1969 CC 57 Connie anchor

I recently bought a 1969 57’ Chris-Craft Constellation, and I’m beginning to restore it. The anchor currently onboard is not original and isn’t suitable for the through-hull operation configuration. Can someone here give me any info about the anchor I should be looking for?

 

Welcome to the Forum Michael.

I think you have to write a few posts on here before you can post photos - but it would help a lot if you could post some photos of the bow in way of the anchoring arranagement that you have.

It sounds like you have a 'through hull' configuration, with a hawse pipe going from the deck down to the hull side?

Or do you have a bowsprit for the anchor, like this vessel -
1970 Chris-Craft 57 Constellation Motor Yachts for sale - YachtWorld https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/1970-chris--craft-57-constellation-8566103/

This one appears to just have a stemhead roller, with a (now rather old fashioned) plough anchor.
Chris-Craft 57 Constellation For Sale, 57'0", 1967 https://seattle.boatshed.com/chriscraft_57_constellation-boat-112661.html

What type of anchor do you currently have on board?
If you do have a hawse pipe (similar to what big ships have for their anchors), then a Danforth type of anchor might be able to self stow in the pipe, depending on how wide the pipe is, and the angle, and the shape / flare of the bow locally.

 

It does have a pipe that goes down through the hull through to the left side of bow, a few feet above the waterline. It's just a straight pipe, with no flare, so an anchor wouldn't stow up into the pipe. The pipe comes out onto a steel plate, and I believe the anchor somehow sits flush with the plate, if that makes sense. I think I saw one like this is a photo of another Connie, but the photo was too blurry when I enlarged it to be able to see it well. So, I think what I really need to know is what kind of anchor would pull up and sit flush against that steel plate? I'll try to attach a photo of the plate.

 

Thanks Michael for the photo showing your hawse pipe arrangement..
Can you post a photo of the foredeck arrangement as well please?
I presume that there is a windlass mounted on the foredeck for the anchor?
It might be easier in the long run to forget about the hawse pipe, and simply run the anchor cable over a roller on the bow.
Or build a bowsprit for the anchor to self stow in, like in the first link in my previous post.

If you want to keep the hawse pipe, then a Danforth Hi-tensile anchor with a relatively narrow stock might fit in that hawse pipe (what is the inside diameter?).
It might well have been designed originally to not be self stowing - is there any evidence on deck of a fitting for a davit for hoisting the anchor on board?

A Pool anchor might also fit in the hawse pipe - if you google 'Pool' and 'Danforth' anchors many interesting links will come up.

And re KapnD's photo above, that is usually called a Navy stockless anchor - they do tend to stow very well in hawse pipes, however for a given weight they tend to have much less holding power than a Pool or Danforth type of anchor.

 

THat is a Navy Stockless anchor. Back when the Connie was built there weren't as many choices of anchors as there are now. BTW if you need original info about any Chris Craft from that era, When they sold the company back in the 70's, they donated all their plans and records to the Mariners Museum in Newport News Virginia The Mariner's Museum and Park https://www.marinersmuseum.org/ If you contact them ask about the Chris Craft Collection. See also Search https://www.marinersmuseum.org/search/?search=Chris-Craft

 

I don't have a picture of the foredeck, and won't be back to the marina for a couple of weeks. The previous owner had the boat for about 25 years and bought it from the original owner who had it for 25 years himself. It has a windsall near the hawse pipe opening, but it hasn't worked since sometime before the previous owner bought it from the original owner. It actually has a Danforth anchor onboard, but it was just sitting on the aft deck when I bought the boat. A boatwright I'm working with said that it didn't look like the right anchor for my boat, but now, after what you've said, I think it probably is. Can you tell me what this part (bekow) is? It was also stored onboard in one of the cabinets. To me, it looks like maybe it's supposed to be mounted on deck between the windsall and the hawse pipe to keep the chain from rubbing on the teak deck. But I'm a complete neophyte when it comes to boats, so I'm just guessing. It probably weighs 15 or 20 pounds.

 

I just found this old photo of my boat online. The photo's probably 20 years old, but it's definitely my boat, and it has the Danforth anchor on the hull, so it looks like you were right! Now I just need to build the rode and get the windsall fixed and I'll be in business. Thanks so much for your help!

 

OK, I did some research and discovered this creature is a large bow chock, and is normally installed on the bow to keep the anchor chain or rope from chafing the bow when the anchor is thrown over the bow. I think in the case of my boat, it was probably originally installed between the horizontal windsall and the opening of the hawse pipe to keep the rode from chafing or scraping the deck or pipe opening.

 

Maybe it’s designed to perform both tasks, but that fitting you posted looks more like a chain lock than a chafe guard.

From the shape, it looks like it is designed to snag and “lock” a link if the slot is tapered into a slight V as it appears to be from the photo.

The chafe guards I’m familiar with have a large open slot for the chain to easily pass through.

I could be wrong.

What a fantastic boat. Have always admired them.

 

Not wanting to change the shape of the thread but the Danforth is really only good in mud or sand. Kelp and rocks that can get lodged between the flukes and the shank can/will/did
interfere with the shank rotating to be inline with the pull/rode and it can "walk" and not dig in. Many many forums, discussions on what is the best anchor to use in various bottoms.
Best to carry a spare if you are on any type of gravel larger than say about 1 1/2 inches, depending on the size of the Danforth
There are anchors that you can use on pretty much all bottoms

 

@Michael McGrath please do post a photo or two of the foredeck with the windlass - can you see a manufacturer's name on it?
Re the chain cable, be aware that for it to be used with the gypsy on the windlass, it has to be the right size to fit in the gypsy - even a 'standard' 1/2" diameter chain can come in long or short links.
Can you also post a photo of the anchor that you found on board please? And try lifting it, to estimate what it's weight might be.

Re the three portholes in the hull, under the lower saloon, I guess these are to give natural light in the engine room. How much headroom do you have in your engine room, and what type of engines does she have?
Some photos of the engine room and the rest of the boat would be enjoyed I am sure by folk on here who are interested in finding out more about her.
(perhaps once you have 'done and dusted' the anchor topic.... )

 

Possibly. I just called it a “bow chock” because of this:

Mine is a bit bigger, but essentially the same shape.

 

It does not appear to be a rode stopper but a bow skene chock.

If you do not have a pulpit for the rode to hang over, then these are normally mounted a bit back from the bow and the rode can be placed into the chock to keep the rode from rubbing on the gunwale as the boat swings around. The rope or chain can be left on the gypsy if a winch is available and the manufacturer does not state not to use the gypsy as a tie off point.. If the rode is a combination of chain and rope, you do not really want to have the gypsy provide the tie off point to the rope as over time, the rope may wear. Many manufacturers state "not to use the gypsy" as the tie off point when anchoring.

Many of the newer winches/windlasses use a gypsy that can pull chain and rope while a few of the older ones, Lofrans I think, had a chain gypsy on one side and a capstan to handle the rope on the other. On top of the winch was a tie off cleat.

The bow chocks are often used when mooring to a dock. They are sold in pairs, one port and one starboard