How much anchor rode on West Coast?

CFarr

CFarr

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I've chartered many times off the West Coast of Scotland and no charter yacht has ever had more than 60m of chain and that was on a Bav 47.
More usually there's been 40m or 50m of 8mm.

Now I have my own boat and am installing a windlass and so need to buy new chain.
I thought I'd have 40m of 8mm plus 20m of warp (yacht is 36ft) so that most of the time I'd be lying to chain with the rope in reserve.

When mentioned to the chandler he remarked that 60m would almost be a waste of time and that I'd struggle to reach the bottom in a lot of places!

What would be the opinion of you West Coasters?
I really want to limit the weight as much as poss so don't want to go OTT just for the sake of it.

Cheers
 
Been cruising in Scotland (and a bit beyond) in 33' - 36' boats for 30 years+, with 60M 8mm chain. Never needed more, however have used heaver than usually recommended anchors and also use a "chum" when necessary
 
Anchoring in 10 to 15 m is common, so 60 m of chain should be fine. I would increase the warp length to 40m though as 20 m is really not going to increase the effective rode that much. You will need it for a deep water anchor in Tobermory, for example.
 
The designated anchoring space at Tobermory is along the shore, inshore of the moorings and it is about 10 -15m there, with deeep water right in to the trees, just below the waterfall is restful and has some interesting sea birds nesting on the cliff, short row to the pontoon as well. Before THA cleared this space inshore I did my back in trying to recover in 50m. not that far out and that was before the moorings spread eastwards; unlike at Canna the moorings at Tob. are placed to make anchoring easier for those who still like to do it, very popular during WHYW when all the berths are taken.
I agree that 60m. with as long a warp as you have room for is a good compromise between security and carrying too much weight in the front end.
 
Anchored in a lot of the recognised west coast anchorages over a 25 year period in our last boat (31') and never felt we needed more than the 50m (3/8") we carried. Now have a 36 footer and am happy with 70m (also 3/8") and we rarely lay more than 50m. Have always meant to splice some rope on but have never got round to it ! No matter which direction or strength of the wind we have always found some shelter with good holding in under 10m (apart from Tobermory as mentioned so if no visitors moorings available we just go over to Drumbuie)
 
I have 30m - a mid-season and unbudgetted purchase after my previous chain snapped. With a bit more notice I'd have saved up for 50m, but it hasn't been unduly restrictive. I only draw a little over 1m, so tend to sneak into shallowish places. I have a full drum of plaited warp to add if necessary, but have never used it. I think there is 50m there.
 
West Coast said:
Been cruising in Scotland (and a bit beyond) in 33' - 36' boats for 30 years+, with 60M 8mm chain. Never needed more, however have used heaver than usually recommended anchors and also use a "chum" when necessary
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I carry 60m on my 28' boat and most of my cruising is up the West Coast of Scotland. I have never needed to put it all out yet and I like anchoring. I mostly go as shallow as the tide tables allow and drop the hook in 5-6m water although there are places where that is more like 10-20. I use a snubber and a new-gen anchor (prev a CQR copy) but don't use a chum. I always thought a chum was an odd idea as it is just some metal and since that is what the chain is made of there is no need. Either put out more chain or, if in confined space, stick a shackle on to make a loop of chain which will act as chum. I suppose if you regularly anchor at your maximum scope it might be useful but I value my finger nails too much to have any more heavy objects to squeeze through the pullpit.
 
I have a CQR with 40m on my 27' Vega and have rarely used the full scope in 25+ years.
I usually anchor in around 4-5m.

There are a few places where more chain might be appreciated, such as
- SE corner of LochAline in a strong southerly (because it's steep-to and there are few options)
- Garvellachs (because of the smooth rock bottom)
 
agurney said:
I have a CQR with 40m on my 27' Vega and have rarely used the full scope in 25+ years.
I usually anchor in around 4-5m.

There are a few places where more chain might be appreciated, such as
- SE corner of LochAline in a strong southerly (because it's steep-to and there are few options)
- Garvellachs (because of the smooth rock bottom)
Click to expand...

The heads of both Loch Striven and Loch Goil are affy deep and steep.
 
awol said:
Whit! They both dry at low tide. And anyway, why would you want to go to the head of Loch Striven, there's no even a pub.
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OK, I'll rephrase that. They are both affy deep or no' even there at low tide. The visitors' mooring I picked up at Lochgoilhead a couple of years ago was in 30m, and it was one of the nearer to the pontoon. When I went to the head of Loch Striven I dropped the anchor in 5m and swung back over 20m. If the wind had gone round the other way I'd have been aground.

I went out of curiosity, by the way. Don't think I'll go again - nothing to do, and a surprisingly large amount of traffic grinding noising up the steep roads on each side.
 
JumbleDuck said:
The heads of both Loch Striven and Loch Goil are affy deep and steep.
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I assumed the OP was interested in further west than the Clyde.

The head of Loch Goil is full of small boat moorings in about 20 ft. of water; visitors rarely anchor there preferring to drop their hooks closer to the pub.

I've dived Loch Striven but never felt the urge to anchor there .. (at the risk of showing my age) are the oil tankers still parked there?
 
agurney said:
I assumed the OP was interested in further west than the Clyde.
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True, but glaciated valleys are much the same everywhere and I thought it might be worth pointing out that the Clyde has its deep bits too.

I've dived Loch Striven but never felt the urge to anchor there .. (at the risk of showing my age) are the oil tankers still parked there?
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Nothing there are the moment. I think the last mass occupation was a bunch of Maesk ships, but they went about three (?) years ago. I can remember it full of tankers in the 70s.
 
agurney said:
I have a CQR with 40m on my 27' Vega and have rarely used the full scope in 25+ years.
I usually anchor in around 4-5m.

There are a few places where more chain might be appreciated, such as
- SE corner of LochAline in a strong southerly (because it's steep-to and there are few options)
- Garvellachs (because of the smooth rock bottom)
Click to expand...

Same here. 40 meters chain plus 30 Mtrs or warp spliced on. I think I had 50 mtrs on my last boat and had it all out once.
 
wully1 said:
Same here. 40 meters chain plus 30 Mtrs or warp spliced on. I think I had 50 mtrs on my last boat and had it all out once.
Click to expand...

My last boat, a 21' Westerly, had 25 fathoms of 1/4" chain. I used it all once - anchored in the Sound Of Ulva as a F11 went past. Fun. The chain cut the surface of the water about 50' in front of the boat.
 
The Yachting Monthly video on anchoring by Skip Novak has a few telling points.... http://www.yachtingworld.com/news/536705/skip-novak-s-storm-sailing-part-10-anchoring

One might think that wind and weather in Southern Patagonia is hugely more severe than anything we get in the UK. Those who know Scottish waters will say "Think again!"

The wind conditions reported in the above video are of 35-40kts, with gusts in the night over 50kts. That's not in the least bit exceptional for the Scottish West and North coasts.
 
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