More chain, or warp?

In my old boat Ken, I had 25 metres of 10mm and connected another 25 metres with a good joining link and then got a bloke from the local custom bike builders who had a mobile welder to spot weld the joiner. It knackered the galvanising on that link, but I used to spray it occasionally with 'spray zinc' when it appeared out of the locker. Still good after 9 years and a lot of anchoring. It was a lot cheaper than new chain and I was skint at the time..:D
 
One advantage of chain that never seems to get mentioned is that it stows in much less space than the equivalent warp. Of course, it is also heavier, but for cruising types, I'd have thought that compact stowage was a bonus.
 
Oddly enough, we've just taken delivery of 50m of 8mm. This is to replace our existing bower setup of 30m of 8mm, connected to a further 5m of 10mm at the bitter end. The old chain is in serious need of regalvanising, and the rusty connector just does not look reliable.

As we quite often use the full 35m we felt it would be prudent to increase that to 50m. Our cruising area is mainly in the west of Scotland where we usually anchor in a minimum of 4-6m (chart datum), and very often in about 6-8m. Once the new chain is in the locker, I'll have a better idea as to whether there is room for (say) another 30m of octoplait to be spliced on. I'm not the greatest splicer in the world, and am unsure if the splice would fit through our existing chain pipe.

Having no experience of your cruising area, I don't know whether our arrangement would be suitable for you. Personally, I'd avoid a chain connector, and would be inclined to try your existing 30m chain with octoplait. It's also the cheapest option. ;-)

Incidentally, we use 10m of 10mm chain sliced to 30m of octoplait for the kedge, usually with a muckle great fisherman's anchor on the end. Seems to do the job well.
 
Twister_Ken said:
Boat has 30m of calibrated 8mm chain on the 15kg bower.

Should I add more (question reliability of anchor links), ditch the 30m and replace with 50 or 60m, or just splice some octoplait into the chain, and maybe buy a chum?
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What is the boat size and unless it is a lightweight floosy would you not prefer 10mm chain? In which case replace it all plus the gypsy. We had 50m of 10mm on our W33 and after that 60m of 10mm on our SL41. Chain stows easily, rope is a PITA and with 50 or 60m of chain you would rarely if ever need to add warp. You could keep the old 8mm chain for a kedge anchor.
 
Simply ask yourself which one will not chafe through when rubbed hard over rocks, coral, shingle or old shopping trolleys? That would be the one.

Oppo of mine recently weathered a full gale laying to 55 metres of chain in 5 metres of oggin. 50 odd foot yacht. He actually left a marina where cleats on pontoons were being ripped out.

For what its' worth, I have only used rope warp twice. Once was in Flores in the Azores, rowed out a kedge as it was well windy. Bow anchor didn't budge, kedge warp chafed.

Second was mid channel, kedged using bow anchor plus chain tied to every other bit of rope on board to get a bit of sleep.......well, actually it was to kedge during light wind/foul tide race to Guernsey! Worked after a fashion but neither the yacht or the rope belonged to me!

Hope this helps.
 
I'm sure joining links are fine, but would I sleep easily? Nah. I reckon in a lot of places I've been lucky enough to go to, there was always a good welder to be found, so a join gets done properly.

I'm just guessing that anyone who can do stainless would fit the bill??
 
More chain and use any rope for the second anchor, imo.
I have for example 50m on the primary plus another 50m lurking ready to be attached to it, plus several 100m of rope, 3 other anchors etc .This is irrespective of course of the arguments re holding power of extra chain vs rope.

This way you ensure enough chain on the bower plus a useful secondary anchor.

Btw on my 21 ft Corribee I cruised with 'your' 15kg bower and 30m of 6mm chain PLUS lots of string, secondary anchor etc. Did two fairly major hurricanes with that lot too btw, that killed a lot of yachts at the time.

I think 'Lightweight Floosie' might be lying about her true girth?

Don't forget the plastic pipe/old towels/duct tape if you are intending to go the rope route.
 
capnsensible said:
Second was mid channel, kedged using bow anchor plus chain tied to every other bit of rope on board to get a bit of sleep.......well, actually it was to kedge during light wind/foul tide race to Guernsey! Worked after a fashion but neither the yacht or the rope belonged to me!
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"Mid-Channel"? My God! In how much water? With ships about?
 
Weighty matters

Re Boo2

Lurking under the forward cabin sole, the 'theory' is that it can be attached to the bitter end of the main chain within the anchor locker and then payed out up through the hawsehole, winch etc..
Or lugged/slid aft on the dinghy bag to set up a second 'brown underwear' main anchor situation..All done by Armstrong's Patent lifting mechanism.. Yup its flippin heavy !
 
Twister_Ken said:
Boat has 30m of calibrated 8mm chain on the 15kg bower.

Should I add more (question reliability of anchor links), ditch the 30m and replace with 50 or 60m, or just splice some octoplait into the chain, and maybe buy a chum?
Click to expand...

Ken,
I think you were on the hard by C pontoon EYH?
FWIW, I've got about 40+m of galv calibrated 8mm from our old electric windlass in the back garden. It's in good nick for what might be original chain too
You can have the old S/L windlass too come to that if you can find a motor and get it to go ! that's with a pal on Hayling just now- electro-mech engr.

Now got Dave Urry's old S/L manual windlass and 10mm chain and gone off electrics in the chain locker and on pointy bit.
Coming down this Monday to EYH- worth putting the chain in the car for you?
 
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