Integrating a chain stopper into the bow roller

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BabaYaga

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I posted about my plans for such a project in another forumite's thread last summer.

Home-made chain stopper

This spring I finally got around to having it made and now I have been using it for half a season. And so far it has been working really well and I find it being a useful addition to the bow roller (I retrieve by hand, no windlass, a mixed rode made up of 8mm chain and 14mm multi plait nylon).

A chain stopper is more commonly a separate item, installed some distance aft of the bow roller. Which means it does not usually come into contact with the anchor shank. For a chain stopper integrated into the roller, the design will have to be different in order to allow the shank to pass. In other words the hinge of the pawl must be tall enough.
In this design the pawl can be flipped up 180 degrees so that it doesn't bear on the rode when hauling the rope section.


integrated%20stopper.jpg
 
I would think for anyone hand retrieving 8mm, or larger, an essential component. I have seen chain stoppers integral with the bow roller, not unusual, but I think commonly custom made.

My only concern would be:

Your chain stopper is your fall back if the snubber fails - you will thus engage it every time you anchor. Snubbers are consumables and impossible to know when they will fail (sometimes its obvious they are frayed, sometimes they just fail). Is the bow roller itself adequate to resist the forces if the snubber fails. I might still use a short strop attached to the chain and then to a strong point (rather than use the chain stopper if you are unsure) as your fall back. Replacing or repairing that bow roller will not be cheap - and I do see bent bow rollers. But as a chain stopper to retain the chain under 'normal' loads - looks fit for purpose.

Jonathan
 
Neeves said:
My only concern would be:

Your chain stopper is your fall back if the snubber fails - you will thus engage it every time you anchor. Snubbers are consumables and impossible to know when they will fail (sometimes its obvious they are frayed, sometimes they just fail). Is the bow roller itself adequate to resist the forces if the snubber fails. I might still use a short strop attached to the chain and then to a strong point (rather than use the chain stopper if you are unsure) as your fall back. Replacing or repairing that bow roller will not be cheap - and I do see bent bow rollers. But as a chain stopper to retain the chain under 'normal' loads - looks fit for purpose.

Jonathan
Click to expand...

I see your point.
In my case though, the chain section of the rode is fairly modest and I will be on rope in situations when a snubber would normally be used.
I am not sure, if I was using a snubber, that I would engage the stopper to hold the chain. Anyway, the main purpose for me is to use it when retrieving.
 
I've seen people use a pin through stemhead fitting to secure chain ... and then have serious problem releasing it.

I thought of using a hinged 'tongue' to go in a link ... but backed off because of the small size meeded.

I considered getting hold of a naval pipe plate that closes of the pipe ... to hinge similar to OP's ... but never got round to it.
 
Baba, I was not being critical - just raising a flag.

I actually think you might be underselling what you have achieved. It came up on another thread recently, but I forget why. You appear to have incorporated some sort of polymer devices at the top of the bow roller to stop the anchor wobbling when at sea. The simple ideas are the best ones.

I wish more people documented their ideas as you have done.

Jonathan
 
Neeves said:
Baba, I was not being critical - just raising a flag.

I actually think you might be underselling what you have achieved. It came up on another thread recently, but I forget why. You appear to have incorporated some sort of polymer devices at the top of the bow roller to stop the anchor wobbling when at sea. The simple ideas are the best ones.

I wish more people documented their ideas as you have done.

Jonathan
Click to expand...
I took those 'polymer devices' to be rubber doorstops.
 
Are there any drawbacks with this type?
I am thinking of it being used solely to allow you to 'take a breather' when hauling in by hand, and not as a substitute for belaying he chain round the sampson post and using a snubber.
1667992085746.png
 
I don’t see why something like that could not be designed, if indeed it isn’t already, to securely hold peak loads in an anchor rode. I would imagine the tricky part is making sure the deck fastening is sufficiently secure. It would be interesting to see a more detailed drawing/picture of the design.

edit

i don’t think I would trust that particular design (based only on what I can see in the photo) to hold me at anchor. But looks fine for what you want. Just make sure you or your crew don’t place more faith in it than the SWL (if it has one).
 
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Poignard said:
Are there any drawbacks with this type?
Click to expand...

Not if there is a convenient spot to put it, where it does not interfere with the anchor shank.
Although, if like me you have a mixed rode, you would perhaps not like to pull the rope section through it? Also, a thimble at the rope/chain connection would not pass through. So perhaps it is most suitable for all-chain rodes.
 
Very clever, and brilliant as a hoisting tool on a smaller boat.

Let's consider the issue of stress on the bow sprit.

Most anchors that have been bent and bowsprit damage does not occur at anchor, but rather horsing out a stuck anchor. At least that has been my observation. In that case, the load is vertical or slightly to the side. The vertical load on the sprit is the same either way. If the stopper is back on deck, there is also a compression load from the chain to the stopper. In other words, the stopper actually reduces the compression load on the sprit and reduces the buckling stress, which is the same reason halyard locks are sometimes used.

A stopper on deck would actually impose greater stress on the sprit when breaking out the anchor, but less when anchored. Interesting.

The only other downside is that it is harder to reach, but the upside is that it keeps a small foredeck clear.

Neat. :)
 
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