A cruising boat spends most of its time at anchor. Anchoring is therefore important both for safety and for peace of mind. The goals of anchoring are to find a spot protected from wind and waves; set the anchor where it will stay put even if the wind, depth of tide or current changes; stay clear of other boats and their ground tackle; and be able to retrieve the anchor when leaving.
Always show a 15-watt white light visible for two miles at night while anchored. If you anchor near another boat, stay far enough away that both boats can swing freely and independently. If another boat anchors too close to you, it is your responsibility to inform them of this.
Kinds of
anchorThe various kinds of anchor fall into two broad classes: plow types like the CQR or the Bruce or Delta, and fluke types like the Danforth or Fortress. All perform equally well when properly set, although plow types that reset themselves if they drag are perhaps more forgiving while the sharp points on fluke types make them perhaps more aggressive in bite. Many boats carry two anchors, one of each type. Larger and heavier is always better, in anchors, subject only to ease of handling, stowing, and carrying the extra weight. Thirty pounds is the minimum and 60 or 65 pounds is the most that can be raised by hand in all conditions.
How to
anchorThe detailed procedure for anchoring is as follows:
Pick a spot that is shallow to minimize scope, and has suitable bottom conditions, and allows ample room to swing all around without going aground or hitting another boat. Ideally, seek shelter from wind, waves, and current. When in position, pick a reference point on shore directly up wind or against the current.
Always set at least one anchor from the bow because a stern anchor, set alone, can swamp the boat. When near another boat, allow yours to swing with the other by using the same number of anchors, set the same way as theirs, and with the same scope. Unless your rope rode is marked along its length, lay it out down one side of the deck to measure the needed scope. Attaching a small anchor buoy with enough light line to exceed the water depth will show you where the anchor lies, and how much rode is out, and it will warn off other boats that might tend to anchor too close. If stout enough, it can also serve as a trip line, should the anchor get fouled on a rock or stump, or at least as a marker if you must abandon a fouled anchor.
Head directly into the wind and/or current, come to a stop, and wait for the boat to begin drifting back. If there is no wind or current, motor slow astern while keeping your reference point fixed dead ahead. Drop the anchor until it barely touches the bottom and then play out rode slowly, at first, as the boat moves back, to avoid dumping a pile of chain atop the anchor, but not so slowly that the anchor drags. Avoid letting the chain foul the anchor.
When enough scope is out, cleat off the rode, lifting it free of the bow roller to avoid chafe and strain. With an all-chain rode, attach a snubber to take strain off the windlass. Motor briskly astern, to set the anchor, and then feel the rode to sense any vibration from the anchor dragging along the bottom. Take a GPS reading and check it often.
Dragging
anchorIf the anchor drags, usually the first thing to do is shorten the dinghy painter and start up the engine. Letting out more scope is unlikely to help if the scope was adequate to begin with, and besides, you will be far from your chosen spot by the time you notice the anchor dragging. It will be necessary, instead, to raise the anchor, reposition the boat, and drop the anchor anew. After doing this, take a leisurely coffee break before backing off again; some anchors, like the CQR, need time to settle into some kinds of bottom, such as mud or grass, before they will bite and hold firm.
Raising
anchorWhen raising anchor, it is best to motor slowly toward your reference point, rather than hauling the boat with the windlass, always taking in rode fast enough to keep any slack well forward of the boat and away from the prop. If the anchor will not break free, as often occurs, cleat off as much rode as can be brought aboard and then motor briskly toward your reference point. If you get up a good head of steam while taking in rode as fast as you can, and then smartly cleat off the rode as you pass over the anchor, forward momentum will help break the anchor free. Failure to get the rode cleated off in time will be embarrassing, however.
When you know that the bottom is rocky or foul, tie a line, longer than the water’s depth, to the head of the anchor and tie a fender or other float to the bitter end of this trip line. You can motor up to the float and haul on the trip line to free the anchor before raising it. The float will also discourage other boats from anchoring on top of your anchor.