[Rhodes22-list] anchoring

[Herb Parsons]

Bill will continue to say this is nonsense, and I'm not going to say 
he's wrong. I AM going to say I think he's wrong. The coast guard 
captain's class I took went over this, and disagrees with him. Sometimes 
CG folks continue to do things based on "tradition", but I think in this 
case, they knew what they were teaching.

Bill Effros wrote:
> Rob,
>
> You need chain if your anchor is so heavy you can't pull it up by hand.  
> Then you need a windlass.  The windlasses destroy rope -- they work best 
> on chain.  Everybody makes a lot of money by suggesting that you anchor 
> better if you have a chain rode, but that is nonsense, and the enormous 
> weight of the chain in the bow totally throws off the balance of boats.
>
> In the process, people start drawing diagrams and providing pseudo 
> scientific explanations that make absolutely no sense when you start to 
> think about them.
>
> Then somebody comes up with the 22 feet of chain on the 22 foot boat 
> rode rule.  Which also makes absolutely no sense.
>
> A modern anchor is not like a cinderblock or an engine block.  It does 
> not just sit on the bottom, it digs in like a railroad spike, and is 
> designed so it can be easily released by changing the angle of the rode 
> from the surface.  Adding weight does not help it in any way.  Modern 
> anchors are designed to be  pulled at specific angles -- mostly around 
> 45 degrees -- which is what the 7:1 scope accomplishes.  Chain sitting 
> on the bottom defeats the angle of the scope relative to the anchor.  It 
> is counter-productive.
>
> If you want more weight on your anchor, get a heavier anchor.  But there 
> is no need to do so.  A 2 1/2 lb guardian anchor, properly set, will 
> hold you in place forever.  Your rope rode will withstand far more load 
> than the fittings on your boat. 
>
> Bill Effros
>
>
> Lowe, Rob wrote:
>   
>> Bill,
>> So why does everyone (well, most everyone) suggest using chain on the
>> rode? - rob
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
>> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Bill Effros
>> Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 10:59 AM
>> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List
>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] anchoring
>>
>> Ben,
>>
>> In order to set the anchor you must put tension on it.  This pulls the 
>> rode taut.  When there is no wind or current, the rode will lie flat on 
>> the bottom, or float to the surface if it is a floating rode.  But it is
>>
>> not holding the boat in place.
>>
>> What most people call "dragging the anchor" is usually "dragging the 
>> chain".  If you fail to set your anchor -- which you will fail to set 
>> properly if you never draw the rode taut -- you can drag the chain all 
>> over the place, without ever properly setting the anchor.  If you draw 
>> the rode taut and properly set the anchor it just won't drag. 
>>
>> A very small anchor can be used to hold a very large boat in place if 
>> the anchor is properly set.  It is much easier to set an anchor with an 
>> all rope rode.  The chain portion of the rode does not change the angle 
>> of pull.
>>
>> Bill Effros
>>
>>
>>
>>
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