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Cruising Tip #5
by Tor Pinney
Back to Cruising Tips
STEM
EYE-BOLT
©
2013 Tor Pinney - All Rights Reserved
When anchoring with an all
chain rode it is usual to fasten a snubber, a length of nylon
line, between the chain and the boat. This acts as a shock
absorber, sparing the deck fittings should the chain suddenly
yank up tight from wind or waves. Typically, the snubber is
secured to a bow cleat. However, an eye-bolt (or U-bolt) in the
boat's stem, about a foot above the waterline and supported by a
substantial backing plate on the inside, offers a significant
advantage.
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Connecting the snubber to
the boat at the stem rather than the foredeck lowers the
angle of pull on the anchor, which reduces the amount of
scope needed for a given water depth. For example, suppose
you're anchored in 15' of water. If your rode is attached at
the foredeck and that is, say, 5' above the water's surface,
you need to scope out enough rode for the total depth of
20'. If, however, your anchor rode is attached to the boat
at a stem eye 1' above the water, then the total depth is
just 16' and the necessary scope is reduced by 20%, say 112'
instead of 140'. This can be an advantage in crowded
anchorages and in general.
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Boats with a stem eye
will often have the snubber line shackled to it and led to
the foredeck for attachment to the anchor chain with a
rolling hitch or a chain hook. However, if you ever had to
slip your anchor in an emergency, you would first have to
retrieve enough rode to reach and unfasten the snubber from
the chain. In some circumstances this could be a dangerous
delay or even impossible. Better to cleat the snubber's
bitter end to a foredeck cleat, lead it from there down to
and thru the stem eye, and then back to the foredeck for
attachment to the anchor chain. This way, should you ever
have to release it instantly you can simply take it off the
cleat. |
click photos to enlarge
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