How much chain..really?

[JPA Cate]

@thomm225,

As long as the pivot in the CQR, doesn't wallow out the hole, it will perform okay. If the hole gets ovalled, (becomes too worn), the plow doesn't set quite right, and will drag. It can be fixed. But it it an issue with those anchors, and needs to be checked.

I am basing this on a whole lot of chat with CQR owners who are not on CF.

Ann

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by NorthernMac

400’ of chain?
Why?
I am figuring weight and balance, if it doesn’t pull its weight I don’t see a need, that’s a ton of ugg boots for my girl or lots of ammo for me

It's a good question, and weight right up in the bow is really harmful to sailing performance.


I have 100 meters of 12mm chain, 330 feet, 330kg or a third of a metric tonne.


There have been a few times when I wished I had had more than that. Anchored in 40 meters of water, for example, and expecting a storm.


All chain has these advantages:


1. Chafe
2. Catenary, which helps holding especially in deep water and modest scope


That being said, mixed chain/rope rodes also work reasonably well. Just be really careful about chafe, and use more scope than you would with all chain.



All depends on your boat (sensitivity to weight in the bow and load carrying capacity in general), where you sail (height of tide; frequency of necessity of anchoring in deep water).


You can also save weight by going to smaller and stronger chain. That's what Dashew was always advocating -- use Grade 70, one size smaller, and save a bunch of weight.


Having a lot of heavy chain is a great luxury allowing you to anchor in deeper water, so giving you a bigger choice of anchorages, and giving a great boost to anchor holding, and comfortable motion damping reducing the necessity of a snubber.


Whether you can afford it or not, whether you NEED it, is something only you can decide.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

@thomm225,

As long as the pivot in the CQR, doesn't wallow out the hole, it will perform okay. If the hole gets ovalled, (becomes too worn), the plow doesn't set quite right, and will drag. It can be fixed. But it it an issue with those anchors, and needs to be checked.

I am basing this on a whole lot of chat with CQR owners who are not on CF.

Ann

Thanks Ann.

It's worn a bit but not bad so far. It would take quite a bit more rounding out of the hole before the pin could actually come out

I think most of the anchors I've had have been 20 years old or better so I do keep an eye on them....

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by thomm225

It would take quite a bit more rounding out of the hole before the pin could actually come out

The wear effects the geometry and therefore the performance of the anchor. If the pin is worn, then the anchor has reached the end of its useful life.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

The wear effects the geometry and therefore the performance of the anchor. If the pin is worn, then the anchor has reached the end of its useful life.

The pin is fine.

The hole is a bit oval, but I'd say the anchor has another 5-10 years of life left to it, and I will probably still be using it on my first test runs when I retire

My test runs being taking the ICW inside the Outer Banks and coming back on the outside.

This after spending the early fall of that year sailing the bay from top to bottom. (and both sides)

A couple days ago I moved closer to the cement ships at Kiptopeke for protection and in case my anchor drug or let go. I would have a long run before heading the beach or being taken out to sea with hitting anything important. The current is strong there but it's still a good spot most times

I was too close in for comfort and near a pier and a beach full of people

Two other boats came in later then we got hit by the side of a squall. We were lucky because the first gust really heeled the boat over, but that was about the worst of it .......but there was a nice lightning show far off.....and the following thunder

[thomm225]

So I sailed off anchor yesterday for my 20-22 mile return sail and after pulling up the anchor just secured it to the center cleat forward.

When I docked, I untied it quickly and threw the anchor out of the way to tie up.

So when I went over today to take stuff off the boat and cover the sails, I took a couple shots.

The anchor is definitely showing some wear so maybe I'll keep an eye out on Craigslist for a 20-25 lb CQR.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by thomm225

So I sailed off anchor yesterday for my 20-22 mile return sail and after pulling up the anchor just secured it to the center cleat forward.

When I docked, I untied it quickly and threw the anchor out of the way to tie up.

So when I went over today to take stuff off the boat and cover the sails, I took a couple shots.

The anchor is definitely showing some wear so maybe I'll keep an eye out on Craigslist for a 20-25 lb CQR.

Or may be a fisherman

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Or may be a fisherman

I was a fisherman which is how I got started with boats buying my first one at 16 years old.

You don't know fishing then.....but you have a boat so maybe you can be taught

I thought it would be more fun catching larger fish in the bay and the ocean (both about 5 miles away where I grew up) than it was just fishing for bass in the local farmer's ponds so i bought an old boat

Come to find out, bass fishing in the ponds/lakes is much more fun...especially after a long day on a tractor.

