Anchor Rode

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by avb3

Huh? Nylon doesn't absorb water, so why would the strength be cut in half?

Nylon does not?

Then how come it swells when wet?

Half or not, some strength is lost.

BTW It also heats when worked.

b.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Nylon does not?

Then how come it swells when wet?

Half or not, some strength is lost.

BTW It also heats when worked.

b.

You know what? I'm going to stand corrected... nylon DOES absorb water.

Shudda googled it first, I was just naturally reacting to thinking plastic doesn't.

Shows you that a common sense feeling isn't always right!

I think this is the first time I have been wrong, as I can't remember the last

[Hydra]

Originally Posted by SSI / NH

<snip>
If you want durability, abrasion resistance, strength and not the weight of chain, checkout using dyneema as an anchor rode. A boat prop won't cut it and you'll know the guy that ran over your line because he will be close to your boat with a tangled prop.

Not always correct, IME, even if Dyneema is very resistant to chafe: in my work, we were laying a measurement buoy on a 10mm Dyneema line and the captain managed to wrap the line on the waterjet. The line was cut by the rotation.

Usually same price as chain.
<snip>

Not exactly true here: 8mm Dyneema is approx 10$/m when 8mm galvanized chain is roughly 6$/m. I will not consider a rode thinner than 8mm, because it would be too thin to haul on.

Alain

[barnakiel]

Spectra for rode interesting. But man it is so slick even when dry!

Keep on talking.

b.

[Shoalcove]

Hi Barnakiel, do you use double-braid polyester(dacron) for your rode? Would you care to share your thought/opinions on how it has worked out? I read an article by the Dashews on using polyester but have never used it myself. I am due to replace my rusty chain this year and need a longer rope section as well since I don't need as long a piece of chain as I've had. I had been considering 8 plait nylon but would appreciate any insight you could provide.
Thanks!
Sorry for the thread drift...

[Ziggy]

Here's the advice from NE Ropes:

The main reasons for retiring an anchor line are abrasion, shock loading, or UV exposure. Being stored damp doesn't have a negative impact on the rope, but if it gets mold growing on it your crew may not be happy. Even for ropes that haven't seen much use, when it gets over 15 years old you may want to consider retiring it regardless of appearance.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Shoalcove

Hi Barnakiel, do you use double-braid polyester(dacron) for your rode? Would you care to share your thought/opinions on how it has worked out? I read an article by the Dashews on using polyester but have never used it myself. I am due to replace my rusty chain this year and need a longer rope section as well since I don't need as long a piece of chain as I've had. I had been considering 8 plait nylon but would appreciate any insight you could provide.
Thanks!
Sorry for the thread drift...

We have been using something I believe named (???) multiplait polyester over last 8 years or so. It is a woven Dacron rope, 8 plait. I attach a picture showing how it looks. Ours is identical, except the line is white while the speck is blue.

I believe the only difference is that dacron stands to UV better than nylon does and so the rope may last marginally longer (even in nylon 99% of yarns are inside and so they are protected). We use multiplait (aka 8 or octoplait) because it does not kink, plies way better than 3-strand and is oh so nice to my hands. Dacron also stretches less than nylon, and with up to 160 feet of line out believe me I do NOT want all the 20 feet of rubber effect even the dacron line offers. I bet it will be another 10 to 20 ft of stretch on the nylon rode. I DO NOT want this. I want some rubber effect but not 40 feet of it. After all there is the catenary there and if none of it is left then maybe I am in the wrong anchorage at the wrong time of the year.

In any case, I would always recommend max chain and only then the rest of the rode in rope. If we use so much rope it is only because:

a) we have no winch (and) I can only handle max 100 ft of chain,
b) even if we had the winch, our boat will not take so much weight fore.

So, I am all for dacron, but only after the max of chain has been applied.

Cheers,
b.

[Shoalcove]

Thanks for the fast response! I'll have to take a look into whats available around here when the time comes.
Best regards,
Shoalcove

[SSI / NH]

Originally Posted by Hydra

Not always correct, IME, even if Dyneema is very resistant to chafe: in my work, we were laying a measurement buoy on a 10mm Dyneema line and the captain managed to wrap the line on the waterjet. The line was cut by the rotation.
Not exactly true here: 8mm Dyneema is approx 10$/m when 8mm galvanized chain is roughly 6$/m. I will not consider a rode thinner than 8mm, because it would be too thin to haul on.

Alain

Alain, I'll give ya the Dyneema because there different grades and manufactures, Amsteel and Dynex Dux are very different plus I guess I didn't think of the size of the boat or ship.

Dux or any dyneema would be much better than Nylon and not have the weight of chain if they where looking for something better.

Plus at $2/m for 8mm chain your getting a good deal.

[Hydra]

SSI / NH,
Even if I don't intend to change the Nylon part of my rodes soon, I would like to know which grade / diameter of Spectra or Dyneema you would recommend for a 30', 3,5t sailing yacht.

Alain

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Hydra

SSI / NH,
Even if I don't intend to change the Nylon part of my rodes soon, I would like to know which grade / diameter of Spectra or Dyneema you would recommend for a 30', 3,5t sailing yacht.

Alain

I'm curious how it would hold up to a used gypsy with burrs, from the chain passing thru.

[Hydra]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

I'm curious how it would hold up to a used gypsy with burrs, from the chain passing thru.

I don't have a windlass, so this is not an issue .

But handling a thin line is, even with gloves. Thick multiplait Nylon is much more confortable to handle.

Alain

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Hydra

I don't have a windlass, so this is not an issue .

But handling a thin line is, even with gloves. Thick multiplait Nylon is much more confortable to handle.

Alain

Hi Alain,

Without a windlass on a 30' boat, you have the perfect upgrade when you start cruising with this boat: a windlass I would not spend any money on any other part of the anchoring system until the windlass is there.

ciao!
Nick.

[Hydra]

Hi Nick
In fact, I intended to add a windlass. I even bought one but found that I did very well without, so never installed it.

It depends on what "cruising" means for you. Each summer, I sail for 4 weeks and spend roughly 1 night out of 2 on the hook.

Alain

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Hydra

Hi Nick
In fact, I intended to add a windlass. I even bought one but found that I did very well without, so never installed it.

It depends on what "cruising" means for you. Each summer, I sail for 4 weeks and spend roughly 1 night out of 2 on the hook.

Alain

I sailed a 31' boat for 17 years without a windlass. There were 2 or 3 times that I wanted to leave the anchorage but couldn't because of the lack of a windlass. Above 30 knots wind it becomes very difficult. I once managed it with 34 knots, but my fingers were in danger between the rode and the cleat.

Install the windlass, it can save the day!

ciao!
Nick.