Anchor Rode

[Sea Hunt]

Bill in OK (a/k/a Barfwinkle) is selling about 200' of 1/2" New England Rope 3 strand nylon.

I am considering buying this to replace the anchor rode on the two small anchors that came with my CD Ty Weekender.

My only concern is the line diameter. 1/2" seems "a bit much" for a CD Ty Weekender. I am a "suspenders and belt" kind of guy so I do not mind the extra thickness UNLESS it will have a negative effect on something. I looked at the forward cleat and the aft cleat. I am not sure if 1/2" line can be made fast with a cleat hitch given the lines thickness.

I don't want Bill's wife to do bad things to him and I am happy to help if I can, but I also do not want to spend $110-$130 on something that is really not what I should be using.

Any recommendations or suggestions

[Clay Stalker]

Hi Robert-

Congratulations on your new boat! I cannot wait to see whether you truly get the bug and start searching for that "next boat" or bail out....in any event, I hope we can keep reading about your exploits....I for one have enjoyed it greatly!

Not to scuttle a sale of Bill's, but 1/2" is too thick for a Typhoon. It's not that you can't use it (you can), it's just that you won't get the elasticity, or stretch, you will need to keep the boat from yanking out the anchor every time the wind blows. With a chain rode, it's the "snubber," or rubber piece that takes the pressure and evens out the blows. With nylon rode, it's the stretching of the rope that you really need. I'm not sure what size is best for a Typhoon (there must be lots of Typhoon owners that can tell you that), but I cannot imagine that you would want anything larger than 3/8" and maybe even smaller.

[barfwinkle]

Not to scuttle a sale of Bill's,

Hey Chump, when I received Robert's PM, I was actually just about to chop up the remaining "footage" in to new dock lines And trust me I need new dock lines!

Robert, I thought about this very subject after sending you the PM. Dont worry about it if the line to too big. Literally, I have two brand new 200' anchor rodes for just a bit more than WM would have sold me one rode & I still have 200' all to myself.

Clay, a) have a stout on me, and b) I hope you and the rest of the Yanks have a GREAT season. It appears I'll be showing the Rebs how to mix a Dark and Stormy for most of the summer.

Fair Winds

[D Rush]

I read Don Casey recommends for anchor ropes is to use 1/8" for every 9 ft of boat length with 1/16" of chain (at least one foot of chain for each foot of boat length) . That would 3/8" 3 Strand Nylon and 3/16" Proof Coil chain for sailboats 20 to 25 ft.

Check out http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/34.htm

[The Patriot]

... about 200' of 1/2 " New England Rope 3 strand nylon ... My only concern is the line diameter. 1/2" seems "a bit much" for a CD Ty Weekender ...

The comments about relative stretch with different diameters of nylon are well put and important. but other factors should also be considered.

With a slightly heavier line one get two durability plusses. First, the chafe resistance of heavier line will help keep the rode in shape longer and reduce problems that may occur. Not that the line won't chafe, but that it takes longer to wear through and thus gives more time for remedies. Second, there is less UV deterioration per unit of strength (a new measure?) with heavier line. It will last longer and possibly stay softer longer.

Also, a slightly heavier line will have a better "hand" when using the rode. This means you will have less trouble hauling and setting the anchor, and it will be easier on your hands when you do so. My advice: always wear something like cheap gardening gloves when working the anchor. Attach small plastic snaps and just hang them forward on the lifelines so they're always there when you need them.

[Oswego John]

Heavier line also creates more sag in the rode between the bow chock and the anchor. The greater sag from the extra weight increases the dampening effect from surging.

By the same token, a part line, part chain rode gives about the same dampening effect.

O J

[Tim Mertinooke]

I used 150' of 3/8" rode with 20 feet of 3/16 chain on my former Ty and never had an issue. Plus the smaller diameter rode and chain allows you to store more in the VERY limited space aboard a Ty. I miss my old Typhoon.

[Sea Hunt]

A brief update and a question.

I have decided to spend the afternoon at WM or other similar store. I want to buy jib sheets and anchor rode.

1. Anchor Rode

I think I have settled on anchor rode - 3/8" 3 strand nylon. My question on this is rode length. For the next 1-2 years almost all of my anchoring will be in Biscayne Bay (12'-18') maximum depths with some much more shallow. I am thinking, therefore that 105' - 147' should give me the recommended 7:1 scope allowing for the additional hull height (I estimate 3'). To be safe, I am thus thinking of buy 150'-200' of - 3/8" 3 strand nylon. Is this enough Is it too much for Ty Weekender

2. Jib Sheets

I think I have also decided on line for the jib sheets. I had two of the sails cleaned and they came out nice. No more rust stains and they look a little "whiter" than they did going in. I am going to use the original Cape Dory Jib (it says "mfg for Cape Dory" on the sail) and attach two lines (red and green) with bowlines. My thought is to use a double braided nylon (Sta Set New England Rope ) and to make each sheet 30'

Any final thoughts, recommendations, etc. before I head off to WM or other

Please keep in mind with any recommendations, etc. that you are dealing with a true "tadpole" sailor who is not very bright and requires a lot of simple explanations (repeated often) to understand what is being explained.

