@#*&Q&^*@ Anchor!

[flapbreaker]

So I'm pretty irritated with my anchor. I have the delta quickset anchor with windlass on a swivel and 15 feet of chain. Problem is even with the swivel the darn thing comes up pointed the wrong way 90% of the time. So I have to go out on the bow and turn it before winching it up all the way. The other thing that really chaps my hide is, even when I'm trying to baby the anchor into the nest it sometimes pops up into the air and then proceeds to smash against the bow. I now have 3 nice chips in the gelcoat. I've never heard anyone complain of this problem. Any advice?

[Papillon]

I have the same chips out of my gelcoat due to the same problem. I have come to the conclusion that inorder to protect the hull at that point I can do one or two or both of the following. (1) install a longer anchor roller to put the anchor out more from the bow (2) put on some of that Keel Guard where the chips are now to protect the gelcoat when pulling anchor. And there is one other thing we can both do that won't cost us any money and that is to be very patient and easy on the windlass switch when weighing anchor.

Mike

[Valkyrie]

I, too, have a windlass and the Delta, a 14#, and have never had a problem. I attribute this to the articulated, pivoting roller arm that was installed at the factory.

At first I was leery of the pivoting arm as being a weak point, but, so far, that has not been the case.
Every time that I raise the anchor it retrieves in the right attitude and position and the windlass actually "snaps" it back into its upright position with the anchor snubbed down tightly.

I have heard of some complaining that the arm must be secured in the upright position when in heavy seas, but in 4-5 footers, I've only had the arm "droop" a few inches and hitting the "up" toggle snaps it right back where it should be.

You might want to look into the pivoting roller.

Nick
"Valkyrie"

[Sneaks]

I have the same pivoting roller as Nick does and I don't have the problem either.

Don

[MOOSE]

I put a piece of red tape on the starboard side of the anchor shank, near where the swivel attaches, so I can tell which way it's coming up before it gets on the roller. If I don't see the red tape, I let the anchor back down a few feet into the water and back up a ways. This drags the plow through the water and turns it the right way.

As for having it fly off the roller, I bolted a stainless strap to the anchor roller as a "keeper". It was a lot of work to put it on, but it prevents it from flying off.

Al

[Sealife]

On my old Sealife, I installed a length of stainless rub rail onto the leading edge of the bow, above the trailer eye. This helps protect the bow from the swinging anchor chips. Looks good too.

[C-Gypsy]

Nick & Don,

Can you tell me the manufacturer and perhaps part number of the roller you have?

Also which windlass are you using?

Thanks,

Al

[Sneaks]

Al, I have a Simpson Lawrence Sprint 600 windlass on my C-22, with a larger photo in the Jenny B album. The pivoting roller itself was provided by the factory, so I don't know the precise model number. It (the roller) has two positions available, extended and normal, and mine is in the extended hole. The extra length gives me about 4" clearance between the tip of my "Bruce clone" anchor and the precious gel coat. I believe it's the same brand as the standard non-pivoting roller and I remember seeing one at West Marine, but that's the extent of my knowledge.

Don

[Valkyrie]

Al, I'll just echo the previous post, but I'm not sure that my roller has tweo positions. However it was set at the factory works great.

I check when I go up to the lake in the next day or two.

Just call the factory and they'll give you the info that you need.

Nick
"Valkyrie"

[Sea Wolf]

The pivoting anchor roller that you're talking about is a Simpson-Lawrence Model #66840007 and is the industry standard for that product. It has two pivot positions (sets of matching holes) for controling the roller extension and stowed position of the anchor (and allows for the use of almost any anchor).

This roller drops the center of gravity of the anchor below that of the remaining rode from the windlass, and thus makes the anchor system self-launching.

Works great in my experience, and is so solid with a good tight windlass, it makes having a chain tensioner, anchor lock, or chain stopper unnecessary, although with heavier anchors (over 15 lbs), one may need them in rough seas.

The twist problem is a multi-faceted one.

The boat may turn on the anchor anywhere from 0 to several turns.

The nylon part of the rode can be twisted some, and some of this twist may pass through the windlass into the locker.

When the chain engages the combination rope/chain gypsy, it locks in the chain pockets, and will not ordinarily pass any twist into the locker, instead pushing the twist down the remaining rode toward the anchor.

The chain resists twisting while under tension. To twist it, it must become shorter because of the way the links fit together.

Thus if you stop retrieving the anchor once the anchor is off the bottom and under the bow, the chain twist should reduce itself to a minimum as the chain straightens out, rotating the anchor.

However, this may or may not be the correct amount of twist to align the anchor shaft up for proper passage over the anchor roller and storage.

With an anchor such as a Danforth, there are two ways the shaft can enter the anchor roller and still be OK, as the anchor can be upside down 180 degrees and still be fine.

With a Bruce or Delta Fastset, however, there is only one way the anchor shaft can enter the roller and wind up OK in the stored position.

As has ben mentioned in another thread by Bob Austin (Thataway), anchor rollers are not the easy solution or panacea the manufactuers would have you believe. They may or may not relive twist at anchor or
during hoisting.

What can be done, however, for any anchor, is to

1. Stop for awhile once the anchor lifts off the bottom to allow it to work out any twist possible at that point by rotating.

2. Move the boat in a forward motion at low speed to turn the flukes backward toward the boat (mostly for Bruce and plow anchors like the Fastset).

3. When raising the anchor to the point the shank and/or roller begin to contact the roller initially, pause momentarily to allow the weighted flukes to turn themselves downward from gravity and position the anchor properly for storage.

4. Marking the shaft with colored tape, as Moose (Al) has mentioned, is a great idea that will quickly allow you to check for correct alignment.

5. If the alignment is not correct upon the first attempt, drop the anchor a ways and try again, using boat motion to turn the anchor, even steering the boat around on the anchor if necessary.

The thing you don't want to do is to rush this whole process along!!! Go back and look at each step above and think about how it would complicate the problem to just push the "UP" button and rush though the process! Welcome aboard twist, and now you can shout about it! @#X%*$!+Z#!

No doubt the pivoting anchor roller is a key ingredient in helping making an anchor retrieval system work well, since it allows for some final rotation of the anchor just before storage, more so than fixed rollers.

Joe.

[Captains Cat]

Or, you can do like most of us do that don't have a windlass, go up to the bow, haul the sucker in, stow it properly, say a few appropriate words to the anchor gods, something like $#@%&%$@ and go back to the cockpit and have another brew

Charlie

[Adeline]

Wiser words were never spoken. I salute you Cap'n Charlie.

[Sea Wolf]

[C-Gypsy]

Thank you all for the information. As always I have yet another question... Can I use the pivoting anchor roller and a 14# delta anchor WITHOUT a windlass?

I am very unsatisfied with the factory anchor roller but can not add a windlass until I get my boating fund$ built up a bit.

Changing anchor rollers would at least get the tip of the anchor away from the bow.

[Sea Wolf]

Seaa Gypsy-

Yes, you can use the pivoting anchor roller w/o a windlass, and then you'll have the right anchor roller already when, at a later date, you can get the windlass.

While you're without the windlass you'll have to have one of the three anchor tensioner/locking devices mentioned above to hold the chain and anchor tight and upright (not pivoted down).

Since you'll be installing the windlass later, you'll want a device that will also later be compatible with it. I'd go with a simple anchor lock that could be locked when necessary with or w/o the windlass, and wouldn't be in the way once you have the windlass.

Joe.