Securing the anchor

[geem]

Saw this on a tourist boat today. Pretty tidy solution to keeping the anchor secure. Thought somebody might find the idea useful

 

[Poignard]

Looks a better gadget than the length of line I use.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Looks a better gadget than the length of line I use.

Looks a considerably more expensive gadget too. I will stick with my 6mm cord backing up a quick release shackle to a deck u bolt

 

[Laminar Flow]

I can see how it could stop the anchor from rattling, but I'm not at all certain how effective it would be at keeping the anchor inboard.
Evidently the owner has similar concerns, as there appears to be a strop added to stop it from self-launching.

On my set-up there is a convenient, factory-made hole in my anchor through which I can install a drop nose pin that keeps it all in place, providing of course that I don't drop the said pin over the side.

 

[Poignard]

I can see how it could stop the anchor from rattling, but I'm not at all certain how effective it would be at keeping the anchor inboard.
Evidently the owner has similar concerns, as there appears to be a strop added to stop it from self-launching.

On my set-up there is a convenient, factory-made hole in my anchor through which I can install a drop nose pin that keeps it all in place, providing of course that I don't drop the said pin over the side.

And provided it doesn't get bent

I seem to remember a post on here years ago where that had happened to someone.

 

[Poignard]

OK to drill a hole through anchor?

 

[Laminar Flow]

OK to drill a hole through anchor?

Step back from that thread and keep your hands where we can see them!

My anchor came with a hole, I neither added nor subtracted.

 

[Pete7]

OK to drill a hole through anchor?

Well I did straight through a 10 kgs Delta. Took some drilling at work on a big machine because the pin wanted something like a 12mm hole and I wanted a bit of clearance too in case my marks were slightly off. 15mm it was. A dab of silver paint and job done. Anchor since upgraded to a Rocna Vulcan but given the price of the thing there is no way I am drilling that. Dread getting it stuck, perhaps keep it on the bow for best and have a manky old CQR copy for chucking over board

 

[Neeves]

Anchor makers spend hours, or should spend hours, ensuring that the loads on the shaft are evenly distributed. If it were to bend it would then bend evenly. This is why shanks taper from the crown to the shackle hole (excepting a Guardian which is just one long lump of aluminium). They then use, expensive, high tensile steel of some form or other to ensure the shank does not bend. You pay for the engineering and the integrity of the shank (and possibly complain at the cost of the anchor, see Pete's post No 8).

You then want to drill a hole in the shank

Beggars belief.

You don't cut a hole in your head sail to allow a better view forward nor a hole in your hull to check that the prop is folded - why is it acceptable to cut a hole in the shank of your anchor

Most shanks have at least 2 holes near the crown (Spade have as hole in the fluke, Excel has a brace under the fluke) , plus the shackle hole - why you cannot use your imagination and simply lash the anchor to the bow roller is only a question you can answer.

We simply use the strop that is the back-up when the anchor is deployed to secure the anchor on the bow roller and stop it wobbling when at sea.

The excellent photos on Geems opening post show what looks to be a very over engineered solution and expensive answer to a very simple problem. I hope they do not invest in an even better anchor - as it may not fit.

For Laminar - a short length of dyneema, or some 2mm stainless chain if you are fussy, will ensure that when you drop your drop nosed pin it will not fall far - attach and you can relax.

Take care, stay safe

Jonathan

Edit

To add to the investment in the shank Rocna, Excel, Spade, Supreme, (anecdotally) Knox, Epsilon, Fortress, Ultra, etc (apologies if I have missed some) have allowed their anchors to be subjected to a Proof Test (which stresses the shank) in order to be awarded SHHP accreditation. The hole you drill may negate the results of that test - but 'Hey!' you've paid for it and the rest of us should be grateful for your generosity (or these anchors would be even more expensive).

Proof Test.

The anchor is secured at the fluke and at the shackle point. The anchor is then stressed, pulled apart. If the shank did not cut the mustard it would buckle (though the test was originally, I believe, instituted to test the integrity of the joint (crown) between shank and fluke.

close edit

 

[Poignard]

Well I did straight through a 10 kgs Delta. Took some drilling at work on a big machine because the pin wanted something like a 12mm hole and I wanted a bit of clearance too in case my marks were slightly off. 15mm it was. A dab of silver paint and job done. Anchor since upgraded to a Rocna Vulcan but given the price of the thing there is no way I am drilling that. Dread getting it stuck, perhaps keep it on the bow for best and have a manky old CQR copy for chucking over board

My bow roller is pathetic. The cheeks aren't high enough to allow of drilling.

 

[johnalison]

Our anchor sits quite happily on its roller with a lanyard tying down the shackle to a block on the foredeck. Cost - 1p.

