Anchors and rode

[kclancy]

Hi All!
In preparing for a trip this weekend, I inspected and marked my anchor rode. I was told by the folks organizing the trip that I would need to have two anchors; a bow and stern anchor in order to anchor along the shore of a small island in the California Delta. I have two anchors, both are Danforths 13#'ers. One of them has 20 feet of chain and 300 feet of rope. The other has 10 feet of chain and 100 feet of rope. This is probably more ground tackle than I need for a Catalina 22.

I am considering make some changes in my ground tackle. I am thinking about reducing the rode on the 300 foot set up and getting a smaller anchor for the 100 foot set up.

What are you all using for your ground tackle?

Thanks!
Kevin

 

[Johnb]

For years when we had a our 23 foot sailboat in the delta we anchored either by:
A) Setting a stern anchor, then moving up to the Tule reeds and throwing a grappling hook with a trip line into the reeds. This leaves you at "right angles" to the current and means that you do not have to reset with the tides.
or,
B) If you are anchoring in a slough or river just one anchor by the bow only. When we did this I always set an alarm and got up to do an anchor watch at tide change.

In many places the penalty for drifting loose would be mast tangled in trees, getting gouged on rip rap, running aground and getting stuck, hitting other boats or trapped up against bridges.
There is not enough depth almost anywhere in the delta (assuming you don't plan to anchor in the ship channels) for you to need more rode than you have. The holding is variable and in areas where the currents are funneled the bottom can be hard, probably due to scouring, so take care to get a good set. Sometimes if you put max pull too soon the anchor will slide along forever but if teased gently it will get a grip and set well, try and feel through the line what is happening.

Where are you going?

 

[kclancy]

My girlfriend and I are participating the Delta Doo Dah, which is a DIY cruise(s) throughout the summer organized by the magazine Latitude 38. Since we are still novices, we are participating in all the "hosted" events. We thought this was a good opportunity to learn more about these waterways in the company of folks who have been sailing in the Delta for a long time. This weekend, the Bay View Yacht Club out of San Fran has invited Delta Doo Dah sailors to a BBQ and live music at their private island called Bradford Isle. It should be a lot of fun!

 

[Johnb]

Guaranteed to be fun, there are many really nice places to anchor out and dine out. Plan to swim because it gets can get really hot. Also prepare against mosquitoes, not usually a big problems because it cools down quickly after sunset.
An absolute must is to check the charts and know where the shallow water is.
For overnight you want to be well protected from Westerly wind. Some of our favorites are
1 At the North end of Franks Tract.

2 On the East side of Decker Island

3 Venice reach

 

[Scotty C-M]

KC - What a blast. I would be tempted to leave the 300' rode alone. It is over-kill for the delta, but when you are sailing around the bay, there are some areas where the extra length could come in handy. For example I set a couple of hundred once out near Alcaatraz, during Fleet Week. I can imagine scenarios near the Golden Gate where the extra rode might come in handy.

 

[Will Gilmore]

For my Mariner 19, I have 300' of rode and 15' of chain with a 13 lb Danforth. I consider this standard for depths up to 45'. I also have a 9 lb folding grapnel with a similar setup for rode and chain. Great for beaching and easy to stow. I think two anchors are a good idea and I don't configure for specific conditions because I like to go to new areas when I can. Even on my hobie I carried 300' with 6' of chain because I liked the flexibility.
I like the 20' of chain idea but the Mariner is pretty light so I don't think chafing beyond my 15' is going to be a problem. I can always add chain from the second anchor if I think the conditions call for it.

- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Gene Neill]

Daydream carries a 13lb Mantus on the bow, with 22' of chain and 100' of 1/2'' three strand. Here on the west coast of FL, that's enough rode to anchor on a five to one scope anywhere within 20 miles of land. I would have gone with a 17 lb anchor, but the various measurements involved made it impracticable. Fortunately, the 13 pounder performs flawlessly.

We also carry a nine pound fluke anchor stowed below as a spare. There's no chain on it at the moment, but it does have a hundred feet of three strand. I'll probably add a few feet of chain to it soon, just for quicker setting. But a million stinkpotters around here seem to get by without any. And given the warm, shallow water, I can (almost) always dive on it to make sure it's set.

 

[kclancy]

Good information everyone. Thanks for sharing!