My boat is a 21'fiberglass cuddy cabin. I will be boating in the Connecticut River, and in Long Island Sound. What type of anchor, and weight should I have? Also How many feet, and size of line for the anchor should I have? Thanks Mark
Anchor line at normal scope is 7 feet of line for every one foot down from your tie point. If you anchor in 18 feet of water and tie off 2 feet above the water on a clete then you need 140 feet of line.<br /><br />With low winds and light currents You can get by with short scope 5 to 1 or even 3 to 1. Useing short scope or less line then you need to add Heavy chain to try and hole the anchor line down in front of the anchor so the shank does not lift up and pull the flutes out of the mud, or sand.<br /><br />I perfer a dansforth anchor and like the Fortress FX-7 4 pound Aluminum anchor. Designed to hold a up to a 27 foot boat. I have this anchor and love it. It diggs in fast and deep and is light enough even the wife can pull it. Coast Guard and many boating mags have rated the Fortress the best but it is not a cheap anchor. <br /><br />This anchor does have one disadvantage. It is light weight so when setting your can not just pull up to your spot and slam boat in reverse and lower the anchor as it may sail out in front and never hit the ground. Instead you find your spot and use reverse to gain some sternway then take motor out of gear and lower anchor until it hits the ground then pay out line while slow astern to get proper scope and tie it off and set.<br /><br />My second anchor is a dansforth also and weighs 8 pounds. It is a Galvinized Steel anchor and also holds my 21 foot good but on hard bottoms will sometimes drag quite a ways before it diggs in. This means can drag until gets caught on a tree root or rock pile. If it does then very hard to retrieve when ready to get under way.<br /><br />As for line most would suggest 3/8 inch line but I use 5/16 3 strand nylon. Both my anchors have 300 or more feet of line and a short chain.
