sail single-handed and haul the anchor by hand. No windlass. Routinely I just shorten the scope and motor forwards until the anchor is free. Then of cause haul up easily.

Vic (Aged 62)

 

[William_H]

Anchoring

I suspect that anchoring will end up being like a lot of aspects of boating a personal choice or different for every one. Like boating itself you won't know what your style is until after some time.
For instance I pull my anchor out every winter to make sure it is there. While I have used it generally I don't anchor. My choice my style. I would not think less of the person who is reluctant to leave his boat unattended on an anchor.
Now around here rope rode is far more common than all chain. So I would suggest the newcomer OP add rope to his chain rather than more chain. Certainly chain has advantages but can be very heavy in the bows of a small boat.
As said get some gardening gloves. Give it a go. One thing already said is do not throw the anchor out. The chain can get wrapped around the anchor so that it tries to pull sideways. That then becomes a useless piece of junk trying to hold your boat. Whereas an anchor properly set is a joy to see as it digs its way into the bottom. It needs to be laid down. good luck olewill

 

[LadyInBed]

Check out the weights.
8mm chain weighs1.42kg per metre so 30 metres is 42.6kg, add on a 15kg anchor and you are up to 57.7kg air weight. deduct 13% for flotation in water and you get about 50 kg.

If you are faced with a heavy dead weight lift you can use a rope - Rolling hitch onto chain at bow, rope back to mast winch and start winding. When you run out of rope to winch, lock off chain and move rolling hitch back to chain at bow

 

[ghostlymoron]

As one who is getting on in years, I think it is a good idea to have a means of spragging the chain so that you can take the weight off and have a breather. There are several types of fitting for this http://www.seamarknunn.com/acatalog/chain-stoppers-grab-hooks.html or make up a short strop with a chain hook on it. Also good tip by Searush? about gardening gloves. Personally I like a manual winch such as the S-L or Lofrans, I don't find the slow retrieva rate a problem - I'm a slow sailor at the best of times.