new member, first question re ground tackle weight in bow

StuartSailor · **Posted:** 30 Jul 2015 19:38

Hello fellow Tartan 37 owners. I have been meaning to join this group for some time now as I have peeked in many times before. I own Tartan #421, Sailsman, and cruise and race locally in Stuart Florida. I hope I can contribute more as time goes on.

I am in the process of upgrading my ground tackle and anchor which I know can get the eyes rolling at this old topic as well as generate a lot of discussion. My wife and I hosted a party for our local sailing club at our house last weekend and I asked 10 cruisers the same question. I received 10 different answers and they were all correct, for their boats at least.

Now I want to see what you all can recommend. I have a 35 lb CQR on 30 feet of 3/8 chain with 200 feet of 5/8 nylon rode. I am considering moving to the 44 lb Rockna with 150 feet of 5/16 HT chain and braiding? the 200 feet of 5/8. I was also considering 100-125 feet of 3/8 chain but am concerned that might be too much weight. My question is more about the weight in the bow. I'm interested in what others have for their ground tackle than what anchor your using. I realize my racing performance will suffer somewhat but I'm more concerned about cruising weight than racing weight. Thanks so much for your feedback. I'm still learning how to navigate around the site.

Sail Fast, Live Slow.

Jesse

StuartSailor · **Posted:** 30 Jul 2015 20:55

(second post) I forgot to ask about the windlass. Idea

I would like less stuff on the bow so I've been considering going with a vertical one. I welcome any opinions on this topic.

Jesse

conch · **Joined:** 21 Jan 2010 12:57 **Posts:** 168

Good day to you, in beautiful Stuart. I too have a 35# CQR with a chain/nylon rode. I find it adequate. I'm of the thought that it's important to keep weight out of the boat as much as possible, especially bow and stern. I also don't find myself anchoring in deep water, so have never felt the need of a windlass. It probably would be prudent to carry an anchor in th 50-60 # pound range for those infrequent "difficult" anchoring situations, but not kept full time on the bow. It kind of all depends on how one uses the boat: extensive cruising where you're anchoring frequently in different depths and bottom conditions is a different kettle of fish from how most people use the boat.

berwick · **Joined:** 21 Oct 2006 18:12 **Posts:** 325

I have 25KG Rocna, 150' of 5/16" chain followed by 180' of brait rope and can't say I noticed much difference since we upgraded. Also have a vertical windlass. But as mentioned it depends on what you mostly do with your boat, we are not racers and cruise to the Bahamas so are loaded down anyways.

