Chain and nylon line work together for the best rodes
According to McEwen and Lewis in Encyclopedia of Nautical Knowledge, the word rode was a term used by East Coast fishermen for a boat’s anchor rope. Today, the word is used more widely and is generally understood to include all the gear lying between a boat and her anchor. That may consist of chain alone, or a combination of chain and stretchable nylon line.Because nylon is easily chafed by coral, rocks, and other underwater obstructions, it’s essential to use chain at least for that part of the rode in contact with the sea bottom.Long-term cruisers usually go one step further and carry one, if not two, all-chain rodes. The major advantage of chain is its weight, which tends to hold the boat in one place at anchor, and lessens her tendency to range from side to side. Chain isn’t degraded by sunlight, as nylon is, and it isn’t susceptible to being chopped in half by a passing outboard motor’s propeller. Furthermore, it’s self-stowing and it doesn’t tangle.The weight of chain makes it hang in a loop, or catenary, so that the upward pull of the boat at the bow is changed to a horizontal pull at the anchor, which is exactly what’s needed. That means you can often get away with a scope of 3 to 1 in a crowded anchorage—a trick that will limit your swinging circle and endear you to your close neighbors.It’s almost impossible to get a horizontal pull on the anchor with an all-nylon anchor line, so a length of chain extending back from the anchor is used to create a catenary and avoid chafe. Unfortunately, the weight of an anchor

An all-chain rode with a scope of 3 to 1.

chain stowed near the bow is detrimental to performance under sail. Although it’s acceptable to cruisers, most racers, weekenders, and daysailers try to get away with as little chain as possible.If you’re not going to use an all-chain rode, a good rule of thumb is to combine three-strand nylon line with a length of chain equal to the length of your boat. That’s the minimum length of chain; you can, with advantage, make it longer if you want.Nylon does have its advantages, of course. It’s cheaper than chain; it’s lighter and won’t rust; it can be knotted and spliced; and, most significantly, it prevents snatching and shock loading of deck fittings by stretching to absorb sudden strains.Never use polyester line (Dacron or Terylene) in place of nylon—it doesn’t stretch enough. For the same reason, don’t be tempted to use nylon line that’s too thick. It won’t stretch, which is the whole object of the exercise.An all-chain rode won’t stretch either, naturally, but it has a built-in shock absorber in the heavy loop it forms. If the wind is so strong that it pulls the loop tight, you can reduce shock loading by sending a heavy weight partway down the chain, suspended from a large shackle or a special roller.In shallow water and very strong wind, however, an all-chain rode probably won’t provide the elasticity needed to avoid dangerous snubbing. The answer is to clap on a 20-foot (6 m) length of nylon called a snubber, which will act as a shock absorber.Incidentally, rode isn’t the only term applied to an anchor line; it is also referred to as a cable or a warp. A cable may be a rope, a chain, or even a wire. An anchor line, or warp, is usually understood to be rope—although, as you probably know, rope is seldom called rope on a boat. A warp, strictly speaking, is a rope or hawser used in mooring or shifting a vessel. If all this becomes too confusing, ignore it; use the term anchor rope or anchor chain instead.See also Anchors, Anchoring; Scope for Anchors.

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