Bow Anchor Rollers

Tug

New member
I have spend the last two days reviewing posts and searching the web for bow rollers. I need a bow roller suited for a 16.5 lb Claw Plow anchor to install on my boat. I have narrowed the field to these rollers...BRM-2 which is only 15.25 inches long, and the BR20... The BR-22 and the BR-22L which is 4 inches longer than the BR-22. A little confusing when you do not have them to test. Any advice would help. Thank Tug
 
What company makes the anchor rollers you mention? I use a
Windline Anchor roller for C-Cakes. It worked well with my Bruce and now does the same with a Delta.
 
BRM-2 is Windline...15.25inches AOL**BR20..Kingstonanchors..20 inches AOL***BR-22 ..Kingstonanchors and is 20 inches AOL***BR-22L..Kingstonanchors and is 24 inches AOL.

Thanks Tug


PS....what model ( size ) Windline bow roller do you use on C-CAKES
 
I use the BRM2 and added a bail to make sure the anchor does not bounce out in heavy seas (It did once and all that kept it from deploying was a bungee).
 
I just recently did the same thing. I wanted to use a 16.5 Claw anchor and after some time searching this site concluded I had a factory Windline BRM2 bow roller as well. It appears that this bow roller is designed for Bruce anchors up to 16.5 lbs and Delta style anchors, from what I could find. I installed a Bruce knock off on Cedar Mist yesterday. It won't self launch but fits just fine.

Andrew
 
Andrew,

You might be able to make the Bruce (lewmar?) self launch by raising the end of the shaft where it connects to the chain. It does not take very much at all. If you like, try raising it about 1/4 inch and see what happens. I think that's what I did with mine. The Bruce self launches just fine.
 
My initial concern with the BRM-2 was that it was only 15.25 inches ln lenght. Was worried that this roller would not extend out far enough past the hull and the Claw anchor would damage the gelcoat....but it appears that is not a problem.. Did you google the BR-22 by Kingstonanchors, it is 20 inches long and comes with a bail. Defender sells them and they listed for use with a Claw anchor.

Thanks Tug
 
Tug,
I didn't look into any other rollers as I was hoping and successful in using the factory roller.

Colobear,

I will try raising the rear of the anchor and see if it will self launch, thanks

Andrew
 
Because these posts are also read by others, besides the originator, who are also now or later considering the same projects, I thought I'd include a message I sent back to Tug after he asked me, in a Private Mesage, which bow roller I would recommend, just so others could consider the ideas contained therein:

Tug- I can't really tell you which one to use without having them in front of me and being able to match them to your boat and anchor at the same time. You want the bow roller long enough to keep the anchor head far enough away from the boat as to not bang the bow when going up and down. If it's too short, it will chip up the bow as it swings. More importantly, you want the anchor balance in the roller to be such that when you release the tension on the rode (which includes the weight of the chain trying to hold down the anchor shank, that the weight of the anchor head causes the anchor to self-launch.

To get all this right, you have to be able to place the roller on he bow, the anchor in it with the chain attached, and see if the balance point is far enough forward to make the anchor self launch, and there's no way to try it out without all the parts. That's why it's sometimes smart just to copy someone's combination that we know already works. Maybe you can take your boat and anchor with the chain to a marine dealer and try out the various rollers in the parking lot? That's what I would do! Let me know if this helps! Joe.
 
Sea Wolf , i never received your message but thank you for the reply, if i could go to the dealers and try different anchor/ roller set-ups that would be ideal and i would.They don't carry any anchors or rollers at any dealers where i live, what you order is what you pay for and get. I was looking at the BRM-4 and i e-mailed Windline and they told me that it would not fit with a 16 # Claw or Bruce Anchor, just he 22 # Bruce/Claw...

3rd Byte are you using a BRM-4 roller with a 16 # Bruce/Claw anchor
if you are i will order one today.
Thanks Tug
 
Remi,
Let me second the self launchers. My experences with the old standard straight rollers is that when you want to launch in a hurry, the dam thing just lays there. When you need to drop anchor, you need the to drop off the front of the boat right now. Having to go foward to kick the thing overboard is a pain.
The one Mark is pointing out , I have seen in action and wish I could afford to replace my perfectly fine standard one but guess I will just have to get the old boat hook out and give it a shove until I luck upon one at the used parts store.

( I like the self launchers )

We can still do the Breeze thing in April if you wish. Just let me know.
 
