AHoy Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 As threads on anchor issues have popped up again I thought I would hop on the bandwagon and seek some advice following my recent change of boat. I have two main anchor set-ups on my MF805: 1) the "cruising" anchor (Jeanneau package) with 10Kg Brittany anchor + 20(?)m chain + anchor warp all stowed in the forward anchor locker and handled by an electric windlass with gypsy (no capstan) controlled from bow and helm. I may at some stage replace the Brittany with an alternative type (Delta?). This is fine for the cruising anchorages I would expect to use. Also suitable for emergency deployment provided sea conditions allow access to the bow. 2) the "fishing" anchor of 7.5Kg Bruce(alike) anchor + 10m of 8mm chain + 120m of 12mm anchor warp, used in conjunction with an Alderney Ring arrangement when in deep water. I may upgrade to a heavier anchor subject to experience as the 7.5Kg is a bit light. This is also stowed in the forward anchor locker - there is plenty of space! Cannot be used with windlass unless I add a capstan drum. This is also suitable for emergency deployment with the same limitations as the cruising anchor. Problems: A - yachtie background so not much deep water anchoring practice B - I am often single handed C - access to the foredeck is a bit tight along the side decks, so going forward in poor conditions requires special care (lifejacket and harness natch) combined with B above D - bow roller can only take one anchor at a time so one has to be stowed in locker, preferably before setting out! E - need to be able to deploy anchor safely in emergency/poor conditions. Obvious solution - store "fishing" anchor/warp in cockpit and work from there, but .... anchor warp needs to be made off at bow when in use, otherwise stowed out of way; anchor warp length in use needs to be changed according to depth; a "lazy line" from the bow needs to cope with 4 ton boat in tide/wind; need to be able to work anchor from either side of boat depending on conditions. So, what do you advise/do in these circumstances? A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Hi Alan On my Warrior I don't have a anchor storage locker so keep the warp and anchor etc in a tub in the deck area. Before I launch I put the warp around the bow post and back into the warp tub. When I want to drop anchor I can drop it over the side and control the length of warp I need all from inside the deck space. I have a solid Alderney ring so I just clip the buoy onto this and let it go when the anchor hits the bottom. Now I have a front hatch door which I can open to tie off the rope but why not fit a cleat on gunnel side of the deck and tie it off there. Colin Penny on Flamer3 does exactly this method, except he has a powerful winch to haul the anchor back up! The warp is still going out the front of the boat over the bow roller so it is in the right place. When recovery is required, just lift the anchor in the normal manner and recover over the side. As you coil the rope back into the tub, at the end of the day you still have a length around the bow post which you can recover back in the harbour, it will also help next time you go out as it will be ready for easy deployment. Hope this helps, it is harder to type the discription than actualy do. Coddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Hi Alan I will try and add some hints to help, but the best idea may be to offer to take you out or to come onbosrd with you to try and offer advice. I also have both systems, and in nearly all fishing use the heavier anchor chain and alderney ring. The stowage for my main rope is a cockpit locker, the Buoy is attached to teh ring and the anchor warp passed through prior to attaching the chain and anchor. when in position the anchor is lowered from the cockpit, after it hits the bottom the warp is taken fwd while still paying out and under no load, it comes on deck via a fairlead, around the stem post and fwd over the bow roller. As we drift back and are in position the warp is tied off on the spring cleat. When lifting I take the tension off the warp with the engine and release the warp from the bow and motor around the buoy with the warp attached to the spring cleat. Then motor off untill the anchor is up in the alderney ring Its then just a case of motoring the boat uptide of the buoy and pulling in a fairly light loaded warp. I am fortunate enough to have picked a big bow roller that can be used in this way without removing the bruce anchor on the windlas system. When I first launched I strted by removing the bruce which I have now stopped doing as it is good to always have this rigged, and it means the other anchor can be stowed on our way in at the end of a day. I hope that all amkes sense as i said earlier its easier to show than discribe. Even with the boat alongside My system is always dropped and recovered on teh stbd side, but that has never been a problem in 15 years using this technique on GW. Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Alan I have the same windlass and anchor as you and it is all I use. I have added 110m of multiplat warp to mind and have never yet had the anchor slip in up to 150 feet. I do not Alderney ring my anchor simply as the standard bow roller is not suitable (ask Graham Gear). It is very strong "up and down", but not designed for the side to side stress created by driving the anchor out. The downside is that I do need to go up to the foredeck and it does take practise to drop using the windlass. It isn't as hard as it seems though. I would get a stack of multiplait spliced onto your existing set-up and start learning to use it effectively. If you do still want to Alderney it I would consider changing the roller or tying off to the forward cleat prior to driving out. The Brittany anchor works brilliantly for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjb Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I hope i have got this right i've just ordered 100 mtrs 12mm multiplat with 10 mtrs of 6mm chain for my Quicksilver 640 this will be on to a 7.5kg bruce type anchor cheers graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Martin Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Hi Graham That should be perfectly adequate for a 640 and should hold you in most depths likely to be