Anchor line bitter end attachment point

[vernon kleist]

Hi Sailors,

I have recently purchased a 1984 Ericson 30 + and it is a great little boat. We are getting ready for the spring raft up season here in San Diego and while going over my anchoring gear I found that there is no attachment point for the bitter end of the line. The boat is loaded with anchors, chain and line but nothing but the dock cleats to attach the bitter end. The boat has a vinyl liner on the overhead. The anchor well is surrounded with it except for the forward wall which is not visible from the inside of the boat.

There is a little bow roller that looks OK for coastal use and I could attach the rode to one of the bow cleats but it would be at a bad angle and would probably pop off the roller in any weather.

I would appreciate your advice on the best place and technique to fix the bitter end in the bow of a 30+

Thanks for your help.

Vern Kleist

 

[u079721]

Eye strap

My 38 also did not have an attachment point for the rode. So I just bought a big sturdy stainless eye strap, and through bolted it to the inside side wall (not the floor!!!) of the anchor locker pan, with a large backing plate. I ran the end of the rode through the eyestrap and tied a big stopped knot to secure the line.

If you can't reach to the forward edge of the pan to use that surface, you could just use one of the other surfaces, and use large fender washers (or something that looks presentable) with the bolt heads on the inside and the nuts next to the eye strap as a way of making things look better.

I've noticed that newer boats at boat shows usually have a horn cleat inside the anchor locker, but I've never seen one on an Ericson. You could use a cleat instead of the eyestrap, but I would think the rode would always be getting caught on the ends of the horn.

 

[Emerald]

Just of note on differences in Ericson construction, I've got a pad with an eye that is fiberglassed into the hull, and is definitely part of the original construction.

 

[Glyn Judson]

Securing the bitter end.

Vern, As with David's E31, my boat has the same eye glassed to the port side of the hull aft in the anchor locker. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA