Bitter end

[Rum_Pirate]

If all of your anchor chain and or rope were to all go out would the method of connection (you do secure the bitter end, right?) that you secure the bitter end in the anchor locker/well be strong enough to hold your vessel

a) under full load?

b) withstand the shock when the full load came on ie in heavy weather?

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Mine would not support the boat if I let it out at a fast run with heavy wind blowing the boat back and she was at full momentum. The small fitting on the bulkhead would pullout.

My chain is made off such that the line stops before the end of the chain enters the naval pipe. This makes sure that I always have chain on the gypsy and can wind back in if I accidently let it all out. Of course I have to go bellow undo the knot: round turn and two half hitches if I need to dump the chain.

The bitter end is 10 mm braid on braid so it is quite strong. The fitting it is just a small horse shoe type enclosed fairlead, but through bolted.

 

[Rum_Pirate]

That is a good idea to let the last bit be rope and be sticking out out of the navel pipe so that it could easily be cut should the need arise in an emergency.

 

[r_h]

Hmmm. I doubt that the u-bolt that the bitter end is tied is attached as strongly as it might be. But by that time I'd have 30m of chain and 75m of rope out, so hopefully any shock loads would be somewhat dampened.

 

[Downsman]

I've got 60 metres of chain spliced onto 50 metres of anchorplait. 5 metres from the end I've put a round seizing on the anchorplait which will check it's run up through the pipe but will go through with a struggle. The bitter end is secured with a few turns of 10mm three strand which is long enough to just appear on deck so that I can cut it without going below.
The idea was, if the chain and rope runs away with me say if the gypsy brake fails, the seizing will stop the run and give me time to perhaps get a rope stopper on it. If I'm really in trouble the seizing will come clear of the pipe with with plenty of weight on it,( tried and tested) then I can cut the small stuff.
That's the theory anyway but if I've got 110 metres down unintentionally or otherwise I'm going to take up caravanning..

 

[SamSalter]

Yes!

 

[prv]

My chain comes up through a navel pipe pointing aft (the standard small hooded fitting seen on boats without anchor lockers) so the chain doesn't really run over the side of its own accord, it needs to be pulled out by hand. Maybe with a lot of chain hanging vertically there'd be enough weight to pull it round the corner, but I can't see it building up much speed against the friction.

If it did run all the way out, the bitter end is a shortish length of manky 8mm three-strand attached to the bolts that hold the gammon iron in place. They're big bolts through a hefty steel strap down the outside of the top of the stem, which itself is very heavy fibreglass. I have no worries about a runaway chain causing damage there - it would snap the three-strand if going fast enough.

Pete