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endoftheroad · 31-05-2013, 19:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bash

3/8" chain? On a boat that only displaces 8 tons?

Sorry...I have this massive memory problem with 5/16, 3/8 and also rode sizes.

btw, westsails displace 10 tons empty.

HopCar · 31-05-2013, 20:13

"How much does 150' of 3/8" weigh?"
About 225 pounds.

Bash · 31-05-2013, 20:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

Boatman61 and rebel heart have it right, +1... 100% chain in my book... Phil

Folks, take another look at the OP. It's a 50-yearish-old wooden sedan-style powerboat that will probably never do much more than a few out-and-backs to the Channel Islands. It wasn't designed to carry a whole lot of chain in the bow, even when brand new. He doesn't need to sit out hurricanes in the South Pacific, or the Coromuel winds of La Paz. The boat will never make it that far.

This isn't an offshore boat at this point in its career, if it ever was. Let's assume that he's smart enough to only go out for weekends when there's no small-craft advisory in the extended forecast. Half the time he'll probably pick up a mooring ball in Avalon. This is a boat where a good adventure would be the Labor Day three-day weekend.

Eighty feet of 5/16" chain is probably as much as any Chris Craft Connie 36' ever saw, backed up by a decent amount of nylon. If he needs more than that, he's well advised to stay in port.

Good grief, next thing, you folks are going to be advising me to carry 300' of 3/8" chain and a Rocna 55 in my sea kayak.

Bash · 31-05-2013, 20:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bash

3/8" chain? On a boat that only displaces 8 tons?

I've been corrected via PM. Apparently, they only displace 6 tons.

jeremiason · 01-06-2013, 05:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riomar

I'm installing new anchor and rode and trying to decide on rope or chain, any advise. I will be doing mostly off-shore boating and some island hopping.

You will find that a chain rode combination will suit your needs...

The chain length should be a minimum of about 40 feet and longer if you can handle it. Over all, I would recommend 300 feet of chain rode combination, which is more than you will use in most southern California anchorages, but gives you options.

We sailed with 300 feet of chain with 200 feet of megabraid spliced to it through California, Mexico and Central America. I seldom used over 200 feet of chain for anchoring at a 5 to 1 scope, except one time off Two Harbors, on Catalina Island, where I anchored in 100 feet of water and used most of my rode. Also in Pacific Panama, where the tides were 18-20 feet we would get up to about 250 feet of rode around the Perlas Islands.

AiniA · 01-06-2013, 06:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

You actually need a lot less scope on really deep water as a ton of the chain never picks up off the bottom. You'd never use more than 150' of chain in a 50' anchorage unless it was a gale. Then you can always have a quick look over the bottom and see if its safe to use a bit more line. 180' of chain is really the max you need in the tropics. Maybe would carry more In high lats.

I have 200' of chain and have wished more than a few times that I ha more, say 250'. Depends where you are going. In the Bahamas you need very little. In the Eastern Caribbean 200' was fine. In the Pacific, anchorages were often very deep and sometimes exposed, Easter Island comes to mind.

The OP has an old 35' power boat that he thinks might be wood. I think he has a lot more fundamental questions about cruising long distances than the kind of rode - he hasn't even asked about what kind of anchor to use.

Bash · 01-06-2013, 06:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by AiniA

The OP has an old 35' power boat that he thinks might be wood. I think he has a lot more fundamental questions about cruising long distances than the kind of rode - he hasn't even asked about what kind of anchor to use.

Nor has anyone bothered to inquire whether the boat has a windlass. Just imagine what happens when the OP invests in an all-chain rode and then doesn't have a way to retrieve it.

**boatman61** · 01-06-2013, 06:55

Apologies to the OP... being a Brit sail person did not realise what a Chris Craft of this type was...
Likely you'll not be going to the spread of locations that cruisers frequent and much more likely to hang half a tank away from base 95% of the time...
Take a look at a chart of your cruising grounds... Sh=shale, S=sand.. clay, rock... the type of bottom is usually shown... then take it from there...
Sand, shale gravel with no coral/rocks etc then maybe 50ft chain and then rope to suit your depths + 40%...
if the areas very rocky I'd suggest you fit a small winch like they have on Land Rovers etc and go for wire... incredibly strong, flexible and for the boats need likely not all that much heavier than the larger sized rope length you'd need to carry...
Just a thought...

jeremiason · 01-06-2013, 07:06

This is a Chriscraft Constellation, which was originally powered with a gas engine.

Even if he has re-powered to diesel, I would imagine his range is less than 300 miles with the original tanks.

This guy isn't going to far without a fuel barge...

Mundinho · 01-06-2013, 08:08

Primary all chain, do not even bother considering rope...

sabray · 01-06-2013, 08:22

So I put an oversize anchor 80 pounds and then get enough chain so I can go 8 to one in any anchor scenario and I'm carrying 740 lbs just in case I anchor in 50 feet of water in a storm. Plus I wish to carry 2 other an goes and rhode with some chain. At some point I'm worried about bow wright and other things I would like to carry. For me 200 feet of 3/8 g4 and 250 feet of octoplait plus some lesser rhode and chain makes sense. When i cruise I put another section if chain on board. Why would I want all that on board given how I use the boat and my location