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Geem - it is a pleasure to be able to share experiences with another living the dream
We conjured with the problem you seem to have resolved - how do you have an everyday snubber and another for more character building experiences?
We did not like the concept of 2 snubbers, one for light winds, one for heavier winds, as swapping them over seemed to us a real hassle (but I suspect we are older then you and like our creature comforts).
Our solution was different to yours.
Our snubber (recall it is a bridle) commences at the 'chain hook' (in our case a bridle plate, but it could be a hook or a soft shackle), runs to a turning block on each bow (with its own dedicated reinforcement), then down the side decks to a clutch, to the spinnaker turning blocks and to a winch. Each snubber is permanently deployed, or ready to deploy. Our side decks are about 10m long and the distance from the turning block on each bow to the centre line (and bow roller) where the plate resides when not in use is about 3.5m (each side). Under normal conditions we simply apply the bridle plate to the chain and have about 13.5/15m of bridle deployed - very little of it forward of the bow. When condition dictate we simply deploy more snubber, from the cockpit located winches and we have another 15m of snubber we can deploy - that we keep in a sheet bag, hanging from the life lines.
The snubber along the deck its contained in our stanchion bases, if we had a toe rail it could be retained between toerail and stanchions (lots of options)
When we feel the need to release more snubber we need to make a quick trip to the bow - to release the chain lock - secured to a strong point independent of windlass and bow roller - but most of the 'work' is done from the safety (and comfort) of the cockpit - valuable on a cold wet windy Australian night
If, when we need to retrieve snubber - simply crank on the winches. Having said that - we find we can retrieved snubbers by hand.
We have felt sufficiently comfortable with our solution we have dispensed with our previous snubbers (which were retired climbing ropes from climbing gyms) and invested in new climbing rope (30m x 12mm each side). I'm not entirely sure we need the 12mm rope - and have some 10mm and 8mm to trial - its a never ending story. A colleague who is building a 50' cat in Thailand is including our ideas but I arranged to have made for him 14mm rope, to the same construction as dynamic kermantle. He too will use a bridle plate, that I made for him, (to a generation 3 design).
Because we use a bridle, 2 ropes, we found a simply chain hook too small and are less keen on soft shackles - as they are inordinately difficult to thread through our small 6mm chain links. I also wonder what happens if the rode twists - are the soft shackles difficult to release if twisted??. The chain for the Thai cat was specified at 10mm but the owner has invested in high tensile 8mm chain, a galvanised G100.
Now - I simplify - this was generation 2 - and I think we have a slightly better solution, at least for us (and the changes will be used on the Thai cat - if successful). Hopefully I can report on the latest development sooner, rather than later.
This is a long winded way of saying - we went for a longer bridle, rather than a light wind and a strong wind bridle.
Jonathan
I wonder how one measures the slope of the seabed with sufficient accuracy to make any difference to the scope one uses? I also wonder the value of making the calculation - unless the seabed slope is very steep at the point you set the anchor (and then how do you measure that 'steepness)
Catenerary and the idea of scope is to ensure the pull on the anchor is as near horizontal as is possible and the calculations in the Cruisers Forum thread I linked gives these angles in considerable detail.
Whilst for old fashioned anchors these angles are relevant they are much less relevant for more modern anchors. By modern anchors I refer to Spade, Rocna, Supreme, Ultra, Excel and Kobra. Anchors I would exclude would be CQR, Delta, Bruce, Mantus and Vulcan. Modern anchors when they set bury the toe of the anchor and the shackle on the shank simultaneously and if power set, maximum reverse for 30 seconds, will set deeply. In nice clean sand you should be able to bury them completely or almost so - unless you have chosen an anchor seriously oversized (and the experiences above suggest over size is unnecessary). When the shackle buries it drags chain into the seabed - and it is quite normal to see, or not see as the case might be 1m-3m of buried chain.
The buried chain develops a reverse catenary in the seabed and the shackle angle is never horizontal - commonly a quite high angle, and not in any way related to the scope.
The tension on the anchor is determined by the shackle angle, not the scope, and modern anchors, the ones I list (and maybe some I missed) are simply not as sensitive to angle as the older (which set shallow and thus are sensitive to scope) or less well documented anchors , Vulcan, and ones that set shallow, Mantus. Fortress is a bit of an exception as though the shackle sets last - its flukes are long and it develops very high capacity very quickly.
As I mention - shackle angle develops, or increases, independent of scope - it is determined by the area (or volume, but actually cross sectional area) of buried chain and the shear strength of the seabed. The deeper the anchor buries - the higher the angle.
Like the angle of the seabed - you cannot easily measure the angle of your shackle - but the fact you can bury your anchor and the fluke is set deeply (and at an angle of 30 degrees to the seabed) is reassurance that the anchor has developed good hold - in a nice sand seabed. Measuring your fluke angle is good practice - and easy to do - IF the seawater is clear. Checking you have buried chain is good practice, if the visibility is good - mark you chain at 1m intervals for the 1st 5m.
Now that should be food for thought!
Jonathan
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Thankfully, back in the real world most of us manage to anchor very successfully without having to stress about shackle angles etc.
Why make it seem much more complicated than it really is? Anyway, have a Guid New Year, when it comes.
I have anchored in 5 metres in pretty close to force 10, 45 to 50 knots (Bonifacio Strait). At the time I only carried 50 metres of chain and did not have all of it out. Delta anchor that did not drag .
This is a simple example showing how the seabed slope can significantly influence the effective scope.
This example is for a reasonably steep seabed slope and looking at the most dramatic difference between anchoring up hill or down hill. The marine maps will give you a good guide of the expected slope at any anchorage or you can use your depth sounder. The calculations assume strong wind and negligible catenary.
Nevertheless it shows how a 5:1 scope can become effectively the equivalent of a much shorter 3.4:1 or a much longer 10:1. This type of seabed is steep, but not extraordinary. Of course other anchorages are effectively flat which makes life easier, but if faced with one of these steeper slopes, factor this into scope calculations rather than solely relying on the simpler formula.
Sloping seabeds are often problematic in the Aegean. The most common problem is berthing stern-to where the quay may be in 2 metres of water but only 30 metres out the depth may be 20 metres. Kea and Poros are two examples, no doubt many more. Anchoring technique needs to be modified in such places: lowering the anchor to measured depth before beginning to reverse. This is quite tricky to do, which is why these places have such poor reputations amongst cruisers.