Modify Anchor to fit in locker?

[RJG 26S]

I am really excited that I finally have my 26X!!!

I just got it a week ago and had it out in the water for the first time yesterday. It was a blast!!!

Ok, now it is time for me to get started making things the way I want it. The anchor that came with the boat is a cute 8 lb danforth with about 6 feet of chain that fits nicely in the locker. Since I really enjoy spending the night on the hook and sleeping with more confidence, I need to get a bigger anchor with more chain. Of the anchorages that I have used so far in the Puget Sound and around the San Juan Islands on my previous boat, a 26S, it seems like there are plenty of mud and sand bottoms to choose from. Consequently, it looks like I would be ok to get the next larger size of Danforth - 13lbs, recommended for 21' - 32' boats. I would like to store it in the anchor locker, but from my locker measurements compared to the anchor's measurement, the locker is about 3" too short in length.

Question: What would be the harm in reducing the length of the shank from 28.5" to just under 26"?

Depending on the anchor design, I would either cut and re-drill the shank, or one with a narrow shank and a cast eye for the chain, I would remove the necessary length from the shank and weld the section with the eye back on.

[vizwhiz]

on my previous boat, a 26S

Did you sell it?

[RJG 26S]

Yes, I sold my 26S about 6 weeks ago.

[restless]

I can't see any obvious issues in terms of the functional engineering by shortening the shank a touch, though I would be a little loathe to actually do it! Make sure you've looked at all the danforths ( and that style of anchor ) as you may mind one that fits after all. We have one.. works pretty well.

[Chinook]

The anchor locker on the X is pretty minimal for storing any style of appropriately sized anchor, along with rode and chain. A fairly simple solution, if you want to stick with a Danforth anchor, is to buy an anchor bracket which mounts on the bow pulpit railing. This bracket holds a Danforth by the stock. Then you can use the locker to easily hold your nylon rode and chain. If you cut a small rounded opening at the front of the anchor locker hatch, the chain leading to your bracket mounted anchor won't bind in the closed locker hatch. If you want to go one step further, install a bow anchor roller and then you can hold a Bruce type anchor on the roller. There's plenty of room in the locker for a pair of rodes/chain for both a Bruce and a rail mounted Danforth. The Bruce is an excellent anchor for Puget Sound bottoms, and it will reset better than the Danforth, if you have a shift in wind or current. Both Duane Dunn and I have our anchors and anchor lockers set up this way, and it works great. Duane has posted pictures of his anchor setup several times. A search should be able to locate those pictures. Good luck. Maybe we'll see you out there swinging on the hook one of these days.

[Gypsy]

Somebody wrote here , once upon a time, that a good rule is that if the anchor fits in the Mac anchor locker , then its not big enough for the boat !

I bought a rail mount from Defender , Great Lakes Skipper Marine supply , and a cap that I installed in the locker door to run the anchor line thru . I plan to install a second rail mount for the backup anchor , and an anchor bag for the line.

I am also planning on installing a bow roller in place of the nav light .

When we were looking for a Mac , we looked at one Mac whose rubrail was all worn off at the bow , from anchoring , don't want that wear & tear on the rubrail or the anchor rode.

[Russ]

My 2 cents.

Buy a 10kg 22lb claw/Bruce anchor and an roller for the bow. You won't be sorry. Easy to store. Great holding sleeping.

'nuff said.


--Russ

[Sugar Bear]

Where do you place the navagation light if you put a roller in its place

[Gypsy]

I bought some new , seperate , Red & Green lights . I am building some brackets out of aluminum that will mount on the outside of the bow rail . They will be out of the way of anchors , sails , etc .

[Captain Steve]

mount them on the sides of the cabin.... search for Duane Dunn's thread on this. I did it and they are out of the way and easy to install.

[restless]

We put our retro forw nav lights here..

The arrows are for other mods..

[Terry]

I didn't much like the cute little anchor with 6' of chain that came with the boat either. I keep it as a lunch or stern anchor. I got my hands on a bigger heavier danforth 16-20 lbs and 25' of 3/8 chain and discovered that even the bigger 26M locker was not quite a fit. I took the anchor over to a machine shop and had them cut it just to length and drill a new hole and round all the edges for $10.00, now it just fits the locker and I do not think a slightly shorter shaft compromises the effectiveness of the anchor. It is a bear to haul in and out though with all that weight and chain, but at least I feel more secure with it. I too am in the PNW.

[Russ]

Where do you place the navagation light if you put a roller in its place

It seems that many have found the factory location of the nav light to be poorly located. It's prone to getting crunched.

The M has moved it to the top of the pulpit, but as mentioned above, there are other good alternatives.

[Catigale]

The has had the pulpit mounted light in the 2001 and up year

:Macm: boats forget this since they are always behind

[phiggy]

I have the 13 1lb danforth anchor which I cut down myself with a hacksaw and and drilled a new hole to fit in the locker. No problems with hold all summer long in some adverse wind and current conditions with heavily loaded boat (3 people and 3 days of supplies). With an adequate chain length (20 feet) the reduced shaft length has little impact as the chain is dragging the shaft parallel to the bottom anyway if you have decent scope. Tried to pull out the anchor of shallow water in sand and mud by hand and it took 2 of us at full strenght to pull it out by hand by pulling the shaft straight up...was suprised how well Danforths set when set properly in sand and/or mud.