How long anchor line should be

Additionally, all your calculations should be made from the high tide depths. Most boats carry between and feet of anchor rode.

This enables regular anchoring in depths of around 20 to 30 feet and a bit less in serious winds. If you anchor somewhere with very deep anchorages, consider or feet of rode. The gypsy on your windlass, which is the piece that holds your rope and chain in places, is only rated for a certain size rope and chain. You can purchase a new gypsy, and most windlass manufacturers make several sizes appropriate for their models. If you gypsy feeds chain, you must match not only the diameter of the chain but the type of chain as well.

Some windlass gypsies will feed combination rope and chain rodes. Most, however, are designed for chain only. Be sure your windlass is compatible with what you want to feed through it. Most rope anchor lines use a three-strand nylon line. Nylon makes the perfect anchor line because it is very strong and it stretches, which provides some shock absorption. Another option for anchor line is an eight-plait nylon line, which has a nicer feel than three-strand and lays flat without twisting.

This rope is commonly used when the line runs through an electric windlass. Modern lines, like Dyneema or Spectra, are ill-suited for use as an anchor rode. While they are lighter and stronger than nylon, they do no stretch.

This can produce a hard ride on you at anchor as well as transferring dangerously high loads to your anchor gear and deck hardware. It has a specific gravity of 1.

The diameter of the rope depends on how strong the system needs to be, which is a function of how large a boat it is expected to hold and in what conditions. The bigger the boat or the stronger the winds, then the bigger the rope, chain, and anchor need to be. Be sure to round up, so if your boat falls between values go to one size of line higher. Picking the right chain is much the same process as picking the right nylon rode. Always use a minimum of scope in extreme conditions, and be sure all your ground tackle can handle the anticipated loads.

Similar to choosing the right size boat anchor, the amount of anchor chain you need can also depend on several things, such as:. Are you close enough to return to shore if the weather takes a turn for the worse? Using chain on any anchor is the most important part of the entire anchoring system.

While some manufacturers might claim their anchor does not require chain, decades of anchoring research and testing prove otherwise.

In a sense, adding 4 feet of chain to an anchor is like extending the handle by 4 feet. The only chain more corrosion resistance than HDG is Stainless Steel chain, but is x the price and not as readily available.

This is not recommended for anchors, or any marine environment. The chain is much more shiny than HDG, however it will typically begin to rust after 1 month or less in any marine environment. Typically the coating will wear off after one season, exposing the uncoated bare steel chain, which will rust the first time it touches water.

The typical pleasure boat anchor rode is a long length of nylon line shackled to a short length of chain at the anchor end of the rode. The chain is there mostly to add weight to the shank of the anchor, helping the anchor dig into the bottom. The rope part of the rode must be nylon. Nylon rope is not only strong, it is also elastic.

When waves roll into an anchored boat, the nylon stretches like long rubber band, preventing the destructive jerking that occurs with a less stretchy rode. Both three-strand and braided nylon ropes make excellent anchor rodes. Three-strand gives greater elasticity at lower cost, but braided nylon is more flexible, making it a better choice when the rode is fed through a deck pipe for stowage.

What size rope do you need? To determine how long your anchor rode should be, multiply the deepest water you expect to anchor in by eight. If you expect to anchor in 25' of water, you need ' of rope. Don Casey has been one of the most consulted experts on boat care and upgrades for 30 years, and is one of the BoatUS Magazine's panel of experts.