What "weight" of chain is best for a C29? I have really heavy chain and was intending to buy new lighter chain so I could have more to anchor with.
I have 15M of chain and 35M of rope - 50m in total. I'd like more but don't want more weight.
Paul
Don't know how you guys can stand using rope. We anchor out every weekend. After getting it tangled around the keel and rudder about 100 times when the wind died in the middle of the night I went for all chain. Guess it's not good for performance but makes anchoring a lot more secure. I also like to let out heaps of scope and lots of floating rope around your boat (when the wind dies) is a hazard for other boats. The other option is reduce the scope but this reduces your holding if the wind comes up.
Actually any opinions about anchors out there? Our boat came with a big CQR that is useless. Never digs in first go (we have weed and sand in Botany Bay). I use a crappy old Danforth that needs replacing but it always digs in. I'm thinking of getting a new design like the Rocna or Manson supreme. Expensive but I will use it a lot and I can't sleep if I'm worried.
Cheers
Mark
Rocna, Sarca Manston or Fortress seem to be the anchors to buy these days if you are in the market. Last year a few of us went to a talk at CYC where test results were presented dispassionately and their results were better than the Danforth and CQR. I suspect that you could come down from the standard 27lb especially with all chain.
That said, I have always found that Danforths tend to skate over weed where CQR's dig through - different experiences?
Geoff Raebel
No mention of Delta in this thread - I heard they were pretty good. http://tinyurl.com/byl8mt Unknown author
I don’t like Delta. My C29 dragged a 35lb real CQR and 27 feet of ½” chain once. The problem was that the anchor hinge was frozen with zinc on a previous re-galvanising. Later a friend got a new 35’ with a 15lb Delta (CQR with no hinge). While I classed it as no more than a picnic hook it still dragged when it should have done better
Geoff Raebel
The anchor subject is always something that puzzled me over the years, the old timber boat had whopper CQR mounted permanently on bow rollers attached to the bow sprit. On Pittwater the bloody thing never bit.. Im sure its sheer weight was the only thing that stopped us ... However the spare Danforth had that much bight you had to be on top of it before it let go....The only reason they were never swapped over was the CQR was to big to stow below. The old boat was built in Townsville and had spent most of it life in Darwin and this CQR was on it when we bought her and on her 12 years later when she was sold,same warp same chain and the Pick only ever touched up for cosmetic reasons with a hit of Galmet. So its about the type of bottom? Jon ....KINDRED SPIRIT.
Hi Jon
Yes I've had exactly the same experience. The CQR just doesn't cut through the weed.
Thanks for your comments Geoff. Interested that you have had the opposite experience. My CQR is just a copy and isn't at all sharp although it's bloody heavy with a lead toe. Anyway if I get around to buying that expensive new Rocna etc I'll let you all know what happens. Anyone want a used CQR? Looks great on a bow roller :)
Cheers
Mark
To avoid disappointment, I will comment on the sad state of hot dip galvanising and even add that some fine Asian companies believe that you can achieve corrosion control by spaying with hot zinc. Do not get me started on the so called "cold galvanising" paints.
The principle behind corrosion control of ferrous metals is one of two. - as normal, forgive the simplification and generalisations please:
1. Exclude the aggressive bit - paint works to keep water away from metal and avoid the issue, but if we get chips, scratches etc the protective layer will fail.
2. Neutralise the corrosion. Galvanising actually works on the electrolytic side of things, it provides a protection by making the surface less susceptible. Because the zinc works on a sacrificial basis, its area of operation is greater than it in itself. Stay with me please......The result is that it effectively covers scratches and imperfections quite well. This is why it is such a great protection.
Hot dip galvanising simply ensures a good, thick layer of zinc is fully attached to the parent metal. Double dipping, or good quality coating simply ensures an adequate supply of the sacrificial material. We do have standards for galvanising, the AS is as good as most and I will not send you to sleep with the technicalities.
Just in closing, I am not averse to a good layer of organic zinc paint in lieu of hot dip gal, but I am more cautious at its proper application.
Roger
Thanks for this Roger.
Jon had mentioned that he was surprised at how quickly the rust attacked. I know that mine is starting - is it OK to galvanise a lightly rusted chain? I imagine that the galvaniser would sand blast or whatever first?
Colin
From our experience when we sent out chain to be re-galvanised, the answer is a definite yes. Our chain was quite worn and rust was beginning to show in a lot of areas, especially where the chain had lain in the bottom of the anchor locker.
From memory, I think that they told me that they dip the chain in an acid bath to remove all traces of rust and the previous galvanising, I could easily be corrected on this point.
Cheers KenM
I have checked around and found someone to do my anchor and chain.
They tell me that it cannot be double dipped as when the chain goes back in the solution the existing material simply comes off. So "double dipping" is probably a sales term. But I have faith in the Aussie system as it's all to Australian standards.
The issue of rust lies in the base metal they say - so our old chains should be really good. Newer chains from China have bad steel. This is interesting as I did a site inspection (in one of the hats I wear) of a caravan manufacturer and they too are really worried as to the standard of steel coming from China and randomly test it now.
To do the job first it has to be sand blasted and then go to the galvanising place. Cost is a bit of a worry. Sandblasting estimate is $150-200!!!!! And galvanising minimum is $90 plus GST. Galvanising the anchor is $1.25 per kilo and the chain $1.06 per kilo so I think that will be within the $90.00 minimum.
The place I'll probably use is in Padstow, about 20 minutes drive from me. Sandblaster is there too.
Colin, I know galvanisers have a minimum weight/charge. I have a 13kg CQR with the lead melted out ready for blast and galvanise. Happy to join your party and share the weight!
Geoff
This has become something of a saga for me...
I removed my anchor and chain to get it all done - but the sheer cost
made me hesitate. At least $300 to sandblast & galvanise.
Bill at Whitworths saw my chain & anchor and reckons that it has 5
years left in it! Although it's starting to rust.
So I'm putting it all back and keeping a careful eye on it.
He claims that the old chain and galvanising was good. The new
Chinese stuff is a real worry and dies very quickly.
And I did buy 100M of rope to add to the 15m of chain!
Colin
Hey There all, i don't no what sort of anchor i got, i think it's a
plough, any how it's got about six metres of stanless chain on it and
two hundred meters of 10mil ,which does not float, there for no
tangles around the keel or rudder through the night, touch wood,
any how back in my old pouching days, when the current stop out in
da deep water we used to tie a couple of snapper leads here and there
to stop the rope floating on top of the water and getting in our prop,
might be worth a try for those of us with floating rope issues,
sorry about my spelling
Shane
Pulled the Anchor and warp out last weekend for a check up.. the
shackle and the first 4or 5 links on to pic were realy badly rusted ,
so bad was the rust I loped off those links and replaced the
shackle...
Now the rub on this is that I last checked this probably in Dec 08 and
the chain , shackles,chain, and pic are only 3 years old and have
never been in the salt......This speaks volumes for the quality or
lack of quality of the galvanising on the chain purchased from that
Chandler that we all have shares in......The other worry is how good
is the chain..