For Ross & other northern Chesapeake Bay Sailors

[Manny]

What type of anchor do you use in the northern Chesapeake Bay area and are you happy with the performance of it?I have a danforth type anchor with chain and rode and I am wondering if that is okay? My local chandlery has a Lewmar Delta for a decent price and I am thinking I might buy it if it is a good anchor for the area.Also, what would be the minimum amount of chain in a chain/rode combination that should be used for a 27' 7000lb sailboat? (I know more chain is better but I am wondering if there is a formula like one foot of chain for every foot of length as a minimum).Thanks in advance!Manny

 

[Ross]

Manny, I have a 35 pound cqr because I was able to buy

it for about 75 dollars, I run about 30 feet of 3/8 chain and an awful lot of 5/8 three strand nylon rode. I am completely happy with this BUT most of my slip neighbors are comfortable with a Danforth. The holding is always good if you stay out of the grass. That is easy if you anchor in more than ten feet of water. Generally you can find a sheltered anchorage so that wind and waves are a small problem.We anchored on the flats one night with a forecast of light and variable winds. I anchored in about 8-10 feet and let out about 200 feet of rode. (there is a lot of room out there). We went to bed and the wind picked up from the south at fifteen to twenty and Nancy spent the night on the cabin floor praying while I slept the sleep of the righteous in the vee berth. We broke the anchor out in the morning with the engine. It was dug in too deep for me to pull up by hand. ;D

 

[Allan R]

2nd That

I've used a Danforth style for a number of years and have always felt comfortable in it's holding ability even in windy conditions. One of the keys is to make sure it's set right and you have sufficient rode for depth and conditions.

 

[Mike B]

Muddy bottom

Manny, the upper bay is mostly a muddy bottom and danforths and deltas are the most commonly used anchors. I use a Fortress FX16 and am very happy with it. Most of my power boat buddys have Deltas and are also happy. I don't think you can go wrong with either. As far as the amount of chain, I'd see what the manufacturer recommends. Fortress for example tells you to use what I consider a minimal amount of chain, but I followed their advice and it works. I believe West Marine has recommendations in their catalog.Mike

 

[Warren Milberg]

I use about a 25 lb Danforth

with 15 ft of chain and 150 ft of 1/2 in braided nylon rode. My boat also displaces around 7,200 lbs. Anchoring in the bay is usually a breeze with this kind of ground tackle and I've never had an anchor drag (that I'm aware of). As Ross states (and I think his ground tackle would be great just about anywhere)try to avoid grassy bottoms. With mostly oooooozy mud and hard sand, the Danforth works well. I've used this ground tackle in winds over 50 kts and it held securely. Now weighing anchor the next morning required all my skill and a few tricks to get that sucker up....

 

[Ross]

Warren, the most effective way to break the anchor

out for me has been to pull rode until the chain is vertical. Then I stop the chain and back until the boat stops, shift into forward and over run the anchor. If the boat doesn't stop then I am free and I shift to neutral and secure the anchor.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Manny, an anchor primer

would tell you that a Danforth will NOT reset in changing tides, so it depends on where you are planning to anchor and whether 9r not the boat will face another direction during your stay.No one anchor is "better" than another, except for the information contained in the link. It's a long thread, but has some very interesting information for your use. Thanks again to Maine Sail for contributing to our C34 Message Board. (Please read all four pages of the thread)

 

[Ross]

When we anchor on the Chesapeake Bay it is the breeze

that determines which way we face. The tidal range is generally less than 3 feet and you can easily find anchorages that are out of the tidal streams. most of the time my anchor rode is slack.

 

[Dan Johnson]

Manny...

I have a plow type on the bow roller and carry a big Danforth as a back-up in the anchor locker. The plow works fine for the upper Bay mud.Previous boat carried just a Danforth and it worked very well in all places I dropped the hook (use plenty of scope!).Both anchor set-ups use about 10 feet of chain.

 

[s sauer]

Danforth

Manny,I have used two Danforths for the past 22 years with our 7,000Lb Hunter 28.5; one is the OEM 13 lb standard Danforth, and the other is a larger, longer shank heavier model 1800 (I believe no longer made) which we use only as a storm anchor. The 13b burries easily and deeper thean the larger fluked storm anchor, both with about 10 feet of chain.Exceptions and problem areas are: the leaf covered soft mud bottom creeks around Annapolis; the soft muck bottom in the Inner Harbor at Baltimore and a couple rock bottomed areas such as White Rocks in the Patapsco and in the entrance to the Chester River.The 13 is more easily stowed in the anchor well; where the 1800 is too long. We also keep extra chain and 200 feet of 1/2" nylon rhode stored below for emergencies (never yet used). Always use the engine to dig it in and you can sleep soundly.

 

[RichH]

Depends on the bottom .....

