[Rhodes22-list] anchoring

Rik Sandberg sanderico1 at gmail.com
Wed Sep 17 02:45:02 EDT 2008


Bill,

Not sure which anchor it is that most of us use.

You may have to explain to me how it is possible for an anchor that 
won't dig in when the shank is parallel to the bottom suddenly will when 
you raise the shank to a 45 degree up angle. The only anchor  that is 
likely to fit your scenario is a spade or some of the spade clones and 
that would be debatable.

No, I have never been anchored on my chain and never will. I have set  
CQR, Danforths and a Fortress with chain on them and really never had 
any trouble at all. I know because I pull on the anchor until I can't 
hold it against the pull of the motor anymore. I can feel when the 
anchor has settled in and stopped moving. Admittedly, I do not use an 
all chain rode and the 25 foot chain on our main anchor (the CQR) is not 
that heavy. Where we are usually anchoring, many times I cannot see the 
bottom so I appreciate some abrasion resistance. I may need it or not, 
sometimes it's hard to tell.

I agree that much heavy chain makes it more difficult to set an anchor. 
I just don't agree with your reason. But, the point of my post was that 
all that heavy chain, once you do have the anchor set, absorbs the 
shocks as the boat moves around and makes it less likely that the anchor 
will be pulled loose when the boat comes up short at the end of the rode.

Agreed, stretchy nylon rode will do the same thing but in a different 
way. It's a darn site easier to lift too. One problem with this is that 
people tend to think a larger rode is better. If the rode is to big, 
stretch becomes negligible. I was just reading tonight about someone 
using a 1 inch rode on a 17 foot boat. No shock absorber for him. :-)

I do not like the idea of floating rode. I'd rather have the rode down 
where props and other boat parts of my neighbors or other passing boats 
are less likely to snag it. But, if it works for you, more power to you.

Rik


Ayn Rand was a prophet - - it isn't my fault



Bill Effros wrote:
> Rik,
>
> The point is that the anchor most of us use is designed to set by being 
> pulled at a 45 degree angle from the bottom.  If you pull it parallel to 
> the bottom it just stubs its flukes along and never sets properly.  And 
> if you have too much chain, you can never pull it at a 45 degree angle, 
> so it will never set at all.
>
> You are "anchored" on your chain.
>
> Bill Effros
>
>
>
> Rik Sandberg wrote:
>   
>> Bill,
>>
>> You like no chain. Others do, here's why.
>>
>> Chain is heavy, you're right. Take a 20 foot chain (5/16 or 3/8) and go 
>> out in your yard (I assume you  have a yard). Tie one end of the chain 
>> to a tree. Now go to the other end of the chain and try to pull that 
>> chain out so it makes a straight line. Bet you can't.
>>
>> As the boat pulls on a chain or partial chain rode, it has to lift the 
>> weight of the chain as the rode tightens. This slows the boat 
>> considerably before the rode becomes taut. A heavy chain rode makes 
>> quite a good shock absorber.
>>
>> I'd agree that feeling the bottom and setting an anchor is surely 
>> tougher with a heavy chain rode.
>>
>> And yeah, if one is just dumping his chain on top of his anchor, I guess 
>> he's likely to get the results he deserves.
>>
>> Rik
>>
>> Ayn Rand was a prophet - - it isn't my fault
>>
>>
>>
>> Herb Parsons wrote:
>>   
>>     
>>> 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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>>>>>
>>>>>   
>>>>>     
>>>>>       
>>>>>         
>>>>>           
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>>>>   
>>>>     
>>>>       
>>>>         
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