anchor help

[snowman51789]

The past few times I've been out I've had a few problems with my anchor dragging, so I've decided to up size, right now I have a hooker economy slip ring anchor, I was woundering what everybody likes, if there is something better id like to get what's best, most of the time I achor in either sand or mud

Also do the non slip ring anchors hold better then the slipring?

Thanks
Dave

 

[tpenfield]

Re: anchor help

Danforth anchor and about 15 feet of chain . . . I have found that to get an anchor that holds in a variety of conditions, you need to get one size up from what you normally would buy per the reference charts, etc.

I did try an anchor that was rated for up to a 24 foot boat (for my 24 foot boat). It did not hold except in the most favorable conditions. So, I went up to the next size anchor and now no worries. I use the smaller anchor for the secondary anchor.

 

[acarter92]

Re: anchor help

I use an 8lb danforth style on my 17ft alluminum with 3-4ft of chain, some will recomend a chain as long as your boat, I found I don't need it. Holds like crazy in the sand/mud and pretty good in rocks. It's overkill but I never have to worry about it.

If you don't have chain, add some... It makes more of a difference than you think.

Remember though, for an anchor to work you should have at least a 5:1 ratio (7:1 is ideal). Meaning, if your in 10 feet of water you should have 50-70ft of line out. Don't forget to add the height of your boat to the depth.

Austin

 

[Grundle]

Re: anchor help

hey guys, can someone explain to me what the chain is for? why is it needed? i always see chain on people's anchors, and i hear advise about chain length and such, but i dont know the purpose for the chain. any insight is greatly appreciated. thanks

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: anchor help

the chain serves a few functions. Primarily it adds weight to the anchor, and more important, adds the weight to the end of the anchor to keep it lying flat on the bottom--for the same reason that the longer the scope (line out) the better it holds. Then it also acts as a shock absorber; with any wave action tugging on it from the boat, the chain lifts up and down and not the anchor itself, leaving it buried. Ona rocky/shell bottom it helps protect the line from fraying since it's chain, rather than rope, that's in contact with the bottom.

My experience is that shorter, heavier chain is as good as longer lighter chain. As for the formulas, I do not agree with "chain the length of the boat" as that is overkill.

Like everything with boats, it's all situational. The 7:1 formula is for overnight unattended heavy wind/current conditions; much less will do for typical recreational anchoring, especially in lakes. But straight down does not work. In all cases you need some angle, and a chance for the anchor to dig in. Seldom can you use an anchor like a mooring block.

 

[acarter92]

Re: anchor help

Also, if you do an "iboats" forum search you will have more information on anchoring that you will know what to do with.

Austin

 

[theBrownskull]

Re: anchor help

Get a "Danforth or fluke" style anchor. Put approximately 12 foot of chain, more or less, on the end.

 

[nosaj]

Re: anchor help

we anchor off of a barrier island on the atlantic coast. where we go has very strong currents, average 15 knot winds and tide swings. We fought with our new boat no matter how much line we used or chain. I bought a Fortress 3 weeks ago and now enjoy know on the first drop, my boat is firmly anchored.

 

[5150abf]

Re: anchor help

I fish a river so I deal with current and very often wind and I use a 15lb mushroom anchor front and back with no chain and rarely have any problems, the bottom is mostly mud with some sand and gravel flats with depths from 4'-20'+.

You might try letting more rope out, the more rope you have out the better the anchor will hold, too sharp of an angle and it can never get a good grip on the bottom.

As Home cookin said, anchoring is very situational, you need to take into account wind, current or tide and the wake from other boats can affect it too, alot of time I run into the wind and current going opposite directions or the wind is from the side which make for some interesting anchoring situations.

If you are in a river or there is tide a drift sock works really well and will counter quite alot of wind.