Advice on anchor, please

[Alanji]

After reading threads on here and Matty's advice I should get an anchor before venturing onto the Trent. 54ft narrowboat.

 

Got a bit of a fright at prices when I started looking but Ebay came good, unless anyone thinks they might be dodgy.

 

20kg anchor Ebay

 

10 metres chain Ebay again

 

What thickness rope should I get. From reading should be 30m length?

 

Any comments or advice much appreciated

[mrsmelly]

After reading threads on here and Matty's advice I should get an anchor before venturing onto the Trent. 54ft narrowboat.

 

Got a bit of a fright at prices when I started looking but Ebay came good, unless anyone thinks they might be dodgy.

 

20kg anchor Ebay

 

10 metres chain Ebay again

 

What thickness rope should I get. From reading should be 30m length?

 

Any comments or advice much appreciated

 

Hi

 

I have purchased two of those very anchors from the same site on Ebay. The price is hugely less than mid swindlers price and the product is very similar. First one I had on my 70 foot n/b which I sold last year so I bought another one which is now on this boat and very good also. I cannot comment on the chain as I sourced that elsewhere.

 

Tim

[blackrose]

I also bought one of these from ebay and it's fine. A copy of a Danforth anchor isn't really going to differ much from the original.

 

The only drawback of a Danforth is that they're a bugger to store neatly.

 

I've got 22mm octoplait on mine, but I guess anything thicker than about 18mm would be fine. Anything thinner might be difficult to splice to the chain. You can splice 3 strand or octoplait.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfDyDYC5g1E

Edited January 6, 2013 by blackrose

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

I lost a chain and anchor under the Humber bridge waiting for the tide into South Ferriby. Was silly enough to use an old lorry rope to extend it. A very expensive mistake.

[Alanji]

Thanks for the replies - it is good to know that others have bought the cheap anchor and found it of acceptable quality.

 

I will have another couple of questions about attaching on the boat once I have the anchor and get it to the boat.

 

EDIT very useful video on splicing too - thanks Blackrose. Not sure what he was using to seal the ends but presumably a good soldering iron would do the job?

 

Sorry, another question. Wide difference in rope prices.. Any views on whether to get nylon, hemp or sisal and how do you seal the ends on the latter two?

Edited January 7, 2013 by Alanji

[by'eck]

After reading threads on here and Matty's advice I should get an anchor before venturing onto the Trent. 54ft narrowboat.

 

Got a bit of a fright at prices when I started looking but Ebay came good, unless anyone thinks they might be dodgy.

 

20kg anchor Ebay

 

10 metres chain Ebay again

 

What thickness rope should I get. From reading should be 30m length?

 

Any comments or advice much appreciated

 

That's a very good price for a 20Kg Danforth. Just bought one myself.

 

Add 10mm bow shackle, 6 metres of 10mm chain spliced to 20 metres of 18mm anchorbraid with loop on the end, and your done.

[Proper Job]

Mrsmelly's very anchor set up for a trip down the Trent (when he had a proper boat)

 

[Nine of Hearts]

Mrsmelly's very anchor set up for a trip down the Trent (when he had a proper boat)

 

What knot is that on the warp to the chain? T'ain't a splice as appears to be recommended here, and t'ain't an anchor hitch (like what I've done) either.

[Proper Job]

What knot is that on the warp to the chain? T'ain't a splice as appears to be recommended here, and t'ain't an anchor hitch (like what I've done) either.

Bowline at both ends

[Iain_S]

(snip)

Sorry, another question. Wide difference in rope prices.. Any views on whether to get nylon, hemp or sisal and how do you seal the ends on the latter two?

 

I'd go for an artificial fibre, probably nylon or polyester. Hemp and (more so) sisal, rot, especially if they spend their life in a damp locker.

 

Iain

[Nine of Hearts]

Bowline at both ends

 

Ah, right. I thought it was some sort of hitch, but I realise now it's just a side view of the rabbit hole and rabbit run.

[mrsmelly]

Ah, right. I thought it was some sort of hitch, but I realise now it's just a side view of the rabbit hole and rabbit run.

