Anchor rope size and suitable breaking strain

[fishing111]

I've got a Stressfree and use 6mm braid on a boat that weighs about 1.2T max on the water.
I use 6mm as I want rope to break well in advace of doing damage to the winch which has 1800kg holding power. I have nearly gone through 6mm rope through burs on anchor roller so you'd want to make sure it's all smooth on your anchor roller because it didn't take long to nearly chew through it in 1-1.5 metre seas.

[Dignity]

Dignity did your 3 ropes break while you were anchored or were you doing something like pulling the anchor up?

Fed, the first two times trying to pull the anchor up, I suspect the heel of the anchor got jammed under a ledge or possibly the chain got wrapped around a bommie, the last time while at anchor in about 1metre of swell, it just parted, very annoying as it was new rope and a new mooloolaba pick both to replace the previous loss. It was with a mate who hadn't been out with me before so I was a little peeved, since then my usual crew did comment that he preferred pulling in the thicker rope.

[Dignity]

I have nearly gone through 6mm rope through burs on anchor roller so you'd want to make sure it's all smooth on your anchor roller because it didn't take long to nearly chew through it in 1-1.5 metre seas.

I replaced the two bolts and nuts on my anchor roller where it hinges with a single bolt straight through, with a SS tube insert as I did find that the 6 mm silver did sometimes ride over this part and would fray, have had to cut and splice occasionally because of this.

[Dignity]

Thanks for the info, this is the first confirmation I can get of lighter rope breaking in "normal" conditions. That doesn't surprise me either, 6mm silver is typically rated about 380kg. Bunnings etc don't even give ratings, so who knows what their 6mm would really be, after use and wear it may be under 200kg.... The 6mm nylon I was considering is 2.5 times the new 6mm silver ratings.

After changing, did you find the 10mm silver ok, as in never had concerns of it breaking? The 6mm double braided nylon I was considering was the same break strain as 10mm silver, so directly comparable I think.

I am seriously thinking about 150m of 6mm nylon (950kg rated) with 100m of 8 or 10mm nylon (1.3t-2t+ rated) on top. That way in shallower water I will have high strength, should I ever drop in deeper it would be in "good weather" etc if anchoring on a mark. Possibly also with reef anchor only or at least a trip for easier release.
I also always will cary a spare 100m spool of 12mm cheap silver in reserve for emergency. I also typically carry spare anchor and chain.

I will have other gear for storm type scenarios, I mainly want to determine an acceptable minimum strength so I am not getting break offs for no reason in normal conditions.

I might talk to some of the winch suppliers further, it was one of them who was pushing me toward 6mm dyneema with a top shot of 50 or so metres of nylon for shock resistance.

Darren, my regular mate actually preferred the 10mm to haul in as we use the float system, he says it is much easier to handle. I did prefer the 6mm especially when anchoring in 80 to 100 metres as I found I could anchor more accurately on small sections of reef than with the thicker ropes, hadn't really worked out why other than possibly resistance of the thicker ropes.

I have a mate who only uses 6mm silver on a 625 CC and never had an issue and he probably goes out twice as much as I do, he also uses a sand anchor with the flat stops cut off and uses 3 inch nails through a hole in the shank instead, these bend back when he lifts the anchor and all he needs to do is replace the nails.

I have read where bow sprits have broken when using thicker ropes and the anchor is fouled on the reef and it nearly happened to me once but I was lucky as the bolts used to secure the rollers were brass and they snapped first.

ShaneC, I have an anchor winch and don't use it offshore because of the slow retrieval rate of 30 metres a minute, is this the same reason you use the float system. (I must work out how to do multiple quotes in this forum)

[fishing111]

Another thing I have done is fed cable up through my short link chain. If you get your chain and just drop it it will just ball up and short link chain does a real good job of balling up, even after reversing and pulling tight. I have found that by stiffening up the chain I get a better anchoring experience as it is less likely to wrap around the reef.

[ShaneC]

Yes Dignity that is the main reason. Mine is not a free fall so it goes out at the same speed it comes in which is a pain. It comes I to its own though on those really rough nights when everyone is buggered and you dont plan on fishing through the night then we simply motor into 30m of water, use the stress free and go to bed.

[Dignity]

Yes Dignity that is the main reason. Mine is not a free fall so it goes out at the same speed it comes in which is a pain. It comes I to its own though on those really rough nights when everyone is buggered and you dont plan on fishing through the night then we simply motor into 30m of water, use the stress free and go to bed.

Same here and looking to upgrade to a free fall but most still have a retrieval rate of around 30 metres a minute, a bloody long time when you have 60 + out most if the time and a huge current drain, I did find one that specified 79 metres but I suspect it was the free drop rate as I have been unable to substantiate such a fast retrieval rate on a sub $2k winch.

[ShaneC]

I run a separate AGM battery for mine so the draw does not get me in strife. Its a pain to have to do that for something I rarely use but it beats the alternative....

[Dignity]

Shane, know where your coming from, went out into the passage today and used the winch, I have only 6 metres of chain and most times that was all I used but the winching in seemed to take forever. Can't even imagine trying to let out 60 metres using the winch.