"Scope" is the ratio of line to depth + height of the chock or fairlead
above the water as in "I am on a 5:1 scope." Rode is the line itself as
in "I have out 150' of rode." If the depth of the water is 25' and the
bow is 5' above the water, 150' of rode is a 5:1 scope. A "road" is an
anchrage or harbor as in Hamton Roads.

Generally you can get by with a 3 or 4:1 scope with an all chain rode
and 5:1 with rope/chain rode in a protected anchorage. Maximum hold is
developed at about 7:1 on all chain and 8 or 9:1 on the typical rope
with 10'chain rode.

When you are selling anchors your brain gets cluttered with all sorts of
strange details. :-)

Ned Simmons wrote:
In article ,
says...

On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 22:17:09 -0400, Fred wrote:


On Wed, 16 Jul 2003 19:33:03 GMT, (John
Flanagan) scribed:

While not to be too confused... Isn't "scope" the amount of line you
put out vs "rode" which is the angle of the line you put out, as it
equates to flushness with the bottom and least stress you put on the
anchor to hold taught??

I think scope is usually expressed as a anchor line length to water
depth ratio. Like 5:1 (good bottom and conditions) or 15:1 (poor
bottom or good bottom in higher winds and currents).


I've always understood scope to mean the amount of "rode"
that has been paid out (a length rather than a ratio), the
proper amount figured as a multiple of water depth as you
describe.

Ned Simmons



--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
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