[Tim Mertinooke]

While 7:1 is ideal for anchoring, there are many achorages (at least up here in NE) where it is not possible. One way around this is to increase the amount of chain you carry. I try to carry at least the length of the boat in chain. It allows the anchor to be pulled at an optimal angle and stay secrured as the chain sits along the bottom. This allows a shorter rode with results similar to a longer rode. I anchored a dozen times with my Typhoon and had no problems. If the wind is piping, you will probably need to increase the rode length. All chain seems ideal to me, but the weight in the bow rules it out on a Ty. To answer your question, I think 150' of rode with 20' of chain will do you fine.

[Zeida]

On my Cd-33 Bandolera I carry 150-200 ft. of 5/8" anchor rode with 25 ft. of chain. It IS ALL I WILL EVER NEED in Bisc. Bay and the Keys! you are more than safe with 100 ft. of rode and 12 ft. of chain.

[Neil Gordon]

I have decided to spend the afternoon at WM or other similar store... Any final thoughts, recommendations, etc. before I head off to WM or other

Yes. Never head off to West Marine or an equivalent for "the afternoon." You won't like your credit card bill. Budget your time there based on what you absolutely positively need to buy. That way, you'll only spend twice as much as planned.

[The Patriot]

... I am thinking, therefore that 105' - 147' should give me the recommended 7:1 scope allowing for the additional hull height (I estimate 3'). To be safe, I am thus thinking of buy 150'-200' of - 3/8" 3 strand nylon. Is this enough :?: Is it too much for Ty Weekender :?:

You will be fine with 200 feet. One thing to remember is that 3 strand nylon will shrink with use. No, I am not making this up.

If you start with 200 feet and mark your rode, in time your marks will no longer correspond to the actually length employed. You will then have to remeasure and re-mark the rode. Typical 3 strand nylon doesn't actually "shrink," but it does get shorter. What appears to happen is that the 3 strand lay (or weave for the non-rope person) thickens due to wetting and drying cycles. The 1/2 inch rope becomes something like 9/16 or 5/8 inch. In my experience a piece 200 feet long when new ends up about 160 to 170 feet after a few years of usage.

BTW, it is money well spent to buy good quality nylon. There is a lot of cheaply manufactured junk out there, and you will find that good quality rope will last a very long time and serve well if cared for. You should consider New England Rope for nylon. It is very nearly the best and most carefully manufactured available.

[Sea Hunt]

Thanks for all the good advise, Neil's advise being perhaps the most financially important. I did not go to WM yesterday, opting instead to try to do some additional salvage work at the house.

I have made a detailed list of things I need in order of priority. A new anchor, etc. is high on the list.

I think I have settled on 150'-200' of braided nylon (3/8") for a primary anchor rode with 15'-20' of 1/4" proof coil chain attached to either a 9 lb or 14 lb Danforth anchor as my primary anchor. There are two additional Danforth-type anchors that came with the Ty that I will use as back ups and/or kedge anchors.

During hurricane season, we are required to move all sailboats from their moorings at the sailing club. There are not many places to hide during a hurricane in South Florida. From what I understand, most folks just try to find a small cove area and deploy 2-3 anchors on long rodes and pray

Thus, the longer the primary rode I buy now, hopefully the better chance I will have during the next hurricane. However, with my luck these days . . . well, you know

I hope to race today (winds SE 6-8 kts). Tomorrow we have our annual scuba diving show (OceanFest) that I MUST attend.

I hope to be back onboard S/V Tadpole Monday morning. Weather permitting, I plan to practice for the first time dropping and picking up the mooring ball under auxiliary power (not sails). As of the other day, the sailing club had not yet installed the "stick buoy" and double line pendant so at present it is a small white styrofoam ball with a line going to one pendant line floating below the surface.

Thanks again for all the good advise and recommendations.

[Kurt]

Jib sheets should be dacron...not nylon. Halyards and jib sheets are dacron.

[SeaBelle]

Some prefer one sheet, twice as long. They fold in half, put the middle through the clew, and feed both tails though. The attachment is compact and less likely to hang up when tacking.

I'm a 2-sheet guy because I use multiple hank-on sails.