Bow roller installation

[andrewm]

Having been inspired by Dan’s anchor gear installation I did a similar bow roller setup for my 22lb Delta.
I chose a Dive-n-Dog bow roller because it’s slightly narrower than other models, at 2.5 inches, which allowed me to get it angled more forward.
Putting the anchor lock at the end of the anchor (see close up in 2nd photo) is probably unconventional, but I wanted something to stop it scratching the deck. It has additional benefits to keeping the anchor from moving around much, and of course to hold it down. Because this is relatively narrow I had to go with a swivel anchor shackle to get it all to fit.
I put the bow chocks right at the edges and over a rounded bit of deck. To make it strong enough I used Marine-Tex epoxy to support it around the edges and also to fill the gap between the deck and a backing plate. The Marine-Tex is advertised as "putty", but was still too runny and was a pain to get it to stick on the underside of the deck.
Then to get the chain into the anchor locker I trimmed down the edge of the deck and epoxied in an upside-down clamshell vent, and poked a hole in the top of the anchor locker. I also added some support around the edge of the hole and contoured it so the chain can easily slide over the edge.

Andrewm




BowRoller1.jpg (192.92 KiB) Viewed 208 times

[dcarl]

I like the way the chain is lead into the locker. I had planed to put a small hawse pipe just forward of the locker, idea being keeping more water out.
What size delta is that? I was thinking of doing the same with the roller but putting starboard or teak under it to get a bit more forward projection.

/David Carl
Pensacola, FL
ShockWave #327

[Cathyalan]

Andrew,

What is the model number of your Dive N Dog?

Alan

[andrewm]

It's number AR-LP-2.5-19-F. That's 19", and they also have a 23" one which should be long enough to keep the end of the anchor off the deck.

[Dan]

A couple of comments... First, good choice on the cleats and chocks. I understand that some of the guys at the factory were laughing when they saw the setup I installed on the Pretty Gee. It may look like overkill, but it does let me sleep well anchored out. BTW, the Telstars only got bow chocks as a standard item after I spoke with Tony about it prior to ordering my boat, and IIRC, mine was the first to have them.

I would lose the swivel. Swivels are not designed to resist the loads if the loads are perpendicular to the swivel and fail at very low load levels. If you feel you must have a swivel, get a galvanized one and connect it to the anchor via a short piece of chain. This will prevent the swivel from bearing any lateral loading.

Stainless steel is particularly a bad choice for swivels for a couple of reasons. First, stainless steel doesn't do well in oxygen deprived locations, like buried in the sand/mud of the bottom. Second, it suffers from crevice corrosion and can fail with little or no warning, unlike a galvanized shackle or swivel that will start to show signs of deterioration before failing. Crevice corrosion is cumulative, and it will fail, especially if you anchor out a lot.

What you should be using is a Crosby Load Rated Shackle, instead of the swivel.


Finally, if you want the chain to fall into the anchor locker, you might consider what I did on the Pretty Gee this past season. I found that there is a large space forward of the holding tank. I glassed in this space to form a bow collision compartment, so that if the main hull hits something, there's a good chance of limiting the water ingress to just the bow. The top of this new bow collision/buoyancy compartment was sloped at about a 45˚ from the bow down towards the holding tank. After cutting out the forward floor of the anchor locker, I glassed a second piece in that slopes up towards the anchor locker hatch. This gave me a much deeper anchor rode compartment. I added a drain to the port side, and lined the locker with UHMWPE to protect the fiberglass from abrasion and help the rode slide down more easily, as UHMWPE is very slick and abrasion resistant. Now the rode self-stows quite well and is further aft and lower, reducing the weight in the bow and helping the boat balance better.

[Cathyalan]

Andrew,

Unless your bow picture is reversed, I noticed your furler loads clockwise rather than counterclockwise. Is there a reason for this?

Alan

[andrewm]

The photo is not flipped. I'm not sure I follow the description, but as far as I know it is as delivered. The furling line comes in from starboard and goes to the left side of the furling drum, so it runs in the most direct direction. When the foresail unfurls it will rotate clockwise.
Andrewm

[Cathyalan]

Well, I bought a "long" roller from West Marine and then DUH the pump out is in the way so I looked back at your photo and I cannot see your pump out. Did you move it?

Alan

[Dan]

It depends on the boat. On some, the pumpout deck fitting was up on the foredeck, on others, like mine, it was farther aft, fairly close to the forward deadlight, just to starboard, after the hull widens to near full main hull width. It isn't a very big deal to re-locate the deck pumpout fitting to further aft.

Well, I bought a "long" roller from West Marine and then DUH the pump out is in the way so I looked back at your photo and I cannot see your pump out. Did you move it?

Alan

[Cathyalan]

I'm getting a shorter bow roller...15 inches...see if that fits. Measurements look good. If need be I'll move the pump-out.
Always remember: measure twice, cut once (or buy once as the case may be)
Thanks.
Alan