Anchor rope

[Daydream believer]

Someone with a circa 26 ft Snapdragon has asked for 10-12 M of 6mm chain for his anchor. A smallish Bruce. He does not have an anchor winch. Only anchors on the east coast 2-3 times a year in mud or gravel. Places like the Pyefleet for those that know it.
He wants me to splice a rope rode to it circa 20 metres long. What do those that anchor regularly recommend?
Multplait or 3 strand & what diameter? What material please?
He is doing away with his 15 M of rusty 6 mm chain connected to 20 M of 4mm chain as he cannot recall having set the 4mm & it is just useless weight in the bow. Cost is not the issue.
I do not anchor so have no idea. I cannot even recall what I have in the anchor locker.

 

[Boathook]

Anchor platt or 3 strand nylon. For the 3 strand about 12mm diameter is more than adequate, the size more for handling than strength.

Jimmy Green Marine has a good website with info on chain and rope sizes and best type of splices. They also sell it made to your requirements ....

Edit.

Could also look at EYE / BGD website as they are on the east coast.

 

[Davy_S]

I would use 12mm Polyester 3 strand, i would not splice the rope to the chain i would splice a galv eye thimble in the rope and shackle it to the chain cos its not having to go through an anchor winch.

 

[ridgy]

Anchorplait/8 strand every time. Easy chain splice and it stows much better. Nylon or polyester, hardly matters in this case. Agree 12mm.

 

[Egret]

Pyefleet - need to be wary of the oysterbeds and layings and don't want to be dragging a big loop of chain around - not sure if/where/whether anchoring is permitted/preferred now, some places seem to be laying oysters in deeper water now, not just the side beds - but can arrange for an overnight mooring from the Colchester Oyster Fishery (building on the Mersea side) for a reasonable cost (£15), which might be a good idea there - avoids having to wash the mud off the chain. Nice place to stop and they can bring you a seafood supper. Traditionally wouldn't venture beyond the moorings but the Oyster Fishery will let you know what is permitted/preferred. Their Rights date from 1189 which is interesting, and of course, it's something the Romans did for us.

 

[jdc]

If only hauling by hand it's hard to beat anchoplait (8 strand woven rope). but if hauling by windlass choose 3 -strand polyester every time. 12mm about right. Nylon will go hard in a year, much quicker than the chain will wear out. The thimble is not required: do the proper anchor chain splice.

 

[Mark-1]

I would use 12mm Polyester 3 strand, i would not splice the rope to the chain i would splice a galv eye thimble in the rope and shackle it to the chain cos its not having to go through an anchor winch.

I anchor a lot more than the OP's buddy in a Corribee and I use much thinner 3 strand polyester polypropelyne. (6mm or 8mm) It's springy, hard wearing and cheap. I used to have 3m of chain on the end, but I got rid of that to be kinder to my back.

I concluded it would be ok after seeing the boats around me using tape for their kedges in thr Baltic.

I don't do anything clever with splices, it's just tied to a shackle.

I found I had to weight it because it floated and often got tangled round my keels and it still always needs an angel.

I'd love to know how much it stretches. In big gusts it honestly feels like the boat is just going miles backwards on a bit of elastic. Which, I guess it is.

I'm sure a purist would be horrified (10 years ago I'd have been horrified myself) but it's fine. And cheap. Did I mention it was cheap?

 

[Tranona]

3 strand polyester 10 or 12mm. do not use nylon as it goes hard when left wet over time. multiplait is OK and is easier to stow but is nearly twice the price for no benefit in terms of strength.

 

[ridgy]

Since when does polyester float? Only polypropylene floats and it sure is cheap because it's total shite. A.properly specced 8 strand that is washed each year will last a lifetime unless chafed. A splice comes.nicely over the bow roller unlike a shackle.

 

[MisterBaxter]

I've always got on fine with 3 strand nylon. You can buy big reels very cheap from Bristol Rope and Twine, if you have a friend or two who would like to share 220m of the stuff...

 

[alahol2]

Cost is not the issue.

In that case 10 - 12mm polyester octoplait spliced into the chain.

 

[Mark-1]

Since when does polyester float? Only polypropylene floats and it sure is cheap because it's total shite. A.properly specced 8 strand that is washed each year will last a lifetime unless chafed. A splice comes.nicely over the bow roller unlike a shackle.

Yeah, you're right, polypropylene. I did say a purist wouldn't like it! Come up pretty dry too, and the mud doesn't stick to it.

Agree re the splice, but I take it off the roller for the last bit because it stows on the foredeck. I did once lose an anchor due to a shackle breaking with an electric windlass, so it can certainly be an issue. Not with my usage, though. (That was with all chain.)

 

[Daydream believer]

3 strand polyester 10 or 12mm. do not use nylon as it goes hard when left wet over time. multiplait is OK and is easier to stow but is nearly twice the price for no benefit in terms of strength.

I will buy chain & rode commercially, so as I said ,cost is NOT an issue. I am currently adding this to a £3500+ order to save delivery costs

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Since when does polyester float? Only polypropylene floats and it sure is cheap because it's total shite. A.properly specced 8 strand that is washed each year will last a lifetime unless chafed. A splice comes.nicely over the bow roller unlike a shackle.

Apologies for slight thread drift.
Marlow Hardy Hemp.
This rope is polypropylene. I have only used it for dinghy painters and easy to splice. Just wondering if you and perhaps others have experience using iy


HARDY HEMP - Marlow Ropes Ltd

 

[Tranona]

I will buy chain & rode commercially, so as I said ,cost is NOT an issue. I am currently adding this to a £3500+ order to save delivery costs

Whether you are getting a discount or not 3 strand is cheaper than multiplait and equally suitable for the job.

 

[Plum]

Apologies for slight thread drift.
Marlow Hardy Hemp.
This rope is polypropylene. I have only used it for dinghy painters and easy to splice. Just wondering if you and perhaps others have experience using iy


HARDY HEMP - Marlow Ropes Ltd

Not for anchoring, as it floats, but have used it for halyards and found that it is not as durable as polyester so stopped using it.

 

[Daydream believer]

Whether you are getting a discount or not 3 strand is cheaper than multiplait and equally suitable for the job.

Not if it does not last as long, or hurts one's hands does it?--the 50 p/M may not matter
But that is why I am asking the opinion of the forum

 

[MontyMariner]

My preference is for multiplait, not just because it's easy to handle but because it also flakes down well.

 

[Channel Sailor]

I previously had maybe 35m of octoplait or similar spliced to 18m of 8mm chain, hauled in by hand, it worked very well. Solent area, 1.5m draft. I often in shallow water just let all the chain out and made off the warp on the cleat, chain on some cleats does not work all that well (could be why chain hooks exist). No rusty weak shackle to reduce the breaking strain of the whole system. Splicing to the chain was ok but a fiddle, obviously the warp needs to be small enough to be able to splice into a 6mm chain (which is quite small). The octoplait had a spliced eye at the bitter end so it could easily thread in the “weak” light line to the fixing in the anchor locker. This same spliced eye was useful to extend the warp for higher tidal ranges.

I have also used a spliced eye and shackle to the chain. Which you could catch your hands on the seizing wire or shackle and could snag on the roller, but it worked fine for me. More options for changing around and the warp can be used as a long mooring line. I tend to use this arrangement on a kedge set up.

 

[johnalison]

Being a bear of simple mind, I would splice an eye into the rope’s end and shackle it to the chain, which is how our kedge came with the boat.