Anchor/rope/chain etc. for Tidal Thames

[LadyG]

That wee bow shackle looks well undersized, get a big green pin from Jimmy Green please!

[Ewan123]

49 minutes ago, LadyG said:

That wee bow shackle looks well undersized, get a big green pin from Jimmy Green please!

 

It's about the same as the existing chain so I'm not sure it's worth doing that without going the whole hog. Again, I know this isn't the perfect solution but there's only so far my budget can stretch at the moment. 

[LadyG]

8 minutes ago, Ewan123 said:

 

It's about the same as the existing chain so I'm not sure it's worth doing that without going the whole hog. Again, I know this isn't the perfect solution but there's only so far my budget can stretch at the moment. 

You know the diameter of the chain. Get a the biggest Green pin shackle, to fit, less than a tenner.  I am 95% sure that shackle will snap. 

 

 

 

Edited June 12, 2022 by LadyG

[Ewan123]

10 hours ago, LadyG said:

You know the diameter of the chain. Get a the biggest Green pin shackle, to fit, less than a tenner.  I am 95% sure that shackle will snap. 

 

 

 

Just to be clear, is it this one we're talking about?

 

[LadyG]

4 hours ago, Ewan123 said:

Just to be clear, is it this one we're talking about?

 

Yes, that's called a bow shackle because of its shape, the other type are D  shackles, which are more common, the ' bow shackle' is often used to attach the anchor to the chain, but  again, this one is too spindly for your kit

I pronounce it to rhyme with bow and arrow, but not sure about that.

 

Edited June 13, 2022 by LadyG

[Mad Harold]

6 hours ago, Ewan123 said:

Just to be clear, is it this one we're talking about?

 

I would have thought that the piece of blue clothes line would give way before the shackle.

[Alan de Enfield]

10 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

I would have thought that the piece of blue clothes line would give way before the shackle.

 

 

I cannot see what use 2' of chain at the 'boat end' is doing anyway - its ceryainly not going to make the anchor set.

 

HEAVY chain (or lots of lighter chain) should be at the anchor end, the idea being that its weight keeps the chain horizontal so the pull is along the bed of the river / canal, any upwards force by using a length of light rope means you are effectivevly pulling the anchor out.

 

 

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

I cannot see what use 2' of chain at the 'boat end' is doing anyway - its ceryainly not going to make the anchor set.

 

I think its to attach the bitter end to the boat avoiding using the T stud

[Alan de Enfield]

6 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I think its to attach the bitter end to the boat avoiding using the T stud

 

But you don't know what length of rode you need until you need it - or - is it the plan to just 'throw out' everything you have ?

[howardang]

I think you are correct. It seems to be a common (mis) understandingthat you just chuck the anchor overboard and bring up to a fixed length. It is often better to be able to pay out, or take in anchor cable or rode as required.

Howard

Edited June 13, 2022 by howardang

[David Mack]

But if you are paying out the rope under a degree of control, by taking a turn around the T stud, are you nevertheless not better off if the end of the rope is firmly attached to to a strong point on the boat, so that if you can't keep hold of the rope there is something else to stop you losing the anchor, chain and rope altogether?

[LadyG]

35 minutes ago, David Mack said:

But if you are paying out the rope under a degree of control, by taking a turn around the T stud, are you nevertheless not better off if the end of the rope is firmly attached to to a strong point on the boat, so that if you can't keep hold of the rope there is something else to stop you losing the anchor, chain and rope altogether?

In this photo the strong point is the existing hole in the boat, so the problem is to attach that to the rope.

The BIG galvanised shackle which has been used in the hole must be a fair size/strength, ideally a short strong chain could come from that BIG shackle then attached to the rope, (in theory this should be a hard eye, or the rope will rub on the metal) and the same applies at the other end where the rope attaches to the chain on the anchor.

An anchor bend ( use Google) can also be used to attach rope to a bow shackle, but we are getting in to even more technicalities, matching chain, shackle, rope ......

The operator plops the anchor in, the chain follows naturally, operator should be able to feed out chain and the rope by hand without using the T at all,  hopefully without rope burns. If he has to let go everything, and at the end stage he has to, then the boat will stop on the BIG shackle when the anchor bites.

This system does not allow for the use of the T to control the rope.

By definition, there is always a weak link in any length, or combination. Personally,  I'd rather use oversize shackles to make sure undersize ones don't break. Obviously they should be screwed in tight.

 

Edited June 13, 2022 by LadyG

[howardang]

44 minutes ago, David Mack said:

But if you are paying out the rope under a degree of control, by taking a turn around the T stud, are you nevertheless not better off if the end of the rope is firmly attached to to a strong point on the boat, so that if you can't keep hold of the rope there is something else to stop you losing the anchor, chain and rope altogether?

Of course and one common way is to secure the bitter ens with a number of turns of rope which can be cut with a knife if necessary in an emergency.

 

Howard

[Ewan123]

Blimey, I leave for a few hours 😅 

 

Some of my terminology is probably not correct, apologies. I'm pretty sure @LadyG is describing my system accurately...

 

There is a big D shackle attached to the strong point on the bow (not T-stud). There is a short length of chain attached to that shackle which is really just to bring the strong point within easier reach, so to speak, as the strong point on the bow isn't as easy to get to as I'd like (a longer length would be better here, I just had that length available - I may try to improve). 

 

The blue rope (probably misnamed as a snubber) is not involved in taking any weight - it's only there to hold the end of that chain within reach, otherwise the chain dangles down and is of no use. It can be quick-released once I've attached the paid-out anchor line with an anchor hitch, but at that point it is long enough to just hang slack between the bow shackle and the T-stud, not holding any weight, ready to make it easier to start recovery.

 

Does make any more sense? I don't think I'm doing silly things... 

[Ewan123]

8 hours ago, LadyG said:

Yes, that's called a bow shackle because of its shape, the other type are D  shackles, which are more common, the ' bow shackle' is often used to attach the anchor to the chain, but  again, this one is too spindly for your kit

I pronounce it to rhyme with bow and arrow, but not sure about that.

 

 

Hmm, that bow shackle is about as chunky as will fit through that chain, it's a half-inch one...

Edited June 13, 2022 by Ewan123