What to do w/200' of 8mm anchor chain...

Ask a question...get an answer (or two).
Post Reply
CapnK
Site Admin
Posts: 251
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2005 10:28 am
Location: Winyah Bay, Georgetown SC

What to do w/200' of 8mm anchor chain...

Post by CapnK »

The heavens smiled, and I got this big ol' piece o' chain for free! :mrgreen:

It came off of another boat, and is in pretty good shape overall. I would think I have several years use of it ahead of me. I am wondering, though, because it is darned heavy and that much length is a scope I have rarely used - should I cut it into smaller, more manageable pieces? Like a single 100', and 2x 50' pieces? Or is that not a good idea, for some reason I have yet to suss out...?

Ideally of course sometime in the not-to-distant future I would like to travel via my boat extensively. :) (Don't we all?) Here on the US East Coast I tend to go as shallow as possible when anchoring, and rarely am in over 20' of water while on the hook.
Given a 10 or 15kg anchor, and either an Ariel at 6k#'s or an A-30 at 10k#'s, 50' of a smaller chain and then 3 strand has been more than sufficient for secure, worry-free anchoring, barring the occasional hurricane.
That could be different, in different places. Like islands, those surrounded by deep oceanic waters...

I also don't currently have a windlass. Never needed one, on the Ariel. The A-30 is a bit more of a hoss, tho', and I have used the engine put just in gear to sneak up on the anchor when the wind piped up, in lieu of a windlass.
I'll probably get one.

Smaller pieces could be made to join easily and securely when needed with shackles.
If needing a second hook out, having pieces would allow me to put chain there, too...
Tied up small and tight, a 50' section would make for a nice improvised kellet.

Anyone have any input or ideas...?
Kurt and Barque, the CrewDog.
Sundance, '71 A-30, #429
Katie Marie, Ariel #422
Melelani, Islander 36 (shoal)

sailFar.net - Small boats, Long distances...
User avatar
markwesti
Almost a Finish Carpenter
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2018 9:29 pm
Boat Name: Patricia A
Boat Type: Westsail 28
Location: Long Beach , Ca.

Re: What to do w/200' of 8mm anchor chain...

Post by markwesti »

Gee I don't know , you know your boat . If you could carry that kind of weight , why not . But on our boat 200' of 8mm would be a problem . We don't do any extreme anchoring , 30' of 8mm chain and about 300' of rode with a 10 kg Bruce in the bow and 30' 8mm chain and about 200' rode and a 5kg Danforth in the stern is what we get by with . We also have a vintage ABI manual windlass . This is what works for us , I had a really big CQR and we used to use it but it was so heavy , I got rid of it .
User avatar
atomvoyager
Moderator | Revitalizer of Classics
Posts: 421
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:48 am
Boat Name: Atom
Boat Type: Pearson Triton
Contact:

Re: What to do w/200' of 8mm anchor chain...

Post by atomvoyager »

How much chain to carry for me is about the waters to be anchored in and if the boat size and anchor are big enough that I want to have a windlass. With a manual windlass on my Triton I'm glad to have 125' of 5/16 G4 with extra nylon for deeper waters. So that's basically all-chain rode most of the time which makes the windlass essential. If not using a windlass I'd prefer to have less chain, maybe 30', to make it easier to handle. But then you have to take care about chafe on rocks or seabed obstructions and chafe at the bow. My second and third anchors have only 25' of chain so you can always use pieces of that long chain for those. If you have a windlass you don't want to shackle chains together if you can avoid it because they don't easily pass over the chain wheel.

If you get a windlass you'll specify the chain wheel to fit size and type of chain you have (BBB or G4). But if that chain is BBB and you prefer G4 then you'll get new chain for the windlass and use the other secondary anchors where the short lengths will have to be pulled up by hand or using the rope drum.
Post Reply