[C320-list] Of kellets and keel wraps
Jack Brennan
jackbrennan333 at outlook.com
Tue Feb 21 11:33:54 PST 2023
Hi Frank:
Hope you dodged the bugs. There’s nothing worse than getting swarmed at dusk in Ten Thousand Islands and the Everglades.
What are the sailing conditions down there these days? I understand that Cayo Costa park at Pelican Bay is still closed and wiped out, as are Fort Myers Beach and the mooring field. We heard Marco Island is also still iffy, although details were sparse.
That led us to decide to head north this year, toward Apalachicola Bay, because so many of our favorite spots down south were damaged by Hurricane Ian.
I’m no expert on this, but from what I understand, all chain will work as well as a kellet. I know that when I had keel wraps, boats with all chain did not.
The explanation I’ve seen is that line will angle up with even the slightest pull from the boat, while chain (or line with a kellet) will sink to the bottom unless there is a really strong wind and/or current. Sinking to the bottom during pauses and tide changes will remove the rode from the keel and allow the boat to swing properly.
I’m holding out against going all chain with the concurrent cost of a $2,300 VW10 windlass to replace the stock one that only does line. I’d rather put the money toward new sails or maybe replacement cushions for the cabin.
Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
Tierra Verde, Fl.
Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows
From: Christopher Nichols via C320-list<mailto:c320-list at lists.catalina320.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 1:36 PM
To: P.F. Ross<mailto:pfrstl at gmail.com>
Cc: Christopher Nichols<mailto:cinichols at btinternet.com>; C320-List at catalina320.com<mailto:C320-List at catalina320.com>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Of kellets and keel wraps
I think the catenary of the chain between the
Bow and the snubber hook will act like a Kellet so the rope will only
ever go straight down 10 feet when the load on the anchor is zero.
I would check this is right next time the tide changes!
Chris
On 21 Feb 2023 17:05, "P.F. Ross" <pfrstl at gmail.com> wrote:
Jack, how timely. I just returned from a 3 day cruise with our sailing
group to Panther Key, in the 10,000 Islands in FL Everglades south of
Marco Island.
Last year on this same trip, I was anchored by my Rocna 15 with 30' 1/4
G34 chain spliced to three strand nylon rode. Anchor area is 10-12'
sand bottom with a reversing tidal current flowing between two islands
and I had a total of about 100' of rode let out. After a tidal cycle
or two, the nylon rode wrapped around the keel but I was able to use my
dinghy to push the boat around to unwind it. The next day it happened
again along with some anchor dragging.
I thought about a kellet for this year, but decided instead to add 150'
of the 1/4" G34 chain. I also made a bridle snubber from two lengths
of 1/2" nylon three strand connected to a Mantus 1/4 chain hook. I
liked the Mantus since it hooks to the chain with minimum stress risers
and has a tough rubber strap that will keep it firmly attached to the
chain even when slack.
I made the snubber with 30' legs but after I anchored, I worried that
these snubber lines could themselves wrap around the keel! I cleated
them short on the two bow cleats leaving about 10' legs.
Winds were not strong while anchored and the shortened snubber worked
fine without any shock loading. And no anchor rode wrap!
My question is, will the all chain rode itself keep the rode from
wrapping or is a kellet still needed?
Frank Ross
Beta Wave #206
Naples, FL
On Mon, Feb 20, 2023 at 3:15 AM Chris via C320-list
<[1]c320-list at lists.catalina320.com> wrote:
I experimented last season using a 5lb weightlifting weight - on a
line of a length that means when the anchor rode goes slack the
weight is a foot or so below the keel. An oversize carabiner
attached it to the main rode and lets it slide down. I found this
enough to stop getting wraps in the Nantucket mooring field.
Clearly it is only enough to stop wraps being initiated when the
rode goes slack in a wind over flow situation but I cannot imagine
other times a wrap could occur. Ideas anyone?
Chris Nichols
(sv Amanda Rose #476)
-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list <[2]c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On
Behalf Of Brian McLamb via C320-list
Sent: 20 February 2023 02:41
To: [3]C320-List at catalina320.com
Cc: Brian McLamb <[4]bjcnmclamb at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Of kellets and keel wraps
I have done this same remedy for nearly 10 years. It has never
failed me in both River , Cape Lookout and Chesapeake Bay travels
and tides.
S / V Serenity #1075
On Sun, Feb 19, 2023 at 9:36 PM Jack Brennan via C320-list <
[5]c320-list at lists.catalina320.com> wrote:
>
> So we anchor in many tidal rivers in western Florida, and I have
had a
> few cases where the rode and chain have wrapped around the wing
keel
> when wind and tide were opposed.
>
> Once, it cost me a large, expensive Delta anchor, 30 feet of chain
and
> some rode when it happened in Little Shark River in Everglades
> National Park on the SW tip of Florida. No way anyone was jumping
into
> that murky water with the gators and bull sharks. (They breed
there.)
>
> Other times, it is a painful exercise to free the chain and rode,
> either heavy cranking on a winch and/or diving under the boat in
chilly water.
>
> Lately, I have been experimenting with using a 15-pound mushroom
> anchor as a kellet to prevent this. Basically, I clip the mushroom
> with about 15 feet of line (I usually anchor in 8-12 feet of
water)
> onto the main anchor and tie it to a bow cleat.
>
> When the mushroom slides down the main rode, It pulls it almost
> straight down. This keeps the rode and chain from angling under
the
> boat and catching the keel. As a bonus, it also helps the anchor
dig
> in. I’ve found the 15-pound mushroom and 22-pound Rocna to be a
> bulletproof combination so far.
>
> It’s also easier to handle than the next-size-up Rocna for us
> old-fashioned folks who don’t use windlasses. (A Rocna can be a
real
> pain to raise by hand because they dig in so well. A 35-pound one?
I’m
> not sure I’d want to try that.)
>
> Anyone else confront this problem? Any better solutions?
>
> Jack Brennan
> Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
> Tierra Verde, Fl.
>
>
>
>
> Sent from Mail<[6]https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986>
for
> Windows
>
> --
Brian McLamb
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