Hanging onto the bottom of the ocean in quiet desperation

One day in Morgans Bluff while waiting on an approaching north wind (hint: don't do that) we set out our Manson and Fortress.  After we were "set" we watched Ben and Darren on s/v Liberty set three anchors with an endless supply of rode.  They just kept pulling out rode.  They even offered us more if we needed it.  Okay we now had a case of rode envy.  After 3 years living mostly on the hook we felt the need for more line!  Why?  Beats me.  It is more money, more space and more weight.  Something has to go overboard... here, kitty, kitty.

I think Syd spent too many nights in a north facing anchorage with sea walls
Once I was in the Emerald City I started the replacement of ALL of our ground tackle.  Well almost all... our trusty 35 pound Manson Supreme will live on.

Our 142 feet of 1/4 inch had a terrible issue developing in the exact middle of the length.  Seems the extended stay in Boca Ciega rapidly ate away at the chain.  Leaving it with flaking links where it sat in the water column.  I continued to use the chain keeping tighter than usual so the center section was not loaded until I was back in Boca Ciega.  Once there I used the good sections from both ends along with new line and traditional anchors to make a temporary mooring for the next extended stay in the corrosive waters.

Not even cut and the spool of 9/16 3-strand got rained on.

The first project to come in was the 600 foot spool of 9/16 inch New England Ropes Three strand.  Followed by only 100 feet of 1/4 inch High Test G43 chain.  Off came the first 200 feet of 3-strand to be spliced onto the chain.  This was destined to be mated to the New 25 pound Manson Supreme I purchased from a friend for a great savings.  Mason rates this setup for a 25-35 foot boat.  This is our number two rode.  I also purchased two rode bags one small for this set up and a large for the number one.

The first of several splices.  Without a windlass there was no need to taper the splice.

It was a lovely sunset while I spliced the two together and marked the line.

Next I cut off another 200 feet of the 9/16 line to go on our Lunch Hook.  Oh we are keeping a second item from the first 4 years, our 10 pound Fortress.  The Fortress was mated to 20 feet of 1/4 inch High Test G43 and the second cut of 200 feet 3 strand.  Fortress rates this for a 33-38 foot boat.  THEY think their anchors are way better than reality.

Rode number 2 bagged and ready.

With the first two rodes done it was time to roll off the third 200 feet from the spool.  Sitting there in the cockpit the final third looked extremely larger than the previous two cuts.  Damn I can't count.  Time to recount cut one and two.  200! 200!  Damn I really can't count.  Let's do it again. 200! 200!  Okay time to count the 3rd cut... 287+-!  Can I really not count to 200 without loosing track.  Somewhere around the 5th time I concede that the spool was actually 687 and not 600! Great but my head hurts now.

The 3rd 200 foot cut dwarfing the first cut and chain. 

Later I purchased a length of 5/16 High Test G43 to mate with the tried and true 35 pound Manson Supreme that has held us well over the last 4 years.  This is spliced to a 300 foot length of 5/8 NER 3-strand and stands as our number one rode.  The standard Keys and Bahama anchorage length is kept in the locker with the final tail of the rode stored in the V-birth in a bag secured to the bulkhead.  Manson rates the 35 Supreme up to a 40 foot boat.  Yes it is OVERKILL.  Yes I sleep better!  You never know when the wind will hit 30 knots and a SeaRay is anchored near by or there is a storm brewing.

With the cruising rodes complete.  It was time to make a temporary mooring to be used during our time in Boca Ciega this year.  We didn't want to use any of our new chain or line!  Previous experience taught us that chain becomes unusable after 6 months here in the water column.  We utilized the good ends of the previous chain connected to new 3-strand and 26 pound traditional anchors.  Only two points compared to the typical 3 point system but we can always add the third with the Mansons in tandem for an approaching storm.  With the addition of an oversize swivel to the mooring we no longer do the line twist.

Rumsets and Fairwinds

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