Mudweighting

[seaboater]

HI All,

Seeking your expertise on the optimum length of rope to have on your mudweight to cover all eventualities. I've equipped my previous boats with copious amounts of chain; this new one has come with a short length of rope attached to the weight. I also have a spare mudweight which I may take with me for chucking out of the stern. This currently has no rope attached so I need to get one of the right length.

From my seaboating days, more chain/warp scope was always better, but does this apply with mudweights where the principle is perhaps slightly different? I can see that many people have very short ropes, is this just economy, or is there a good reason?

Your views appreciated.

[mbird]

Hi Pat

I used 8m of rope on the mudweight on Tranquil Breeze. That always seemed to be plenty, even allowing for putting out plenty of scope to help stop drifting.

[goodall_m1]

With anchors and rope the RYA recommend a minimum of 6 x the expected maximum depth,

(oops showing my rag and stick side again) and I always like to take the depth to mean the

difference from the top of the bow to the bottom, not from the water-line.

(considering how little a broads crusier normally draws that can sometimes almost double the distance!)

And then there is always the concept that if you have a longer piece of rope then you can cleat it off shorter

if you wish, but you can't make a short rope longer, unless you have a spare line to tie on to it.

So I would say how deep are you expectig to drop the weight in , and work back from there.

Of course on the Broads I always hire, so the weight comes with the length of line that company supplies

(but I always do take a couple of spare lines with me as well which can be used for all sorts of uses if required)

[mbird]

With anchors and rope the RYA recommend a minimum of 6 x the expected maximum depth,

True enough if anchoring at sea, but if the broad is 2m deep, I really don't think you'll be wanting to put out 12m of rope, Martin. I used to work on the theory that at long as the rope was at less than 45 degrees to the surface of the water, the mudweight should hold reasonably well.

[Guest]

That's why I always use a 2 metre long 10mm chain leader.

The difference in holding power is well worth the trouble, especially if the wind gets up.

A short chain leader ensures that the pull on the mudweight is downwards and into it, even with minimal scope that helps reduce the radius of any swing.

The other advantage is that it nearly doubles the weight, but is easier to retrieve than having it all in one lump at the end.