How heavy is your stern anchor

[jeepnsam]

My 12 lbs mushroom stern anchor was no match for the Colorado river wakes..so I was thinking of going to a 20 lb anchor.

What do you think??? 20 or 30 lb

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

I have a 30lb mushroom (3 prong) that cannot hold my 21' on the grand river. It just slows us down to a slow drift, works well for fishing.

A danforth will hold you but im wondering why your anchoring form the stern anyway?????

If your beaching you still need a danforth style. A mushroom just is never going to do the trick.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

generally, it's dangerous to have a stern anchor that holds, especially if there are waves against the transom. Two good ones and your boat is down in 30 seconds.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

Mushroom anchors will never hold in a current unless they get accidentally caught between rocks. You could get by with a 15# bag of sand and get the same response.

In current conditions, you need a plow or danforth anchor, depending on the bottom. I use a 40# plow on the front and a 14# Danforth on the rear if I'm anchoring somewhere that the boat can't spin.

 

[Tig]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

I anchor bow out towards any wakes and waves since it deflects the force. My stern anchor is small and only used to control sway.
I have a neighbor across the river who ties up stern out. His boat sinks from accumulated splashing over the stern or gets driven onto shore a couple times a year.

 

[sheridon]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

On my Sea Ray 185 I use a 12# Danforth on bow and stern.

 

[dbkerley]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

generally, it's dangerous to have a stern anchor that holds, especially if there are waves against the transom. Two good ones and your boat is down in 30 seconds.

Well worth saying again. Use your strongest anchor on the bow and let the stern lay in current. If you need to; drop a small drift sock off the stern to hold you in line and slow your side to side.

I use a Navy on the bow with 100' of line and a 7' rode then a 10# mushroom on the stern. I use the mushroom intentionally because I know that it will NOT hold and put me under.

 

[SeanT]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

You don't need to "anchor bow out towards anything". Anchoring bow only and the boat will automatically turn towards the waves/wind (due to the shape of the hull)

The only time you should consider a stern anchor is if it's somehow dangerous to allow for movement of your boat, but then you probably shouldn't be anchoring there anyway ( I assume it's a situation where you are there against your will).

With the nightmares I've heard and read about caused by stern anchors, I don't even want a small one out there potentially getting caught in rocks or anything. You simply don't know what's under water.

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

We use a stern anchor that holds all the time at the local island beach. Keeps my bow off the sand (bow in) and keeps the boat from swinging in the tide.

Now anchoring in the ocean on a stern cleat is just plain stupid.

 

[Beefer]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

I have a neighbor across the river who ties up stern out. His boat sinks from accumulated splashing over the stern or gets driven onto shore a couple times a year.

I have this mental image of your neighbor coming out after his boat sinks again, scratching his head, and trying to figure out how this could possibly happen...

 

[Fireman431]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

The only time you should consider a stern anchor is if it's somehow dangerous to allow for movement of your boat, but then you probably shouldn't be anchoring there anyway ( I assume it's a situation where you are there against your will).

With the nightmares I've heard and read about caused by stern anchors, I don't even want a small one out there potentially getting caught in rocks or anything. You simply don't know what's under water.

There are actually quite a few times when the stern anchor is warranted. Obviously, this wouldn't be in big water conditions.

When anchored during an overnight trip in the river, there are shallow areas around the boat or errant crab traps and I don't want the boat swinging side to side. This gives a great potential for fouling the props with trap lines. They can run 30-40 feet from the trap underwater.

Another is where mooring bouys are placed and other boats are around or may come in during the night. I don't want to wake up at 4 a.m. with my hull smacking against another boat. I also won't moor next to another boat if they don't have a stern anchor deployed where the swing of my boat may cross the swing of theirs.

Stern anchors have their place, but there has to be a captain that has the knowledge and sense on when and how to use them.

 

[204 Escape]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

We use 2/30# mushroom anchors, only off of the bow.

 

[sheridon]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

I only anchor the stern when around other boats. For example, I attended Aquapalooza and anchored the bow and stern to prevent me from swinging into other boats. I wouldn't have left it over night but was good for the show.

 

[dbkerley]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

If swinging is a problem or you are expecting alot of tidal change; then a stern anchor with an angel on it can actually help keep your bow anchor well grounded.

Proper anchorage and mooring is a skill.

 

[jeepnsam]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

thanks guys.

I was on a private beach at the Colorado with 4 other boats. All bow in, anchored to the beach and with stern anchors. (not big ocean or big waves)
Just didn't want my boat smashing into theirs..but my 12 pound mushroom kept drifting. I asked the other guys and they used 20 and 30 pound sterns.

That was on the river itself with a strong current.

When I was anchored bow and stern on a sandbar cove, the 12 pounder did not move. So i'm thinking the strong current was too much for the 12 pounder.

Sam

 

[Fireman431]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

When I was anchored bow and stern on a sandbar cove, the 12 pounder did not move. So i'm thinking the strong current was too much for the 12 pounder.

Sam

That pretty much sums up this entire thread.

 

[jeepnsam]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

UPDATE:

Decided to update all of my Thread Posts today.

I purchased a Box Anchor and Shore Spike set from www.slideanchor.com.
This seams to be the "standard" setup for the Colorado River boaters.

Sam

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

It's obvious from many of the posters here that they had no idea why you'd want to anchor the stern. I have a 21' mini day cruiser and we anchor the bow out, facing the lake/waves and then use about a 15 pound mushroom to hold the stern facing the beach.

Glad you were able to work it out.

 

[SeanT]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

I still don't get it. I anchor bow out and the boat always turns to face the wind/waves on it's own, which is how you'd want it (i.e. no waves hitting the side or back).

 

[partskenn]

Re: How heavy is your stern anchor

I carry a stern anchor to keep it from swinging when anchored in a crowd ( such as when we are watching an air show over the bay, with around 500 or so other boats.) I tried a smaller anchor on the assumption that it didn't have to hold as well as the main bow anchor. I was wrong. I now carry the same size stern anchor as my bow anchor, just less chain on it for easier storage.