T&T: Chain rode

[Bob Austin]

The tight anchor chain breaking issue is important.  It shows that you must
have some form or shock absorbing ability--such as a chain hook/snubber.  I
have been along side another boat, about the same weight as mine, when a large
set of waves came into a cove.  The other boat had the chain in a chain
stopper and no shock absorbing ability; that chain broke.  My chain held,
because I had a snubber.  Shock loading any chain will create stresses far
beyond its SWL and often exceed its breaking strength.  I am well aware that a
number of commercial fishing vessels lay to heavy chain, light chain and cable
on a drum windlass, which has virtually no shock loading ability except the
heavy chain.

There are "working anchors" and storm anchors.  If you are a serious cruiser
you want a storm anchor.  My personal opinion is that I want the largest
anchor I can handle for the working anchor.  For my 35 foot boats that has
been a 45 to 60 lb CQR and 40 lb HT Danforth--For larger boats proportionately
sized anchors.  A 70 lb anchor is not too large if you have adequate ground
tackle.  It is not the weight of the anchor--it is the surface area of the
fluke and the ability of the anchor to penetrate the bottom.  I have moved
many thousand lb mooring blocks in wave sets--but 60 lb anchors have held in
worse conditions.  For our Europe trip (60,000 lb boat), we had a 60 lb COR, a
70 lb Danforth and a 70 lb Fisherman for the working ground tackle.  For the
storm anchor we had a 150 lb fisherman.  Fortunately that anchor broke down
into three about equally sized pieces and stowed in the bilge--we never had to
use that anchor, but it was there, along with adequate chain and rode if
necessary.  There is no one anchor which meets all requirments, so a variety
are necessary.