 

[zoidberg]

[QUOTE="Laminar Flow, post: 7844634, member: 177396

On my set-up there is a convenient, factory-made hole in my anchor through which I can install a drop nose pin that keeps it all in place, providing of course that I don't drop the said pin over the side.
[/QUOTE]

A short length of dyneema or nylon cord with a sea-angler's swivel will sort that.
You can usually collect a few FOC if you sail close past the end of most harbour walls....

 

[vic008]

Anyone got photos of neat teak deck chocks to allow a plough to lie on the deck please.

 

[Pete7]

You then want to drill a hole in the shank

Beggars belief.

It worked, what's the problem. Also have you seen how much steel there is in a Delta shank, I know, I drilled one

 

[LadyInBed]

I'm in the lanyard group. Cheap, easy and does the job.

 

[Neeves]

It worked, what's the problem. Also have you seen how much steel there is in a Delta shank, I know, I drilled one

I'm surprised you asked.

There was plenty of steel in some Rocna shanks - they bent.....? In the grand scheme of things - not many Rocna anchors actually bent - but a good few would have bent (had they not been replaced).

Its a good shank - but not a particularly good anchor, technology has moved forward.

The fact it worked does not mean it did not reduce the integrity of the shank. The fact your shank did not bend does not mean it might not bend - just you did not stress it enough.

Your solution and integrity are 2 separate issues.

Too many of us use a short strop worth 'pennies', it does the job - what's not to like.

Take care, stay safe

Jonathan

 

[Neeves]

We have tried a number of ways to secure an anchor on a bow roller.

These are 2 of them.

On the left we use a simple chain hook on the chain retained by a short dyneema strop. We use the same strop and hook when the anchor is deployed. In both cases the tension is released on the windlass.

In the centre is a variation of a wobble plate. In this case the plate fits over the chain, rather than the shank. If it fits over the shank the centre slot would need to be bigger (obviously) and the plate then stops the anchor wobbling on the bow roller (causing wear of a polymer roller). When the anchor is deployed the plate sits against the roller itself. This simply illustrated how it would be used on passage. The thin nylon cord is to ensure it cannot fall far if inadvertently dropped. Plate needs to be cut to fit YOUR bow roller. Our bow roller is a bit unusual, in monohull terms, but fairly common for a cat. Anyone with an iota of imagination could modify for their bow roller. The plate is cut from 2205 aluminium alloy (roughly, actually exactly, the same strength as the shank). Currently the plate design is a developmental project.

The anchor shackle is a rated 2t (WLL) x 3/8th" shackle.

This is another way of securing the anchor, or at least the chain.

We have a piece of threaded stainless rod, Loctite nut at one end, that passes through the roller (the roller is structural) using holes already part of the 'U' section. The rod passes through a chain links. We have discarded this idea - mainly because the rod is only 316 and might bend (find some hard drawn stainless of the correct size - that would work (but you would need to thread the ends). We are using the same strop and hook - different arrangement from the above.



There are many ways to skin a cat but none of them demand reducing the integrity of a critical component. Most of them require no great skill, no heavy duty machinery and little money.

Jonathan

 

[Pete7]

I'm in the lanyard group. Cheap, easy and does the job.

I found the original Rocna with the roll bar could be secured nicely by tension on the chain and the bow roller in the crook of the anchor shank. The later Vulcan is different. This has a more gentle curve to the shank and it wobbled not only side to side, but up and down. The solution we have is to keep it in the anchor locker. Lifting a 12Kg anchor out is easy enough and means we don't have to rely on multiple metal plates and bits of string. The Vulcan is actually shorter which helps.

 

[Neeves]

I found the original Rocna with the roll bar could be secured nicely by tension on the chain and the bow roller in the crook of the anchor shank. The later Vulcan is different. This has a more gentle curve to the shank and it wobbled not only side to side, but up and down. The solution we have is to keep it in the anchor locker. Lifting a 12Kg anchor out is easy enough and means we don't have to rely on multiple metal plates and bits of string. The Vulcan is actually shorter which helps.

Keeping the anchor under tension from the windlass - will not do the windlass any good.

I think every windlass maker says ensure that the windlass is not subject to unnecessary stress. Keeping the rode under tension on the bow roller 24/7 seems to contradict it that recommendation.

Tie the anchor with a few pennies worth of rope (oversized string?) and release the tension on the windlass - simples

What's not to like

Jonathan

 

[geem]

I can see how it could stop the anchor from rattling, but I'm not at all certain how effective it would be at keeping the anchor inboard.
Evidently the owner has similar concerns, as there appears to be a strop added to stop it from self-launching.

On my set-up there is a convenient, factory-made hole in my anchor through which I can install a drop nose pin that keeps it all in place, providing of course that I don't drop the said pin over the side.

Friends with a Rocna do exactly that. Bashing through seas on trip from Curacao to Guadeloupe with a couple of days hard on the wind in 30kts, the pin bent to the extent that they couldn’t deploy the anchor. It took an angle grinder to cut the pin off. I assumed they had used an undersized pin but they hadn't.