raising a 14kg Brittany anchor manually

[sthurley]

The boat is a dufour 30 classic 2002. Thanks for all the input so far. The anchor does not stow very well on the roller and the shank sits over the chain locker hatch. Not sure what the builders were thinking when designing this part of the boat as the hatch will need to be cut to install a windless. Regarding the physical hauling in of the chain, I am 40 and fit so no drama there, its the lifting out and lifting back in of the anchor that is the stressful bit, trying not to gauge the gel coat with the sharp tangs! I will have to practice and possibly use a fender during launch and recovery to keep the anchor away from the bow, there are posh bow fenders available for this but that's money better spent towards a windless at some stage. The width of the roller makes it awkward to stow the anchor as the required shackle is too wide, so will have to do something here, it is also not drilled out for a drop pin, another mod required! Keep the suggestions coming especially if you have the same boat as me or have seen one in the marina, would be useful to know how they have overcome the issue.

 

[2nd_apprentice]

You could use Treadmaster to protect both bow and deck, as suggested in PBO. It won't come of easily if you ever change your mind though!

 

[Concerto]

If the anchor is bit hard in the seabed, you might find one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400706820736?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT attached to a halyard a godsend. Also useful if you are all chain to stop the grinding sound on the bow roller.

Again for helping get the anchor inboard think of using a rope support (possibly a halyard) to take part of the weight.

 

[Daydream believer]

To raise the anchor single handed I use a tripping line which is long enough to reach the cockpit winch
I get as much line or chain in as I can by just pulling so the anchor is just holding
I then winch the tripping line which gets the anchor up near the bow but just below the waterline ( a knot in the tripping line tells me when)
I can then get the chain ( or rope & chain) in Ok & the last bit pulls the anchor round & up & over the bow roller
With a crew it is easy as one can winch the tripping line ( & be near the helm) whilst the other just pulls the chain in which is fairly easy as it only has half a bight & no anchor to pull except the last 4 feet
The trick is to get the tripping line the same ( or very slightly more) than the amount of rode you have set otherwise if it is too long the tripping line ends up round the keel
If you link the tripping line with ties to the rode it stops one from pulling up the bight & causes a big knot of chain