Uncooperative Anchor...

AMCD300

AMCD300

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So we just completed our week sailing the Ionian Sea aboard a beautiful Bavaria 32N. Had a wonderful time and met some lovely people.

One thing we noticed, and which caused some frustration, is that almost every time we raised the CQR anchor it tried to come into the roller 'upside down' (i.e. the wrong way up). Indeed, one time it even jumped the roller altogether and I had to manually reset the chain. It also took a dint out of the gel coat...which was nice :mad:

I am pretty sure that it was brought up 'gently' and in a controlled way each time, but surprisingly it did not flip into place as it should, and as I have been used to it doing on all the other yachts I have sailed.

It was nothing to do with mud or weed on the blades as when this happened I got it clean before raising it, and yet most times it still flopped over the wrong way.

SWMBO got the the point that she would only bring the anchor up to the bottom of the roller before taking the helm to let me finish raising it...guiding it in by hand on most occasions (watching my fingers carefully mind you).

Is this common with CQRs, with Bavarias or was it just me?

Andy
 
AMCD300 said:
So we just completed our week sailing the Ionian Sea aboard a beautiful Bavaria 32N. Had a wonderful time and met some lovely people.

One thing we noticed, and which caused some frustration, is that almost every time we raised the CQR anchor it tried to come into the roller 'upside down' (i.e. the wrong way up). Indeed, one time it even jumped the roller altogether and I had to manually reset the chain. It also took a dint out of the gel coat...which was nice :mad:

I am pretty sure that it was brought up 'gently' and in a controlled way each time, but surprisingly it did not flip into place as it should, and as I have been used to it doing on all the other yachts I have sailed.

It was nothing to do with mud or weed on the blades as when this happened I got it clean before raising it, and yet most times it still flopped over the wrong way.

SWMBO got the the point that she would only bring the anchor up to the bottom of the roller before taking the helm to let me finish raising it...guiding it in by hand on most occasions (watching my fingers carefully mind you).

Is this common with CQRs, with Bavarias or was it just me?

Andy
Click to expand...

common with gypsies the chain can engage the gypsy in one direction or 180 deg opposite, that is why the anchor is the wrong way round, my Gen Bruce does the same. Lift the chain from the gypsy & turn it 180 deg
 
Yes, twist in the chain. Sometimes it will straighten itself and sometimes not. A swivelling anchor connector with a short piece of chain to the anchor also helps. A bow shape shackle is also probably better than a D shape. I find my replacement Delta better in this respect than the previous plough.
 
Usually happens to ours - which is a Beneteau with a Delta - and it is a real pain in the bum. I guess rotating the chain on the gypsy might help - must try it some time.
 
You can get an 'Anchor Straightener' but the only ones I can find by googling have swivels built in and the only swivel I trust is our Kong one.

There are a bent bit of bar that you can attach to the anchor with a couple of links and shackles and they roll the anchor round as it comes over the bow roller. They work really well - but the downside is that you have extra connections in the anchor rode.

We just have a Kong swivel and I poke the anchor with the boat hook if it's the wrong way round.
 
A boat hook is usually the easiest way, but if your bow is not too plumb motoring, gently, in forward, or reverse, (depending on the design) with the anchor just in water, will cause the water pressure to align the anchor the correct way.

Or you can just use it as an excuse to ditch the CQR :)
 
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All great advice, thanks.

I was a little perplexed as I had not had it happen before.

@neolex: replace the CQR? I could start a new thread by asking which is the best anchor...(ducks quickly)

Thanks again,

Andy
 
Before I pensioned off my CQR in place of [...deleted in the interest of forum harmony...] it would more times than not invert and come over the roller fluke up. I re-shackeled the chain/anchor, relaid the chain in the gypsy - nothing cured it. I know a swivel would have been effective but had heard too many stories of failures.

I then resorted to stopping it just as it was still hanging about to enter the roller and if beginning to orient itself upwards (the usual case) grasp the chain and twist while giving a touch to the winch button ... Worked every time. Warning - don't forget to let go as soon as it is over the top.
 
