Chain bunching up when bringing up the anchor

[hoppy]

Has anyone found a solution to the problem of the chain bunching up when you bring up the anchor? Obviously different models have different locker designs and some will not have the problem I have on my SO40.

For a number of reasons I will possibly replace my windlass this winter and as I solo a lot, it would be nice to find a solution so I don't have to be constantly at the locker.

I was thinking about this a lot today as I was med moored last night with my anchor dropped only a short distance from a dock that is to lee when the prevailing winds blow and would be tricky solo when the wind is blowing (left early when it was calm) and then later in the day I lost my trusty chain poking stick overboard So I aborted the anchorage and went to somewhere I thought I could find a replacement. Found 2 old wooden oars for €10 and cut the paddles off, so now I have a spare

[aussieodyssey]

Tried this in my 45.2 anchor locker didn't help much but may give someone some food for thought.

[On y va]

Hoppy, same boat, same problem.

I have studied this closely as it is an annoying problem and I came to the conclusion that I need a nose like chain deflector. I am going to make it (initially) out of aluminium. It will literelly look like a nose, but with a sharp edge for easy of folding the metal and at the bottom will stick out like approx 20cm, mabe a little less. This will push the chain either to the left or right, but away from the middle directly under the chain guide. I have good hopes this will work, but I will let you know if and when I have done it.

[j]

Put a witches hat/ road safety cone in the locker.

[sailbleu]

Same thing here Hoppy , except my situation is even worse as I made a shelve in the anchor locker where upon my spare fuel is stored.
I made a gap in that shelve to allow the chain to pass through on the way down , but this way I'm not able to use the complete locker for chain storage so mine is piling up even more.
It's all about making compromises I guess.
But a slide that keeps the chain away from the back of the locker most certainly will do the trick , but i my case that would mean finding a new location for the jerrycans (2 big and 2 small ) and occasionally some spare gasbottles. So there's where my story ends.
I often go solo myself ( in the recent past that is ) and eventually accepted the fact that running from cockpit to bow and back is part of the game.

Regards

[hoppy]

I have not been loosing much sleep over this although the loss of my poking stick did stress me a little. I did end up having to up anchor before I got the replacement and found that doing it by hand as easy but not good if I needed to rush between the wheel and windlass.

A couple of times in the last couple of days the anchor did not drop as it was caught by the groove worn into the windlass. I really need to replace it even if I cant solve the bunching.



Attachment Deleted

Also need a new nylon roller

[electricmonk]

The traffic cone can work, we use a broom handle, but the only solution that really does work is stainless steel anchor chain ££££££££

[MickeyB]

I have the same problem on my 34.2.

Can someone explain/draw/photo the traffic cone solution?

Thanks in advance

Mike

[touchngo]

Sept 15, 2014 20:46:10 GMT On y va said:

Hoppy, same boat, same problem.

I have studied this closely as it is an annoying problem and I came to the conclusion that I need a nose like chain deflector. I am going to make it (initially) out of aluminium. It will literelly look like a nose, but with a sharp edge for easy of folding the metal and at the bottom will stick out like approx 20cm, mabe a little less. This will push the chain either to the left or right, but away from the middle directly under the chain guide. I have good hopes this will work, but I will let you know if and when I have done it.

A clamshell vent cover like this one, would probably serve just as well (although I am not sure if it would be robust enough. You could always fill the void with epoxy before mounting it to the bulkhead). Mounted on the bulkhead beneath the chain guide, it would present a deflection point that would guide the chain randomly and prevent the pyramid happening.


For those wanting something a bit more sturdy than the traffic cone, there is always the Chain Boy.


Cheers, PT

[hoppy]

Ok, the traffic cone is only really applicable if the chain drops in the centre of the locker. On the SO40 the chain drops down the aft wall of the locker which is sloped.

[touchngo]

The idea of the clam shell vent, or stainless "nose" that On y Va proposed, is that as the chain comes through the guide, it has to go one side or the other of the domes curve or the "nose", and as the chain is jiggling a fair bit as it comes through the guide, this becomes somewhat random. Meaning that the pyramid doesn't get to form against the bulkhead.

If the chain can be guided fully away from the bulkhead with a chute like aussieodyssey suggests, then I would figure given the depth of the locker, most of the SO40's wouldn't have any further problems (the amount of chain required to create a pyramid from the floor of the locker up to the guide (ie in a heap as opposed to climbing up the bulkhead) would probably have the bow under water by the time the chain was hauled aboard).

I agree that the traffic cone and Chain Boy are not appropriate for our SO40's, but it is something that those considering the traffic cone idea (and perhaps also with aussieodyssey's chain chute), may want to look at.

Cheers, PT

[electricmonk]

The clam shell vent is a solution but I would be very wary of it. OK it may solve the problem of the chain entering the locker - but what about chain leaving the locker? The advantage of the traffic cone is that it extends to the bottom of the locker like the chain buoy and has no edges to snag the chain on in either direction. It has been used successfully in SO40 but I have always thought it would work better if the cone was cut in half longitudinally and bonded to the rear face of the locker. Never tried just thought about it.

[touchngo]

Good point.

I guess you'd have to provide an angled exit to allow the chain to slide back up over it when it is being paid out or fill it in with epoxy and then sculpt a decent entry/exit. My initial thought after seeing the Chain Boy, was if I could just use the top off of an old style dome vent (we used to have some really heavy duty ones on our boat when I was a kid). A google search turned up the clam vent (seems we don't build heavy duty cast dome vents anymore), which got me thinking (obviously I need to spend a bit more time thinking and less time posting).

Cheers, PT

[sailbleu]

Sept 19, 2014 5:17:02 GMT hoppy said:

Ok, the traffic cone is only really applicable if the chain drops in the centre of the locker. On the SO40 the chain drops down the aft wall of the locker which is sloped.

Indeed , that's why a slide could divert the chain away from that aft wall.
Unfortunately not in my case though , but that's a choice I made.

Regards

[aussieodyssey]

I like the traffic cone idea i might try cutting one in half and putting it against the bulkhead . Will see how it goes .

[hoppy]

At the start of last year I replaced my original 10mm chain of 90m with 100m of 8mm G70. I continued with my normal anchor raising process of using a stick to spread the chain about.

This year however, I noticed that I can actually skip using the stick and whilst the chain bunches up against the locker wall enough of it always slides down and I don't need to use the stick now

So it seems that by reducing to 8mm chain, the decreased volume in the locker allows effortless anchor raising

Admittedly, I have not let out any more than 40m so far and I expect to have problems when I let out more chain and it all bunches up against the wall.

[sailbleu]

Jul 11, 2016 5:17:16 GMT hoppy said:

At the start of last year I replaced my original 10mm chain of 90m with 100m of 8mm G70. I continued with my normal anchor raising process of using a stick to spread the chain about.

This year however, I noticed that I can actually skip using the stick and whilst the chain bunches up against the locker wall enough of it always slides down and I don't need to use the stick now

So it seems that by reducing to 8mm chain, the decreased volume in the locker allows effortless anchor raising

Admittedly, I have not let out any more than 40m so far and I expect to have problems when I let out more chain and it all bunches up against the wall.

Scrolling up you can read I have had the same problem of piling up and eventually blocking the windlass.
As by a miracle that issue has faded away since my new windlass was installed .
This winter I will even bring a (WIRED ! ) remote to the steering wheel , build-in chain counter will also be part of it.
Finally I'm able to control the anchor without having to stand on the bow.
Will also install a slope or nose to divert the down going chain away from the locker's backwall.

Regards