I think you're correct, a longer anchor roller is the answer. I bought one a few years ago, but haven't installed it yet. I noticed on at boat shows that Catalina started using the longer bow rollers a year or 2 after mine ('97).

It's on my list of things to do, just haven't done it yet. I have to drill mine to match the original, but I think a matching roller can be had from Catalina Direct, already drilled. If you've ever tried to drill thick stainless, you know what a good deal that is...:)

FWIW, if you do replace the anchor roller - it might pay to check the holes go through solid epoxy (not cored deck) and have a solid ss backing plate. Hope all goes well!
:-)

I'm there too. Hanging out over the pulpit trying to not tip over the side while wrestling a 35lbs plow into that short channel... I'm thinking a larger diameter (4") roller in the stock channel would also help the shank make the bend without hitting the drum and put my plow out far enough for it to deploy when the chain is lowered??

And I would like to know what is that "U" shaped bracket for that is installed just after the anchor roller?. I see that some have them and some do not. Is that supposed to prevent the anchor from hitting the furling drum? I do not have it and I have to reach far at the sprit to guide the anchor down and up.

I own # 1323 and have the same issue, but with a 45# anchor. I have been looking at the Garhauer catalog and think they have a roller that is 6" longer than stock. My note with the measurements from my boat has gone missing and will re-measure this weekend. Let us know what you fins out from Catalina.

Sam,

My 1999 model with a 45 lb Delta requires me to perform some antics to get it over the roller in the proper orientation (it likes to come up upside down more often than not), as well as avoid the roller furling drum.

In a perfect world, the anchor would self-stow and deploy, but overall I am not looking to change anything right now.

If anyone does extend the roller, it will be even more important to take the rode OFF the roller and bring it directly back to your bow cleat (or cleats using a bridle) when you anchor. Having the bow pitch up and the rode snatch up tight in high waves can exert a lot of bending moment when the roller is extended far out.

that's a good point, and something I thought of in regard to hauling up an anchor stuck in the bottom, or under something like a large, greasy braided steel cable or 8" thick tree. Not that anything like that has every happened to me :mad: However, I thought of it as being more of an issue with the structure where the bow roller is bolted to the bow, than bending the steel structure. Guess both could be an issue.

In a perfect world, I'd have one of the bow rollers specifically made for a Bruce anchor, so it would self launch, and the rode would go over a roller close to the bow. But those are pretty pricey, so a no go for now.

BTW, I came across the measurements for the roller that Catalina Direct carries; I'd downloaded it to my laptop at some point in the past.

[QUOTE=plaineolde;9712]However, I thought of it as being more of an issue with the structure where the bow roller is bolted to the bow, than bending the steel structure. Guess both could be an issue.[/QUOTE]

I used the term 'bending moment' (which will be a maximum at the junction of the roller channel and the bow/deck/stem), but that is not to imply that all that extra force will just be for bending the channel. It also acts to place the after-most bolts in higher tension.

Think of a see-saw on a fulcrum (pivot). The same force acting on a longer board will cause greater forces on the opposite end.

Reading the past few post here made me think of last year going down the ICW. We were some place anchored in north carolina on anchor. When we went to pull it up it was stuck on something in the murkey waters. So we started the process of using the weight of the boat to break it loose. Well that's when I realized that the bow roller was about to bend. So like Duane said you better use the bow cleats to secure the anchor line and not run it over the bow rollers. We ended getting it up after a hour and half later. We spent over 10 months on anchor as we store a 44 lb delta on one bow roller and a 33lb bruce in the other bow roller. We have made up a couple of snubber lines that is attached to the chain then each leg goes to each side if the bow cleats . This then takes the load of the anchorube if you have any surge. It worked well for all the different weather we anchored out in and slept well.

[quote=plaineolde;9712]that's a good point, and something I thought of in regard to hauling up an anchor stuck in the bottom, or under something like a large, greasy braided steel cable or 8" thick tree. Not that anything like that has every happened to me :mad: However, I thought of it as being more of an issue with the structure where the bow roller is bolted to the bow, than bending the steel structure. Guess both could be an issue.

In a perfect world, I'd have one of the bow rollers specifically made for a Bruce anchor, so it would self launch, and the rode would go over a roller close to the bow. But those are pretty pricey, so a no go for now.

BTW, I came across the measurements for the roller that Catalina Direct carries; I'd downloaded it to my laptop at some point in the past.[/quote]

I bought one of those rollers from Catalina Direct because I was having the same problem with the 45 lb Delta hitting the furler. I could get around it by bringing the anchor onto the roller at an angle.

