anchoring difficulty

[the hangman]

I need a little advice with an unusual anchoring situation. Each fourth of July, we take our 17 foot bowrider to the local fireworks display. We anchor with hundreds of other boats. We have a problem dragging our anchor. The river is dredged to a 35' depth and has a current of maybe 2 to 4 knots. Because of the crowding of the boats - we are limited to a very short scope on the anchor line. <br />We have tried several types of anchors and have had limited success. The river bottom is muck/silt. I see alot of the other boats dragging their anchor and having to restart and reposition during the show. Does anyone have any experiance in these conditions?

 

[glass from the past]

Re: anchoring difficulty

Hey Hangman,<br /><br />2 Questions for you, <br /><br />What kind of anchor are you using? danforth, mushroom, etc.<br /><br />How big is your boat(weight)?

 

[the hangman]

Re: anchoring difficulty

Glass:<br /> My main anchor is a four pound Danforth - it works very well during normal anchoring - in 10 feet of water with 100 feet of rope out. But it doesn't hold at all with a 1 to 1 scope. I have also tried a 12 pound mushroom and a 12 pound river (mushroom with 3 ears). The river anchor held the best. I may try an 18 pound river anchor next<br /> I think my boat weighs between 1000 and 1200 pounds.

 

[roscoe]

Re: anchoring difficulty

hangman, I have a similar sized boat, and have had the best luck with a river anchor, or a navy style anchor of #14. <br />

<br /><br />I fish fast current, deep, and crowded rivers (the Fox, Wolf, and Wis) in the springtime, and have found that 2 anchors really work the best.<br /><br />The key with any of these "digging" anchors, is to let out more line, to get them on their side and then drag them a couple feet so they dig in.<br />You can then take up the extra line till you have a steep slope, but not quite vertical, maybe on a 20* angle. <br /><br />You can do this with 2 anchors, one bow and one stern, so that when one is starting to slide, the other takes over. 2 will also keep the stern from swinging around.<br /><br />Get there early, "set" 2 anchors, take a portapotty so you don't have to weigh anchor.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: anchoring difficulty

It will also help if you put 2-3' of heavy chain on the anchor befor you tie the rope on. You can buy plastic coated chain that will not mare your boat or rust for a few years anyway.

 

[BillP]

Re: anchoring difficulty

A 4lb danforth, 18' boat, 4kt current and 1:1 scope? You need a lot bigger anchor or more scope. Do what Lubedude says with 6-8' of chain and put a 5lb chunk of lead where the chain meets the rope. Or just attach the chunk to the rope 6'-8' up from the anchor. 1:1 is straight up...3:1 might give you a little chance with the 4lb. I use 2.5lb & 4lb Danforths on my dinks. They don't have enough fluke weight to bury in anything but muck.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: anchoring difficulty

Usually not enough line is the problem.Lube dude is also correct,make sure there is enough chain and make sure it is heavy enough.Charlie

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: anchoring difficulty

An alternative to plastic coated chain is to run the chain through old fire hose, local stations usually throw it out. It keeps the noise down as well which can only help with fishing. Aldo

 

[hammlfam]

Re: anchoring difficulty

Hangman, I've had the same problem. I've talked to others at my resevoir and alot of them recommended an anchor made by Richter(sp). I've attached a site to show you. I bought one, but will have to wait to see how well it works.<br /><br /> http://www.lake-link.com/whatsnew/productdetails.cfm?ProductID=63

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: anchoring difficulty

The Danforth type anchors work best when you make the "pull" as horizontal as possible. In general, the more (heavy) chain you use the less scope you need.<br /><br />Here is what Bob Armstrong says in his Power Boating book,<br /><br />"In my experience, a single-fluke anchor holds better in sand than a double-fluke anchor, and while no anchor is great in grass or weed, the single-fluke type usually gets through and holds better."<br /><br />Danforths "become less efficient as bottom density lessens abd don't work as well in soft sand or near-liquid mud....kelp, grass or weeds can prevent them from taking hold... Danforth is still a prime choice for general use."

