Anchor Roller installation...bolts or machine screws?

[catamount]

Hex-head bolts, or counter-sunk flat-head machine screws?

I was catching myself up on the progress on Kaholee and noticed that Tim had used hex-head bolts, where-as I had been anticipating having to mill counter-sinks in my anchor roller assembly so that I could use flat-head machine screws.

Don't the bolt heads present the possibility of chafing the anchor rode?

That is, if you hang from the rode led over the roller instead of bringing the rode back to the bow chocks or using a bridle... I suppose it's not a problem if using all-chain rode, with a snubber/bridle brought through bow chocks... but still, wouldn't you want to use counter-sunk flat-head machine screws here?

[bcooke]

I used hex head bolts too. I did it so that I could use some wide area washers under the bolt heads to spread the load over a wider area around the holes. This helps prevent the bolts from ripping through the wood under extreme loads.

In my experience, the weight of the anchor or the pull of the boat keeps the rode pretty taut and away from the bolt heads. When the boat is at rest I don't find the rode moves around enough to chafe the bolts.

-Britton

[Tim]

I've had the same hex-head bolts on Glissando's anchor rollers for 7 years now. The rode (nylon) goes right between the bolts and never even comes close to contacting the heads. The roller itself also tends to hold the rode up and clear of the bolt heads.



There's nothing wrong with using countersunk flatheads if that seems to suit your needs better.

Some of the anchor rollers come with small countersunk fastener holes, but most of them have plain holes for regular bolts.