"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
Until I lost that anchor yesterday, I thought your aforementioned reason
was
*the* most important reason for rode. Now I see both reasons (prevent
strafe and reduce the pulling angle) are equally important.

The more chain you use, the less scope you will need in almost any
situation.

If you routinely anchor in relatively deep or crowded areas where 5 to 1
is
impractical,
an all-chain rode will often hold as well at 3 to 1 as a rope rode will at
5.
The extra weight of the chain keeps a shock absorbing "belly" in the rode
to
help resist pullout, in addition to a more horizontal, (less vertical)
pull on
the anchor once it is set.

Gould, I don't care WHAT we might've said about you while you were gone from
this NG. You're not dumb, smelly or ugly. You just gave me a great idea. I
need more weight in the front of my 14' yacht when I'm the only one in it,
or the bow catches the wind, causing the boat to do some very interesting
things. I wonder how much chain would weigh 28 lbs, same as my battery,
which when placed in the bow for experimental purposes, added just enough
weight to level things nicely.