bridle rubbing on the bow

simonfraser said:
my bridle rubs onto the hull as the boat yaws in the wind
it is fitted to forward cleats, straight out to the chain

could fit plastic hose and fix that in place, somehow

or tie the bridle upwards to the bottom of my anchor support, messy :(

what do you guys do ?
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We don't use a bridle. We use a single snubber over the bow roller with hose as chafe protection. No ruby ruby :-)
 
geem said:
We don't use a bridle. We use a single snubber over the bow roller with hose as chafe protection. No ruby ruby :-)
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You would also need to remove the anchor for that option. and maybe fit a drop pin to prevent the line going sideways / jumping the roller? Stopping the yawing is more worthwhile.
 
I found a single strop on the bow roller could be made chafe free, to the point where I'd change the strop at 2 years and people would give me actual money for the old one.
Other people mess about with complex bridles and back-ups and other convoluted thoughts, it rarely works as well.
If your anchor is too heavy to conveniently move from the bow, you probably don't want it up there when sailing.
 
pagoda said:
You would also need to remove the anchor for that option. and maybe fit a drop pin to prevent the line going sideways / jumping the roller? Stopping the yawing is more worthwhile.
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I do not understand the comment about removing the anchor. We also have a snubber over the bow roller with plastic hose to prevent chafe. The snubber is attached to the chain with a chain hook. We have never had a jumping the roller problem as the pressure on the snubber keeps It in place. It is very simple and easy to deploy and recover.
 
simonfraser said:
my bridle rubs onto the hull as the boat yaws in the wind
it is fitted to forward cleats, straight out to the chain

could fit plastic hose and fix that in place, somehow

or tie the bridle upwards to the bottom of my anchor support, messy :(

what do you guys do ?
Click to expand...

i assume this is a snubber you use when at anchor. If so not sure why you are using a bridle. All you need is a single line to a chain hook led over the bow roller to a strong point, then let the chain go slack so the snubber takes the load.
 
Tranona said:
i assume this is a snubber you use when at anchor. If so not sure why you are using a bridle. All you need is a single line to a chain hook led over the bow roller to a strong point, then let the chain go slack so the snubber takes the load.
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hm, just starting to wonder that too, the boat came with a bridle so i just ass u med ....
does it jaw because of the V bridle ?

there are two deck cleats either side at the bow, nothing aft of the bow roller other than the electric windlass
so if i use a snubber just off one cleat the boat is going to lie off at an angle to the rode is that going to be an issue ?

just checked, there is no deck space behind the windlass to fit another cleat
but i could fit two fairleads on either side of the bow roller and put the V bridle through that and then onto the cleats
 
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Using an existing cleat is fine if you lead through the bow roller. The boat will swing (or not) in just the same way as it does to the chain over the roller. That is what I do. I have two snubbers. A short one to just take the load off the windlass, made up with a spliced loop to a cleat for normal light use and a longer one for the rare occasions I anchor in heavier weather.
 
'Snubbers' serve 3 roles.

One role is to take any load off the windlass. You don't want the tension in the rode, or any snatch loads, to impinge on the windlass - you might damage the windlass and/or the structure to which the windlass is attached might not be man enough for the snatch loads (though it should be). You don't actually need a snubber - you could use a chain lock (most windlass makers offer them - but you do need room to install and they do need to be secured to something robust). Chain locks can be very advantageous as they can be quickly applied and can be used when you are trying to break out a well set anchor in chop - the chop can cause snatch loads if the anchor is resisting a change of environment - and the chain lock can be applied until the seabed gives way (we use a very short strop about 200mm of dyneema and claw - so there are options).

If you have a chain lock, or our short strop, you can also use it to secure the anchor on passage (again don't use the windlass - the clutch might slip - there is nothing quite so embarrassing as 100m of chain auto deployed when you are achieving 8 knots!)

A snubber to keep the load off the windlass can be a short piece or rope, ideally matching in strength the chain. It would be attached to the chain by a rolling hitch, chain hook (to be very with it) - a soft shackle.

A short snubber also stops the chain rattling on the bow roller - a noise that can be annoying to the occupants of berths in the forepeak (role 2).

The third role is to offer elasticity to the rode. Most rodes in popular anchorages with restricted room, will be as good as straight in 30 knots or more - there is catenary - but not enough to dampen any snatch loads caused by yawing, veering or chop. A snubber then offers the 'missing' elasticity - but to be effective needs to be able to stretch under the loads imposed. A 40mm diameter length of nylon will not stretch and a 6mm diameter length of nylon will offer elasticity - but no life. The snubber also needs to be long - boat length is a good measure. Diameter depends on windage, the propensity to yaw and vessel weight - for a 35' yacht 10/12mm is a good size to consider.

Vessels that are beamy benefit from bridles, as it reduces yawing - but monohulls have difficulty developing a wide enough 'V' for this to be effective - and most thus use a single snubber. Multihulls invariably use bridles.

We are 38' x 7t cat with a 22'6" beam. We secure our bridle to clutches on the transom and then run up, through the stanchion bases, to turning blocks on the bow - and they meet at a common chain hook (or actually a bridle plate). This gives us about 15m of bridle each side. We can extend our bridle to 30m - as we have spare in rope bags - and can deploy easily as we use clutches. Our bridle is 11mm recycled climbing rope that we obtain, free, from local climbing gyms (saves going to land fill). Our rode is 6mm high tensile chain and continuing the low weight concept - we only use aluminium anchors (roughly 8kg each).

Simon - you don't mention the size of your snubbers (diameter) but if the bridle angle is narrow and the rope beefy - you are not getting elasticity as narrow bridle behaves a bit like a single snubber (except you have 2 of them, reducing their ability to stretch.

There is no right way to apply a snubber/bridle - it depends on each vessel. There are general suggestions - as I try to summarise - much relies on trying some of the options and finding which suits your restrictions.

One thing to watch for is chafe, which is why we use turning blocks - but hosepipe applied where the snubber rubs is the common answer, you can also use hollow nylon (or more expensive) dyneema tape. Snubber and bridles do fail, they are consumables - carry spares.

Jonathan
 
tnx Jon, all very helpful.

the angle is narrow for sure, and yes, beefy rope for 8m 3T, 15mm or something, 2x !
no room between the bow roller fitting and the windlass for a chain stopper either.

k, going to fit fairleads if i can find a flat bit for the V shaped snubber, that will give the most secure attachment.
if not will see if i can have a snubber on one cleat and a turning block from the other side to lead it down the bow roller but that's messy and more bits.
or use a single snubber, dont suppose i will pull out a cleat pottering about, but it just seems odd.

possibly thinner rope too, will have to see when its in use.
 
Most vessels don't have room for a chain stopper (you are amongst friends) you need to be looking at something quite large to have room.

15mm as a bridle on a 3t yacht - I doubt there is much stretch, at all.

Play with it!

J
 
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