 

Blimey young Pj ow many pics did ya take? My " Proper " boat now lives in London, poor thing. The bowline is a superb knot for such matters as it is easily undone and as I borrowed the warp I didnt want to splice anything anywhere even if it had been possible.

 

Tim

[NMEA]

The Danforth or Brittany pattern anchor is best suited to sandy ground, a plough pattern is a far better bet when weedy, muddy or rough ground is encountered, as it is in most esturies. I would not have a cheap anchor on board my boat anymore than I would have cheap brake pads on my car. For securing the chain or warp to the boat always use a length of easily cut warp in several turns, you should rarely if ever need maximum scope and the thinner line could help in an emergency if you hyave to dump the lot. All chain = 3x maximum depth expected, rope & chain = at least five times maximum expected depth. Some useful reading HERE

Edited January 7, 2013 by NMEA

[Tiger 1057]

I am in 100% agreement with NMEA.

 

When you need to deploy the anchor in anger is probably the worst time to find that it fails under load!

 

Still I suppose a few quid saved will give someone peace of mind

[Puddlejumper]

And do not forget to wire the shackles so they cant undo For the Trent Min 30ft chain + anchorplait min 18 mm dia easy to splice available

from Jimmy Green Marine and if you can permantly connect to boat do it you will prob never use your anchor on The Trent except in emergency the times i have seen people drop the hook without it being connected to the boat resulting in lost anchor/chain/rope must be at least 10 hope this helps

[mrsmelly]

I am in 100% agreement with NMEA.

 

When you need to deploy the anchor in anger is probably the worst time to find that it fails under load!

 

Still I suppose a few quid saved will give someone peace of mind

 

Ahh

 

So just because you pay a rip off chandlers price means that it is superior to paying a sensible price from elsewhere, i must remember that. I have owned anchors from Mid swindlers and the like over the years and two of the sensibly priced ones from ebay and can assure you there is no difference to the build quality. In some instances with products you do get what you pay for, in other instances you get ripped off.

 

Tim

[Beo]

Mrsmelly's very anchor set up for a trip down the Trent (when he had a proper boat)

 

 

Please don't think I'm completely stupid but how do you deploy the anchor from the bow when you've got a cratch cover? I'm asking because our boat has a cratch cover and I can't get on to the bow from inside the boat...

[mrsmelly]

Please don't think I'm completely stupid but how do you deploy the anchor from the bow when you've got a cratch cover? I'm asking because our boat has a cratch cover and I can't get on to the bow from inside the boat...

 

Hi

 

Asking questions is not stupid, thats what helps with the knowledge. On that boat it had quite a high deck in the well and was easy just to lift leg and go round the open cratch cover and stand on the pointy bit. The picture does not easily show dimensions but the pointy bit on the Hudson where the gas locker is , is 7 feet long which is longer than many boats in front of the cratch so easily enough room to stand. On that particular journey down the tidal Trent and in at keadby I had my mate PJ with me and he also knows his boating over many years so it helped. It also meant he balanced his arse on the pointy bit rather than me That particular little jaunt was when we on my 70 footer went thro Thorne lock which is apparently unable to take a 70 foot narrowboat

 

Tim

[Beo]

Hi

 

Asking questions is not stupid, thats what helps with the knowledge. On that boat it had quite a high deck in the well and was easy just to lift leg and go round the open cratch cover and stand on the pointy bit. The picture does not easily show dimensions but the pointy bit on the Hudson where the gas locker is , is 7 feet long which is longer than many boats in front of the cratch so easily enough room to stand. On that particular journey down the tidal Trent and in at keadby I had my mate PJ with me and he also knows his boating over many years so it helped. It also meant he balanced his arse on the pointy bit rather than me That particular little jaunt was when we on my 70 footer went thro Thorne lock which is apparently unable to take a 70 foot narrowboat

 

Tim

 

Thanks for that!