encountered out of Poole Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjb Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Thankyou Martin cheers graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I hope i have got this right i've just ordered 100 mtrs 12mm multiplat with 10 mtrs of 6mm chain for my Quicksilver 640 this will be on to a 7.5kg bruce type anchor cheers graham sounds a well balanced rode overall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHoy Posted February 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Thanks all for the suggestions. The MF805 doesn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHoy Posted February 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I hope i have got this right i've just ordered 100 mtrs 12mm multiplat with 10 mtrs of 6mm chain for my Quicksilver 640 this will be on to a 7.5kg bruce type anchor cheers graham Graham, The lighter (5Kg) Bruce anchor and 6mm chain I had on the QS640 always held ok for me with just short of 100m of 12mm warp, so your new setup should be fine. A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 My setup struggled to go in again yesterday in the big tides. so I think its time for a bit more chain or another type of anchor. Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHoy Posted February 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 (edited) I would get a stack of multiplait spliced onto your existing set-up .... If anyone has 100m + of 12mm or 14mm 3 strand or multiplait warp (suitable for anchor rode) they want to dispose of I could well be interested Alternatively - I may have half a reel to sell later. Alan. Edited February 25, 2008 by AHoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjb Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Alan i was out the other week and when the tide run so did the boat i could not hold bottom hence the change . I even linked another rope to it and still could not hold cheers graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shytalk Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 delta or bruce with boat legnth in 10 or 12 mm chain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHoy Posted February 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 i was out the other week and when the tide run so did the boat i could not hold bottom hence the change Graham, I don't think I ever tried anchoring the 640 in any large tides like the ones we have just had - only "ordinary" springs for me. Looks you checked out the holding ability properly Seems like you weren't the only one finding the limits. A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHoy Posted February 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 As I had some time off work on Wednesday (coinciding with that sunny calm weather ) I decided to take the boat out and also take the opportunity of calling in on Charlie for some first-hand advice on anchor rigging. I was able to take a good look at the set-up on Alfresco, a superb example of a purpose built angling boat, and discuss with Charlie the options on Marsel 2. As the MF805 is intended primarily as a family cruising boat, with some capability for fishing, the obvious differences are a (much) reduced cockpit space and deck fittings only intended for "ordinary" anchor work and mooring. However, we were able to come up with some alternative anchoring possibilities for me to work on. My thanks to Charlie for his time. I then went outside the harbour for a while to play with my anchors and took the opportunity of having a late lunch "on the hook" in Studland Bay - very relaxing I do have to work some of this weekend to make up the time, a fair trade especially as the weather forecast doesn't look so inviting, but I might still get the chance to practice my warp to chain splicing - A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHoy Posted February 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 (edited) I have the same windlass and anchor as you and it is all I use. I have added 110m of multiplat warp to mind and have never yet had the anchor slip in up to 150 feet........ I would get a stack of multiplait spliced onto your existing set-up ...... Tom/anyone, I have checked out the windlass on my boat and it is a Lofrans Airon ftted with an 8mm chain gypsy, however, the Lofrans manual states that this is a chain gypsy only not dual use chain/warp. Further, the agents confirm this and say there is no dual use gypsy available for it. Before I go ahead and buy some more anchor warp can anyone confirm that this gypsy will actually pull warp under load? The Jeanneau dealers who supplied the boat say it will work with warp and Jeanneau supply a short length of 14mm (?) warp with the anchor kit, but I have not tested this under recovery load. Weird that the control units for the windlass are badged as Quick units, and Quick gypsys are sold for dual chain/warp use. What is the relationship between Lofrans and Quick, I thought they were independent. A. Edited February 29, 2008 by AHoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 A can you get 2 turn of rope around the drum if you can it will work if not it might slip most of the smaller ones will do both mark w Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHoy Posted February 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 Mark, No drum on this windlass it only has a gypsy. The chain and rope use the same feed and run through seamlessly (in theory at least) into the chain locker. Alan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 just pick up on the comment - recovery load generally I try to keep this as a nice light even pressure - recovery in deep water on the windlass is a 2 man job in a big tide using the engine to stem the tide. alderney ring is much much better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 Hi Alan nice to chat on Wed and I am not at all sad that I could not join you in the bay instead of going back to work [Honest] I hope that some of the hints were usefull If you are doing the splice put two strands in from 1 side of the chain link and the other strand from the opposite side, then splice from there. It stops the splce bing too thick and jamming in the windlass Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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