A27 Anchor Locker

[Beta Don]

What do you guys carry? Rope and chain

The locker is pretty small and my 300' isn't going to be practical I fear. I'm thinking of cutting it at 175' plus the 15' of SS 5/16ths chain attached to my Manson 25# anchor. I'll use the remaining 125' with my secondary fluke style anchor

I carried more on my sailboat, but then it was larger (34') and I did lots more offshore work than this boat will ever see

Opinions??

Don

[Jeremyvmd]

It's not an a27, but on my 20ft cat that sees nothing but close shore/inshore work (sub 4miles out) I have 200ft of line and 30ft of chain. I have yet to need more

[denchen]

Its the weight of the cable that holds the boat not the size of an anchor. So get as much chain as you can pull up out there to hold your boat. For my 25 ft. I have 40ft of 3/8 cable(chain) and about 70 ft of rope with only a 5 kg Delta anchor, and I`ve been anchored in open seas in really strong tides and winds.

[Beta Don]

Its the weight of the cable that holds the boat not the size of an anchor. So get as much chain as you can pull up out there to hold your boat.

A bit off topic as to what will fit in the locker of an A27 - This wasn't meant as an anchoring discussion

Since you brought it up, until the advent of the modern 'scoop style' anchors (Rocna, Mantus, Manson, Spade etc) the use of lots of heavy chain was certainly a good idea - The more weight holding down the shank of any old style anchor (CQR, Delta, Bruce, etc) the better because the old style anchors can't be pulled as deeply into the bottom as the newer styles and you need the chain to ensure they will reset when they break out as your boat swings

Now with the new style scoops, lots of chain is more of a hindrance than a help - About all it does is make it harder to get your rode back aboard. With a scoop, the harder you pull on it, the deeper it goes and it doesn't even need any chain to set properly, though a length of medium sized chain is good to keep the wear of your rode in check, especially if you anchor in rocky or coral bottoms. Depending on where you cruise, some folks prefer all chain rodes . . . . but certainly longer than just 100 feet

IMO, the old CQR's, Bruces and Deltas are now pretty much antiques - You don't see them on the bow of many serious cruisers anymore and those 3 used to represent probably 75 or 80% of the anchors in use just 15 or 20 years ago. I know I cruised with a Bruce and a boat length of chain for many years as my #1 anchor. Now I carry a 25# CQR stowed away, but it's my #4 anchor and would only see use if I somehow managed to lose everything else

http://www.coastalboating.net/Cruising/ ... index.html

Don

[sail149]

Don
I can barely ever remember anchoring in deep water on the east coast of the US or UK In the distant past.
15-20 ft is my usual max water depth so at 5-1 scoop 100-120 ft of anchor rode in the locker is plenty.
Keep the balance for a kedge anchor and add to the main rode if you are in such a situation that you would rather anchor than use that lovely 100 hp yanmar to get out of trouble.
( great looking trailer by the way)
Warren