The longer roller does not solve the problem completely but it makes it easier to deal with. I took the short roller off and replaced it with the long one and then I put the short roller on the other side. Now I have a 45 lb Manson Supreme on the long roller and the 45 lb Delta on the short one. There was no wood in the composite under where the stock roller was located, the bolt holes on our boat were missing 1 on the replacement roller so I drilled that through and no wood found. When I drilled the holes for the short roller on the port side of the bow there is some wood in there but it is very deep in the composite and there's not much thickness to it, perhaps 3/8" at most. This area seemed very stout to me. There is so much glass above it that it is hard to do a grind core out and fill with epoxy job on it and with a good flared bolt hole to catch a bead of sealant I'm not sure it's necessary. I had to cut another slot in the anchor locker cover for the shank of the Delta, now I need to make an extension on the raised cover over the original slot to cover this hole, probably that'll be a winter job.

You can see from the pictures that the delta now sits outside the circle of roller furler but the Manson still has the same problem of interference with the furler though it is pretty easy to angle it slightly and avoid hitting the furler. All in all it is much improved though still not perfect. Anchor locker is pretty full now.

The Manson is without doubt the best anchor I've ever used, they are every bit as good as what people say and a lot cheaper than the Rocna. Plus I haven't seen any pictures of Mansons with bent shanks like those floating around the web of the Rocnas with a 90 degree bend in the shank.

Obviously, great minds think alike:D, as that's exactly what I was planning to do with the rollers. I'd like to put my Fortress 'Danforth' style anchor on the short one, but I don't know if it would fit without interference. Will have to see. I only use it once in a blue moon, but would like to have it ready to deploy in case my Bruce drags; which it's never done, but I like to be prepared. I had a Delta but for whatever reason, I could never, ever get it to set properly, which meant that I never, ever slept well. So I went back to the Bruce. I know others love 'em, but didn't work for me. I've not considered any of the newer types, guess I should check them out.

I think the anchor roller job needs to get on my short list of things to do.

We all have the same problem it seems. I my case I stand at the bow when the anchor comes up and try to hold it down with one foot to stop it hitting the furler. Similary when I'm lowering it. In most cases I'm not successful. I would be reluctant to put a longer channel as the existing one is not super strong. There is not much fibreglass surface area underneath to make it really strong.
While I am not at the boat, thinking about the problem, we just need to stop the anchor shank lifting due to the weight suspended over the bow roller. As there is already the stainless "U" shaped"bracket at the end of the roller, wouldn't another one just aft of it hold the shank down and guide it into the channel.
For that matter I might try wrapping about a dozen turns of rope around the roller channel aft of the bracket to see it that guides the shank under the furler and along the roller channel until all the weight is up and shank is close to horizontal. The main point would be to be sure it didnt get caught up or jam it the rope.
Has any one tried this?
By the way someone asked what was the purpose of the "U"shaped bracket - its to stop the anchor rode lifting out of the channel if the boat is pitching badly while at anchor.

[QUOTE=Peter Taylor;9740]By the way someone asked what was the purpose of the "U"shaped bracket - its to stop the anchor rode lifting out of the channel if the boat is pitching badly while at anchor.[/QUOTE]

...and it prevents a wave from lifting the anchor off the roller in a seaway, too.

But neither a 45 lb Delta or Manson will go into the stock U hoop the shanks are way too thick. But I was able to get a much bigger hoop from the Garhauer guy at the TBS last winter, just haven't bothered to put it on yet. I believe it is a stock item with them.

One of the "issues" you're having is that you might want to consider: your anchors aren't too big, your furling drums are too low.

I know, I know, that's what the boats came with. But when we bought our ProFurl, I bought the long lap links to deliberately raise the tack of the jib as high as it would go for better visibility and safety. I have no issues with our anchor.

I don't know if the OEM Shaeffer furlers have that feature, and, of course, you'd need to check the luff length of your jib(s).

Just another contrary idea...

We also deliberately kept what we call our "toy bow rollers" for just the issue you have described. A friend sailed his C34 from Vancouver, B.C. down to Mexico with a larger Rocna (15 kg) than ours (10 kg) and left his toy bow roller on for the same reason.

That large moment arm really needs a lot of strength on the deck to which it is attached. Please remember we have a Good Old 1986 Mark I. Many of our skippers have moved up to the longer rollers, many with good success. I haven't heard of any who have bent their longer rollers, and of course the newer boats all come with the longer ones.

Just to further cloud the issue; does anyone have experience with either a folding roller

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10391|29596|712840&id=598810

or Bruce type roller

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10391|29596|321922|934751&id=934568

I'd like to make my Bruce self launching, especially when I go to a largely chain rode (currently just 20ft).

Both seem like they might help solve the 'hitting the furler' problem, while not extending the lever arm quite as much.

I too suffer from this problem. The way I deal with it is I have a cable and line about 4 feet long attached to the anchor trip hole. I use this line to lift the anchor off the roller while standing straight up. I also use the line to retrieve the anchor. Works ok for me.

Nice idea, Haro, the roller above the anchor shank.