Catalina 27 bow anchor setup

[Dougralf]

Dear sailing friends. We now own a 1975 Catalina 27. Lovely boat! The bow anchor is not set up with anchor rode. There is a small compartment at the bow, just beyond the v-berth, but the 4" hole in the deck where the chain and rhode would come out is over the v-berth, not over the small compartment. I'm looking for info where this anchor arrangement is set up nicely. Aloha.

[JPA Cate]

Hi, Dougralf,

The 4" hole is probably for a cowl vent, possibly even a dorade cowl vent, to air the forepeak.

Usually people figure out a way to store the anchor and the anchor rode in the little anchor locker on deck. You should have at least 30 ft of chain, with a shackle that is moused, to the anchor, backed by nylon 3-strand line to 6 times the depths you will anchor in. You won't need to use all of that all the time, but it will let you anchor safely most of the places you go. The coral would eat the line, if the chain weren't used. People sometimes use milk crates to contain the anchor, chain and line; others keep the line separate in a shade cloth or Sunbrella bag. You get to choose. Also, might go around and look for other Cat 27s at the marina and see how they do it.

Ann

[TrentePieds]

When sailing for everyman was young three-score years ago, the C27 was a very common cruising boat in these parts, and I've given many an introductory sailing course on C27s, although always on the ones built under licence by Cooper Yachts in Vancouver.

None of these boats had satisfactory means of anchor stowage and people did exactly what Ann suggest upthread: Stow the rode in a milk crate or similar container and stow the whole kit'n'kaboodle wherever you can. Back in those days the anchor of choice was the Danforth - heaven help us :-)! But a Danforth could be stowed out of the way by lashing the ends of the stock protruding beyond the flukes to the upper rail of the pulpit. Crude but effective. Some people even made little deekie stainless steel fittings to take the stock ends. Others, less ambitious, just jammed it all into the quarter berth under the cockpit seat.

As for the rode, it was unshackled from the shank which was lashed to a pulpit upright. The rode was then stowed - wet or dry - in the milk crate which was put wherever there was room. Well — we managed :-)!

You could, if you are handy, fit a bulkhead at the forward end of the v-berths. I don't recall just how long they are, but you'd only need to shorten them by a foot to create a functioning chain locker sufficient for the amount of rode Ann suggests, an amount I agree with.

I'll be called to table in a moment, but if you are interested in learning how TrentePieds (only three feet longer than a C27) is set up, sing out, and I'll explain. Might even show a picture :-)!

TrentePieds

[OldManMirage]

Doug has a 1975 C27, which does not have a real anchor locker. All they had back then was a small compartment at the front of the V-Berth. Sometimes there was not a hawsepipe of any sort installed.

Doug, I agree with Cate, the 4" hole - especially if it is nice and round with a pop off cover - is for a vent of some sort. Maybe a cowl style, or maybe they had a solar vent there. Maybe you will even find it in a locker if you're lucky !

If there is no hawsepipe at the bow leading into the "anchor locker" you will need to get one and drill or cut the appropriate size hole for it.

Something like this is simple and easy....
https://www.amazon.com/Perko-0757DP0...ps%2C73&sr=8-3

That really should be sufficient for the size of rode and/or chain you will need for the C27.

[deltaten]

My 27 footer originally had some sort of s.s strap hanger arrangement hung on the pulpit. It was loose , bent and a PITA to use. Fortunately, I have a hawsepipe leading to a small chain locker fwd of th V berth.. I bring the rode thru the h-pipe, hook the eye of the rode/chain splice on the fairlead, swing the short, vinyl clad chain outside the pulpit and bring it aboard aft of the last Port side 'pit leg. Excess chain is looped on deck, the tail plates of the Danforth are placed atop the chain....no zinc or rust marks thataways, and the anchor-to-chain shackle is hooked on a small-ish cleat up near the h-pipe.
I *was* going to get a set of those deck mounted slot/keeper dealies, but it would take up more deck space. As it is, the anchor snugs right up against and sorta inside the pulpit, out of the way (mostly) and instantly accessible.

With no locker, you could simply figure-8 hank the rode and hang if on the pulpit or rail. Chain stowage on deck would be your choice of options. K.I.S.S.

HTH

[koyote]

Originally Posted by Dougralf

Dear sailing friends. We now own a 1975 Catalina 27. Lovely boat! The bow anchor is not set up with anchor rode. There is a small compartment at the bow, just beyond the v-berth, but the 4" hole in the deck where the chain and rhode would come out is over the v-berth, not over the small compartment. I'm looking for info where this anchor arrangement is set up nicely. Aloha.

We have also recently acquired a 1975 Catalina 27.

No, this model and age doesn't have an anchor locker on deck.

Yes, you can put in a hawsepipe. The vent is a vent hole, Flying Monkey has another 1.25 inch round hole hawspipe for rode, but we haven't used it yet.
1: it's too small to be worthwhile unless we run all chain (we might after I find a light rockna, I'm in the Chesapeake and can get away with 80 feet of chain and 80- feet of rode and never use the rode) - we might put in a 2.5x4 inch or whatever oval capped hawsepipe.
EITHER WAY, we will be coating the anchor locker with more goopy thick paint, a pile of cheap fabric or whatever, and some old sailbags.

2: there are anchor mounts for the deck. I hate the lack of space up there and we use Hank on sails, but it's a possibility. (we have a picnic Danforth on hooks on the pulpit but it's not an overnight anchor. rode for that is in a 5 gallon bucket)

3: Catalina direct sells new forestay mounts with rollers - single or dual. I'm considering one of those but I'm also seriously considering a 12 or 16 inch "anchor sprit" instead. We are planning to do some ICW and bay cruising so want to get a bit more than the picnic anchoring level.

4: don't forget a big cleat of some sort, and backing plate. (might want to replace the bow cleats, too. I love me some 5/16 dock lines, but no one else does)

These really weren't set up (at least not in the 70s) for anchoring out of the box.

simplest thing is probably a decent hawsepipe with cover, enough chain, and get a roller for the anchor and add some cleats on the bow to tie everything down well.