Anchor Chain Bunching Up

[Highliner]

I have a 1988 Ocean Alexander 44. I love the boat, however I am having an issue. When hauling the anchor, using my Maxwell windlass, the chain does not slide down into the bottom of the chain locker, but gets bundled up below where it feeds thru the deck and then jams up the windlass. To raise the anchor I have to have someone below, reaching into the chain locker, to flake the chain.
Has anyone else had this issue?

 

[Comodave]

Lots of boats are like that, usually because the rope locker isn’t deep enough. Some people have had some success with putting a cone in the middle to make the chain go to either side. Is there a locker that you could route the chain down into with something like a PVC chase? You can heat the PVC to bend it as necessary. Is your chain rusty, that may make the problem worse. s/S chain is supposed to work better in your circumstance but it is pricey.

 

[grahamdouglass]

This is not an uncommon problem

My chain is a little rusty and it was not only piling up in the chain locker, but after I installed a new faster windless, a tigress, (because after 40 years the other windless finally failed) the chain sometimes piled up just after the gypsy on top of the pulpit.

What I did is I changed the chain end for end. I also put the chain on the dock and brushed the rust off of the chain. When bringing the anchor in I will make sure that the last 100' of chain will go into an anchor locker in which the chain has been flaked down and there is room for the chain.

I'm often by myself when anchoring by so having to rush down to the anchor locker or to the gypsy area on deck when the chain piles up is something I want to avoid.

Before buying new chain I will probably have the existing chain re-galvanized.

 

[koliver]

My chain is a little rusty and it was not only piling up in the chain locker, but after I installed a new faster windless, a tigress, (because after 40 years the other windless finally failed) the chain sometimes piled up just after the gypsy on top of the pulpit.

What I did is I changed the chain end for end. I also put the chain on the dock and brushed the rust off of the chain. When bringing the anchor in I will make sure that the last 100' of chain will go into an anchor locker in which the chain has been flaked down and there is room for the chain.

I'm often by myself when anchoring by so having to rush down to the anchor locker or to the gypsy area on deck when the chain piles up is something I want to avoid.

Before buying new chain I will probably have the existing chain re-galvanized.

On my previous boat, I had rusty chain and a rusty CQR. I and two friends made enquiries with the then only place in the Vancouver area, On False Creek where the Olympic village was built for 2010. Their price for doing the anchors was very reasonable, but to galvanize the chain they would charge for wheel abrading (not sure that is the correct term) before doing the hot dip galvanizing, and they felt it was cheaper to buy new chain. That is what we each did. Now that there is no place in Vancouver doing galvanizing, If you find a place, please post, along with the process and price proposed.

Aside: When I got the anchor done, it lost some weight. Seems the CQR has a lead ballast in the toe that doesn't survive the hot dip process.

 

[Highliner]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I am going to first try to wire brush off the rust and then swap ends, hopefully that will work.

 

[grahamdouglass]

Silver City Galvanizing on Cliveden ave., Delta

You can get your chain galvanized at Silver City Galvanizing on Cliveden Avenue, on Annacis Island. It's cheaper then new chain but when I enquired it was a two to three week wait last spring. They do acid washing of the chain first.

 

[Mac2]

"Aside: When I got the anchor done, it lost some weight. Seems the CQR has a lead ballast in the toe that doesn't survive the hot dip process.[/QUOTE]"

I've heard to properly re-galvanize a anchor, you have to melt the lead ballast out first and then add it back after the galvanizing. Only anchors (like the Sarca Excel) that use steel as ballast, don't need to do this.

 

[Peter B]

....When I got the anchor done, it lost some weight. Seems the CQR has a lead ballast in the toe that doesn't survive the hot dip process.

I would advise never to waste the money trying to rehabilitate any CQR type anchor anyway, as the new gen. anchors are all so much better and easier to use.

 

[Mac2]

I would advise never to waste the money trying to rehabilitate any CQR type anchor anyway, as the new gen. anchors are all so much better and easier to use.

Totally agree.

 

[Nick F]

You can get your chain galvanized at Silver City Galvanizing on Cliveden Avenue, on Annacis Island. It's cheaper then new chain but when I enquired it was a two to three week wait last spring. They do acid washing of the chain first.

You have to remove all paint, because the paint is resistant to the acid. This is a real pain!

 

[koliver]

I would advise never to waste the money trying to rehabilitate any CQR type anchor anyway, as the new gen. anchors are all so much better and easier to use.

I have no doubt the newer anchors work well.
When buying a boat used, it comes with an anchor. When that anchor is an older style, one always has to decide whether to spend the cost of a newer, better anchor or to get used to the one that the boat already includes. Prior to my second sailboat I was used to only the Danforth style, so was impressed with the upgrade in performance the CQR demonstrated on that second sailboat. I used that anchor for the 6 years between buying that boat and moving to my trawler. I got used to how it set, when to add rode, when that wouldn't be required. Redoing the galvanizing of such an anchor was trivial alongside the cost of any appropriate new anchor, so that choice was easy.

