Index of /maintenance/disorganized/bowroller
Name Last modified Size Description
Parent Directory -
BillYdel/ 23-Mar-2007 19:06 -
BobLincoln/ 21-Oct-2006 19:15 -
CVS/ 23-Mar-2007 19:06 -
DavidTerrell/ 02-Dec-2006 09:56 -
GordLaco/ 24-Jan-2006 20:58 -
GregVandenberg/ 21-Oct-2006 19:15 -
JoeTokarz/ 05-Feb-2003 12:36 -
TomSutherland/ 23-May-2007 09:52 -
Gord Laco, #426 Surprise said:
There are many stock bow rollers that will fit. Generally I think it is
usually a mistake to mount oversize gear on any bow partly because you
don't really need oversize; but mostley because catilevering the roller
assembly way out from the bow plate creates bad leverage on the bow
plate you have bolted the thing to when the boat is pitching at anchor.
I chose an obsolete Ronstan fitting because it was the smallest that
would hold my 25lb CQR. It projects only a few inches, and has enough
plate on the back end for me to drive five bolts into my bow plate,
which I drilled and tapped.
Wharf vultures at my club came by while I was mounting it shaking their
heads forecasting that I would wish I had mounted a bigger and longer
one... I have to wonder why. The one we have is massivly strong,
doesn't spoil the look of the boat and does the job well.
John Birch said:
Someone asked why one would have any more overhang than the minimum for
a bow roller. I would suggest there is a balance between the cantilever
of the overhang and the amount of expected swing of the proposed anchor
to be used. Insufficient projection means the anchor will likely bang on
the hull as the boat bobs while retrieving or launching. Too much overhang
results in excessive loading due to cantilevering on the fittings. Like
everything is sailing, its a balancing act.
Our forward roller is about 8" fwd of the bow, the second on the port
side of the bow about 5-6" - either anchor can be launched independent of
the other. On our A-37 Sunstone, when cruising, we carry a primary 45lb
CQR in the Stb Bow Roller and a 33lb Bruce in the Port bow roller. We
have large flange cheeks on the roller to keep the anchor, chain &
rodes captive so it can't jump off the roller and chew the hull. It is
a custom design drawn by me and fabricated by Klacko Spars in Oakville
Ontario Canada. The cost was not much more than a pair of off the shelf
robust rollers. In polished stainless, it looks quite nice and we have
had a lot of compliments - it does not detract from the aesthetics of
the bow and in fact compliments it.
One more suggestion if you don't mind.
The bow roller should only be loaded when setting and retrieving the
anchor - the rope rode if used should, while at anchor be run through the
bow chocks. If using all chain, a rope with a proper chain hook should be
run from your bow cleat, through the chocks and hooked on to the chain
above the water with the chain let out so it forms a loop of chain -
this takes the shock loading out of the system.
We carry 200' 5/16 High Test chain (Group 40) on Sunstone and use a 50'
1/2 snubber line with a high test 5/16 chain hook - 95% of the time we
only use the first 6 -10 feet of the snubber. The rope shock absorber
runs through the bow chocks. The extra 40' is in the event you need
to veer more scope, you can just let out the chain and rope snubber to
increase your ratio without having to haul in and then disconnect the
chain hook. This is a blessing at night when you are tired as it keeps
the likelihood of errors to a minimum when you are tired and visibility
sucks ;)
If you have a windlass or capstan it should never be left loaded under
tension at anchor - use the snubber line. Your gears and bearings will
last so much longer.