Anchor issues.

neutron · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:36 pm

Right if its weedy, sand, mud, etc.. every bottem is different.
lots of things can cause the anchor not to bite

Decision · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:24 pm

ric, you have received a number of replies on anchor basics. I believe you boat on a small in land lake. Just be mindfull of your bottom conditions so you can use an anchor that is suitable for those bottom conditions, use the 7:1 ratio to be safe, add some chain to your rode and you should be good to go.

Just also take into consideration that thunderstorms can have 180 degree wind shifts. Want are your plans if your one anchor pulls loose and you start drifting? Some boaters set anchor drift alarms on their GPS, some use two anchors, some use anchors that reset themselves. Just think thru your plan if the if happens. In our summers here a lot of nights have a chance of thunderstorms, sometimes you never know.

Just food for thought.

Mike.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 10:05 pm

180 wind shift during a thunderstorm with 50mph gusts that will happen almost every day here in Florida (it actually already started)...

No idea.

Decision · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 10:40 pm

"No idea" - but you are thinking about it and that will likely mean you will develop a game plan. That's a good thing. Not nice to wake up and find your boat banging up against something or having waves driving it up on shore with your outdrive getting messed up.

In your shoes, I'd want an appropriate anchor for your bottom conditions, if its easy to upsize an anchor and keep it aboard do it. Otherwise just take your overnight anchor with you when you need to use it. More than 7:1 scope doesn't hurt it you have the rode. Add a second comparable anchor if you plan on anchoring out a lot and don't mind anchoring out if a thunderstorm is in forecast. Some folks may suggest using just one good sized anchor (hopefully it resets itself) and nothing wrong with that. Personal preference really.

We had 7 boats rafted together in the North Channel (northern part of lake Huron, really rocky area) we were close to shore. Had ropes off the sterns on both outside boats tied to rocks/trees on shore and about 5 good anchors out front.

Personally I enjoyed the thunderstorm that came thru, but only because I felt pretty confident in our anchors, otherwise, 7 boats being slammed up into the rocks after dark would not of been any fun at all.

Mike.

EvilZ · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 11:12 pm

If you have that much shift in wind direction, maybe try a Bahamian Mooring? 2 anchors off the bow set at approx. 180 degrees.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Apr 30, 2013 11:16 pm

No rocks here thankfully. On my old boat I never had this problem and it didn't even have chain. It could anchor out in any condition and not move an inch with wind shift or whatever, but it had a really nice looking danforth anchor with it. The one on the current boat looks like it's been around the block a few too many times. I blame that first.

deafwish · **Posted:** Wed May 01, 2013 5:00 am

EvilZ wrote:

If you have that much shift in wind direction, maybe try a Bahamian Mooring? 2 anchors off the bow set at approx. 180 degrees.

Safe & reliable concept that we used to use on our 18tn, 45ft boat.
We'd stay on board for almost 2 weeks & proved very successful in 50+ KN winds.

Bliss36 · **Posted:** Wed May 01, 2013 7:12 am

If you prefer to stay with a single anchor setup maybe consider a one piece style anchor like your previous delta plow or a new generation like a Manson Supreme or Rocna. I switched to a Manson Supreme last season after a little anchor dragging incident in the North Channel, and absolutely love it!
http://www.manson-marine.co.nz/SitePages/galvSupreme.htm

wkearney99 · **Posted:** Sun May 19, 2013 12:32 pm

Yep, more chain and more rode. The chain helps keep the anchor angle pointed flat so it can dig in again should it shift. The longer rode helps avoid pulling the anchor too high, which would prevent from digging in. So start by putting out a LOT more of the rode. Did the 216 even come with any chain on it's rode? If not then I'd get at least 25'. Unless you're great at your line marlinspike work then I'd recommend either buying one ready-made or getting a reputable shop to put one together for you.

fiznuka · **Posted:** Sun May 19, 2013 1:04 pm

I usually don't anchor out overnight or much during the day however there are times I would like to. Does anyone have pictures of their anchor setup and how everything is attached (chain, rode, line, shackles etc.) and how do you make it easier to retrieve the anchor once its set aside from a windlass.

wkearney99 · **Posted:** Mon May 20, 2013 6:37 am

I'm guessing most folks talking about overnight stays are in boats that have a windlass or at least an anchor locker to hold everything. If it's a smaller boat without those then it'll be a lot more of a challenge.

West Marine (and I'm sure other suppliers) sells complete rode setups. Their options vary based on thickness and length of both the nylon line and the chain. You determine which based on the size of the boat and the anchoring conditions.

DaleG · **Posted:** Mon May 20, 2013 9:18 am

I second the "MONSON SUPREME" Best anchor I have used in 30 years of boating (with proper rode/scope/chain -- and all that other stuff)

Jdpber · **Posted:** Mon May 20, 2013 10:13 am

i Say again MORE CHAIN MORE CHAIN you can never have too much chain.. proper chain and scope anchor will hold as long as it is not too undersized for the boat..

wkearney99 · **Posted:** Tue May 21, 2013 8:01 am

More chain is problematic if you don't have room for it, or if it's weight affects the boat's handling. Chain weighs a lot more than line. For bigger sailboats it's not uncommon to have at least one anchor rode that's all chain (they may typically have two anchors). But for a smaller powerboat you're going to introduce more problems than you'll solve if you start trying to keep 100+ feet of chain on board.

Most anchoring problems can be solved with a combination of chain/line rode AND proper use of scope.

When you pay out at 7:1 scope you're doing a lot to help the anchor make it's best connection to the bottom. The length of all that line (and a short length of chain) helps weigh it down. This keeps the anchor best aligned for digging itself into the bottom. Assuming, of course, that we're talking about anchors with means to make a bite (not the mushroom kind).

It's usually only under rough or storm conditions that you'd 'need' to get into a double-anchor bahamian mooring and the like. Bear in mind, if you're in a crowded anchorage you need to make sure you're not going to cause problems with using a method different than everyone else. Boats using a single anchor will swing around on it depending on tides and winds. If your anchoring technique doesn't allow for this then you run the risk of boats hitting you as they swing and you don't.

As for which anchor, it's best to go with what is KNOWN to be useful in YOUR area. What works for one region and sea bottom types may not work well at all in others. So make sure you're getting advice based on local conditions, not just generic "works for me" tips. Me, I've got a plow type and it serves relatively well for most mud conditions on the Chesapeake. But if there's rough conditions predicted I just get a slip instead of anchoring out.

Bliss36 · **Posted:** Tue May 21, 2013 8:26 am

Quote:

As for which anchor, it's best to go with what is KNOWN to be useful in YOUR area. What works for one region and sea bottom types may not work well at all in others. So make sure you're getting advice based on local conditions, not just generic "works for me" tips

This is so true. Here on the southern tip of Lake Michigan almost everyone uses a fluke (Danforth)style anchor with maybe <5% using a Bruce/claw style. When we walked the docks in the North Channel we took note that <5% of the boats up there had fluke style and the vast majority had a Bruce/claw style hanging off the front of their boat.

We could not get our Fortress to bite up there but down here we can lazily drop it and forget about it...it's buried!

www.iFourWinns.com

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