Anchors etc Hydraulic steering

[will-stacey]

Hi, After taking possession of the ELITE and delving into the Anchor locker !!!
seeking guidance on a, size of anchor recommended for offshore etc, type of anchor which will "self stow" on the Elite bow, and what's this about a bridle!

on the elite at present is
75lbs CQR to 200 feet of 10mm chain.
20 kilogram (45lbs) Bruce (rusty) to 120 ft of 25mm anchorplatt, and 30' 10mm chain,
and a 20lbs CQR to 60ft 10mm chain and 90' cable laid rope

I think a little over anchored as my experience of mono hulls is that lbs per foot length is usually about right.

Any experience out there of the oil in the hydraulic steering disappearing when pressured up, I've put over two pints in now and it still disappears out of reservoir - how much does the system hold, without taking into account the reservoir, I cannot see any leak, but hear a 'gurgle' from behind wheel when I pump up the pressure.
Bill Stacey ZOAR

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time is of the moment

[Guest]

From reading the cruisers forum the anchors you have are about right.
Theu need to be used in different ways.
In a tide way anchoring with half boats use two anchors linked chain end to chain end to control your swing as wind and tide change.
The lighter anchor should be stoed at the stern as a pull off a sand bank or dinghy deployed anchor.
The big bruce may be a bit big but they are a good anchor and should always hold.
A bridle reaches from bow to bow, about three times too long, and the anchor rope is tied to its centre with the section to the anchor winch left with slack so that the anchor pull is to both bows. This holds the bows head on to the tide without yawing. Very comfortable.
In heavy weather deploy the stern anchor over the stern on a similar bridle. This helps to control the boat speed and provied greater stability.

I have some good cat sailing books for learning or transitioning to Cats.
Southampton UK based and about to buy an Elite.

trevor.walden@googlemail.com

[Questina]

I am in similar position but the opposite to you.

I have just brought a Prout Quest 33 and found it's current anchoring arrangements not up to scratch.

I already have brought a Spade A100 anchor which I intend to have as my Primary bower.

So the question is how much chain ?

I am used to anchoring on a mixed chain/rope rode on my previous boat and need to balance two things

1. The need to keep the Cat light (she is heavy enough without any help)
2. The advantage of all Chain to reduce swinging room in congested anchorages.
3. We have (and intend to keep) our manual windlass

We intend to do quite a lot of anchoring.

Normal weekend waters are Solent/Poole and environs but planning an 3/4 month escape with is likely to include UK South Coast, Scillies and Brittany/Northern Biscay.

So my current thinking is 20m of 8mm chain spliced to 50m 14mm of octoplait.

Why ?

Well when anchoring in 2/3 metres in in a crowded anchorage it becomes "all chain" and thus is easier on the neighbours. (And probably a necessity on a bank holiday weekend in Newtown Creek/East Head.

But when anchoring somewhere with much higher tidal range (say the 10m range of some part of Brittany) I can extend still manage to anchor in say 2m at low tide which becomes 12 m at high tide and still have 5 times depth rode.

What does the forum think ?
Anyone else with a 31/33/34 - what do you have in your locker ?

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Prout Quest 33 Blog

[cattitude]

Greetings All

Just replaced all steering componts the pumps pressure ports wear out and I belive causes the gurgle. Most likley cause of lost oil is small amounts of weepage on cylinder.

Anchoring is easy we are a 37 elite and have used a 45lb CQR with 40' 3/8 bb chain and 300' of 3/4" rode for 12 years in all conditions with out a problem. 2nd anchor is a 27lb Fortress 40' 5/16"bb chain and 250' 3/4" rode have only ever deployed this in 60+ winds or for stern anchor putting bow on beach. The 40 of chain seems to keep us in place when in close quarters like New York harbor July 4th.

Arden
Master S/V Cattitude