What I did on Spring Break

[Norm]

Anchoring with two anchors.  I don't do it often because it is such a pain.  (I do demo it on many of the cruising courses I teach mostly to show what a pain it is.)

But... anchoring in a bay with notoriously poor holding ground and knowing that a storm was coming; I set two anchors.  My teenage son was with me and I had him set the second anchor (a 25 lb Fortress and 50 ft of 3/8 chain) from the dinghy after the first anchor (a 45 lb Delta) was set.  Those of you with teenage sons can imagine some of the complaints about all this!  Anyway, just before dawn next morning, young son goes on deck for a look-around and calls down to me.  A bunch of big heavy cruising yachts had dragged onto the shoals astern and were having a terrible time of it.  All got off the soft bottom.  Bruised egos everywhere.

Young son found the old man a bit less trouble to learn from... for a few more days.

On Averisera, We have a 33 lb Bruce for our main anchor and 30 ft of chain.  When I can afford it, a nice new oversized Guardian (the cheap Fortress) and maybe 50 ft of chain.  The Guardian/Fortress are superb but do require more chain.

How many is too many?  How heavy is too heavy?  I like little boats because the heavy anchor is still managable.

Now... shall we take on varnish techniques?  Or the proper way to assemble a hot butter rum?

Best,
Norman

BTW.  Spring break sounded like alot of fun until...

[AdriftAtSea]

Young son found the old man a bit less trouble to learn from... for a few more days.

LOL... I bet he wasn't complaining about the weight of that second anchor after that...

[boblamb]

WOW!  What a  barrage of responses!!!  Thanks for all the info on anchoring.  I am, however, overwhelmed by it all.  My question is: "what's the best way for me to anchor my craft?" If there is an answer (grin) please tell me.

I'm looking at the New Bern anchorage at the base of the Trent River.  No tides to worry about and little current. Don't know what the bottom is like.

Befuddled Bobby

[Bubba the Pirate]

It is funny, shortly after I left the cove, the city was making noise about clearing everyone out and putting in a mooring grid.   I was down seeing my parents in February and there was still a haphazardly anchored group of boats; very few close to derelict, a lot of locals [not all liveaboard] and some boats that looked like visiting cruisers.   There is a sandwhich shop and sailboat rental place right there where we used to have Sunday breakfast.   I went in and asked the guy.   City of Sarasota had almost forgotten but was now making noise once again.   

If anyone is in the area, it is a great deal right now.   On the hook, rent free, right at downtown Sarasota.   I used to walk to the Health Food Store or the bar.   My post office box was only 3 or 4 blocks from the palm tree I chained my dinghy to.   

It is so near to perfect it will never last.   Visit while you can.   Someday, I'll tell you the Legend of Jose.  :)

TrT

[AdriftAtSea]

BobLamb-

Final answer... it depends... ;) 

[Fortis]

I would like to add one point to all this anchoring talk.
It comes fomr a "moment" a month or so ago while doing coast guard work.

We were out in 35knot winds, gusting to 45 (frequently!) and close to 3meter waves on a fairly shallow bottom. Square uncomfortable waves, we were trying to recover an abbandoned ULD race yacht that the crew had decided to vacate and swim for shore. The very expensive carbon fibre boat had capsized and we were in the position of trying to tow it back in before it became a serious nav hazard...but to also be gentle with it and try not to snap the mast off by towing it inverted. Anyway, the skipper declared we would drop anchor and act as a staionary (huh!) platform, another CG boat could then come alongside and between us we could right the yacht, I would then transfer over, cut the halyard or sail that was stuck at the mast head (we would try leaning the boat so that I could reach the masthead form the deck of the CG boat as we righted it) and this *should* make it possible to bring it in right way up.

But what does this have to do with anchoring, I hear you ask. Well, I got to be the bunny that went forwards and deployed the SARCA anchor. Beautiful anchor. The CG boat is kept in survey and is checked before going out EACH TIME. The checkoff list is pretty much anal retentive rather then just completist...but it gets done. It includes the anchor(s) and chain and rodes. I had ticked off a visual inspection less then three hours earlier.

Anyway, I get the anchor out there and it sets first time (love the SARCA!) It is the smallest anchor for the CG boat possible because I think the CG boat has never needed to use its anchor in rescue work in the last six years or so since it was commissioned. The what I consider too small SARCA holds the CG boat, and its 24foot tow, a capsized ULD yacht that is trying to "drift" at about 12 knots even when capsized just fomr the hull area windage (the two boats were a disasterous non-match in terms of sea movement, the yacht just about shattered itself against us every chance it got. CG boat is 5.5 tons of "stand still with authroity and gravitas", the ULDB was maybe 200kg of carbon fibre go-fast lightness and had the armoured integrity of a lightbulb).

Anyway, I deploy the anchor, and we are sitting there holding against the winds and the really dreadfull waves, about 1400meters off shore, waiting for the second CG unit to arrive.

And that is when we discovered that SARCA anchors hold really well...and that top quality, rated nylon rodes...someitmes rot invisibly and self destruct at the worst possible moment after less then 10 minutes of holding!

So the moral of the story is, don't just boast about the might and power of your anchor....Go check and upgrade and regularly retire your anchor rode as well! Know that the bottom of your anchor locker gets damp and nasty and that things down there seem to get corrosive and that your rope is the weakest link...unless you use chain...in which case your chain and d shackles are the weakest link. We would have been better served by a cheap danforth copy...and a decent rope then we were by the mighty (now lost) SARCA. So spend your money on "the anchoring system" and not just the anchor....because if all you can afford is a peice of string to bridge the sea-gap between anchor and boat then you are going to have a bad day.

the other moral of the stroy is that having a carbon fibre centreboard explode against the hull of your CG boat less then six inches form your head as the yacht slams in at about the speed of concorde is a little dosconcerting. carbon fibre dust and splinters taste bad, too.

We did manage to save the yacht, sans centre-board, though...A day full of "adventure".


"adventure" is defined as any disaster you survive to brag about later.

Alex.

[AdriftAtSea]

Alex-

Carbon fiber is much better with a bit of Tabasco sauce.. ;)

You should send that story in to Sarca's manufacturer...they'd love it...

I'd have to second the idea of spending money on the entire ground tackle system... not just the anchor.  What good is the anchor, no matter how well it sets, if it isn't attached to the boat. 

Also, remember to tie the anchor rode to the boat... I've seen two boats last summer that anchored and lost their primaries and drifted off for just that reason... I know it sounds stupid...but people do it all the time.

[maxiSwede]

"adventure" is defined as any disaster you survive to brag about later.

Alex.

Sure, and a good thought provoking story, Alex

[Lynx]

I have seen a lot of boats drag at anchor (usually with a wind shift) and I have done so as well.

When I read anchoring post it almost seams like a religion. What I can say is make the best choice that you can and then get somebody with a bigger motor to test the anchor in the conditions that you are going to be in. I found that I could not get a 13 pound fluke to set at more than 2500 rpm's with my 50 hp motor but the 18 pounds Super Max 12 would at 4200 rpm's. I have also made it drag by not having enough chain out during low tide, when the tide came, the anchor draged and I let out more chain and it reset at more than 2 mph.

I suggest that you test your anchor. If I am in your area I, just ask.

James M/S Lynx