Dear all,

i m currently renewing the windlass and chain on my boat , Danú.
boat is 17.3 tonnes , 13m , steel.
looking at various information i have read it seems that given the weight and length that 10 mm g40 calibrated chain would be suitable . I am thinking of putting in 80 m chain.

does any one have any advice on whether to go to 12 mm or 10mm ?

Regarding the windlass, I like keeping with the manual anchor idea yet most windlasses available are electric.
There is a company still producing simpson lawrence seatiger 555 windlasses (SLSPARES UK) which seem to have a good reputation.

has anyone seen these in action ?

great to hear your suggestions / opinions on this.

thanks

Peter Owens , Galway , Ireland

Hi Ian & Charles
As an anchor marker/trip line I would recommend a sinking (nylon) rope with a buoy. a floating line is always asking for trouble. Just go anywhere that there are lobster or crab fishermen to see what it is like. As I believe I mentioned earlier, we also add 1/2 pound lead weight about 2m down the line just to be sure that the top end of the line is vertical.

Ian: please bear in mind that any bent or damaged anchor cannot and will not perform as intended by the manufacturer.
Also: the most common way that anchors are bent is by the skipper powering over the anchor in the ill-conceived notion that this is the best way to break it out of the bottom.