nom=de=plume wrote:

"Larry" wrote in message
...
nom=de=plume wrote:

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:54:54 -0700, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

Half a boat length of chain is the recommended minimum. Most
serious
cruisers are using all chain (with a snubber) for a variety of good
reasons.

Did you get a copy of Chapman's yet ? You'll learn a lot from
it and
get more details than anyone here can provide:

http://www.amazon.com/Chapman-Piloti...Small-Handling

Yes, have a copy though not the latest. So, a 40' boat would have
at least
20 feet. Seems like with all chain that could get pretty heavy if
you need
to get it out without a windlass... Seems like picking a good
place with
(among other things) less likelihood of coral would mean you
wouldn't need
to have as much use for all chain.


There are a number of ways to pull a heavy anchor and chain without a
windlass, but a windlass is certainly the preferred way of doing it.
Most serious cruisers prefer all chain simply because it provides more
security when anchoring, and when you are living on your boat in
remote places, that counts for a lot. Chain sets faster because the
catenary effect reduces the angle of pull on the anchor. Chain offers
a great deal of protection from accidental or intentional
cuts/abrasion. Chain has a very high ultimate breaking strength,
etc., etc.

99 out of 100 international/offshore cruising boats can't be all
wrong. Get the big anchor, get the chain, and get the windlass
unless you intend to spend all of your time in a marina.

Interesting... I'd like to know how you would go about raising an
anchor with all that chain by hand? I didn't read anything like that
so far. You can't put the chain on a regular winch right? So, I was
thinking you would have to sail up to just above the anchor, but
that's still a lot of chain/anchor.

Not saying the cruisers are wrong... obviously they're right. I'm
just wondering how they do it, esp. in the case of mechanism
failure. That's the point of being a sailor.. dealing with
adversity, etc.


If the windlass fails, you cut and run. I'll bet there are tens of
thousands of anchors on the bottom of the ocean that were stuck and
the Captain had no other choice.

Really? How much does 100' of chain and a big anchor cost? You're
going to leave it? Sounds pretty stupid to me, but you don't own a
boat, right? So, you wouldn't even have a clue.
Unlike you, I do own a boat - my fourth actually. What does the cost of
the anchor and it's rode have to do with it? If you can't recover it
you don't call AAA and fix your makeup while you wait for them. It only
"sounds" stupid to you because you _are_ stupid.