Mantus Anchor Bridle
At the end of a long day, once you’re anchored, you want to stay put and have a comfortable night. Using an anchor snubber takes the strain off of the windlass once the hook is set. A nylon rode works well for this, as it has enough stretch to dampen most of the tugging and jerking that can happen on a breezy night. The Mantus Anchor Bridle ($180 and up; mantusanchors.com) consists of a three-strand nylon rode with chafe protection, heavy-duty shackles and thimbles, and a chain hook, and now the bridle is available in a setup just for catamarans.
Seaview Cable Glands
With all the cool electronics available for your boat, there’s a good chance you’ll need to run a cable through the deck at some point. The Seaview Cable Gland by PYI ($20) is a housing that you place over the hole on deck. It features a tapered rubber plug in the middle, which you drill through for the cable run to get a watertight seal. The housing is available in several materials and finishes.
Lewmar VX1 Vertical Windlass
Lewmar (lewmar.com) has revamped its line of vertical windlasses to make them lighter, stronger and more efficient. The VX1 vertical windlass has a hybrid-polymer chain gypsy, which allows for quieter, jump-free operation. Under the deck, the gearbox now features a water-ingress protection cover, and there is flexibility in the placement orientation of the gearbox.
Harken High-Load Snatch Block
Most cruising boats have at least a couple of snatch blocks available for spinnaker lines or to adjust a jib lead. The Harken high-load snatch block ($340 and up; harken.com) features a soft loop to attach to the deck, and the side plates are easy to open and then lock solidly into place. A captured Velcro strap holds the block securely closed.
Hella NaviLED 360 Anchor Pole-Mount Lamp
Be seen at night! Even if you have a masthead anchor light, in some cases it’s prudent to have an anchor light closer to water level. The Hella NaviLED ($100 and up; hellamarine.com) anchor pole-mount lamp can be seen for at least 2 nautical miles and is available in fixed or fold-down models. The housing is completely sealed with an IP67 water-resistance rating.
