Preparing the boat for the season: anchor and chain

We continue with the third article about preparing a boat for the season. The partner of this series of articles is the company Yacht Club Praha, which has been operating a charter in the Šibenik marina Mandalina for many years. This time we will look at the treatment of the anchor, anchor locker, and anchor chain. The anchor and anchor chain also deserve their share of maintenance during winter and spring. After all, it is a setup that ensures the boat's safety while the crew is asleep. A failure of any part of the whole can have catastrophic consequences. The anchor and chain may be rusted after winter, the anchor due to year-round fatigue, and the chain primarily because there is water, or at least constant moisture, in the anchor locker over the winter. When the boat is hauled out, the anchor and chain should be lowered to the ground. This is followed by washing and desalinating the anchor locker, which often contains sand, remnants of mud, algae, and of course, salt. After washing the locker, we also desalinate the entire chain and anchor. Once dry, we sand the rusted areas on the chain and anchor with a grinder. After cleaning, we then spray them with several layers of zinc spray. In case of deeper damage to the chain, it is time for its replacement. Shackles and swivels should also be checked. Any deformation is a clear signal of the need for replacement. One must always consider that the whole is only as strong as its weakest link. Therefore, it does not pay to skimp on the anchoring setup. Next is checking the chain length markings. Most charter companies use color markings. However, this usually does not last the whole season, and by the end of the summer holidays at the latest, the chain is without marks. Therefore, we choose plastic markers that are inserted into individual chain links. Some may still fall out, but usually not all of them. Finally, we pull the chain back into the anchor locker, and the yacht is ready for the next season in this regard. We thank our winter maintenance series partner, the charter company Yacht Club Praha, for the shared experience and clear photos. In Šibenik, Croatia, they operate 11 boats ranging in length from 36 to 51 feet. These include both privately owned yachts and boats in the charter management program. Source: Daniel Vodička, Lodní noviny, May 6, 2024.