Shaun_and_Karo
new user
Reged: 11/02/2008
Posts: 9
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Hi all. Ok, bare with this one! I am in the process of making a new anchor locker and am at a blank...
The old bitter end was would you believe a bit of naff old string tied through a 'mini bulkhead' under the v berth. The 'mini bulkhead' is about 12cm tall and 40cm wide sitting in the bilge area under the v berth and looks like before being glassed over was about 1" thick wood and has a hole drilled through were the string was tied. This to me looks hugely inadequate - especially the string part.
So, heres what i want to do. I want to move the position of the bitter end forward by around 30cm so it is inside the new anchor locker box i am making - It will obviously be accessable via inspection hatches.
What i need to know is how to go about making a new mounting point for the new bitter end location... Was the old 'mini bulkhead' bitter end fixing location ok? Is that what i need to replicate for the new bitter end? Do i use a combi of fibreglass, wood and a stainless U-Bolt for a fixing point? What to do?
I've looked through all my books and they all seem to dodge the subject quite well. This is our first boat so i must admit to have not having seen too many other bitter ends for pointers!
Thanks for all the fab advice in advance, thanks to my last post there is no more 'scratching and itching' being done!!!!! 
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capnsensible
regular
Reged: 15/03/2007
Posts: 1251
Loc: Atlantic
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The strongpoint that you refer to actually isn't! The end of the anchor chain (cable) is generally secured to the boat purely to prevent accidentally veering the whole lot. Most importantly, if, when in use, the anchor gets fouled on something, you may need to release the whole lot in a hurry, for safety. Hence the string that can be easily cut. Conventionally, you would tie a fender or two to the end of the cable so you can go back for it at a suitable time....well thats the theory!
Whatever, its the quick release part that is important for seamanship.
Hope this helps.
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Donncha
regular
Reged: 09/11/2007
Posts: 101
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The bitter end should be attached by a a good piece of string looped through several times so that in an emergency you can always cut it. The strong point should be be on your windlass or a bolt through your bow roller, this does sound a little flimsy though. That said our own bitter end is a strong bolt on out stem post attached to the anchor chain by sting loped through several times.
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Saltyjohn
regular
Reged: 06/09/2004
Posts: 2317
Loc: UK
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As others have said, the object of the bitter end isn't to hold the boat, it's to hold the ground tackle in the event that you let the lot loose.
The last piece should be a length of line that can be brought on deck and cut to release the ground tackle in the, admittedly unlikely, event that you have to cut and run.
There is virtue in this piece of line, or the bit to which it's attached, being less robust than the structure of the boat; a runaway anchor and chain can reach such a velocity as to rip the bow out of a boat - or so I'm led to believe.
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John
http://www.saltyjohn.co.uk
Uncommon cruising kit: Loos gauges, Motor Grip, Metz VHF aerials, Spin-Tec furling, Bandit.....
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richardm47
regular
Reged: 16/11/2007
Posts: 39
Loc: Hampshire
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Yes the bitter end of the chain is secured to the boat with a light cord that is long enough to come out of the hawse pipe (?) ie on deck after the last of the chain is out. That's so the cord can be cut from on deck if the anchor and chain has to be jettisoned in an emergency. The cord isn't designed to take much weight. Always fastened to a ring on the boat at the bottom of the chain locker.
At least thats what I thought .... until yesterday, when I brought the chain out onto the deck of our new (to us) boat. Instead of being fastened to the boat, the cord was attached to an offcut of stout oak, about 2"x 2" x 12". Of course that won't go through the hawse pipe, it stops and gets jammed just below it. Seemed a good solution to me. So if you don't have a handy place on the boat to tie down your bitter end - tie it to a handy offcut instead.
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saltwater_gypsy
regular
Reged: 13/01/2008
Posts: 1216
Loc: Sardinia till April
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"The object isn't to hold the boat" I disagree with Salty John..
The bitter end and its attachment is all you have between you and disaster if the chain runs out accidentally.
If you are at anchor it should be able to take the full anchor load and if it happens in deep water (as has happened to me) it should be able to take the full weight of the chain plus anchor ,which in my case is 189kg (400lb).
So make sure that you have a strong attachment point a strong attachment and a strong line.
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"Cruising is boat maintenance in paradise"
Seastream 43:
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn14/hectou/Saltwatergypsythree.jpg
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Clifford_Pope
regular
Reged: 28/10/2005
Posts: 934
Loc: Pembrokeshire
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I vaguely remember illustrations in my Vol 1 Admiralty Handbook showing a sturdy quick-release hook which was easily as strong as the chain. But the point was the release lever was tied with light cord. In an emergency you cut that - if it's just a mistake the hook takes the strain and all is not lost.
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peterb
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 2294
Loc: Radlett, Herts
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[quoteIf you are at anchor it should be able to take the full anchor load and if it happens in deep water (as has happened to me) it should be able to take the full weight of the chain plus anchor ,which in my case is 189kg (400lb).
So make sure that you have a strong attachment point a strong attachment and a strong line.
It needs to be stronger than that. If it all runs out then the chain and anchor will be moving, and will impose a shock load on the fixing. Think about a length of nylon between the chain and the attachment point, so that the stretch of the nylon absorbs the shock.
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