Bayliner 2556 anchoring query

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hardguy007

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Hi. I've a Bayliner 2556 with a lofrans tigres windlass with 150ft chain only. I know this may be ample for some people but what if I want to anchor in 100ft? Obviously the first thing I think of is to add rope. My issue is that it will not self stow like the chain, that's even if the gypsy would grip it. I'd love to replace with say 450ft chain which would hopefully cover me but not too sure.

So what do you advise? How do you do it?

I'll attemp to add pics for your reference.
 
50m of chain is adequate for most anchoring situations around our coast except in big range areas such as the Bristol Channel or the Channel Islands.

Your windlass can handle rope as well as chain so if you want to add rope then splice either multiplat or 3 strand to the end using a chainsplice. There various different types of splice and you can get instructions on the net by googling the term. Rope does not self stow very well, particularly if you have a shallow anchor well, but you rarely need it (who wants to anchor in over say 15m?) so on the odd times you want to use it you just bring it in and stop when you get to the chain so that you can stow the rope before getting in the rest of the chain.

30m of rope is more than enough, but you might find that you so rarely need it that it is not worth splicing it on permanently but shackling extra on when you do need it.
 
My main anchoring will be for fishing but it could be up 120ft which is why I ask. It's 6mm chain on it at the minute and I've tried a small piece of octoplait, 12mm I think, but it dosnt really seem to want to grip it. I haven't got to try it with a decent length of rope under strain yet. I only suggested chain simply for handiness for myself
 
Something to consider. I sometimes fish in deep water. I find with 40m of 10mm chain and a 15 kilo anchor that the nylon warp slips on the drum under the weight of chain and anchor when its suspended off the sea floor, and for all intents and purposes the windlass drum only acts as a partial brake while taking a breather because you're pulling it up effectively by hand, and worse, hampered by coilng it around the drum first. They say the warp gets better with age in grip and suppleness but it's been a year for me now and it hasn't. It's hard work and I'm shy to deploy that deep unless another bloke is onboard to help. I was taken aback by just how heavy it all is even in water. I'd go all chain but not sure if my windlass could pick that all up without slipping if the anchor buried itself deep. The smaller fast fishers use the Alderney ring method of retrieval when anchoring deep but I cant see many bouys supporting the weight of 50m of chain and anchor for a cruiser in the 30 foot class.

Edit. Seen your last post. Yes nylon slips as mentioned. If you're slipping on octoplait it gets worse with 3 strand which is less supple. It might be worthwhile looking to change the gypsy from chain only to chain and rope instead of using the warping drum if such a spare is available.
 
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My windlass would be more than capable of retrieving all chain which is one of the reasons I'm swaying towards all chain (well all chain with maby a further 50 m of rope for piece of mind). To upgrade to 100m of chain would only be an extra 40kg and I can't see that making a huge difference especially when I'm not going at planing speeds.
 
I'd go all chain then. Make life a whole lot easier and one less thing to stress about. Just don't snag it wreck fishing. It's a lot to lose.
Alternatively carry a second all rode anchor for deep water and use the alderney method of retrieval
 
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