Chain for a 35' yacht

Re: Chain for a 35\' yacht

8mm should be correct, and as much as you can reasonably carry. One thing to look out for is that if your boat has the windlass in the locker there can be a problem with the chain piling up under the windlass and getting jammed when you haul the anchor up. If you can arrange above deck mounting with a straight drop to the deepest part of the locker it will probably work best.
 
Re: Chain for a 35\' yacht

Good advice!

As with almost everything else, it's a compromise. 10 mm will be stronger and may give a little more stability when anchored. However, it is considerably heavier and bulkier to stow. It is extremely debatable whether the additional strength is justified and the chances of 8 mm chain in good condition failing in overload are virtually negligible. Even a Rocna will drag before rode loading is more than the UTS of the chain!

Theoretical studies suggest that a relatively short length (20 metres?) of chain plus rope gives better protection in strong winds. It has to be said that not too many experienced cruisers seem to go along with this. A long nylon snubber seems to give the better options.
 
Re: Chain for a 35\' yacht

This is another horses for courses issue. I have about 130ft of 12mm chain with a 35lb plough and a Lofrans Leopard elec windlass. I find that my 30ftish 9 ton long keeled Gaffer rides nicely to this lot. Seems to be held by the chain rather than the anchor. I like it anyway.
 
Re: Chain for a 35\' yacht

My Jeanneau 35 at 6.2 tonnes uses 10mm calibrated as above(with 35lb CQR or 15kg Bruce). I have 60m of the stuff, which is the maximum weight without the boot top stripe disappearing under the waterline!
I also have a long nitrile snubber and a chain hook bridle, to assist, and if I want to add more warp it holds the rig safe while I switch over the windlass.

Please post your experiences with the Rocna, but call the thread Teapot testing to avoid scientific intervention from other learned forumites with a personal interest in the outcome
 
Re: Chain for a 35\' yacht

I have just fitted a new electric windlass to my 37' mobo. I ordered 10mm chain, but when I saw how much space it takes up and how much it weighs I changed my mind and my gypsy and ordered 8mm instead. My boat weighs over 10 ton and I have always had 8mm chain, so problems at all.

Barry
 
Re: Chain for a 35\' yacht

I think you have hit the problem with chain. Given your anchors, 10mm is overkill and 8mm would be quite strong enough. I use 70 metres of 10mm with a 60lb CQR on a 45 footer. I have to be very careful not to get a windlass jam due to the chain forming a conical pile under it when I haul up the anchor. It pays to watch it and push the pile over at intervals, using a short boathook, as the chain comes in.
More length at the right diameter is better than too thick and not long enough. (And don't take that out of context!)
 
Re: Chain for a 35\' yacht

Be aware that calibrated chain exists in grade 80, which means 6mm has same strenght as 8mm, 8mm same strenght as 10.
The weight is that of the corresponding usaul grade 40. So: double strenght, same weight or same strenght, half weight.
On my 40 footer I chose 50 mt of 8 mm chain and 20 kgs ancor.
Slept beautiful nights under 45 knots in southern France last summer!!
Cheers
 
Re: Chain for a 35\' yacht

Mine boat is 31 ft and not as heavy as yours but I use 10mm calibrated, all chain to a 35lb CQR and I have an anchorman manual winch. I dont anchor very often but when I have I have felt secure. Some people dont like carrying too much weight but as I don't race I am happy to carry it.
 
Re: Chain for a 35\' yacht

Wow......
Ok not as diffinitive as I thought. Are there any breaking strain docs. anywhere?

As I will only be in the Med. for the foreseable future I was only looking at say 75/80 mts of chain & say 30 mts of Anchorplait..

Yes I will report back on the Rocna, I must admit I had a few problems with my CQR getting a grip in some of the old harbours, I am sure the weed etc is a problem to the CQR.

Anyway I will give the Rocna a good workout, after looking at all the ANCHOR sites the Rocna looks to be the best!

poter
 
Re: Chain for a 35\' yacht

Med work;

Rapaz is 40ft, 10ton empty, 12 ton laden, fin keel, 2.1m depth. In winds of 25kts or more at anchor she sails around from side to side quite a bit. I've cruised most of Europe living aboard over the last ten years, and spent the last four years cruising in or through the Cyclades, where summer winds of 30kts are common. Downwind of hills, gusts can be much stronger. Strongest winds at anchor have been 40kts mean for about 3 hours, gusting up to 50 and down to 30.

In these conditions I've had two anchors out to minimise 'out of alignment' snatching at the anchors. However, the strain is normally being taken by only one rode at a time, and it comes in with one hell of a snatch as the boat jerked around.

My gear is 22kg Brittany with 70m of 8mm, and 20kg Brittany with 10m of 8mm chain plus 50m (added to if needed) 18mm octoplait nylon. The bower chain is always attached to the vessel with a minimum of 10m nylon snubber - up to 20m.

Either bower or kedge alone will hold the vessel in full reverse (Perkins 4.108, around 28 prop horsepower, maxprop type of propeller) and that's my test for a properly set anchor.

I anchor nearly all the time (quite often bows/stern to quay) and the only time I've dragged has been when anchored on a bottom slope, such that the bottom slope meant that the anchor was being pulled at more than 10 degrees to the seabed. No, I hadn't properly tested with full astern after the wind shifted 120 degrees . . . naughty boy.

My conclusion? 8mm chain is quite adequate . . . and lighter and easier to stow than 10mm.
 
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