anchoring tips

ChuckA · 10-31-2006, 05:09 AM

Here are some basic anchoring guidelines:

Anchors are designed for specific bottom characteristics. Make sure that you buy an anchor designed for the type of bottom primarily encountered in your boating area. Even with a small boat, five or six feet of coated chain is desirable. Shackle the chain to the anchor. Put a thimble on the end of the anchor line and shackle that to the other end of the chain. Chose your anchor line carefully. A line that is too heavy will actually cause problems because you?ll loose the "elasticity" that absorbs the shock and keeps the anchor well set.
Pick your anchorage carefully. If there are other boats nearby, you will need to "guess" at their potential swing. A boat on a mooring will have very little swing but a Yacht at anchor may have considerable "scope" out and may swing widely. A shallow draft boat will be more affected, usually, by the wind whereas a deep draft boat will be more affected by the current.
Put your bow into the wind or current (whichever is having the greatest affect on your boat, power up slowly to or just beyond where you want your anchor to lie and check your forward motion with your reverse gear. Double check to ensure that the bitter end of your anchor line is attached to something sturdy on the boat. Most experienced boaters have watched at least one anchor with a few hundred feet on line disappear over the bow because they forgot to secure the end.
Don?t throw the anchor ? it will probably get tangled. Release it by holding on to the chain or line, making sure that the chain and line are free, and dropping the anchor off the bow. If your anchor line was properly coiled, it will "pay-out" smoothly.
Once you see slack in the line, feed out the proper amount of scope as the boat drifts back. Hopefully, you?ve got your anchor line marked at 25? increments. Average "recommended" scope is somewhere around 7 to 1 or 8 to 1 ? that means that if you are in 20 feet of water you will want to pay-out between 140? and 160? of line. You also want to take into consideration the distance between the water line and the bow cleat and also any depth increase because of tides. If the tide may come in another 4 feet and your bow cleat is 3 feet above the water, you are, effectively, in 27 feet of water and would need to pay out around 200? of line. Up to 15 to 1 scope may be necessary in strong winds or currents.
Once the scope is out, secure the line (cleat and chock) and "back down" on the anchor keeping your bow into the wind/current. Idle speed is usually sufficient to make the anchor "bite" into the bottom and "set."
Put the engine in neutral and get your "bearings." Find two points on each beam that form a natural "range" or line and a third either ahead or astern from which you may be able to judge distance. They can be other anchored boats, rocks, buoys or points on land. Sit there for a few minutes to make sure that none of the angles or distances to these points change. Any change would indicate that you are dragging and need to reset your anchor or pay out more scope ? or both.
Now do whatever had planned to do when you decided to anchor and have fun doing it.

ChuckA · 10-31-2006, 07:13 PM

This is the next best thing to sliced white bread.Arctek Jim has this on Boney. Mines on order. http://store.tackletogo.com/anretsys.html

FMF · 10-31-2006, 08:07 PM

http://www.fortressanchors.com/
they have tips there too....."world's best anchor"

Flukinoff · 11-28-2006, 06:34 AM

I am ordering one today. Now that was some great advice !!!!

PG · 02-24-2007, 06:02 AM

The anchor retreivale balls are great. Once i got the hang of it they are very easy to use. It allowed me to black fish by my self this year with no worries on pulling the anchor.

PG

Relentless · 02-24-2007, 06:45 AM

I have no problem hauling in the anchor, I send Captain Curt to the bow and make him haul it aboard. Now you know why he loves to run the boat.

H'Islander · 02-24-2007, 08:20 AM

Thanks - some good information there - but remember that there are some sanity checks to add to your anchoring plans. Don;t be the ******* who screws everyone in a congested anchoring area.

Two places that come immediately to mind are Napatree and Block Island's New Harbor.

Following to the letter, the rules for scope posted above, if you are in 8 feet of water, and our bow is 4 feet off the water, you'd need to pay out 96 feet of anchor rhode in normal conditions and 180 feet in windy conditions.

Now picture someone with a 30 foot boat anchored in the Great Salt Pond near dinghy beach with 180 feet of scope, swinging a 420 foot swath, effetively monoploizing an area that, with proper management, could safely anchor many more vessels, allowing other folks to enjoy the island too.

