Anchor Locker too small R-27

[JeffRad54]

We all have experienced the aggravation of the rode piling up when retrieving the anchor due to the too small anchor locker and FM disregarding the reccomendation of Lewmar to always have 12" of free fall from the bottom of the winch to the top of the pile.

Has anyone found a solution? I thought about raising the winch above the deck, but am not certain that would work.
I also thought about enlarging the locker, but then I would need to change the drain position lower, and patch the existing drain hole. Not an attractive option, to say the least.

I've cut my chain down to 30' hoping that would help, but no. I used the extra 17' for my spare anchor.

I wouldn't mind it so much, but I am solo, so it means I must be on deck for every retrieval. It is a definite safety hazard in rough weather, nevermind not being able to control the throttle to nudge up as needed against the wind / tide / current.

Thanks for your replies,

Jeff Radwill

 

[scross]

8 plait line. You won’t believe the difference.

 

[Toki]

I've installed an automatic rode flatener on my R27. Works great.


Been married to her for 35 years

 

[knotflying]

I use 8 Plait and also tend the rode on retrieval.

 

[Hydraulicjump]

Very sympathetic to this, but the trade-off was less space in the berth as a larger chain locker would have crowded it.

When I solo deploy and retrieve it is always entertaining for those watching. I leave the window open next to the helm, center the rudder, take my remote thruster controller with me and get on the front deck. I then lean through the window from outside (what could possibly go wrong?), put it in idle forward for a bit to put some slack on the rode, run back and start the retrieve until the rode tightens up. Then I pause the retrieve and reach in and clear everything out from underneath the windlass, use the remote thruster controller to line things up, lean through the window and run the boat for a bit over the rode. And repeat. I look like a fool, but it is the best way to avoid loading the windlass while you are soloing it.

The excitement is always that interval between when the anchor breaks loose, you get it all in (inevitably with a jamb clearing), and you run back to take control of the boat. So far I have neither fallen in the water on the scramble back or had any close calls with other boats or rocks. Just a matter of time. No old, bold, solo boaters allowed.

But isn't it nice to have a boat you can single hand like this? Although I often lust after bigger boats, I ask myself how I would do handling them when my thermally-challenged spouse does not want to venture out. Begging never works.

 

[JeffRad54]

With the exception of the remote controlled thruster, that is exactly my routine.
I wear rubber-palmed gloves for a good secure grip on the railings as I do my organ grinder monkey routine dressed in an auto-inflating life jacket. Same gear for locks.

 

[knotflying]

Just to add: I have retrieved from the bow and placed the rode in a circular pattern making a donut hole in the center and retrieve just before the anchor breaks loose. I then go to the helm and retrieve the remainder. How strong the current is is a determining factor.

 

[aintmissb]

I used to do something very similar for anchor retrieval with my Cutwater 28. But, when solo, wouldn’t all agree that this is just plain dangerous?

 

[nzfisher]

There are now kevlar based ropes that are stronger but smaller in diameter that have less rope memory. Some halibut fisherman use them for deeper sets but no personal experience. Not sure how they would work with the grabbing power of the winch Would probably require modification to pinch smaller diameter rope. Will of course not help with the chain. Perhaps Lewmar has a modification as it seems these new ropes have some popularity.

 

[captg]

I will be getting my R-27 in a few weeks, my other boat we used all chain. would this be something the Locker would accommodate?

 

[JeffRad54]

It depends. How much chain?
You will still suffer from the piling up in the locker no matter what.

 

[scross]

I use 60 ft of chain and 200 ft of line. At 260 ft total length, the all chain option would weigh in at 242 pounds. I’m not sure I’d put 242 pounds of chain in the anchor locker. That’s a lot of weight!

 

[JeffRad54]

I reiterate, the locker is too small for any meaningful length of rode. Chain, line, chain + line, it doesn't matter.
You "will" have someone on the bow managing the rode feed into the locker. If you are solo, it's a PITA.

 

[knotflying]

I reiterate, the locker is too small for any meaningful length of rode. Chain, line, chain + line, it doesn't matter.
You "will" have someone on the bow managing the rode feed into the locker. If you are solo, it's a PITA.

You are right, but everything is a compromise. Move the locker back further and you lose v-berth. You can manage the shortcoming of the anchor locker. I would not want a shorter v-berth in lieu of a deeper locker.

 

[linedoctor]

I agree that the configuration causes the need to do some of the retrieval from the bow, but as noted, everything is a compromise. I only anchor a handful of times a year and wouldn’t want to lose any interior space in order to enlarge the locker.

To me, walking to the bow isn’t a problem. In 10 years, my older self might disagree and if it becomes really problematic I’ll get a different boat.

This forum is good for getting to know our boats’ strengths and weaknesses but once they’re identified there’s not much use in complaining. Really, we should be doing our homework before buying. In this case if anchoring was really important to me I’d have checked that out before buying. It wasn’t, I didn’t, and the smallish locker is a small imperfection easily overcome by the other things that do work well, that are important to me, that I did check out before buying.

All boat builders constantly try to balance needs, wants and engineering. Ranger monitors these forums and makes changes based on the aforementioned balancing act.

 

[davecook]

With any of the R27 models , someone has to be up on the bow '' steering'' the rode into a circle so everything will fit without jamming . I gave up trying to do it from inside , ( jams up ) using the dash mounted switch .

 

[JeffRad54]

I really wanted to do the loop solo, but I guess I'll have to get a terrier to train to 'dig' the incoming rode into a pile. 😀

 

[captg]

I use 60 ft of chain and 200 ft of line. At 260 ft total length, the all chain option would weigh in at 242 pounds. I’m not sure I’d put 242 pounds of chain in the anchor locker. That’s a lot of weight!

I agree but our old 34' Searay SD loved it and leveled out nicely.. I have not yet driven the RT27 yet to see how she planes/rides etc. for the most part it sounds like a problem when anchoring solo.

 

[scross]

I’m pretty sure the anchor locker in the RT-25 Classic is the same size as in the RT-27 Classic.
We have 60 ft of 5/16” chain and 200+ ft if 8 plait rode. Normally we put out all the chain and 20-60 ft of rode when anchoring in the PNW. Once the bale is set, we have not had any issues with the chain or rode when deploying the anchor. Most times I do that from the helm, no need to be at the bow.
Bringing the anchor up is a bit more involved but not anything I would worry about doing single handed from the bow. Engine warming up in neutral, and me working the windlass controls from the bow. Stop once during retrieval to rearrange the rode in the anchor locker and then scoot back to the helm when the anchor is up. We really never need to rearrange the 8 plait rode more than once in the locker during retrieval. And that’s before we break free of the bottom with the anchor. Only the last minute or less is retrieving with the anchor free and the boat being able to drift. Unless there was a really, really strong wind or current I can’t see the problem of doing this single handed.

 

[tranmkp]

I was under the impression that stainless steel chain "flows" better into the (any) anchor locker no?