Securing the rode to a cleat at Anchor

T

Tug

New member
I known that this has been hashed over many times but i must be missing something.I know that you are suppose to secure the rode to the bow cleat while anchored to relieve the pressure to the Windlass. Well i tried that today...i anchored in a relatively calm bay and set the anchor. I went to the bow and tried to pulled the boat towards the anchor to get enough slack to cleat off the rode to the bow cleat. There is alot of tension on that anchor rode and not much space between the Windlass and bow roller and not alot of working room...It wasn't a pretty sight but i finally got it done....i do not want to do that again especially if there is a strong wind or current.My old back just will not take it.....is there an easier way to snub the rode to the bow cleat. Thanks Tug
 
Tug-

Simple solution:

1.) Tie the snubber line to the chain (or rope using a rolling hitch) between the windlass and end of the anchor roller.

2.) Tie the other end of the line to the bow cleat with a little slack.

3.) Now go back and let out a little more rode, and the tension transfers to the shorter snubber line.

(Reverse the procedure when weighing anchor.)

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Tug":16tkupzd said:
Thanks Joe...for the information.....any pictures of this setup to see what it is suppose to look like. Tug
Click to expand...

Tug-

Bob (Thataway) illustrated it once.

There may be a photo in his album, or the illustration may be in one of the anchoring threads.

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Alternatively, if there is crew aboard, have the helmsman motor forward to take the strain off the rode and then secure it to the cleat. When getting underway, reverse the procedure.

Charlie
 
Captains Cat":37bz1jdy said:
Alternatively, if there is crew aboard, have the helmsman motor forward to take the strain off the rode and then secure it to the cleat. When getting underway, reverse the procedure.

Charlie
Click to expand...

That's how Joan and I do it. In a "relatively calm" bay, there shouldn't be that much pull on the rode... how much scope are you using? We generally use 5:1 as a minimum, prefer 7:1. Even more if we expect wind/weather.
 
I do most of my anchoring on a river so when i said relatively calm there still is a current. I really have no idea what scope i lay out, i usually anchor in no more than 30 feet and let out rode until i get a good set.I should get a line counter or at least mark my anchor rode in some way as to give me some kind of depth indication.I will put it on my list to do things.. I will try that rolling hitch today and see how it goes. Tug
 
Tug, if you use stranded anchor rode, they make little vinyl markers that you can push between the strands to mark scope. You really need to see how much you put out and, if in a current get that 5:1 or 7:1 out and into the water.

Charlie
 
Tug,

If you follow "Sea Wolf's" procedure but instead use a "made up" permanent anchor snubber line of approximately ten feet in length with a chain "grab hook" that is attached to the "bow eye" with a spliced "thimble", it will allow for more anchor line "scope" along with providing much better vessel motion while at anchor. The deployment would then call for you to "hook" onto the chain anchor rode outboard of the bow roller, paying out rode until the snubber is taught, and then slacking the chain from the windless.
 
Barry Rietz":3e44bzov said:
Tug,

If you follow "Sea Wolf's" procedure but instead use a "made up" permanent anchor snubber line of approximately ten feet in length with a chain "grab hook" that is attached to the "bow eye" with a spliced "thimble", it will allow for more anchor line "scope" along with providing much better vessel motion while at anchor. The deployment would then call for you to "hook" onto the chain anchor rode outboard of the bow roller, paying out rode until the snubber is taught, and then slacking the chain from the windless.
Click to expand...

Barry-

Nice improvements!

Using the bow eye produces a much better angle to increase the scope and lower the overall dynamics, of course.

Is the "grab hook" you use a closed device, like a shackle, that can't slip off, or more like an "S Hook", that can be slipped off w/o opening a locking device?

Do you secure the other end to the bow eye with a knot, or another shackle, or ?

Thanks!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Captains Cat":3614j87l said:
Alternatively, if there is crew aboard, have the helmsman motor forward to take the strain off the rode and then secure it to the cleat. When getting underway, reverse the procedure.

Charlie
Click to expand...

I do the above when single handed as well. Put her in gear to take the strain off the rode, put the line back in the gypsy if you removed it, then flip the line over to the roller.

I do the same when pulling anchor as well so my windlass pulling does not add to the 'set'. Meaning, I minimize strain on the windlass as much as possible.

If I need to break free from a good hold of course I keep the rode tied to a cleat and use the engines to break free.

--Matt
 
matt_unique":6jz4e1ws said:
Captains Cat":6jz4e1ws said:
Alternatively, if there is crew aboard, have the helmsman motor forward to take the strain off the rode and then secure it to the cleat. When getting underway, reverse the procedure.

Charlie
Click to expand...

I do the above when single handed as well. Put her in gear to take the strain off the rode, put the line back in the gypsy if you removed it, then flip the line over to the roller.

I do the same when pulling anchor as well so my windlass pulling does not add to the 'set'. Meaning, I minimize strain on the windlass as much as possible.

If I need to break free from a good hold of course I keep the rode tied to a cleat and use the engines to break free.

--Matt
Click to expand...

Of course I mean put her in gear for a few seconds to take the strain off, return to neutral :), then walk forward to manage the rode.
 
Point of clarification:

Some newer to the site or boating with a windlass may be wondering why all the fuss about removing the strain on the windlass.

The simple answer is that if the strain is left on the windlass at anchor, the pressure weakens the seals around the windlass shaft, eventually allowing water to intrude and eventually work down into the electric motor below.

Sooner or later the shaft, gears, and/or the motor below rust up, corrode, and the motor electrically shorts out as well.

There's more than one person on this site who has experienced this type of failure.

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Joe & Tug,
Chain "grab hooks" only come in one style and because they are used to rig in situations where there will always be "tension", have no securing clip or toggle. I have used both "bungee cords" and "lashings" to secure the hook from coming off in situations where the anchor rode would be subject to "slacking". The opposite end of the "snubber" line should have a proper sized "thimble" spliced to it and then a standard "shackle" is used to attach to the bow eye.
Barry Rietz
ZL1DC
 
I was out fishing today and stopped in a Bay to drop the anchor.After setting the anchor i set a snubber line to relieve the pressure on the anchor. Was easy this time....i used a Rolling Hitch to tie a 5 foot line into the anchor rode..than i used a Cleat Hitch to secure the snubber line to the bow cleat.I than ran out the anchor rode until the pressure was transferred to the snubber line. It actually went good...Thanks for all the advise. Tug
 
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