I've seen them out there. And I have talked to them (nicely and respectfully) and asked them to observe the others in the area that are anchored securely at about 1/4 the recommended scope.

The issue of scope is an issue of holding power and flexibility (stretch).

Another trick to keep in your back pocket is the use of an aft anchor. This prevents the boat from swinging with the current or winds. It also prevents the boat from swinging 180 deg and breaking loose in the first place. Which is the reason for the chain and shallow angle (long scope)recommendations.

Just remember to use good judgement. Know the area you're anchoring in, know the bottom, structure, and congestion of the area and be respectful of other folks in the area and you'll do fine.

Special K · 02-24-2007, 11:03 AM

as in mooring fields, boats in anchorages all "swing" the same more or less. this being said, the issue of boats or rafts using stern anchors comes to play. while great for the afternoon or a lunch party, boats or rafts utilizing stern anchors along with their bow anchors can reall screw up the parade during the overnight. while all boats at anchor are swinging within their circumference, the "fixed" vessels become a hazard due to their NOT swinging. stern anchoring also presents a hazard during a blow as it presents a profile with greater resistance to the wind, putting more strain on anchors & lines. also seen this many times in the popular anchorages mentioned above. bows are kept into the wind & seas for a purpose.
imho cap'n mick

Bob & Mag · 02-24-2007, 11:32 AM

A little off-topic but was wondering if those anchor retrieval balls could be used to haul lobster pots for those of us with bad backs and (lots of bugs in the trap)?

74Formula233 · 02-25-2007, 10:20 AM

Jim's tip for anchoring:

"Hey Ron, drop it now........ok pull it...no good......ok drop it here........nope, pull it, no good.........ok drop it here..........nope.........."

10-31-2006, 05:09 AM	#1
ChuckA User Gallery Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Madison Ct Posts: 2,150	anchoring tips Here are some basic anchoring guidelines: Anchors are designed for specific bottom characteristics. Make sure that you buy an anchor designed for the type of bottom primarily encountered in your boating area. Even with a small boat, five or six feet of coated chain is desirable. Shackle the chain to the anchor. Put a thimble on the end of the anchor line and shackle that to the other end of the chain. Chose your anchor line carefully. A line that is too heavy will actually cause problems because you?ll loose the "elasticity" that absorbs the shock and keeps the anchor well set. Pick your anchorage carefully. If there are other boats nearby, you will need to "guess" at their potential swing. A boat on a mooring will have very little swing but a Yacht at anchor may have considerable "scope" out and may swing widely. A shallow draft boat will be more affected, usually, by the wind whereas a deep draft boat will be more affected by the current. Put your bow into the wind or current (whichever is having the greatest affect on your boat, power up slowly to or just beyond where you want your anchor to lie and check your forward motion with your reverse gear. Double check to ensure that the bitter end of your anchor line is attached to something sturdy on the boat. Most experienced boaters have watched at least one anchor with a few hundred feet on line disappear over the bow because they forgot to secure the end. Don?t throw the anchor ? it will probably get tangled. Release it by holding on to the chain or line, making sure that the chain and line are free, and dropping the anchor off the bow. If your anchor line was properly coiled, it will "pay-out" smoothly. Once you see slack in the line, feed out the proper amount of scope as the boat drifts back. Hopefully, you?ve got your anchor line marked at 25? increments. Average "recommended" scope is somewhere around 7 to 1 or 8 to 1 ? that means that if you are in 20 feet of water you will want to pay-out between 140? and 160? of line. You also want to take into consideration the distance between the water line and the bow cleat and also any depth increase because of tides. If the tide may come in another 4 feet and your bow cleat is 3 feet above the water, you are, effectively, in 27 feet of water and would need to pay out around 200? of line. Up to 15 to 1 scope may be necessary in strong winds or currents. Once the scope is out, secure the line (cleat and chock) and "back down" on the anchor keeping your bow into the wind/current. Idle speed is usually sufficient to make the anchor "bite" into the bottom and "set." Put the engine in neutral and get your "bearings." Find two points on each beam that form a natural "range" or line and a third either ahead or astern from which you may be able to judge distance. They can be other anchored boats, rocks, buoys or points on land. Sit there for a few minutes to make sure that none of the angles or distances to these points change. Any change would indicate that you are dragging and need to reset your anchor or pay out more scope ? or both. Now do whatever had planned to do when you decided to anchor and have fun doing it.