Papillon":11dq3doo said:
Remi,
Let me second the self launchers. My experences with the old standard straight rollers is that when you want to launch in a hurry, the dam thing just lays there. When you need to drop anchor, you need the to drop off the front of the boat right now. Having to go foward to kick the thing overboard is a pain.
The one Mark is pointing out , I have seen in action and wish I could afford to replace my perfectly fine standard one but guess I will just have to get the old boat hook out and give it a shove until I luck upon one at the used parts store.

( I like the self launchers )

We can still do the Breeze thing in April if you wish. Just let me know.

Good thought, Mike!

I will strongly second the idea of the self-launching, or what I call the "drop nose" bow roller. That's what I have, and I love it. There's never any hesitation, and it will work with virtually any anchor.

Remi had expressed a desire to avoid the expense of that type of model, so I hadn't pushed it. But when you think about it, after investing in a $500-$700 windlass and several hundred more dollars for the rode and anchor, going from a $75 to a $175 bow roller is only $100 more or and additional 10% to the total cost of the whole affair to guarantee that it works, not only now, but even if you decide to change anchors.

I have the Simpson-Lawrence model (now renamed Lewmar), but there are several that are identical, as far as I can tell. I bought it at the W-Marine Bargain Bin Shop in Oakland about 7 years ago for $120 (returned merchandise). Couldn't find a mark on it or any defect at all (!) It's strong enough to hold the anchor up w/o any tie down under way other than the chain locked in the windlass gypsy and stand on or swing from with 225 lbs as well. I even thought about turning the anchor and windlass into an elevator lift to get into and out of the boat on the beach, before I added the ladder on the bow.

IM001970.jpg

IM001839.jpg


Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Great information from everyone, will order the BRM-4 . Its seems to be a good anchor roller that i can use with my 16 # Claw anchor.I will post a picture in my album when i installed it with the title ..* BRM-4/16# Claw ( Plow ) Anchor *..for future reference. Thanks Tug
 
Bringing this to the top again, Due to pending shoulder surgery that will prevent me from manual pulling the anchor, I am looking at a windlass, so many options. Considering the Lemar Pro Fish for it's free fall function, as I mostly boat solo and dropping the anchor fast seems like a good option. The other 2 would be the Lemar V700 now the question comes on a 22 is it better to have the vertical vs the horizontal, since Mostly boat in the PNW and plan for Alaska in a few years would like to carry 300' chain/rode combo. With the verticle is there room for that much rode? Maint. issues one vs the other type? I will also be changing out the factory roller to a self launch type.
 
The 16 footer I just bought came with the same bow anchor roller as shown in Joe's picture (top). I initially thought it was installed incorrectly, because when pressure is released on the anchor rode the pivot slams down on the tip of the bow maring the gelcoat. But it is installed exactly as is Joe's. What am I doing wrong?
IM001970.jpg
Marty_DSC1078_copy.jpg
 
Marty, I just installed one of these pivoting anchor rollers (same one, just a used Simpson Lawrence version). When I located the new holes, I made sure that when the pivoting part was down, it would clear the point of the bow/deck by at least 1/8". I couldn't have it too much farther forward than that otherwise the front mounting bolt wouldn't have room for a washer underneath.

If you need to relocate the holes slightly, you may want to undercut and fill the existing ones completely with epoxy, then locate the new holes, drill, undercut, epoxy, redrill. It sounds like it's close enough to the correct location that if you redrilled without doing anything else you would just wind up with elongated holes.
 
Don and Brenda":11qa3au4 said:
Bringing this to the top again, Due to pending shoulder surgery that will prevent me from manual pulling the anchor, I am looking at a windlass, so many options. Considering the Lemar Pro Fish for it's free fall function, as I mostly boat solo and dropping the anchor fast seems like a good option. The other 2 would be the Lemar V700 now the question comes on a 22 is it better to have the vertical vs the horizontal, since Mostly boat in the PNW and plan for Alaska in a few years would like to carry 300' chain/rode combo. With the verticle is there room for that much rode? Maint. issues one vs the other type? I will also be changing out the factory roller to a self launch type.

I recently had a V700 installed and have 350 feet of new rode (50' chain, 300' 8-plait) waiting to be put on the boat. I probably won't get a chance to put it aboard for another couple weeks, but I'll let you know if it all fits.
 
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