TRAWLERTALK
The snubber line comes down from the bow pulpit of this Nordhavn 47, threads through a pad eye close to the waterline and hooks on to the chain already deployed. Even without a pad eye, this boat has lessened the need for additional rode by using a snubber attached at two cleats, one on each side of the windlass on the bow.
squall season comes around, we like to go with a 10 scope or more. Now we require up to 270 feet of anchor rode. Even if you have that much rode aboard, you should consider available swing radius with almost 300 feet of anchor rode deployed. When in a popular crowded anchorage or a narrow creek, you often will not have that much room to swing comfortably. But if every boat swings the same then we all dance in the same direction…right? Not exactly. This high-bow trawler has so much windage on the high hull and higher house that wind affects the boat’s position at anchor far more than tide does. Nearby sailboats may be lying with the current while wind effect on the trawlers sometimes position them perpendicular to the sailboats. Not a very pretty dance when too crowded. So in this case, we highly recommend that you anchor with like boats. It’s not that we trawlers don’t want to socialize with the sailboats—we do that very well by dinghy—but that’s another topic unto itself. Anchoring near other boats of your size and hull shape often results in a perfectly choreographed anchorage and less fear of swinging into each other. So here is what you can do to reduce the amount of scope and decrease your swing radius from that high-bow trawler. You could find an anchorage that is shallower. Or, you could add a bow eye to the bow stem of the trawler near the waterline and pull on your anchor through a lower position on the trawler. Genius! A bow eye can eliminate the entire additional 10 feet of air space between the waterline and the anchor roller. This allows the anchor rode to pull from the waterline instead of high up from the anchor roller. Use of a bow eye can reduce the swing radius, reduce the rode needed, or allow you to anchor in deeper water because you now have a lesser scope required. 46
March 2013
SOUTHWINDS
The bow eye is an interesting custom feature on your trawler. No, it is not a tow eye to pull your boat onto the trailer. But, just like on the trailerable boat, this eye has to be strong enough to support this high bow, heavy tonnage trawler. Installation is significant, and the work should be done while in the boatyard. If you opt for a dockside installation, it is not for the faint of heart. Either way, a proper metal-strength eye should be purchased or custom-made with a matching backing plate inside the hull at the bow as low to the waterline as possible. Now that you have an anchor eye at the waterline, you must reach the eye when anchoring, every time. The best technique to accomplish this is after installing the eye, run the anchor snubber through the eye and secure the snubber to the boat deck. Oh, don’t know what a snubber is? Think of using 100 percent chain as an anchor rode. When anchored with all chain, you should have a shock absorber to reduce the loaded effects of the chain against the boat’s windlass. Translation: The chain pulls on your bow roller, and a taut chain makes a lot of noise. The snubber decreases the pull, the noise and the shock on your deck hardware. The snubber will transfer that chain pressure to a rope that will stretch and give you a smoother night at anchor. To use the snubber just place the chain hook onto the anchor chain already deployed. Then allow more chain to droop while taking the load onto the snubber line. Now the anchor rode will pull from the anchor up to the snubber secured to the bow eye giving you two advantages, decreasing the rode length and swing and providing a shock absorber to make your night at anchor much more comfortable. We have some photos that may help you get the picture. After a great night’s sleep, when recovering the anchor and rode, just unhook the snubber as the chain is www.southwindsmagazine.com