Good anchor line

S

ssobol

Active member
I'm looking to replace the anchor line that came with my boat. While it is good line, it is a little short for some situations.

The line I have is at least a 5 years old and a bit dirty, but it doesn't have any bad spots or abrasions on it. I have no idea who made it.

On the other hand, with my rib I got one of the brand name anchor lines from some place I can't remember. One weekend I used it for a mooring (left the anchor set and dropped the line when I went out). I coiled the excess and clipped it to the running line with a float. When I retrieved the anchor after a couple of days, the line was badly chafed where the clip was. This was just from the weight of the floating line (without the boat loading it). I was pretty surprised that the line would show that kind of damage in so short a time.

So my question is, what is a good quality anchor line that is going to stand up to normal wear and tear for a reasonable amount of time.

The prices for 3/8 x 150 line varies from about $25 to $100. I don't mind paying extra for good line, but I don't want to spend a lot of money on line that turns out to be crap.

Thanks.
 
Interesting question. I've been happy with the Yale Brait I got for the 22. The main reasons I chose it were good stretch (energy absorption) and very compact stowage. I've been happy with quality line in general over the years and generally buy New England Ropes, Yale, or similar known quality brand.

OTOH, I don't expect anchor line to stand up to chafe or abrasion. Where it would lie on the bottom I have chain, and where it might chafe on deck or etc. I fit chafing gear. So no real experience trying to find anchor line that stands up to chafe on its own. If I had a mooring I think I would go with one of the specialized pendants such as the Yale Maxi-Moor II. That said, I have never ridden to a mooring for more than a week or so.
 
Anchor line is nylon rope with all the faults and benefits of same. I've never had a 3 strand nylon rode abrade, but then I'm reasonably careful to wrap whatever the rode is passing through. Actually, I've had the rode go through the anchor roller and watched the boat sail back and forth and wondered why the rode didn't abrade. It didn't, so I'd look at your setup. With that thought, you might examine the fitting the rode passed through to see if there was a rough spot or edge. Even if you don't find anything wrap some tape around the fitting through which the rode passes.

I've used Sampson anchor line from Defender with good results. 3/8 X 150', $70 +ship. They have a super Sampson line, which has a coating on it to prevent abrasion, but I don't think one needs that. 3/8 X $150, $90 + ship.

Just get good line and make sure it doesn't run through anything rough.

Boris
 
I am going to have to disagree with my good friend Boris. I have seen a number of anchor lines chafe. Just ask some of the folks who were in the Cabo Storm in Dec of 1982. 28 full on cruising boats were destroyed. One good friend had the outer core, and almost all of the inner core of a double braid Sampson 5/8" line over a roller chafed thru. Fortunately the storm eventually abated, and he gotten a rolling hitch on the line outboard of where the chafe was.

Yes, chafing gear is always in order, and we carry it aboard. We like 1 1/2" fire hose. My firemen friend gave me 100 feet--lasts a lifetime.

Currently I am using Yale 8 plait Brait, 1/2". Because of its characteristics, and the ability to stow in a smaller space. I have used both 3 strand, and double braid nylon. Generally double braid has worn better. I had one 300 foot 3/8" double braid anchor line from 1962 thru 1998. Still was good, and used from a primary anchor rode on a 29 foot sail boat up to a stern line and lunch hook on a 62 foot ketch. Lots of use, had been soaked with fabric softener several times, and always stored coiled in a tub, or plastic milk crate.
 
On chafing, I defer to Bob. I did anchor off the beach at Cabo for a week or so. It was a choppy place with the swells coming in from the south. I would never want to be there in a hurricane and fortunately, I wasn't. I certainly try to protect any line that passes through, over or around a fitting. I must have done something right, because chafing hasn't been an issue for me.

I use braided/plaited anchor rode on Journey On. Now that I have experience with it, I'm not convinced of its benefits vs price. It slips on the Lewmar windlass, stacks in a smaller volume and otherwise is the same as the regular 3-strand. My opinion and that's why I didn't mention it.

Boris
 
Boris, I had purchased a full spool of the 3/4" 12 strand braid (not braid on braid) when Sea Gull Marine went out of business (I think that was in 1981?). It was 600 feet, and I paid $200 for the whole spool. I yelled out if anyone wanted the other half, it would be $100. The guy who was bidding against me, wandered over, and we rolled out the spool, cut it in half, and both coiled up our 300 feet of 3/4" 12 strand. You are correct that the old 12 strand, and the braid on braid did not work well in the windlass.

About that time I had one of the early rope to chain windlass by Lewmar: the Sea Horse. It would slip more than the modern ones do.

So far the 8 plait, I have has not jammed or slipped in the Lewmar, Windlass.
 
Bob,

I didn't understand your comment about the line having been soaked with fabric softener several times.

Please explain.

Best,
Casey&Mary
At anchor on Mattawoman Creek (just off the Potomac River)
 
Not Bob, but I just happen to be here now, and I think I can answer. When lines get older (especially if used in salt water) they can get kind of stiff. Soaking/rinsing is good, but at some point loses effectiveness. If you use fabric softener on them, they can then soften up, which makes handling them much nicer.

(Bob of course correct me if I got this wrong, since I was kind of speaking for you.)
 
That is correct. I prefer to use the fabric softener--and rinse well in fresh water. Salt accumulates in-between the nylon fibers. The water and fabric softener help to get the salt crystals out. The fabric softener makes the line more supple. Probably a little stays in-between the strands. Soap and chlorine tend to leach out some of the lubricants which are put in the rope as it is made. If you soak with chlorine bleach and soap, it tends to stiffen up more in the future.
 
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