10-31-2006, 07:13 PM	#2
ChuckA User Gallery Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Madison Ct Posts: 2,150	Check it out This is the next best thing to sliced white bread.Arctek Jim has this on Boney. Mines on order. http://store.tackletogo.com/anretsys.html

11-28-2006, 06:34 AM	#4
Flukinoff NBS Member User Gallery Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 166	I am ordering one today. Now that was some great advice !!!! __________________ You can respect the sea or she can take the respect from you.

02-24-2007, 06:45 AM	#6
Relentless User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Marshfield, MA Posts: 475	Hauling Back I have no problem hauling in the anchor, I send Captain Curt to the bow and make him haul it aboard. Now you know why he loves to run the boat. __________________ Capt Dave Waldrip www.relentlesscharters.com

02-24-2007, 11:32 AM	#9
Bob & Mag User Gallery Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Clinton, CT Posts: 2,679	A little off-topic but was wondering if those anchor retrieval balls could be used to haul lobster pots for those of us with bad backs and (lots of bugs in the trap)? __________________ Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of food, electricity, gas, and oil, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off. Smoke free 4 Months!

10-31-2006, 08:07 PM	#3
FMF NBS Member User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,404	http://www.fortressanchors.com/ they have tips there too....."world's best anchor"

02-24-2007, 06:02 AM	#5
PG NBS Member User Gallery Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Westbrook Posts: 107	The anchor retreivale balls are great. Once i got the hang of it they are very easy to use. It allowed me to black fish by my self this year with no worries on pulling the anchor. PG

02-24-2007, 08:20 AM	#7
H'Islander NBS Member User Gallery Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Scotland, CT Posts: 376	Thanks - some good information there - but remember that there are some sanity checks to add to your anchoring plans. Don;t be the ******* who screws everyone in a congested anchoring area. Two places that come immediately to mind are Napatree and Block Island's New Harbor. Following to the letter, the rules for scope posted above, if you are in 8 feet of water, and our bow is 4 feet off the water, you'd need to pay out 96 feet of anchor rhode in normal conditions and 180 feet in windy conditions. Now picture someone with a 30 foot boat anchored in the Great Salt Pond near dinghy beach with 180 feet of scope, swinging a 420 foot swath, effetively monoploizing an area that, with proper management, could safely anchor many more vessels, allowing other folks to enjoy the island too. I've seen them out there. And I have talked to them (nicely and respectfully) and asked them to observe the others in the area that are anchored securely at about 1/4 the recommended scope. The issue of scope is an issue of holding power and flexibility (stretch). Another trick to keep in your back pocket is the use of an aft anchor. This prevents the boat from swinging with the current or winds. It also prevents the boat from swinging 180 deg and breaking loose in the first place. Which is the reason for the chain and shallow angle (long scope)recommendations. Just remember to use good judgement. Know the area you're anchoring in, know the bottom, structure, and congestion of the area and be respectful of other folks in the area and you'll do fine.

02-24-2007, 11:03 AM	#8
Special K NBS Member User Gallery Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: tolland & mystic Posts: 365	as in mooring fields, boats in anchorages all "swing" the same more or less. this being said, the issue of boats or rafts using stern anchors comes to play. while great for the afternoon or a lunch party, boats or rafts utilizing stern anchors along with their bow anchors can reall screw up the parade during the overnight. while all boats at anchor are swinging within their circumference, the "fixed" vessels become a hazard due to their NOT swinging. stern anchoring also presents a hazard during a blow as it presents a profile with greater resistance to the wind, putting more strain on anchors & lines. also seen this many times in the popular anchorages mentioned above. bows are kept into the wind & seas for a purpose. imho cap'n mick

02-25-2007, 10:20 AM	#10
74Formula233 User Gallery Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Exeter, Rhode Island Posts: 3,324	Jim's tip for anchoring: "Hey Ron, drop it now........ok pull it...no good......ok drop it here........nope, pull it, no good.........ok drop it here..........nope.........." __________________

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