Chain, Kedge and Gelcoat.

[Slowboat35]

Just how does anyone without an overhanging transom manage to launch, use and recover chain-kedge tackle without trashing the gelcoat?
Plus it almost always has to live in a semi-ton bag/basket in a cockpit locker so even deployment onto deck level is an exercise in itself.

Wisdom sought...

 

[Neeves]

How big is your chain. For a kedge you will be using a mix of chain and rope, you are deploying by hand so why not a downsized chain in G70.

When we deploy a second rode we deploy from a dinghy - the chain never comes near the gel coat. Our second rode is 15m of 6mm high tensile chain and 40m of 3 ply nylon 12mm rope. We use aluminium anchors, Fortress, Spade, Excel. We store the rode in a milk crate, I coil the rope carefully round the interior 'circumference' and drop the chain into the hole in the middle of the coil. I can deploy the anchor from the dinghy, letting out rode as I return to the yacht or my wife deploys the rope from the bow as I row off into the yonder and I deploy the chain when I get to the end of the rope.

In the Baltic, but not restricted to that location, people have a stern roller permanently fixed at the transom and the rode is then deployed 1m (say) away from the gelcoat.

There are lots of options.

Jonathan

 

[Neeves]

People seem to use the word 'kedge' to mean different things. You seem to be specifically worried about deploying an anchor from the stern.

This how the Balts overcome the issue - where stern anchoring is commonplace







There is no one right way. Its about your imagination, some lateral thinking and - very important a second anchor and second rode.

Really you should carry a spare anchor anyway (you might be surprised how many people lose their primary - and keep anchor makers in business). Your spare anchor should be as good as your primary (as it may become your primary) but can be lighter (Fortress, aluminium Spade or Excel or Viking). I'd also suggest a different design to your primary and then you have an option if the primary struggles in some seabeds.

Appreciate that normally your 'kedge' is not being used in the same way as you use your primary. The kedge is a secondary anchor - it might need to be used as a primary (but factor that in). As a kedge it does not need to take the full load of your yacht in an exposed anchorage so it has no need to be a heavy bit of kit. As I mention we use 6mm high tensile chain (saves weight and is easy to handle from a dinghy). It actually has the strength of 8mm chain - so if DOES replace the primary, we use it with anchors the same size as the 'bower'

This our 'kedge' aka spare anchor - what's not to like, easy to carry, immediately available, can be deployed from a dinghy and the anchor itself is as good as our bower. We store in bow locker - and its light enough that any of the granddaughters could pick up the whole lot.


Jonathan

 

[Iliade]

As per Neeves, except the rode/chain is thicker and the rode lives in a floating rode bag which is a little easier to stow imho.

On previous boats I have deployed the bower/kedge from the bows and equally the main from the cockpit.

 

[geem]

We like Jonathan deploy from the dinghy but we don't use any chain. It makes the handling so much easier albeit the setting more difficult. Our kedge is a 10kg aluminium Fortress style anchor that was military surplus. It is a Fortress on steroids being made of stout stuff. Once it's set it hold very well in sand and mud. Recovery from the dinghy can get interesting. We tend to use an extra long rode and winch the anchor using a block and genoa winch until the anchor sets. If it doesn't set I do it again.

 

[Neeves]

As per Neeves, except the rode/chain is thicker and the rode lives in a floating rode bag which is a little easier to stow imho.

We are lucky - our bow locker takes 6 milk crates in 2 tiers of 3 per stack, though the top one has been slightly truncated. We like milk crates as they are easy to handle - but that's the key - use what is convenient. We knew someone who built a yacht and actually designed their lockers round the dimensions of milk crates.

And Geem underlines - Fortress style will set without chain - if you are patient and tolerant. The benefits are - once it sets it will hold (almost anything) and is unbeatable in clean sand or mud. It also a packs assembled (relatively) flat.

There is no one right answer.

Jonathan

 

[BabaYaga]

Just how does anyone without an overhanging transom manage to launch, use and recover chain-kedge tackle without trashing the gelcoat?
Plus it almost always has to live in a semi-ton bag/basket in a cockpit locker so even deployment onto deck level is an exercise in itself.

Wisdom sought...

As others have said, consider if you really need to use chain for the intended purpose.
My stern anchor (alu Spade) sits in a bracket on the rail and the all-rope rode lies bundled between the cockpit coaming and where the rudder stock exits the aft deck (kind of wasted space anyway). Ready to go in about 15 seconds.

 

[typhoonNige]

I also use a fortress with a rope only rode. In warmer waters I usually let out more chain on the bower before snorkelling off the stern with the fortress until I find a good spot to set it. The crew then motor gently forward until it sets and on my return I shorten the bower rode again. It works for me and is a good excuse for a swim!