Kedge Anchor Storage

[BabaYaga]

I notice there is no chain on the anchor, which suggests several questions:
1. Chafe. I don't use chain on my kedge either (Fortress), but I do use a covered Dyneema chafe leader ~ 5 meters long. This protects against cutting while making it easier to handle. I gather wear has not been a problem? Do others here go with no-chain on the kedge and what is your experience? Setting and holding has no been a problem, but it is only used as a second anchor or for kedging, of course.
2. Plaited rope vs. 3-strand vs. double braid. I've been doing some testing, and the rank order re. chafe seems to be 3-strand is better than plaited, which is better than double braid. Thoughts?

I have used the same anchor line with no chain since 1985 , first to a fisherman type and from 2003 or so to the Spade. There are surprisingly few signs of chafe, but it should be noted that with this style of stern anchoring the anchor is usually set in sand or mud and, more importantly, once set and the line tightened there is very little movement.
The choice not to use chain was made purely for ease of handling (as was the choice of alloy over steel). Many here use a few meters of chain and then rope for their stern anchors. It is possible that such a set up would make an alloy anchor marginally more willing to set, especially on a short scope. I find this trade off acceptable and the Spade has rarely disappointed me.
The rope in the photo is 16mm multiplait polyester, which has become quite stiff over the years. It will now be retired for other purposes and replaced by a 14mm 12 strand braided line. Again, the choice is made from the perspective of ease of handling.

 

[thinwater]

I have used the same anchor line with no chain since 1985 , first to a fisherman type and from 2003 or so to the Spade. There are surprisingly few signs of chafe, but it should be noted that with this style of stern anchoring the anchor is usually set in sand or mud and, more importantly, once set and the line tightened there is very little movement.
The choice not to use chain was made purely for ease of handling (as was the choice of alloy over steel). Many here use a few meters of chain and then rope for their stern anchors. It is possible that such a set up would make an alloy anchor marginally more willing to set, especially on a short scope. I find this trade off acceptable and the Spade has rarely disappointed me.
The rope in the photo is 16mm multiplait polyester, which has become quite stiff over the years. It will now be retired for other purposes and replaced by a 14mm 12 strand braided line. Again, the choice is made from the perspective of ease of handling.

Thanks for the feedback. It mirrors my experience.

In point of fact, in very soft mud (where I normally used a Fortress) they set BETTER and faster with no chain. The reason, recognized by the maker, is that chain sinks the shank down into the mud under gravity before setting begins, farther than the flukes, creating an upwards angle on the fluke. In that configuration, even with mud palms, they can struggle to set. Normally, a Fortress is best set in mud with either no chain or high strength (light) chain with a light pull at short scope. Then let out full scope and set hard.

I wonder how arborist ropes would serve in this application (very tough rope made with a polyester cover and a nylon core, used in logging). The polyester cover gives it superior wear characteristics (logging is a tough business) and controls the stretch, while the nylon core allows it to absorb considerable energy (they use this rope to catch logs they are dropping from trees). It has 1/2 to 1/3 the stretch of nylon double braid, but 2-3 times the stretch of polyester. Such a rode should work for fore-aft anchoring, kedging, and normal anchoring.

 

[Pasarell]

I have a Fortress FX23 as my kedge and it has simply stood on the aft deck just inside the pushpit for the last year. It is attached to 10m of 8mm chain stored in an old offshore flare pack, with drain holes in the bottom, then to 50m of octoplait coiled and hanging from the pushpit. In the US a few weeks ago I bought a West Marine bracket to hang the Fortress on the pushpit rail. The bracket is adjustable for a range of anchors up to the FX23. Not fitted yet but will be good to have the anchor properly fixed.
I've not had to deploy the anchor in a hurry (yet) but simply a case of untying the rope from the pushpit and attaching to a cleat then throwing the anchor over the stern.