 

[the hangman]

Re: anchoring difficulty

Thanks for all the input ...<br />Roscoe - I am talking about the Fox River ...<br />I do use a 5 foot chain at the anchor - I could add another 3 or 3 feet. As far as the scope angle, I am pretty much limited to 2:1 - about a 45 degree angle due to the close proximity of the other boats. You pull up behind an anchored boat, drop your anchor,and drift back 50 feet. If you were to let out 100 feet of line - you would swing to the right and left and bump into the boat next to you. It gets pretty crowded.<br />Jeff

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: anchoring difficulty

Jeff, see my edit above. Sounds like you may want to try a single-fluke (like a plow or CQR) and as heavy as you can handle with plenty of chain.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: anchoring difficulty

Guess I was a bit off on the lenth of chain!! I guess more would be better!

 

[18rabbit]

Re: anchoring difficulty

If it pulls out it rolls over and resets. The worlds ugliest anchor: Bulwagga … <br /><br />Manf site. Has the Powerboat Reports anchor evaluation…READ IT!<br /> http://www.noteco.com/bulwagga/ <br /><br />Retailer’s site. Has short videos for setting and resetting.<br /> http://www.navstore.com/bulwagga_anchors.asp <br /><br />If you like danforth style of anchors, take a look at Fortress anchors.<br /> http://www.fortressanchors.com/

 

[kcole683]

Re: anchoring difficulty

The Richter anchor you (hammlfam) linked to is an interesting contraption.<br />I am suprised their website says to lower the anchor from the bow or stern though .<br />I hope nobody decides to anchor in open water overnight from the stern.<br />I know of 1 person who sunk his boat that way on Lake Erie.......not good advice to be giving.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: anchoring difficulty

The Richter looks like a grappling hook on steroids. Just like a g hook, all those long, fingery hooks will provide nothing of anchoring security in sand or mud. It will act like a rake…hopefully, eventually getting caught in veggies…not a secure anchoring medium. But I do like the long metal loop the rode attaches to. It should allow function with less scope when hooked on something solid. <br /><br />Soft bottom hold will come from an anchor designed to dig in. Bruce, bulwagga, CQR, danforth. Some get past vegetation on a soft bottom, some don’t and drag.<br /><br />Also, don’t overlook the use of two anchors, one off port and one off starboard. They don’t have to be the same type or size of anchor.

 

[hammlfam]

Re: anchoring difficulty

i'm on a resevoir where it is all mud/Sand bottom. I kept breaking loose last year at a place everyone goes to to anchor and party. I ask about 5 people around us why they weren't breaking loose and all five of them were friends and they said they bought the Richter anchor becuase they were having the same problems and another boater there recommended it. They seemed to have good grip in our sandy/muddy bottom. Just FYI. Of course, I cannot confirm this yet as I have not used mine.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: anchoring difficulty

Hammlfam – you nailed it! There is no advice better than what is working successfully for other boaters in the area you will be anchoring in.

 

[Ripsnort]

Re: anchoring difficulty

Originally posted by 18rabbit:<br />The Richter looks like a grappling hook on steroids. Just like a g hook, all those long, fingery hooks will provide nothing of anchoring security in sand or mud. It will act like a rake…hopefully, eventually getting caught in veggies…not a secure anchoring medium. But I do like the long metal loop the rode attaches to. It should allow function with less scope when hooked on something solid. <br /><br />Soft bottom hold will come from an anchor designed to dig in. Bruce, bulwagga, CQR, danforth. Some get past vegetation on a soft bottom, some don’t and drag.<br /><br />Also, don’t overlook the use of two anchors, one off port and one off starboard. They don’t have to be the same type or size of anchor.

Pic:<br /><br />

 

[Capn Mike]

Re: anchoring difficulty

We do a lot of anchoring in the Columbia River in hog lines for salmon fishing. Most smaller boats use a locally-made "rocking chair" design, and larger boats use a CQR or Danforth type. I use a rocker type as well as a Danforth type with 6' of chain on my 24' Striper. The current (1 to 8 mph) actually helps hold the anchor in place: there's no swinging around. But the one time I tried the Fortress (an expensive Danforth), it was frustrating: because of the current, the lightweight Fortress "sailed" before it ever hit bottom.<br />Whatever anchor you use, I've found it helpful, after the anchor touches bottom, to drift a couple of boat lengths, then tie off the rode temporarily to set the anchor in the right direction. Then let out more rode to whatever scope you prefer.<br />Hangman, in your peculiar situation, with that short scope, there's no substitute for weight, whatever the design. The navy-type anchor is the worst design ever for small boats, but in your situation, a big, heavy navy would be cheap and probably work.