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Anchoring questions

Andy Rogers

Member II
I spent my first night at anchor on Nirvana (1984 E-38) this past weekend and have come up with a number of questions:

1. The bottom of the anchor locker has a padeye to which I have tied the bitter end of the rode. When securing the knot I pulled up on the rode and noticed that the entire bottom of the locker flexes upward. I went below and noticed that the padeye is not backed or glassed into any structural part of the hull. My guess is that if I ever got to the bitter end of the rode that it would just yank out my anchor locker. Any better solutions out there?

2. There are two cleats, port and stbd, under each side of the pulpit to which I attached the anchor rode after paying out the appropriate scope. As a result the rode passes one of the pulpit supports and rubs against it before getting to the roller. Is the the normal cleat to attach the rode to?

3. After pulling up the anchor twice by hand, and with a little help from the engine, I realized that a windlass would have made the job a lot easier, not to mention less painful and smelly. (L.I. Sound mud stinks!) Has anyone installed a windlass, electric or manual? Where exactly would it go and what would it mount to?

Thanks,

Andy
 

Sean Engle

Your Friendly Administrator
Administrator
Founder
Anchoring Stuff

I've noticed the same arrangement on my boat - but I think the bitter end is not really a problem, as the load is not supposed to fall there anyhow. The cleat is something I noticed as well. I don't think the front was designed very well - for anchoring, I mean. How is your anchor well cover? Mine has a bite out of the area where the line/chain comes out of the well...

If I could (money-wise), what I would like to do is remove that anchor locker all together, and have the forepeak gelcoated in, a drain added at/just above the waterline - and turn it into a real anchor locker.

Then I would have the deck either closed completely, or I would close off some of the area where the tub went, and install a nice electric windlass and perhaps a hose down station. Up by the windlass, I would have it all plated in stainless (the glass there now is scratched from the chain having gone over it so many times, etc.

I chartered a PS40 last summer in the San Juans - and it had such an arrangement (electric windlass) with a CQR and all chain stainless anchoring station - very nice, very secure.

Since I've gotten my boat, however I've also come to appreciate a few things about chain/rode arrangement. It's lighter - but you can do more with it, and the tub does allow you to arrange the line, and wash it down afterward, so....

//sse
 

Ray Rhode

Member III
I agree with Sean. The load should never reach the padeye. I suspect that it is an owner added item. My E35 does not have one. I lay out the anticipated amount of chain and rode and secure it to the cleat before starting the anchoring process. I then know that the "bitter" end will not follow the anchor.

In response to the chain only and chain/rope set up, I have tried a system I read about in Cruising World called a split rode system. I use 8 ft of chain, 52 feet of three strand, 30 ft of chain, and 250 ft of three strand. This gives you the benefits of a lot of heavy chain for a good pulling angle while still allowing you to get it aboard without having to haul all chain up. You can also just drop 60 ft for a lunch stop.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
It's Bitter at the End...

My first thought would be to add a backing plate, maybe 3 by 6 inches, in 1/4 or 3/8 aluminum to the pad eye. FWIW my '88 Olson 34 did not have any way to tie the end of the rope. i got tired of always having the end led back out of the anchor locker to a bow cleat, and just put a pad eye in last month. I have "DryDeck" (sp) snap-together plastic gratings in the bottom of the locker so that water and mud can run to the drain easier and help keep the rode dry. I put the new pad eye about 4 inches down one side and about halfway back, figuring that any sudden load would be in shear (which is strongest). I did put large SS "fender washers" on the back side.
After vacation I will have a more informed opinion on this change...
I have 30 feet of chain, 200 feet of nylon braid (for less hockles), and the Danforth 13-S that the locker was molded to fit. A windlass would be nice, but I am not ready to add weight to the bow just yet... Maybe when I get older and weaker.
I have occas. chafe problems with the pulpit legs, depending on lead. Just carry some chafe gear with you for those times the boat is jumping around even after you have let out oodles of scope. You will need to pad it where it goes through the chock, anyway.
BTW, Ray's idea with the split chain sounds interesting. I was already thinking of adding a sentinel this year.
As to adding a windlass to an E-38, check the Sailnet EricsonList archives for this project -- I remember reading a detailed account last year. If the weight of the required cabling puts you off, I have a buddy with an even heavier CT-38 who went with the (horizontal) manual winch and seems quite happy with it. It uses a double-grip handle, as I sorta recall.

Happy Anchoring,

Loren
 

Ray Rhode

Member III
Since Loren expressed some interest in the split rode system I did some research and found that the article was actually in Sail magazine' Sept 2000, page 18. The "second chain" makes a very efficient sentinel and in a confused wind/tidal current situation can keep the rode from wrapping itself around the keel.
 

sailingdeacon

Member III
I just bought an E34 (1987) and the former owner installed a manual windlass inside the anchor locker. It has 100' of 3/8 chain and no rope which takes care of all anchoring needs in my area except for hurricanes when rope will be added. The 100' chain falls very well into the chain area below the windlass, however adding any rope to it would likely overload the capacity of the chain holding area below (the chain piles ups like a Christmas tree). Of course, with all chain, I must use a rope snubber attached to the cleat to either side of the bow. Systems works very well. Except for the added weight, I love it. 5/16 chain would do just as well I suspect.
 
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