Resurrecting an angel

BlowingOldBoots said:
Why then do ships have procedures for motoring ahead when at anchor in strong winds to stop them dragging backwards? Why are some drilling rigs anchored with fibre rope or wire rope which is significantly lighter than chain?
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If you really want an anchor thread, why not start one yourself?
 
Thanks for all of these responses. I will certainly use some of them and I look forward to using the end product.
Whilst I appreciate all of the technical arguments for and against an angel I will add my own - this one makes me smile.
Kind regards to all.
 
* Weight does help, particularly in moderate (not full storm) weather and in deeper (over 3 meters) water. However, if you are already using chain, it is MUCH easier to deploy another 3-5 meters of chain, which will add the weight AND add scope. A kellet that weighs more than 5 meters of chain is asking for a back injury IMO. I can't imaging 4 meters ever making a fatal change in my swing circle. Could be.
* Rope is a different animal. A kellet can be very useful for keeping the rope off the keel and swinging like other boats, but that is a different discussion. Even then, I prefer a loop of chain on the rode, as it is MUCH easy to recover over the rollers (back injury potential avoided).
* Comparing ship anchoring to yacht anchoring is like discussing the sea keeping of rubber duckies; there are lessons to be learned, but direct parallels are are made difficult by the 1000-fold difference in the forces involved. You can Google up lots of studies regarding ship anchoring, and they are fun to read, but the rules and needs are very, very different. Same with platforms (always multiple anchors).
*Fortress is one of the few anchors that displays real short scope performance (resist upward pull). I did test of 6 anchors last year, at declining scope. There were two groups; Fortress, and everyone else.
 
doraymefa said:
How should I set about bringing this rather wonderful angel or chum back to its former glory? It is inscribed with the words: Chum Frank Gibson Gorgie Edinburgh.
The metal is mostly iron I presume and there is a lead ingot.
I will be able to grind off the old shackles and replace with new but how should I approach refurbishing the main parts?
Thanks, Doraymefa.
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I think it looks fine as it is. It will make a curious garden ornament.
You could use phosphoric acid on the rust bits or maybe just rub off the white corrosion with a non-scratch scourer.

I wouldn't use that on my anchor rode, I don't want complication, tangles or corroded metal rubbing away at the rode.

I am a great believer in 'kellets', they have worked really well on several occasions for me on boats with mostly rope rodes. I prefer to just tie a big lump of lead say 10m down the rode. I have found this can give a useful damping of the motion in some anchorages and conditions as well as improving holding. If you're ever anchored where some swell is jerking the boat and spilling your coffee or worse, it's worth a try, you might find it helps.

Recovery is no big strain on my back (or so-called msucles!) as I'm never lifting the kellet and the chain and anchor at the sae time, the kellet is aboard before the chain comes off the seabed.
 
Here is the resurrected angel, shotblasted, galvanised, greased and reassembled. I had some fun finding a die for the thread of the central eye-bolt a helpful engineer worked out that the thread is 1/2 inch Whitworth and the job was quickly done. By repeatedly sliding the finished article along the chain,like one of those diabolo child toys, the surface has become smooth and will not cause warp to fray. I will mouse all shackles when used in anger.
Thanks for all the advice.Before.jpegAfter.jpg
 
doraymefa said:
Here is the resurrected angel, shotblasted, galvanised, greased and reassembled. I had some fun finding a die for the thread of the central eye-bolt a helpful engineer worked out that the thread is 1/2 inch Whitworth and the job was quickly done. By repeatedly sliding the finished article along the chain,like one of those diabolo child toys, the surface has become smooth and will not cause warp to fray. I will mouse all shackles when used in anger.
Thanks for all the advice.View attachment 78157View attachment 78160
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As a custodian of an identical one, I'm most impressed. I dinly recall from a Yachting Monthly test of anchor weights in which these featured that up to three or four lead "biscuits" can be added to the stem.
 
It all seems quite elaborate compared to hauling in a few metres of rode, tying on my lump of lead and letting it out again.
Or is there some great benefit in being able to adjust where the weight goes?
Are these things prone to orbiting the rode and wrapping the angel line around the rode if it gets rough?
 