The fields I plowed weren't this large but at 16-18 years old on a dual back wheel Oliver 1650 pulling a 7 bottom plow 12 hours a day it seemed that way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRkBnX55BwE

Like this but with a larger plow.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztGN-wUDYPQ

[barnakiel]

Is CQR good where you anchor? What is the bottom there?



Our first anchor (came with the boat) was a CQR. It was the only anchor we got rid off and I never looked back. It sometimes set, sometimes it did not and at times it refused to reset when veered. Odd..



Our CQR was 25 pounds, then I got a 20 pound Bruce (knock-off) and was 99% happy with it for years. Later I ran into a person selling a new 30 pound Bruce (original). This is what we have now.


I know there are newer designs which are said to be better yet (Spades, Brugels, Rocnas, Mansons, etc). But since what we have works very well I am tempted only when passing by that chandlery window. Good on me as they are as pricey as they are good!


Take care,
b.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Is CQR good where you anchor? What is the bottom there?



Our first anchor (came with the boat) was a CQR. It was the only anchor we got rid off and I never looked back. It sometimes set, sometimes it did not and at times it refused to reset when veered. Odd..



Our CQR was 25 pounds, then I got a 20 pound Bruce (knock-off) and was 99% happy with it for years. Later I ran into a person selling a new 30 pound Bruce (original). This is what we have now.


I know there are newer designs which are said to be better yet (Spades, Brugels, Rocnas, Mansons, etc). But since what we have works very well I am tempted only when passing by that chandlery window. Good on me as they are as pricey as they are good!


Take care,
b.

It has worked these past 9 years in some terrible spots I picked to anchor in sometimes with 30 knot onshore winds while anchored 60 yards off the beach......while I was learning to become a real cruiser kinda guy one day (I never carried an anchor on my beach cats even on the yearly 100 mile races for 12 years)

I'd had lots of boating experience (fishing boats in the bay and ocean) and anchoring experience but little anchoring over night while sleeping plus on a slow boat with a 5 hp outboard where I couldn't move even if I wanted too.

The bottom is usually mud sometimes that black gooey marsh mud. (sometimes with a bit of sand and clay)

I have walked thru enough of it while hunting so I know. (I grew up 60 miles from here and less from many of my anchorages. Either side of the bay is about the same)

Most sailors you hear from on the Bay are up north where it's about 5 mile wide down here though it gets to 30 miles wide and at the lower end where I am we have the ocean waves coming in and Kiptopeke where I anchor a lot can become really rough..

Kiptopeke has these cliffs that I remembered as a 5-6 year old riding the ferries my Dad worked on after he stopped farming so when I got back up here it's one of the first places I anchored at over night but with a heavy SE wind you are basically screwed anchored there

I was anchored there Friday night but we had SE that then rotated to SW then a Squall then calm then 18 knots sW in the am but i was anchored behind the cement ships and in calm water as compared to the other two boats there

[barnakiel]

Clearly very good combination then. Stick to it.


I like mud, I like sand and mud too. The anchor sets and that's that.


Very oozy mud get tricky though, you think you are set, only to discover that over a couple of nights the boat dragged if ever slowly. I leave the gps on so after one week I sometimes find we are good two boats away from where we anchored. The good thing - everybody else seems to be dragging at the same rate, so no issues with angry neighbours.


Cheers,
b.

[thomm225]

Ok and we have strong tides that rotate every 6 hours unlike Florida so the old CQR has to deal with that and has.

I'll see how it works when I head South in a few years.

[barnakiel]

I hope you will be able to head S soon and we will be able to cross to your side too. It would be fun to meet somewhere in the glorious Windwards. We could then be comparing our anchors ... for a moment ... and spend the rest of the season sipping rhum. !



Cheers,
b.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Is CQR good where you anchor? What is the bottom there?



Our first anchor (came with the boat) was a CQR. It was the only anchor we got rid off and I never looked back. It sometimes set, sometimes it did not and at times it refused to reset when veered. Odd..



Our CQR was 25 pounds, then I got a 20 pound Bruce (knock-off) and was 99% happy with it for years. Later I ran into a person selling a new 30 pound Bruce (original). This is what we have now.


I know there are newer designs which are said to be better yet (Spades, Brugels, Rocnas, Mansons, etc). But since what we have works very well I am tempted only when passing by that chandlery window. Good on me as they are as pricey as they are good!


Take care,
b.

While I've ordered a new #13 Sarca Excel anchor to replace my original primary CQR 48kg,..... in all honesty I've never had problems with the CQR in reasonable holding ground.

It has held well in Typhoon conditions, with wind clocking round as the eye passed nearby.

Many of the new gen anchors all favor weighted tips, so I just wonder if the weight of the heavier CQR anchors help with performance ?

[NorthernMac]

Anchor wise, I have a 20kg? SS Ronca Vulcan, secondary is a danforth