[jagasail]

Ok here is a slight problem with including the bow height in a scope calculation. As you let all that chain out of the bow locker, your bow rises I was always taught that heavy things should not go in the ends of airplanes or boats - so why do so many cruisers put heavy chain and anchors on the bow and a big dinghy, arches, anchors, etc. on the back of the boat?

OK, the simple answer is too many 'cruisers' haven't a clue what they're doing when it comes to anchors... Roche Harbor in summer (as you may be aware) is a perfect example. I won't anchor there - too many loonies who drop 35 feet of rode in 30 feet of water, then get pissed at you when you even lay out a 2.5 : 1. Now on your other point, I'm sure August could put in some calculations that would compensate for the rise in the bow. He'd just need total displacement, hull shape, weight of chain, whether you store the beer in the front, mid, or stern...

August, I though I saw a response from you earlier this morning - did you delete it?

Actually, my concern is that Mr. Tides currently undercalculates the required rode. Rather than explain, I'll just quote a piece from Steve Dashew's "Practical Seamanship":

Scope is an often misunderstood concept. What we are looking
for is the total height of the anchoring system, from bow roller to
sea bottom. This height (water depth plus height of the bow) is
divided into the length of the rode to develop the scope.
Take this drawing as an example. Say water depth (WD) is 10-
feet (3-meters), and the bow is 5-feet (1.7-meters) high. That
gives us a total height of 15-feet (4.6-meters). To find the
required scope simply multiply 15 feet by the desired scope—in
this case let’s say seven-to-one. 15 feet times seven-to-one
scope equals 105 feet (32 meters).

Unfortunately I couldn't include the drawing, but you get the idea. Scope is trying to control the angle of the rode from the anchor to the boat, and since you generally attach the rode to the boat at the bow rail rather than at the waterline, this increases that angle. Thus you need to include bow height in the calculation. The shallower the water the more important it is.

August, you probably know all this, but I put this in since there's so many people who don't understand scope.

Scot