Mounds of anchor chain

[BlueSkyNick]

Standard process for weighing anchor, with just two of us on board:

Me on foredeck cranking away on the manky old windlass, SWMBO at wheel obeying my sign language to control the boat. All goes well until I have brought up a quantity of chain which has formed in a pile in the locker below, such that no more will drop through the hawse.

Sometimes I am lucky and manage to waggle the chain enough to make some of it slide off the pile and create more room. Otherwise, I have to decide to instruct SWMBO to go into the forepeak, open the chain locker and give the whole lot a shove with the boat hook. More likely, I make a dash for it myself, give it a good poke and dash back. This is Ok in calm conditions, and/or with plenty of space around, but in a crowded anchorage and a risk of dragging, I am concerned about ending up in a real 'two-'n'-eight'.

What is the recommended technique to deal with this in a controlled and safe manner?

<hr width=100% size=1>I'm average size, Its just that everybody else is short.

 

[Sybarite]

Often thought about that. Could you mold an opening anchor locker?

John

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[Goldie]

I stick a stout piece of dowel down the 'ole to capsize the mound. It works for me!

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[Twister_Ken]

Open access hatch to chain locker before weighing, and crack forehatch open. Keep boathook by your side as you wind it in. When it jams, open forehatch and give the pile a good old prod withthe boathook. Works as long as there's a straight line between you and chain locker.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[Mirelle]

Good one; this is better...

I have a highly trained 9 year old boy!

Seriously, I have no possible excuse as I designed my own chain locker and I forgot to make it self-stowing.

I find, however, that if I stop winding in when the 15 fathom mark is on the gypsy, go below and pull the chain back into the after corners of its locker, I can then wind in the last 15 fathoms non-stop, and since I seldom anchor in 15 fathoms this works pretty well - it gives me a breather as well!

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[TheBoatman]

Ever thought of knocking off an abandoned road cone, placed inside the locker the chain should flake itself out to the sides? Also its strong, so won't colapse under the weight, plastic so it won't rust.
Another satisfied customer<s>.

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[alanporter]

When it is urgent to get the anchor up and get underway quickly, I haul my chain up by hand and guide it into a crate lashed to the foredeck. Once underway, when I have more time, I hawse the chain by hand down the pipe into the chainlocker. I have had several instances where the chain has become bunched up in the pipe and created an (almost) panic situation.

<hr width=100% size=1>Alan Porter

 

[Dominic]

A Different Approach

Why not teach SWMBO to hold the boat steady in position while you sort out the chain in a leisurely fashion.

That´s how we do it and with the same chain stowage problem as you.

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[webcraft]

I like the sound of this - am on the look-out now for a suitable 'poker'

- Nick

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bluemoment.com>http://www.bluemoment.com</A></font size=1>

 

[boatless]

I've got a 7 year old boy that you can borrow. He steers well too.

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Thanks for all the suggestions. The hatch is too small to get a traffic cone through, and I have no intention of creating any more young boys to do the job - 2 was enough thank you. One comes with us sometimes, so the anchor chain is not an issue when he is on board.

As Twister Ken will be with us this weekend, I shall look forward to a demonstration of the boat-hook=through-the-hatch technique, although I hope we won't need to anchor in Cherbourg. Look here next week for piccies!

Otherwise the stiff dowel and teaching SWMBO to helm properly seem like the best way forward.

<hr width=100% size=1>I'm average size, Its just that everybody else is short.

 

[bobnewbury]

Brilliant!

Why didn't I think of that?

There's me been trying to make one out of wood.

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[bobnewbury]

Do you have to tie a piece of string round his ankle so you can retrieve him?

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[John_Clarke]

I had the same problem and got tired of having go below to push the heap over. I have fitted a strong circular access plate in the deck just large enough to get my arm in. I unscrew this before starting to haul in the chain.

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[DeeGee]

Re: Brilliant!

I am reliably informed that the road cone is not the answer to a maiden's prayer... it is too sharp... a large beach-ball, in my case about a 18" diameter, is the true answer TAMP.

;-)

<hr width=100% size=1>Black Sugar - the sweetest of all