pulled the keeper pin clean out of the for-
ward hole. If you study this photo, you’ll
notice that this anchor roller doesn’t appear
to be particularly lightly built compared with
the gear usually installed.
Figure 24-5 shows yet another anchor
roller with common damage. The rolled
forward edge of the roller may appear thick
in this view, but in fact the stainless steel is
relatively thin. This failure occurred in a
typical nor’easter, not some hurricane. Note
also that, as in most anchor rollers, the roller
pin is rather small in diameter. Proper roller
pins are large-diameter solid stainless
with pipe compression sleeves around them.
Tightening up the pin over the compression
sleeve, between the roller cheeks, imparts
great strength to the assembly. The roller
cheeks or sides must be thick and strong.
Achain keeper pin should be fitted to keep
the chain from jumping out and sawing
through the gunwale. Alternatively—and
slightly superior—is a chain bail to retain the
chain inside the roller, no matter how much
the boat jumps around in the seas.
The bent anchor roller in Figure 24-5 also
has a black-rubber roller. This is never
recommended. The rubber wears away
and loses strength. Rollers should be either
stainless, bronze, or of ultra-high-molecular-
weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). UHMWPE
is one of my favorite materials for dealing
with chafe; for making rollers, slides, and
chutes; for lining chain lockers; and even for
rudder bearings. UHMWPE is incredibly
tough and incredibly slippery. It doesn’t
corrode or interact chemically with other
materials.
Figures 24-6 through 24-8 show a stain-
less anchor roller for a 47-foot (14.3 m)
wood-epoxy motor cruiser my office
designed. Note the heavy^1 / 2 - inch (12.7 mm)
stainless cheeks, the extensive through-bolts,Chapter 24: Sizing the Anchor and Rode and Selecting Anchor-Handling Gear
Figure 24-5. Bent
and broken anchor
roller (Courtesy
Chris Wentz)Figure 24-6.
Diagram of an
anchor roller