Anchor in, or out?

[NPMR]

New winter yard to us has more boats with the anchor and chain not out on the ground.

We always laid it out. We don't have a wooden boat, but I rationalised that all that chain makes a cold spot next to the water tank (undesirable) and allowed the rope to be a little more open to any air (desirable) and the weight out of the boat probably not of interest.

What think the team?

 

[Poignard]

I believe the Ts&Cs of the yard where my boat is laid-up have a clause that allows the management to move boats around the yard in the owner's absence, if they need to.

I imagine the owner of any boat with its chain and anchor on the ground might find himself charged an hour's labour if they had to be hauled on board to facilitate the move.

 

[Clancy Moped]

I was under the impression it was to stop the bows from deforming over time. We had 20kg anchor and 100 meters of 10mm chain.

 

[neil_s]

Yes - I lay mine out. I don't like excess weight in the bow (or stern) when not supported by water. I give the chain locker a clean and the chain also gets a wash in the rain.

 

[Clancy Moped]

Yes - I lay mine out. I don't like excess weight in the bow (or stern) when not supported by water. I give the chain locker a clean and the chain also gets a wash in the rain.

Also bringing it back up it sorts any twisting that's happened over the previous session.

 

[neil_s]

On thinking about it - I don't think your rationale about a cold spot is correct - The mass of iron will tend to stabilise the temperature so when hot outside it will keep your tank cool and when cold outside it will tend to stop it freezing.

 

[dansaskip]

I lay mine out- enables the chain and anchor to get a good wash in the rain and it's better than it all sitting festering in the chain locker and like neil_s says a good opportunity to clean out the locker.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Our yard moves boats if necessary. No need to make this harder for them, and I doubt our heavy layup would distort let alone permanently if we put 250kg on the nose

 

[14K478]

I used to do this religiously when I had a wooden boat. I haven’t done it with the plastic one because her bows are over the sea wall…

 

[Neeves]

You could always lay the chain neatly on a pallet, which will allow the chain to air all round. You could disconnect chain from yacht. The yard then simply needs a fork lift to move the chain and whatever they use to move the boat. Another alternative is to string the chain on our round (not sure of the word) the cradle - like a cats cradle - and then when they move the cradle with yacht (if that is how they move the yacht) all at the same time.

I really don't see how having a pallet of chain, with anchor, is causing any boat yard grief. If they can move a yacht and maybe separately a cradle willy, nilly - they can move a pallet.

Leaving the chain in the locker encourages corrosion - unless its dry and clean and well sealed. It is unlikely the locker is well sealed and there will be condensation in the locker and it will always be damp. In this latter situation you may find the chain galvanising corrodes as white rust (look it up on google) - that is the gal dissolving away.

But, no but - And do take rope out of the locker - it will be damp, it will be salt and it will cause corrosion.

Jonathan

 

[thinwater]

I always laid it out once per season to facilitate cleaning the anchor well. Hose the hell out of it.

But then I put it right back, again hosing the hell out of it. No salt. But then again, I sail year round.

Leaving the anchor on the ground would be very unusual around here. Maybe 1 in 100, and usually because they are working on it. But I can see the upside. The down side is that someone might decide you have an anchor you don't need ....

 

[Pump-Out]

Gold standard:

Buy a wheelie bin
Drill half a dozen holes in bottom
Feed anchor and chain in to bin, fresh water wash as you go
Remove any line, wash and store separately
Close lid for dry storage, leave open if you require more rain flush/ventilation

Reverse process in Spring (excluding un-purchase and un-drilling of bin, obvs!)

 

[Neeves]

Leaving the anchor on the ground would be very unusual around here.

Common place in the Med where many, or some yachts, owned by fly in owners, are held on the hard .

In Oz its a 365 sailing season. If we had slipped in a boatyard we would take advantage of fresh water etc and discharge the chain and clean the locker but it would be 'out of the yacht' for hours not months.

Jonathan

 

[Stemar]

My anchor and rode spent a couple of wet weeks out getting the salt and crud washed off. Then we had enough dry weather to get it all dry, so I put it back in the locker.

 

[Sandy]

Almost everybody in the yard I'm in has it out.

If the yard need to move a boat, they have got their planning wrong.

 

[Aja]

My anchor and chain is sitting laid out on a pallet. Rode disconnected from the boat. If the yard wanted to move anything - which would be really unusual - they would just need to lift the pallet with the forklift.

Why would I have a dirty, salty anchor and chain sitting in the anchor locker all year round when I can get the soft Scottish rain to gently clean everything and I can give the anchor locker - which in my boat drains into the bilges a good clean out.

You just need to anchor in Loch Aline a couple of times a season to make this worth while.

 

[geem]

I lay me chain out on a a pallet, rinse it all with fresh water. Rinse out the chain locker and allow everything to dry. Once it's all dry and free from salt, I put it all back in the chain locker and the anchor on the bow roller. It doesn't need rinsing all winter

 

[vyv_cox]

If your chain locker remains dry all winter then put it away. Mine, and I guess many others, does not unless I cover it over with a waterproof cloth, something I have found almost impossible to achieve. I hang mine on a rope between two legs of the cradle, where it remains dry.

Zinc that remains wet will corrode, producing what is known as white rust. This is a big problem in stacks of galvanised sheets but also occurs with chain.

 

[Refueler]

This is where 'home mooring' has its benefits ..... I don't move my boat about yard !! I ranged chain and rope at home to check markings and wash off ...

Only this year have I relented and have boat in Yacht Yard ... because of repairs ... its too cold out there for me to start playing with lumps of metal and chain !! It can stay till spring.

Other boat - is served by short chain and Anchoreel ... so no real need to range in yard ... sits in transom locker.