Anchor requirement advice

[Edders]

Hello everyone,

 

We will be going visiting the non tidal Thames and the Trent during next year so will need to be getting an anchor etc sorted.

 

Can anyone please advise the best type and weight of anchor (as well as length of warp and chain)? Our 71' 6" narrowboat weighs 26 tons.

 

Many thanks.

 

Tony and Jenny.

[GUMPY]

Danforth seems to be the standard

Minimum 20kg preferably 30kg

25m 10mm chain

50m 20mm rope.

 

I have assumed tidal Trent and Thames

[Naughty Cal]

You will need to get an anchor that you can easily handle. Too heavy and you will never retrieve it again.

 

Minimum requirements for chain/rope length are 3 x water depth if all chain, 10 x water depth if all rope and 6 x water depth if a mixture of chain and rope. We use all chain as it means we dont have to carry loads about. We have in the region of 100ft of chain in the anchor locker which means we can safely anchor in 30 odd ft of water.

 

We use a Delta anchor which seems to hold well in most bottom conditions but perhaps would not be the easiest to store on a narrowboat bow.

 

It is perhaps worth practising anchoring and retrieving the anchor once you have it as it isnt just a case of throwing it over the side and hoping for the best.

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

As important, is to have the anchor ready to deploy. If all chain the bitter end needs to be rope so you can cut it free in an emergency.

[Naughty Cal]

As important, is to have the anchor ready to deploy. If all chain the bitter end needs to be rope so you can cut it free in an emergency.

Good point.

 

It also needs to be mounted to a hefty mounting point on the boat as there will be a fair deal of strain on it.

[by'eck]

Danforth seems to be the standard

Minimum 20kg preferably 30kg

25m 10mm chain

50m 20mm rope.

 

I have assumed tidal Trent and Thames

 

I would agree with Julian's anchor weight preference. Unfortunately you won't be able to recover a 30 Kg Danforth by yourself without anchor winch. Even a 20Kg one will be hard work but fine for most situations providing enough scope is used. I had such hold my 20 ton sailboat on an inter-island tidal stream in the Bahamas where the rode was so taught you could play tunes on it.

 

FWIW I now use a 20Kg Danforth with 10m of 10mm chain spliced to 25m of 16mm anchorplait for river work.

[GUMPY]

 

I would agree with Julian's anchor weight preference. Unfortunately you won't be able to recover a 30 Kg Danforth by yourself without anchor winch.

 

 

Depends on your size!

I used to lift Parglenas anchor (30kg) up over the bow which was 7ft above the waterline, hardest bit was pulling the chain in......

[Edders]

 

FWIW I now use a 20Kg Danforth with 10m of 10mm chain spliced to 25m of 16mm anchorplait for river work.

Hi Richard,

 

Have you had a suitable mounting point fitted to your boat for the rope or are you relying on the existing "T" stud?

 

Tony and Jenny.

[by'eck]

Hi Richard,

 

Have you had a suitable mounting point fitted to your boat for the rope or are you relying on the existing "T" stud?

 

Tony and Jenny.

 

No just rely on the T stud on narrowboat.

 

Depends on your size!

I used to lift Parglenas anchor (30kg) up over the bow which was 7ft above the waterline, hardest bit was pulling the chain in......

 

Your a stronger man than me - biggest issue I find is breaking out a well set anchor, once you have just the anchor and chain to deal with I agree its not so bad. You have to be vertically above it especially a Danforth. With it well set in mud at the bottom of many rivers that would be a real issue.

 

I remember on my sailboat needing to hitch a line to the chain, then run it through a block and on to the primary (62:1) winch to break out a well set 20Kg kedge anchor deployed from the stern.

[Naughty Cal]

 

No just rely on the T stud on narrowboat.

 

 

Your a stronger man than me - biggest issue I find is breaking out a well set anchor, once you have just the anchor and chain to deal with I agree its not so bad. You have to be vertically above it especially a Danforth. With it well set in mud at the bottom of many rivers that would be a real issue.

 

I remember on my sailboat needing to hitch a line to the chain, then run it through a block and on to the primary (62:1) winch to break out a well set 20Kg kedge anchor deployed from the stern.

Drive the bow over it to unset it.

 

We have to do this if our anchor is well set as even the winch sometimes wont shift it

[howardang]

Drive the bow over it to unset it.

 

We have to do this if our anchor is well set as even the winch sometimes wont shift it

He was speaking about a kedge deployed from aft.

 

Howard

[Edders]

Thanks everyone for your info. Much appreciated.

 

Tony.

[howardang]

Thanks everyone for your info. Much appreciated.

 

Tony.

Tony, the only thing I would add is to avoid relying on folding grapnel anchors which are not suitable to use as a primary anchor; much too flimsy and don't have the same holding power as more conventional anchors such as a Danforth a Delta, CQR or Bruce.

 

Don't skimp on the length of warp: the recommended lengths given earlier are the minimum and it's always good practise to have more in reserve so you can pay a bit more if necessary.

 

Howard

[Naughty Cal]

He was speaking about a kedge deployed from aft.

 

Howard

As a lot of narrowboatists seem loathed to even buy a primary anchor I dont expect they will be deploying a kedge aft as well

[arcsyst]

The problem for occasional river users is where to keep all the kit when it's not needed. As regards the weight whilst I fully agree with all that has been said regarding minimum sizes etc. its no use whatsoever if you can't deploy it over the side when needed. I have a 20Kg Danforth with 5m chain and 30m warp for my 57' 16T narrowboat which is quite heavy enough for me.

[howardang]

As a lot of narrowboatists seem loathed to even buy a primary anchor I dont expect they will be deploying a kedge aft as well:banghead:

But the poster you specifically answered was! You may also like to consider that narrowboats may well have to deploy an anchor over the stern, especially when travelling downstream, because there may not be room to swing. You have to remember that many "narrowboatists" as you call them don't have your extensive nautical knowledge, so please be patient with us:-)

 

Howard