An advantage of this design is the complete stability of the setup: when holding the handle the jaw is open, when released the jaw closes.
Sadly I only have one biscuit but it would be easy to add more weight if required.
 
lw395 said:
It all seems quite elaborate compared to hauling in a few metres of rode, tying on my lump of lead and letting it out again.
Or is there some great benefit in being able to adjust where the weight goes?
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I usually have mine just lifting off the bottom, or just on the bottom in a lull, if you see what I mean.


lw395 said:
Are these things prone to orbiting the rode and wrapping the angel line around the rode if it gets rough?
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Mine doesn't - I used to have a much smaller fitting that did - but these are sizeable, and there seems to be ample clearance.
 
When you really want it to help, the rode is a straight line between boat and anchor so the weight doesn't help the anchor to hold. I suppose it may cut out a bit of snatching at less extreme conditions but the stretchy rope does that anyway.
webcraft said:
An angel works by lowering the angle of the rode at the section closest to the anchor, thus improving holding. It is a viable alternative to letting out more chain, and is pretty obviously going to work up to the point where the wind strength is sufficient ot extend the chain in a straight line even with the weight of the angel on it.

Very basic physics/trigonometry, why do you claim there is no benefit to be derived?

- W
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ghostlymoron said:
When you really want it to help, the rode is a straight line between boat and anchor so the weight doesn't help the anchor to hold. I suppose it may cut out a bit of snatching at less extreme conditions but the stretchy rope does that anyway.
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If the damping effect reduces the peak load, it may help the anchor hold.
I agree that stretchy rope helps a great deal too.

It's something to try if you're in a slightly lumpy anchorage IME.
Definitely good when the winds going round in circles and there's not much current, if you have a mostly rope rode.
 
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webcraft said:
An angel works by lowering the angle of the rode at the section closest to the anchor, thus improving holding. It is a viable alternative to letting out more chain, and is pretty obviously going to work up to the point where the wind strength is sufficient ot extend the chain in a straight line even with the weight of the angel on it.

Very basic physics/trigonometry, why do you claim there is no benefit to be derived?

- W
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That's one way of using it, but for best results in sensible conditions I've found having it so that it never reaches the seabed more useful in calming the motion of the boat. It also means when weighing anchor, the kellet is aboard before I'm lifting any chain or anchor off the seabed.
I don't really fancy having additional tangle-prone complication on the seabed.
 
doraymefa said:
Here is the resurrected angel, shotblasted, galvanised, greased and reassembled. I had some fun finding a die for the thread of the central eye-bolt a helpful engineer worked out that the thread is 1/2 inch Whitworth and the job was quickly done. By repeatedly sliding the finished article along the chain,like one of those diabolo child toys, the surface has become smooth and will not cause warp to fray. I will mouse all shackles when used in anger.
Thanks for all the advice.View attachment 78157View attachment 78160
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I apologise for being contrary but it is an anchor thread. Anchor threads are full of imprecise and subjective comment - so this is par for the course.

After all the effort you have invested to develop a thing, almost of beauty, I simply would not want it anywhere near salt water, nor towed around over an abrasive seabed. It is a stunning conversation piece and could invoke much interesting discussion - and as such will be more useful than its intended purpose.

If you want security at anchor, get a decent anchor (or 2). appropriate chain and a decent snubber.

Jonathan
 
Neeves said:
I apologise for being contrary but it is an anchor thread. Anchor threads are full of imprecise and subjective comment - so this is par for the course.

After all the effort you have invested to develop a thing, almost of beauty, I simply would not want it anywhere near salt water, nor towed around over an abrasive seabed. It is a stunning conversation piece and could invoke much interesting discussion - and as such will be more useful than its intended purpose.

If you want security at anchor, get a decent anchor (or 2). appropriate chain and a decent snubber.

Jonathan
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See post #2 �� Edit. Why, when I posted an emoticon provided by the software, does it appear as two question marks?
 
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