I just take a boat hook forward with me - easy enough to give it a nudge as it approaches the roller to help it orient itself.
 
prv said:
I ain't trusting it until our Vyv has broken one on his big machine :)

Pete
Click to expand...

Exactly my thoughts. If they are tested and are proven to be somewhere near as strong as our Kong Swivel (The only one Vyv found was OK) then I might be in the market for one.

noelex said:
A boat hook is usually the easiest way, but if your bow is not too plumb motoring, gently, in forward, or reverse, (depending on the design) with the anchor just in water, will cause the water pressure to align the anchor the correct way.

Or you can just use it as an excuse to ditch the CQR :)
Click to expand...

As you say it depends on the design of the anchor. If we trail our Spade anchor slightly in the water it actually turns and aligns itself the WRONG way round.
 
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Delfin said:
Speaking of Kong swivels.... https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectronicday.lasso?date=2009-05-15
Click to expand...


We'd always been a little faint-hearted when it came to such anchor swivels, so when we ultimately did buy one, it was from a manufacturer whose products cost about three times as much as similar products from Kong.
Click to expand...

So they thought that by paying three times as much as a Kong they would ensure they got a good swivel! Rather goes to show that more expensive DOESN'T guarantee better quality.

I hope the Ultra one is tested soon as it looks as though it would save me some poking over the bow with the boat hook. Our anchor invariably comes up the wrong way round as any forward movement of the boat through the water as the last of the chain comes up swivels it round the wrong way.
 
sailorman said:
common with gypsies the chain can engage the gypsy in one direction or 180 deg opposite, that is why the anchor is the wrong way round, my Gen Bruce does the same. Lift the chain from the gypsy & turn it 180 deg
Click to expand...

Surely the chain can be on the gypsy in four 90 degree choices; two per adjacent links. When you have got the anchor parked the right way up, then is the time to ease the chain off the gypsy and turn it so it leads without twist to the anchor shackle. The nearer the windlass is to the roller the more crucial this is going to be.

Mike.
 
Delfin said:
Speaking of Kong swivels.... https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectronicday.lasso?date=2009-05-15
Click to expand...

I don't fully understand this account. The bit attached to the anchor is shown, but not what (if anything) was attached to the chain. I would guess that the answer to the latter is "nothing", which would imply that the fitting had fallen apart following loss of the securing screw. Why this should come out is not at all clear: it's supposed to be secured with Lock Tight, and, since the head is recessed, there should be no means for anything to apply leverage to it. There is no sign in the photo of any bending or other damage caused by excessive load.

While not relevant to the case discussed, the photo does clearly show how the Kong can, if loaded at right angles to the anchor shank, be susceptible to having its jaws levered apart. Following advice on this forum, some of us who use this swivel now have a few links of chain between it and the anchor to avoid this problem.
 
Don't worry about it. You will stress yourself to death twisting and untwisting the chain or prodding it with a boat hook.

Even if you do take the whole chain out and sort the alignment it is screwed as soon as you pivot with the tide.

There is a simple solution.

When the anchor lifts off the bottom motor slowly astern. You just need a little water flow. This flow will twist the anchor into the correct orientation and once it reaches the surface it is very unusual for it to change its orientation.
 
DaveS said:
I don't fully understand this account. The bit attached to the anchor is shown, but not what (if anything) was attached to the chain. I would guess that the answer to the latter is "nothing", which would imply that the fitting had fallen apart following loss of the securing screw. Why this should come out is not at all clear: it's supposed to be secured with Lock Tight, and, since the head is recessed, there should be no means for anything to apply leverage to it. There is no sign in the photo of any bending or other damage caused by excessive load.

While not relevant to the case discussed, the photo does clearly show how the Kong can, if loaded at right angles to the anchor shank, be susceptible to having its jaws levered apart. Following advice on this forum, some of us who use this swivel now have a few links of chain between it and the anchor to avoid this problem.
Click to expand...

The point that I was making is that it ISN'T a Kong swivel. Well at least that's what they seem to be saying when they said they paid three times the price of a Kong Swivel in order to make sure the one they bought was good quality.

I can't tell from the picture. Its so long since I had our Kong swivel apart I've forgotten what it looks like inside.
 
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