Choosing an anchor

[Skipperdan]

Well I have had "Mi Amor" on the lake for almost a month. First week went well, but after that in strong winds she broke loose and ended up in the weeds. Took a week to get her out. I had only a fluke anchor at the time. I had used these before and not had any trouble with them. They were a little different than the one I have now. This one is a split shaft. The others I had were not and I could pull a 7000# boat out of being grounded. Anyway I purchased two new anchors Delta type and a claw. Both about 16#. The claw did not work at all and the delta held but not enough to pull the boat out of the shallow. Once out it seemed to drag anchor. I am in heavy mud. I was thinking of trying the Mantis anchor 22 or 35#. 26' sailboat 5000#.

Any suggestions would be appreciated before I spend more money on anchors. I need to leave the boat unattended during the week 100 miles from home. 30 mph winds are common.

 

[Karyon]

I use a screw anchor that I picked up at a farm supply store, as long as your chain /rode is long enough your boat should stay and just ride the waves.

 

[Skipperdan]

How do you set that in 10' of water?

 

[Chief RA]

A screw anchor! You have got to be kidding me! Chief

 

[capta]

If I'm reading your post correctly, one of your anchors held long enough to pull you out of the weeds, then dragged? It sounds like you just pulled up too much anchor rode and no longer had enough scope out to hold the boat with any anchor. Scope is your one and only friend when anchoring in those conditions. The type of anchor isn't as important as getting enough scope out there so you are trying to pull the anchor along the bottom, not up to the boat.
Use two anchors, setting a second one farther out as you come up on the one.

 

[NYSail]

Have plenty of chain as well...... minimum boat length.

 

[seadaddler]

Get a Mantus anchor and at least 30 feet of chain and if my boat your situation that 's what I would do.
Nick

 

[Skipperdan]

Long story short; for one week it worked great with the fluke anchor. Then the wind switched, bent the anchor and then broke loose. Ended up in the weeds. 40+ winds kept lifting and dropping it farther in. Straightened the shaft to get it to hold sorta. Would not pull it out. Two new anchors claw and plow together would not either. 10' water 200' line 10' chain. Held but then broke loose. Had to have a extended forklift push me out. Once loose I tried the plow anchor. It did not really set that well and had a slow drift. The claw basically useless. The fluke works the best but does not like direction changes. I was ok until the wind switched. I also used a 40# weight on the end of the chain at the rode connection for the claw. What held the best was the claw, 50' rode tied to the fluke, 10' chain, 200' rode. All inline. The two anchors claw and plow set 45 deg apart also did not work.

 

[Benny17441]

Try using a little bit more chain. It is the weight of the chain spread along its length that will keep the angle of pull on the shank parallel to the ground for a deeper set and a quicker reset. The rule of thumb is one foot of chain for each foot of boat length. Claw anchors are usually effective on short scope but a soft mud bottom coupled with high direction changing winds might be too much for any anchor. Either sink a permanent mooring or look for a different spot to anchor.

 

[Skipperdan]

I had a 40# weight attached to the rode end of the chain. This would equal 30 or 40' of chain. I also just took the plow anchor to the shop and drug it across the soft ground with 10' of chain. It just said on it's side and never dug in. Even if I stood it up it just fell over once I started pulling I even started it point first in the ground and it still just fell over once I started pulling.

 

[Skipperdan]

I just ordered a Hurricane anchor, it has a money back guarantee and it was in my price range. Plus they are in MN so I should get it before the weekend.

 

[twalker H260]

Sounds like your anchors may also be too light. Most anchor selection tables I've looked at list 16-17lb anchors as lunch hooks for sailboats in the 25-30' length range (even though you are at the lower end for weight). For cruising anchors tables usually list 22-25lb and for storm anchor up to 35lb. Also there is a quality difference between brands of anchors even if the same type. Genuine Deltas, Fortress, Mansons etc while more expensive usually (if not always!) out perform look alikes. Keep in mind windage or surface area exposed to wind can have an equal or bigger impact on force applied to anchoring systems than the weight of the boat.

Since you are leaving this for extended periods unattended why not go real heavy, tie a buoy to it and leave it in place like a mooring when you got out for the day or weekend? Use a slightly lighter anchor for overnights away from your usual location and save your 16lb'rs for when you want to stop for lunch or know the weather will be good for an extended period?

Just looked at the hurricane anchor site you mention as I had never heard of them. Hopefully you upsized the anchor a bit from their recommended table as the list recommendations are for winds less than 30mph - this is the lunch hook or day anchor range.

 

[jibes138]

You need a mooring, not an anchor. Why not get a mushroom and sink it in the mud and have a real mooring? Otherwise go to a marine consignment store and buy a real big anchor, you can get used anchors pretty cheap. eventually an anchor will sink through the mud and get to something more solid if you aren't pulling it up all the time. Here's an outfit with some pretty big anchors for cheap. http://sailorman.com/categories/consignment-listings/anchors/

 

[jibes138]

a 200 pound mushroom at Defender is $239.00. someone around you might sell them. http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|2276108|2276109|2276113&id=68588

 

[Chief RA]

twalker and jibes are steering you straight. (pun intended) I do not know what regs you have at that lake but if you can I would get a nice big V8 engine block (no guts, clean) and drop her in with chain on it to secure to. Tie on a float and you have a great mooring. The bottom soil you have appears to be so soupy that any anchor is a problem. If a fluke won't hold you are basically to what we are suggesting. Look around and talk to your boaters, you are not having this problem alone! Chief

 

[Skipperdan]

I have these but how do I get it out in the lake? Technically my kayak would hold it, but getting it out would be hard. I also used 6 JD 40# weights 240# and that just drug through the mud. The smaller concrete barrel is doable and is maybe 300#. Not sure if I could just pull it from shore with the boat.

 

[twalker H260]

Three things will really determine the anchor/moorings effectiveness. Weight, shape and material they are made of.

The 300lb concrete barrel will only have an effective weight in water of 160-170lbs. It's shape will not be very effective in helping it dig into the mud or to resist being pulled through the mud. The Jd weights will have a higher effective weight but again will not dig into the mud or resist being pulled out.

I have heard of screw in mooring anchors being very effective in certain bottom conditions - there at many methods by which they can installed - usually thought of as being permenant. The mushroom mooring mentioned previously would likely be very effective - once it gets dug in to the bottom. They are relatively light and pretty much permanent as well.

Engine blocks while not quite as effective as a mushroom or screw anchor can work quite well once they get buried in place - it may take more than one for your conditions though.

 

[Chief RA]

If he is a diver he can dig out a hole for whatever he chooses to try. If he has a top of the barrel eye imbedded in cement it will act as a huge mushroom anchor, especially if he digs a hole to set it up in. Chief

 

[Gunni]

That Hurricane Anchor is an interesting variant. Kind like Rocna meets Hall anchor without the hinge. It incorporates the features that make the new modern anchors work - spade style and righting roll bar.
https://hbanchors.com/pages/about

 

[Skipperdan]

It should be here today, I hope anyway. I got a 18#. Nice and windy today to try it out.