2017 & 2108: Anchoring Modifications

Ongoing Saga: # 3

Anchor Winch and Anchor Winch Shelf.  A survey (for insurance purposes) in 2016 identified that the anchor winch shelf needed strengthening and a surface crack to be filled. I don’t think the surveyor even looked at the substantial aluminium bracket attached to the bulkhead which was supporting the shelf and anchor winch.  Nevertheless, I dismounted the anchor winch, had it looked at by the yard staff as there were one or two bolts that I couldn’t undo and one had broken off.  This they duly fixed with minimum fuss.

Meanwhile I added seven layers of fiberglass to the bottom of the shelf to reinforce it as well as puttied up the surface crack.  A coat of paint and it all looked quite new.  I also painted the anchor winch, remounted it and all good.

Anchor Rode Markings.  After many years of replacing variously coloured cable ties at respective intervals on our anchor rode I decided that we could do better by painting the chain than using cable ties.  There are all sorts of different intervals that are used to mark various distances along the chain by almost as many cruisers – quite amazing actually – so we stuck to our own system devised when we first purchased the boat.   

To keep the Galley Slave happy, as she is also the boat’s anchorer and recoverer, I agreed that we would also continue to use (some) cable ties.  Consequently, our anchor chain is marked pretty comprehensively with all sorts of different painted colours and matching cable ties.  GS says she likes the paint but insists that the cable ties should remain as this ‘matches her requirements for interior decoration’.  Actually, the chain can get covered in mud on ICW forays, so paint can be difficult to see.  Hence the need for both.

Only "SHE who anchors" can explain Boy Wonder's creative markings.
But it all seems to work...