Anchor thread - which is most likely to fall off your boat?

Neeves said:
I note on inspection of ground tackle that many owners rely on the clutch of their windlass to secure their anchor and rode. There is no sign of a chain lock, pin though an appropriate hole in the anchor shank, no lashing. The windlass and gypsy are deck mounted - there is no visible sign of anchor and rode securement - other than the clutch. Given this lack of attention it is equally possible the bitter end is also not secure.

Clutches slip - which would have, predictable, consequencies.

I do recall a member here on leaving the UK for the Med lost his rode and Spade anchor on passing The Needles - but don't recall who (maybe fortunately) nor when.

It does happen - I confess our clutch slipped and we laid our rode across the seabed where we had intended to anchor and the stainless shackle securing the bitter end - failed.

It does happen (we retrieved the next day).

It was the Manson CQR clone - but I really don't think I can apportion any blame to the 'CQR'.


its all about learning from one's mistakes.

Jonathan
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Clutch in. Deadlock on. Wichard chain hook on. Pin through shank. Line on gravity eye. And it’s a 65lbs CQR! Do I pass?
 
Minn said:


Clutch in. Deadlock on. Wichard chain hook on. Pin through shank. Line on gravity eye. And it’s a 65lbs CQR! Do I pass?
Click to expand...

The Witchard chain hook is a liability (and over priced for what it does), the pin is too soft, prone to bending making it damned difficult to retrieve (you need a mole wrench or something similar). Once its bent - you will cut out off (or buy a different hook). The chain needs to be slightly slack so there is no tension on the windlass at all and any load is taken by your other mechanisms. I'd have lashed the fluke such that it was immovable in a seaway. Leaving it to flop around simply wears the hinge and may allow it to bash the stem.

Other than that I think - OKish.

You might like to consider a different anchor entirely. its a long time since we had a contentious thread......

Jonathan
 
I had noted the fluke had a sort of lashing but, in this specific instance, I'd prefer it lashed using the brace under the flukes.

The biggest issue is the Witchard hook - and you would think that coming from Witchard and the money they cost they could use a more robust pin. We found out the hard way.

We also use a hook (sourced from the lifting industry that we had galvanised) which doubles as a back up in case our bridle/snubbers fail when at anchor (attached with a short length of dyneema attached to an independent strong point (separate to the windlass) and to also secure the chain when on passage and in both cases ensures the windlass is never loaded, unintentionally.

Flopping anchors on bow rollers can also wear the roller, or one based on a polymer.

We might have had different backgrounds - but, reassuringly, came to the same conclusions.

Jonathan
 
KellysEye said:
I have have never heard of an anchor falling off a yacht.
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In 1975 3 of us chartered from Seasport Holidays on Elba. Our substitute yacht had an anchor "secured" on hooks under a little plank bowsprit. Of course we had no experience of the arrangement. We were enjoying a boisterous sail when there was a sharp knock on the hull. Then another soon after, so maybe not just flotsam. Investigating we found the anchor had come off the hooks and was gradually paying out the chain, allowing it to trail back into the hull. We got it back OK and properly secured. But the log never did register after that...

Mike.
 
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