Richard

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

I have an old 35 CQR and 240 feet of 5/16 BBB chain followed by a couple hundred feet of 3/4 nylon. I had that much because I was thinking I might have to anchor in some deep water, but that has actually never occured. I have had my boat for 23 years and cruised extensively on both Coasts of the US and spent a couple years in Central America on Pacific an Atlantic sides and the Western Carribean. I had four anchors on board (a couple of Danforth 33's and a 13 stern anchor for keeping the bow into the waves in the open roadsteads I was in in Central America. All this would be overkill for most folks and I did not use it much. I only twice had anything but the 35 CQR down and that was a precautionary thing after a couple days of 30+knots in a Florida anchorage and the other time was precaution against Hurricane Bob (I was in Maine, so it was not a big deal, but we had some 60kt gusts). In both those cases, I had nearly all the chain out and a second rode much like the one you have now. I suggest that two anchors and rodes is better than one mondo system and I think the reason is obvious. Have I dragged? Yes a couple times: once when I was trying to sent on top of a sunken cement slab in Costa Rica--I had to be told my a local about how hopeless my effort was. Another time or two when I tried to set in a sunken garbage bag or thick kelp bed, but never after a thoughtful set. I think my set up is proven for what I use if for, but a bit of overkill in the length of chain for most folks. I think 120 or 150 so of 5/16ths HT would work for most folks. You will get into an argument about anchors, but my view is that I want one that will be most likely to reset if there is a change in direction of current or wind, not the one that pulls the most real estate from the bottom when you bring it up. I think the CQR does a better job of reset on its own and no anchor should hold in a reverse current situation---I am surprised that "anchor tests" never seem to test for this common situation when you are cruising. Deployed chain weight is much more important than weight on top of a properly set anchor--so I do not see the point in piling a huge anchor on your bow. 19 boats were lost off Cabo San Lucas many years ago because most of the folks could not get their anchors up to move out of the building surf on a lee shore and none of these were the "new generation" anchors. The other thing I think it is important is using a fairly light nylon snubber line with chain hooks. I carry several of different weights---You want stretch to absorb the schock to the anchor system and your boat and so I normally use a half inch 15 foot one usually, but have a couple made up in heavier liine if I am anticipating chafe To me, carrying a big expensive anchor on your bow is false security. Anchoring is as much a technique and a system as it is the hook at the end of your system. Even with my weight of chain, I do not note a performance problem. I unloaded all of it for a couple races recently and could not really tell the difference in boat performance--this is not a boat that surfs, and the chain slides back a bit. I did install a PVC pipe through a bulkhead and pull most of my excess chain back in the locker under the starboard bunk to distribute the weight better, but the 100 feet I use regularly is right up front. You want a vertical windlass and you will not find much use for a rope gypsy on top, though I am sure someone will argue with that. Most important is to get a good quality reversing (power up and power down) and remote switches (I do not like foot switches) so that you can control it from the cockpit or from the bow. Again, this is important because Also, install a chain stopper between your windlass and the bow roller and do not use the windlass to break out you anchor as most of them are not made for this abuse. Don''t ask how I learned this.
Oh, and by the way, you are going to want a huge washdown pump and deck fitting. You can mount it under the sink in the head, tee it into the sink through hull fitting and run the hose along the waste flush hose to the deck. Buy the most powerful one you can. Mine is a wimp and I am hoping it will die so I can get a bigger one.
Certainly more opinion than you asked for.
Ray #373

WayneH · **Posted:** 01 Aug 2015 12:05

Here's my opinion and worth everything you paid for it. Snicker

I've got three anchors on my boat. I've got a claw on the bow with 50 feet of chain and 250 of nylon rode as my primary anchor. In the cockpit locker, I've got a quikset loose with a bit of rope up to the top of the locker so I can get it out. That anchor's rode is 30 feet of chain and 150 feet of rope rode. It is usually attached to an 11 pound claw (lunch/stern) anchor.

All along the Gulf coast, I have never drug at anchor even in winds up to 50 knots. (Thunderstorm Squall) But we are talking about sand and mud, other bottom materials will probably cause difficulties for my anchors.

My claw on my previous boat (21') proved itself several times. The scariest time was at Chocolate Bay on the end of West Galveston Bay. We had anchored for the night behind an island just off the ICW so that the tugs wouldn't wake us up every 15 minutes or so. There was a huge storm to the north of us and we watched the light show for a while before going to sleep. About 1 AM, I woke up because the wind had died down. Went up on deck and noticed the storm was still raging pretty hard to the north. Just for peace of mind, I raised the anchor and let the light wind blow us about 200 feet closer towards the storm. Dropped the anchor and laid back down to sleep. About an hour later, the storm backed down on us hard!! And instead of being sheltered behind the island, we were now being pushed towards a lee shore. After watching the range markers on the channel for a while, I figured we were not dragging and laid down again. But the pitching up and down in that little boat was not conducive to sleeping. By morning, the storm had blown out and we were still a ways from the shore. Raising the anchor was tough, though, and involved using the genoa winch and watching the bow go down until the buoyancy of the boat broke the anchor loose.

On Impetuous, I've got a hook and line laying in one of the forward dorades so I can hook the anchor chain and run the line to a winch on the mast to get a stubborn anchor up. I've looked at a windlass but I'm not sure I want to put an electrical part and big hole on the bow of my boat.

StuartSailor · **Posted:** 04 Aug 2015 19:45

Thank you all for your responses. I really appreciate the feedback and have taken notes. I am definitely more informed yet still undecided.

Jesse

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