Inexperienced boater and brand new Grady 330 owner here. Learning loads of valuable lessons through the school of hard knocks... EXPENSIVE hard knocks!
My latest round involved a brand new anchor and rode. All along, I had a lot of questions about the mechanics of cleating off the anchor line, since the bow cleats are not in line with the anchor roller/bow pulpit. I was afraid that pulling the anchor line through the pulpit, then to the side to cleat it off would put too much pressure on the pulpit AND the line. So, I called Grady customer service. They told me that "never in my 35 years of working here has anyone had to install an extra cleat on a Grady White. It is designed perfectly. Pull the line through the pulpit to the side bow cleats."
So, I did this without problem for a few weeks. Then last weekend I anchored in 50 feet of water on a very choppy day. After a few minutes of fishing, I realized my anchor wasn't holding... and when I went up front to check, the line had been cut clean through, after being repeatedly being bounced and chaffed against the innermost top metal edge of the box pulpit. Feeling it with my finger, the edge was sharp! No wonder it cut the line. So, $300 anchor and $300 chain/rode = gone. Nice.
What is the solution to this seemingly obvious and apparent design flaw? All other "big" boats I have used had "in-line" cleats with the anchor roller, so there was minimal "side/edge-chaffing" from the pulpit. My instinct is to install a chock, to divert the line away from the sharp edge of the bow pulpit. Access to this area is tough, however; I don't think there is enough clearance under that part of the deck to bolt a chock. (it is very near the very forward-most edge of the bow) My other thought was to file away the sharp edge of the metal pulpit liner, though this would seem to be using a band-aid where stitches are required. That would reduce, but not eliminate my problem.
Ideas? What about your experience in your boats?
My latest round involved a brand new anchor and rode. All along, I had a lot of questions about the mechanics of cleating off the anchor line, since the bow cleats are not in line with the anchor roller/bow pulpit. I was afraid that pulling the anchor line through the pulpit, then to the side to cleat it off would put too much pressure on the pulpit AND the line. So, I called Grady customer service. They told me that "never in my 35 years of working here has anyone had to install an extra cleat on a Grady White. It is designed perfectly. Pull the line through the pulpit to the side bow cleats."
So, I did this without problem for a few weeks. Then last weekend I anchored in 50 feet of water on a very choppy day. After a few minutes of fishing, I realized my anchor wasn't holding... and when I went up front to check, the line had been cut clean through, after being repeatedly being bounced and chaffed against the innermost top metal edge of the box pulpit. Feeling it with my finger, the edge was sharp! No wonder it cut the line. So, $300 anchor and $300 chain/rode = gone. Nice.
What is the solution to this seemingly obvious and apparent design flaw? All other "big" boats I have used had "in-line" cleats with the anchor roller, so there was minimal "side/edge-chaffing" from the pulpit. My instinct is to install a chock, to divert the line away from the sharp edge of the bow pulpit. Access to this area is tough, however; I don't think there is enough clearance under that part of the deck to bolt a chock. (it is very near the very forward-most edge of the bow) My other thought was to file away the sharp edge of the metal pulpit liner, though this would seem to be using a band-aid where stitches are required. That would reduce, but not eliminate my problem.
Ideas? What about your experience in your boats?