It also clarifies why I find it impossible to get on to the front - we have a well deck so it's a big step up and then I can't get past the front of the cratch cover to get on to the 'pointy bit' So...what do we do when we want to go on the river? I guess we would attach the anchor to the front as normal but keep it inside the cratch and just chuck it over the side if required? And another thing...why is the anchor at the front instead of the back? Doesn't it make you do the equivalent of a handbrake turn when used? Hope that's enough questions...

[mrsmelly]

Thanks for that!

It also clarifies why I find it impossible to get on to the front - we have a well deck so it's a big step up and then I can't get past the front of the cratch cover to get on to the 'pointy bit' So...what do we do when we want to go on the river? I guess we would attach the anchor to the front as normal but keep it inside the cratch and just chuck it over the side if required? And another thing...why is the anchor at the front instead of the back? Doesn't it make you do the equivalent of a handbrake turn when used? Hope that's enough questions...

 

Hi

 

Yes you could put the anchor in the well and deploy it that way. There are several options including the roof for instance. Anchors are generaly affixed to the pointy end as if on a fast flowing river or more importantly at sea it is advisable to have the sharp end facing the oncoming waves rather than up the jacksy so to speak. It is not a problem though in such cases as inland waters like that bit of water we were on. Single handed boaters often have the anchor at the stern to facilitate quick deployment if the you know what hits the fan. Yes doing a hand brake turn or ending up on a bank is also a possibility on some occasions though can be sorted before anchor deployment by shortening rope and paying out as necessary which is possible if the guy doing it know what hes doing which in the case of the pics on that day young PJ certainly does.

 

Tim

[Grace and Favour]

>>>

.why is the anchor at the front instead of the back? Doesn't it make you do the equivalent of a handbrake turn when used? Hope that's enough questions...

 

Whether the boat winds through 180 degrees or not will depend upon whether you are moving with, or against, the flow!

[Beo]

Hi

 

Yes you could put the anchor in the well and deploy it that way. There are several options including the roof for instance. Anchors are generaly affixed to the pointy end as if on a fast flowing river or more importantly at sea it is advisable to have the sharp end facing the oncoming waves rather than up the jacksy so to speak. It is not a problem though in such cases as inland waters like that bit of water we were on. Single handed boaters often have the anchor at the stern to facilitate quick deployment if the you know what hits the fan. Yes doing a hand brake turn or ending up on a bank is also a possibility on some occasions though can be sorted before anchor deployment by shortening rope and paying out as necessary which is possible if the guy doing it know what hes doing which in the case of the pics on that day young PJ certainly does.

 

Tim

 

Thank you. I'm beginning to feel a bit more comfortable about planning a trip along the Trent now.

[mrsmelly]

Thank you. I'm beginning to feel a bit more comfortable about planning a trip along the Trent now.

 

Hi

 

I see you are east midlands. if you want to pm me anytime I may be of help. The Trent is my fave river and I know it well and work on it.

Anytime I can be of help feel free to contact me

 

Tim

[Naughty Cal]

You do need to make sure you can comfortably handle your anchor. No point finding out you can't raise and lower it when you need it most!

 

We are lucky enough to have an electric winch to aid matters greatly.

 

We have found our delta anchor holds very well on the Trent (in fact in all bottom conditions we have come across from rock, mud, sand and weed) helped no doubt by our set up which is all chain with no rope ( barring the webbing bitter end!)

[NMEA]

Quote:

"So just because you pay a rip off chandlers price means that it is superior to paying a sensible price from elsewhere, i must remember that. I have owned anchors from Mid swindlers and the like over the years and two of the sensibly priced ones from ebay and can assure you there is no difference to the build quality. In some instances with products you do get what you pay for, in other instances you get ripped off. "

 

When I say cheap I don't just refer to price, though bargains can be had, I too have owned and used an anchor or two over the years, both for leisure and commercial use, not only that but have been involved in objective tests of the things in a former life on commercial publications. Bent flukes, bent stocks, poor balance leading to bad or no setting all caused either by poor design or cheap material. I stick to researched patterns from good makers and use them on appropriate ground, that's why I have three on board, each is for a different purpose and they are used regularly not just as a handbrake.

Edited January 8, 2013 by NMEA