Overnight Anchoring.... Bridle vs Mooring Bit

I'd plan on both. Cleat to take strain off the windlass. Bridle sometimes (depending on conditions) to reduce bouncing on the rode, even with combo chain/plait.

I'd also rethink that 35-Delta. Depends on your expected holding ground, typical winds and tide/current, etc... but I've used a Delta... good that it has only one moving part... but I believe there are better options out there now. Anchor choice turns "religious" sometimes so won't belabor the point.

-Chris

35lb anchor seems kind of light for that size boat.

I M not familiar with condition in your area but understand you usually anchor in deeper water so chances are you will usually use more than the chain you have

In that case, I don't see why you d use a bridle. Cleating off the line is the easiest way to secure the line.

That said, I have to admit i rarely use a bridle at least not to relieve pressure off the windlass. These things are designed to handle big loads. Never had a problem with one in 30+ years...

The main reason I use a bridle is to stop the noise of the chain slamming on the pulpit windy conditions as the boat swings. These days, I don't even use a twin bridle with a chain hook but a single line with a heavy duty carabiner on one end and a large bowlin on the other which I put over the windlass. Much easier to rig and so far the carabiner has held up 25+ kts.

I agree with Pascal and don't see the need for a bridle. I anchor in much deeper water regularly and I just make the 8 plait line off to my C/L cleat that is behind the windlass. To each his own but a bridle just seems more work than necessary. As long as you are made off to a good strong cleat I don't see the need for more.

I wouldn't put Buck Algoquin parts on my boat period. That being said just use one line to the anchor and tie it off on one of the bow cleats......I've found that tieing it off a little off center keeps the boat a little off center to the current and helps with swing a bit.

I'm curious, as a small-boat guy, how you would set up and use a bridle on that bow? The line is going through the bow pulpit, so you would need to fetch it from under the pulpit, then tie a knot of some sort to your bridle, before it tightens up. There are some hardware bits to use instead of a knot, is that common? My boat has a cleat next to the windlass, with deck switches for the power windlass right there, so it is just too easy to cleat the line off. If I didn't have the cleat, I'd be tempted to let the windlass hold the line more often, which would worry me for the windlass.

This is why you normally don't use a bridle with line, only with chain. With chain you reach under the pulpit and attach a chain hook to the chain, run lines to each side cleats and pay out chain so the line takes the tension and the extra chain weight adds to the catenary effect.

The trick is to keep tension on the hook so it doesn't drop.

But it all depends on the boat setup. For instance on the 84 Lazzara I m running, reaching over beyond the nchor roller is difficult so i use a single line which runs down the chute alongside the chain but it eliminates the chain slamming as the boat swings.

With a line rode, you don't have the chain noise so you don't need a bridle or anything

Hanging a loop on the windlass seems like a good solution: takes the load off the windlass motor and brake. The windlass bearings are as robust as the ones holding the wheels on your car, should easily hold the shock and load of an anchor line. I can't see from the picture if PSW has that option, looks like his windlass drum is, like mine, inside a housing.

Since you have rope rode the cleat should be adequate. my only concern is the size of the anchor. 35 pounds is a bit on the low side in my opinion. on my old 38 ocean we used a 44 lb delta claw, which gave us no issues. Now I use the same size claw on my 43 ocean and I am happy with how she holds

I'm no expert but agree with Trinimax. I put a 55lb (25kg) Rocna on my 43' Ocean. That was mid/heavy for a powerboat of my displacement based on their table.

It also depends A LOT on what you have behind the anchor. A lot of SF have like 6' of chain and the rest is rope. If you have all chain it adds a considerable amount of holding power.

The SF guys who anchor a lot in SoCal tend to use all chain, no rope, carry about about 240' - 300'. We have done that since 1972 with Danforth anchors only in our CA and Mexican waters on a number of SF. Never had an issue, up to 55 knots of wind. These anchorages are normally deeper than you see out East, starting at 40' plus. Chain allows you to reduce the typical advertised scope as well. We upsized one level off of the Danforth sizing charts. Never used a bridle rig/tensioner/tie-off cleat, etc. Straight off the Windlass' gypsy, vertical and horizontal models. Would typically upsize the Windlass one step on their sizing charts as well.

I like a lot of chain like that but also like 100 yards of rope behind it. If it gets really windy you can let out more and stay on the rope without a bridle, the rope isn't as heavy but extends your depth of anchoring, and the rope cushions the chain sitting on top of it......PLUS, easy to cut the heck off in any wind if you need to dump it.

With an all chain set-up, you typically go to a high strength chain link or something like a triple b link so you can downsize the link and save weight. This also requires a change in the gypsy to match the link. This can typically let you go down to 1/4" . Would not go all chain with standard galvanized chain link.