Stowing a sword anchor

[bumblefish]

I have just taken delivery of a sword anchor. My Elizabethan 30 has a single bow roller and quite a low furling drum. I was thinking about stowing the sword over the single roller and lashing it down, possibly through the second hole in the shank, about a third of the shank will be over the bow, I think that is OK. But where can I get a suitable deck fitting to secure the proximal end?

 

[cliff]

[ QUOTE ]
But where can I get a suitable deck fitting to secure the proximal end?

[/ QUOTE ]And there you go using these medical terms - proximal and distal....

All you need is a "U" bracket screwed/bolted to the dec or if like me a piece of rope lashed across the deck from the pushpit stantions to hold the "proximal" end down. (the end nearest the chain).

Have a look at any of the online swindeleries or make your own out of a piece of 3mm (or 1/8") ss strip.
--------------------

"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>

 

[duncan]

difficult to tell without a picture!

I use a D shackle through the spare hole in the stock, which is in turn attached to a length of line and this is led to a (handly) cleat - all to secure it when stowed.

which size did you get?

look forward to hearing how you get on with it.

 

[kds]

" about a third of the shank will be over the bow,"

I have an Ocean anchor (earlier version of sword) which extended forward like this. My 29' trintella has a long bow and I found the anchor was hit hard by waves in certain conditions, so I had to remove it.
Ken

 

[bumblefish]

I had a chat with the vendors and we decided the 10kg would be right, I will drop it, hopefully attached, at the earliest moment and feed back.

 

[bumblefish]

That was one of my concerns, where did you stow it and was it easy?

 

[kds]

I have not solved the stowage problem - plan to have another go this Winter. I stow a fortress on its side over the bow at the moment.
Ken

 

[duncan]

hopefully attached! love it!

I have used a 10kg through this season and so far so good! It certainly gives a reasuringly solid 'lock' on setting and I am now into the winter fishing mode where it gets tested in deep water and inevitably shorter scopes with the boat pitching up and down all day in the swells - again so far so good. The delta used to move a bit through gravel under these conditions where this hasn't (yet).

 

[srm]

I have the 16 kg Oceane and it is the most difficult anchor to stow on a roller - eventually found a way with a 100mm square block of wood to lift shank off the roller, but the point kept jamming under the bridge deck when raising and lowering it. Also, caused some damage to the sacrificial wood pad under the roller when the fluke was hit hard by a wave driving the sharp point into the hull.

Don't think this bow roller stowage would have worked on a mono unless bow roller and stem had a long overhang.

I also have a light rope from the trip line hole which was used to hold the end on the anchor up to the pulpit rail when stowed.

Then last October while recovering the anchor I solved the problem. Using the line from the trip line hole I pulled the anchor onto the deck under the pulpit rail - it just fits. Anchor now lies with the side of the fluke on deck and the shank outboard but with end held close to bow roller by the chain. Next step is to make a wooden chock to protect the deck from the edge of the fluke and lashing eyes. Its quite quick and easy to slide the anchor over the deck edge and lower it by the line so that it is hanging from the stem ready to lower -it has to be as I work the boat single handed. Recovery needs a small boat hook to catch the light line, then anchor is lifted backwards to deck edge and fluke slid under pulpit, nothing for the point to dig into this way round. Again quite quick.

Its worth the little extra effort as the anchor is the best I have used in over 30 years of cruising, digging in to sand almost instantly and with a large fluke area giving good holding power for its weight. Incidentally the fluke is significantly larger than that of the same weight Spade anchor.

Have fun.

 

[bumblefish]

Any chance of a picture?