Does your anchor self stow ?

SpottyDog5

SpottyDog5

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Just checking the deployment and recovery of my anchor I found it won’t launch without me helping it on its way, I don’t have a problem with this, but when I was winching it back the angle of the chain through the bow roller was too acute to allow it to come aboard without manually lifting on the tripping line shackle on the front of the stock (hope this makes sence).

I guess the solution is to replace the bow roller with a drop nose type.

Do others have this issue and just live with it ?
 
SpottyDog5 said:
Just checking the deployment and recovery of my anchor I found it won’t launch without me helping it on its way, I don’t have a problem with this, but when I was winching it back the angle of the chain through the bow roller was too acute to allow it to come aboard without manually lifting on the tripping line shackle on the front of the stock (hope this makes sence).

I guess the solution is to replace the bow roller with a drop nose type.

Do others have this issue and just live with it ?
Click to expand...

we have to give ours a help over ...or go astern ever so quickly! no problem at all with retrieval. What Anchor do you have....? is it something that could be cured by a different anchor with a different style of shaft or indeed fitting a swivel perhaps which may allow for the shaft to twist where it wants to go to allow it up freely?
 
I think it's something which needs sorting.

At the risk of insulting your engineering genius I presume the roller is free running and it isn't a seized roller which is stopping the automatic deployment. It is possible that would hinder recovery as well.

Assuming all is well would a different anchor solve the problem?

Henry :)
 
I had the same problem, turned out the rear roller had worn so that the anchor sat bak too far to self deploy.
New roller sorted it out.
 
Sorry Guys, but this is the best shot I've got.
The Anchor is a 30kg Bruce
The roller runs free, a larger roller would lessen the angle.
76239926.jpg
 
looks like a similar set up to our Hardy, but our bow roller set up has higher stainless steel sides which encompass the rollers more.... I honestly think you would find a swivel would sort your problem re-retrieval.

----
edited bit.... actually does look a bit different, just looking at this pic & there is a pin that goes through the top of the roller set that the anchor shaft passes below...

DSCF6336.jpg
 
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I think you are right, when I bought her she already had a 30kg Bruce fitted (although I lost it in the North sea) I replaced it with the same, maybe it was incorrect for this bow roller?
The boat is now 29 years old and the roller I believe is original.
 
Firefly625 said:
looks like a similar set up to our Hardy, but our bow roller set up has higher stainless steel sides which encompass the rollers more.... I honestly think you would find a swivel would sort your problem re-retrieval.

----
edited bit.... actually does look a bit different, just looking at this pic & there is a pin that goes through the top of the roller set that the anchor shaft passes below...

DSCF6336.jpg
Click to expand...

Do you have two rollers at the front ?
 
SpottyDog5 said:
Sorry Guys, but this is the best shot I've got.
The Anchor is a 30kg Bruce
The roller runs free, a larger roller would lessen the angle.
Click to expand...

The idea of a larger roller has nothing to do with the angle. The greater radius of a larger roller will move the anchor forwards, increasing the weight ahead of the pivot point.

Looking at your picture, there are a number of issues.

1) No swivel at the anchor. This won't affect self launching or retrieval, but will stop the anchor spinning when it clears the water and lessen the chances of knocking lumps out of the stem.

2) The chain has to go up to the windlass gypsy, this means it'll never launch or stow without you going to the bow.

3) The anchor looks very close to the stem, good chance of knocking it.

4) Looks like you only have a single roller and there is too much anchor behind the pivot point. This was never designed to be self launching, IMO.

If you could shift some weight forward (bigger roller), that would help with 4, but 1,2 and 3 would still be there.

You could have two pieces of stainless plate cut to fit in the existing bow roller, after removing the roller and using the bolt as a pivot. You then have two new rollers made, with spacers through them, one bolted at each end of the plates. The roller keep the plates apart and as they have a spacer through them, slightly longer the the width of the roller, the rollers are free to turn. The original roller bolt acts as a pivot, again with a suitable spacer.

The two plates and new rollers are then effectively one lump that pivots on the original roller bolt. The plates should be designed to move the anchor far enough forwards to clear the stem and to be front heavy. When you let the chain out, the anchor will then tip the new assembly downwards and launch the anchor. It will also self stow. If you also design the rear end of the plates so that when stowed, the bottom edge of the rear of the plates touches the existing bow roller assembly just before the angle of the chain falls below the top of the gypsy. The chain will then have to go down very slightly to the gypsy, meaning the windlass will pull it all down tight. If this looks too high, i'd alter that and fit a third roller on the deck that the chain goes under. I'd want the windlass to pull the anchor shank and the new tipping part of the bow roller and holding them tightly in place.

There's a couple of pics of mine, which i revised as above to fit a better anchor, on my website (see signature), that might help with what i mean.

EDIT. A couple of pieces of 1/4 play and a jigsaw can be used to experiment and make a template. All you need then is to get a couple of pieces of stainless cut and a couple of new rollers made. The nylon bar they use in conveyor systems is cheap and does the job perfectly.
 
Paul, thank you for your very concise post, I was thinking of fabricating the hinged part exactly as you described. :)

I might have a solution, I have this afternoon, picked up a new hinged bow roller at a good price from the Chandlery barge at Swanwick.

All the measurements stack up and I have till monday to return it if it won't fit.

90E91348-B23E-47C3-B9F4-BADADB33924E-224-0000001B68EDA667_zpscd848505.jpg


935C7E8F-05CC-4FC0-8C5C-B00169E674B3-224-0000001B63EFCC83_zpse069cf9a.jpg

Sorry about the photos.
 
I've had one like this. Problem was that the anchor shaft was so long and wide it got stuck when pulled completely in.

Solution was to drill a hole in the anchor shaft, make threads and put a stainless bolt in (only the head sticking out). That prevented it from getting it too far in and both solved the launch problem and made stow easier.
 
SpottyDog5 said:
Paul, thank you for your very concise post, I was thinking of fabricating the hinged part exactly as you described. :)
Click to expand...

You're welcome. The one you bought is about what i was describing. Looks like the roller pins are riveted, if you use it, i'd drill the top (smooth roller) pin out and fit a stainless pin with those keyring type things through a hole in each end. Otherwise, it's a pain if you need to quickly lift the anchor off.
 
PaulGooch said:
You're welcome. The one you bought is about what i was describing. Looks like the roller pins are riveted, if you use it, i'd drill the top (smooth roller) pin out and fit a stainless pin with those keyring type things through a hole in each end. Otherwise, it's a pain if you need to quickly lift the anchor off.
Click to expand...

Great advice, cheers.
 
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