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When selecting how much rope and chain you need there are a couple of rules of thumbs to use.
- You should have 8 feet of rope for every 1 foot of water you will be anchoring in
and
- Your rope should have 1/8" of rope diameter for every 9' of boat.
So this means a 28' boat would want at least a 3/8" or 1/2" diameter rope. Rope is one of those things, like anchors, where you cannot go wrong by being oversized- bigger is better.
As for a rope choice, Nylon is the clear favourite due to the fact it is elastic, relatively strong,
How much chain?
Along with the rope, you should also have a smaller amount of chain between the rope and the anchor. For most boaters, 10 to 30 feet of chain will suffice. For boaters anchoring in extreme conditions for extended periods of time, you will want about 1 foot of rope for every 6 feet of chain. The reason for the difference requirements is that in theory, by having 1 foot of chain for every 6 feet of rope it will create the optimal angle between the rode and the seabed. The advantage gained from this is quite small and for most boaters isn't enough to justify the extra weight that you'll need to be hauling in. For most boaters, 10 to 30 feet of chain will be more than adequate.
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