6mm or 8mm anchor chain

[Uh Oh]

Hi everyone.
Could I ask your advice please.
Weve just bought a 5 Metre rib. It's a family boat for South West Devon estuaries and close inshore on fine weather days only. Im getting a bit old in the tooth and need to strike a balance between being safe and what I have to regularly haul up. I've ordered a 5Kg Bruce anchor and 50 metres of nylon anchor rope and now need some chain. I can order 5 metres of 6mm chain. Or alternatively 3 metres of 8mm chain which is almost the same weight. I'm minded to get the 8mm chain as the shorter length may make it easier to work with? And it may take a stronger shackle/connector?
What do you think please?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Uh Oh

Hi everyone.

Could I ask your advice please.

Weve just bought a 5 Metre rib. It's a family boat for South West Devon estuaries and close inshore on fine weather days only. Im getting a bit old in the tooth and need to strike a balance between being safe and what I have to regularly haul up. I've ordered a 5Kg Bruce anchor and 50 metres of nylon anchor rope and now need some chain. I can order 5 metres of 6mm chain. Or alternatively 3 metres of 8mm chain which is almost the same weight. I'm minded to get the 8mm chain as the shorter length may make it easier to work with? And it may take a stronger shackle/connector?

What do you think please?

I’d go for the 5m of 5mm chain. It’ll improve the scope imo.

[Uh Oh]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I’d go for the 5m of 5mm chain. It’ll improve the scope imo.

Thank you.

[lakelandterrier]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I’d go for the 5m of 5mm chain. It’ll improve the scope imo.

I agree, with PD, 5mm chain should be strong enough for your need. It's not holding morev than a tonne of boat. I'd go for a longer length of lighter chain.

[Uh Oh]

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

I agree, with PD, 5mm chain should be strong enough for your need. It's not holding morev than a tonne of boat. I'd go for a longer length of lighter chain.

Many thanks. It's really helpful to get the views of others. I appreciate both your help.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Length of chain matters to keep the rope low and the pull on the anchor as low as possible personally I use 10 MM 6 m long for my SIB bit over kill but gives more scope on varing bottoms suits my needs

[Uh Oh]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Length of chain matters to keep the rope low and the pull on the anchor as low as possible personally I use 10 MM 6 m long for my SIB bit over kill but gives more scope on varing bottoms suits my needs

Thanks Jeff.

[Lee argyle]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Length of chain matters to keep the rope low and the pull on the anchor as low as possible personally I use 10 MM 6 m long for my SIB bit over kill but gives more scope on varing bottoms suits my needs

10mm, that’s big old chain!

I use 6mm on Katie, admittedly it’s all chain, prob 50 plus metres

[boristhebold]

I would go for 10 metres of either chain.

One important point to consider is that an anchor,chain,rope combo isnt just for anchoring while in safe protected bays etc it's also a crucial bit of safety kit and you never know when or where you may need it.

I had an issue once of a fuel filter housing breaking which meant the engine cut out. I was in the main channel approaching poole harbour entrance in about 14 metres of water, the weather was moderate but with a strong wind that without deploying the anchor chain and line would have blown me onto the training bank and definately ruined my day and boat. (dont know why they call it the training banks as its concrete and rocks). With the anchor set-up deployed it stopped my drift but that was with 10 metres of chain and 40 metres of rope plus anchor, not sure if I had half that length of chain it would have been sufficient.

[Uh Oh]

Good point Boris. Food for thought.
I wonder what peoples thoughts are on carrying an additional weight which could be added to the anchor line if needed, should you have outboard problems. Something that could be clipped on quickly if required. In my circumstances perhaps 5 metres of chain for normal use. And the additional weight in the bow anchor locker, just in case.

[ShinyShoe]

You haven't mentioned rope... Don't go too thin... It may be strong enough but will be painful to haul up.

If Boris had 20m.of chain. He wouldn't know if 10 worked and would recommend 20m.. ...

In my opinion fwiw, you don't want chain over the tubes. RIBs often anchor in shallow beaches. 10m (offshore breeze) in say 1.5m (shoulder depth water) probably means if the boat swings it grounds...

So if you want lots of chain, you either you need to be able to attach the chain to the front eye or tie rope to the eye. 6mm chain is too small to do that easily.

I doubt 10m Vs 5m makes much difference, but hey, I've never broken a fuel filter housing while underway .. ��

[Pikey Dave]

You could also consider a weighted rope. I’ve just bought a 30m 12mm anchor rope for the new SIB, the first 10m is internally weighted. I’ve put 3m of 8mm stainless chain on the business end (I had it lying around so I may as well use it). All finished off with a plastic Cooper anchor. What could possibly go wrong ?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Uh Oh

Good point Boris. Food for thought.