 

[SteveK]

The danforth failed me twice and both times it was due to eel grass? over which it slid instead of biting into the mud we have here.
I wish I had the coin to try several anchors in the same location to determine why one is better if they all dig in.
I always thought undersized anchor and chain were the problem in production boats or owners that buy lighter anchor before owning a winch. Increased anchor size on a few boats to be able to sleep soundly

 

[Hippocampus]

My boat came with a delta. It was worthless even in common mud or sand. Very particular about how to get it to set and requiring more rode once set. Think boats come with the smallest anchor reasonable in order to decrease weight and expense by the builder. Replaced it with a Vulcan 73lbs. Would have gone bigger but using all chain plus weight of anchor that’s what the Tigres could handle as a every day working load leaving a margin. Anchors should be sized to the worst conditions you may see. There’s times you may be at 3:1 and it must set first shot or you have a sh-tshow. I want to know at 5:1 (our usual) I can stay put in anything. I want an anchor that can handle 180 shifts, loose mud, grass and hard pack. Unless you go slip to slip replace chain don’t regalvi . Due to environmental issues very hard to do right. Get one of the next generation ones. Had a Rocna and lived on the hook for 8 years. Dragged once in loose Chesapeake mud. No troubles in Caribbean sand. Went with a Vulcan this time as said to be better with tidal current shifts.

 

[Nauteak]

Highlaner, I have the same boat. One of the few bad designs on our boats...location of the windless is too far forward and the chain drops onto the slope of the bow rather than to the bottom of the locker. The very best fix is to relocate the windless further back so that the chain drops into the bottom of the locker and will never bunch up. One of the reasons the chain bunches up with the current configuration is that the slope of the bow is not slick enough to allow the chain to slide to the bottom of the locker. A fix that would less involved would be to add something slick onto that rough fiberglass surface so that the chain will slide down that bow slope into the bottom of the locker.

 

[Highliner]

My thoughts exactly.

Your reply to our issue with the anchor chain bunching up was exactly what I have been thinking. In a couple of years we may need to replace our windlass and at that time we may consider moving it. I think that if it was just 12” further aft it would completely solve the problem. I’ve also thought about attaching stainless plating inside the locker, hoping that it would make it more slippery, but when I take some loose chain and drop it just under the opening it slips really well. It doesn’t seem that the fiberglass is causing undue friction so I’m not confident that having the chain fall on stainless would be much help. We’re going to swap ends on the chain and hope the less used chain might work better, and failing that we’ll just continue to have one of the crew down below, flaking the chain as it comes aboard.
Thanks again for your thoughtful reply.

 

[Comodave]

Highlaner, I have the same boat. One of the few bad designs on our boats...location of the windless is too far forward and the chain drops onto the slope of the bow rather than to the bottom of the locker. The very best fix is to relocate the windless further back so that the chain drops into the bottom of the locker and will never bunch up. One of the reasons the chain bunches up with the current configuration is that the slope of the bow is not slick enough to allow the chain to slide to the bottom of the locker. A fix that would less involved would be to add something slick onto that rough fiberglass surface so that the chain will slide down that bow slope into the bottom of the locker.

Welcome aboard. Good info about the placement of the windlass. That would probably be the overall best fix but quite a bit of work. Maybe buy some thin Starboard and bend it to fit the slope of the rope locker. It should be slippery enough to help the chain slide down. Then if that doesn’t work move the windlass. You can heat the Starboard and bend it into shape but you would have to screw it in place since not much will stick to it, for example epoxy or caulks. Rule Elastomeric caulk will stick but I don’t think it is much of an adhesive but rather just a sealant.

 

[Nepidae]

Anchor chain

What most suggested could be the reason, BUT, it could also be that the chain is hocking as it is brought up.

Usually when a boat is anchored it will move with the wind, tide & currents and while that is happening the chain gets twisted. It is then brought up into the locker with a twist.

It won't lay in the locker right and then trying to get it back out of the locker requires manual manipulation.

I'd suggest that you get a Mantus swivel. The swivel will allow the boat to do it's thing, moving at night with the tide & currents and the chain with a swivel will rotate keeping straight.

IF for some reason that doesn't work, no harm or foul. Then you could try the windlass, I'd second the Tigres and certainly the chain needs to be addresses.

I use a bucket for my chain, which as I drop the chain into the bucket i spray it with an anti-corrosive (WD40 or other) and let it sit for the winter.

I can't reverse my chain because there is 250' of 8 plait after the 150' of chain. They are spliced together.

Good luck.