I wonder what peoples thoughts are on carrying an additional weight which could be added to the anchor line if needed, should you have outboard problems. Something that could be clipped on quickly if required. In my circumstances perhaps 5 metres of chain for normal use. And the additional weight in the bow anchor locker, just in case.

If the introduction you provided is correct, 5m boat being used in fine conditions only, I wouldn’t be changing my plans because someone with an 8m boat, in a strong wind once used their anchor with 10m of chain and it worked...

IMHO more rope will be more useful in most breakdown situations than more weight.

[Uh Oh]

Originally Posted by Poly

If the introduction you provided is correct, 5m boat being used in fine conditions only, I wouldn’t be changing my plans because someone with an 8m boat, in a strong wind once used their anchor with 10m of chain and it worked...

IMHO more rope will be more useful in most breakdown situations than more weight.

Thank you. It is a balance isn't it. One of my concerns regarding chain is taking it over the tubes. And if it ends up clunking the hull in shallow water, which is likely to be most of my anchoring. Regarding the total length, I'm going on 6 times the depth unless advised otherwise. But I also appreciate that I need to use common sense with varying circumstances.

[Uh Oh]

Thank you. I'm planning on having 6 times the depth when its feasible. (Total chain and rope, a warp?). I think that most of the time I will be in sheltered waters with no issues and could probably get away with very little chain, with a decent amount of rope out. However, I will also have occasions where I'm in fast flowing water, potentially busy waters and need to know that I can put an anchor out that will hold me, should it be necessary. Hence why I was wondering if I could have an everyday solution with more weight if required. It would save me having to haul the extra weight every time.

[Uh Oh]

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

You haven't mentioned rope... Don't go too thin... It may be strong enough but will be painful to haul up.

If Boris had 20m.of chain. He wouldn't know if 10 worked and would recommend 20m.. ...

In my opinion fwiw, you don't want chain over the tubes. RIBs often anchor in shallow beaches. 10m (offshore breeze) in say 1.5m (shoulder depth water) probably means if the boat swings it grounds...

So if you want lots of chain, you either you need to be able to attach the chain to the front eye or tie rope to the eye. 6mm chain is too small to do that easily.

I doubt 10m Vs 5m makes much difference, but hey, I've never broken a fuel filter housing while underway .. ��

Thank you. I've ordered 50Metres of 10mm 3 strand nylon. I've already got mooring lines for pontoons and what have you. I too am concerned about chain going over tubes. I'll just have to take care whatever the length of chain I end up with.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Lee argyle

10mm, that’s big old chain!

I use 6mm on Katie, admittedly it’s all chain, prob 50 plus metres

IT was for nowt lee

[jwalker]

Unless you're anchoring regularly and needing to haul often over the same section of tube, I wouldn't worry too much about the chain on the tube. When you lift it it'll be wet and lubricated, often slippery with mud and/or weed. If you've not got it already, a bit of extra rubbing strake around and over the bow area is generally a good thing to have anyway and will allow you to haul your anchoring gear without issue.
Depending on current, wave angle, wind direction it's likely you're not going to just be hauling neatly over the centre of the bow each time.

[boristhebold]

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

You haven't mentioned rope... Don't go too thin... It may be strong enough but will be painful to haul up.

If Boris had 20m.of chain. He wouldn't know if 10 worked and would recommend 20m.. ...

In my opinion fwiw, you don't want chain over the tubes. RIBs often anchor in shallow beaches. 10m (offshore breeze) in say 1.5m (shoulder depth water) probably means if the boat swings it grounds...

So if you want lots of chain, you either you need to be able to attach the chain to the front eye or tie rope to the eye. 6mm chain is too small to do that easily.

I doubt 10m Vs 5m makes much difference, but hey, I've never broken a fuel filter housing while underway .. ��

please try not to speak for me, yes of course I would know what and did not work, it is easy to tell if your anchor, chain and rope combination works well or does not, 10m of chain works well on my rib whereas only 5m would mean in some situations my rib would move as the chain and anchor would drag on tide and wave force.

[boristhebold]

Originally Posted by Poly

If the introduction you provided is correct, 5m boat being used in fine conditions only, I wouldn’t be changing my plans because someone with an 8m boat, in a strong wind once used their anchor with 10m of chain and it worked...

IMHO more rope will be more useful in most breakdown situations than more weight.

I think most experienced boaters would disagree with you, if someones anchor is slipping and the boat is slowly drifting towards something nasty im sure they dont think gosh I wish I had more rope, I expect they think gosh I wish I had more chain down LOL.