For the soft gelatenous goo you find in many of the 'gunkholes' I prefer a danforth. But with the return of the grasses in many places that wont permit a danforth to penetrate into the bottom, I use a plow (Spade) anchor. Ditto on loose shells lower down the bay, a plow type is best. Most of the upper bay will be sandy bottoms which are easy to anchor on with any type anchor, the rest will be 'deep goo' so a danforth is probably the most suitable overall. Deep 'goo' & 'muck' - danforthMost other - plow

 

[sailaway78]

Mud and sand

For our mostly mud and sand conditions on the gulf coast I use a danforth type anchor exclusively, with never a problem. But I carry a large Delta for any time I have to anchor up in grass. Turtle grass in Fla. is wasted effort trying to get a danforth to set or hold. The idea that Ross gave for motoring the anchor out is also what I do. Sure saves on the old back, when you don't have a windlass. I would add one thing. I have a marker on the rode at 20'. This way I know for sure that I have the rode in far enough that positively it can't get into the prop. I also normally drag mine for a hundred yards or so, which washes off most of the mud and goop, and keeps the deck and the anchor locker much cleaner.

 

[Manny]

Thanks All!!!

Thanks for the great info, I think I will pick up the anchor this week. Can't hurt to have two, especially for my trip down to HDG in two weeks. I'll see what to do about the chain/rode combo. Looks like ten feet of chain is probably the minimum I want to go with.Manny

 

[Mike B]

Enjoy the trip

Manny, enjoy the trip and keep an eye out for debris in the water. Spring will come with plenty of rain, which will of course wash all sorts of junk into the rivers and bay. I helped a friend move his boat to Annapolis from Baltimore on Saturday and there was quite a bit of tree branches, etc. floating in the bay.Have you decided if you'll make the run in one day or stop over for a night? If so where will you stop?Mike

 

[Shippy]

Delta than Fortress

Hi Manny....On my old 29.5 I carried a fortress fx16 and in almost all conditions it worked fine. Only problem I ever had was up in the Wye where there was so much leaf and stick that it just refused to set. As others said, fortress calls for less chain due to the lite weight of the anchor itself....I think 10 ft or so is recommended. On our 356 I upgraded the standard 22lb delta with the 35lb delta and added 50 ft of chain and 150 ft of line. In the season and half, that has worked real well, even up in the Wye. The fortress on one occassion or another did take a while to reset in a full shift, but the delta has not experienced that problem. I also carry a fortress fx23 as a spare on the 356 but yet to deploy it.

 

[Ross]

From the reports and complaints that I have read

I conclude that most anchoring problems arise from too short a scope. I have friends that anchor their dink with a very small bruce. It looks like a salesman's sample. They told me that one day they came back to where they had anchored the dink, picked up the painter and made it fast and started to motor away only to be stopped cold by that little anchor. Allowing that the boat was just 27 feet and their engine was 10 hp it is still astonishing.

 

[Manny]

I'll keep an eye out for debris

I'm kind of used to seeing and dodging debris on the upper Delaware River, so not to worried about it.Mike - If all goes to plan, I'll be leaving Friday the 28th. I hope to make it to Engineers Cove in the Canal that night. I'd like to anchor there or get a slip if possible to get some shut eye for the night, then catch the tide at the right time to ride it through the canal and into the bay. My friend making the trip with me wants to run straight through but I'd rather take my time and be alert.Shippy - what's the "Wye"? Also are you still going to be in HDG this year or are you going elsewhere?Manny

 

[Warren Milberg]

For Manny re "Wye"

Shippy is referring to the Wye River and it's many creeks and gunkholes. The Wye River is a tributary off the Miles River (and off Eastern Bay) and is a great stopping off point on the way to/from St Michaels for those who like to swing on the hook. It has some great anchorages, like Shaw Bay (which tends to get crowded on summer weekends), but if you head up the eastern branch of the Wye a mile or so, you'll come to two of the prettiest and deep anchorages ever: Granary and Dividing Creeks. Wish I was there now....

 

[Mike B]

Engineer's Cove

Manny, just a reminder about Engineer's Cove. Watch the tide when you go to enter and adjust accordingly. I've seen boats swept clear across the entrance because they were unaware of the speed of the current that runs in the canal. I keep any eye on other boats entering or if there are non cut power and calculate my drift before entering. The water is usually deepest from the center of the entrance to the wall on the east side. If you can I'd grab a slip for the night, especially if there's any prediction of bad weather. The holding in the cove is poor. For dinner I'd pass on the restuarant at the marina and head into town, which is about 2 blocks away. Try the "Tap Room", cold beer, crabs, etc. Walk out of the marina and head to your right, you can't miss it. Have a safe and fun trip.Mike

 

[Ross]

Manny , if the tide is in you favor when you arrive

at Chesapeake city you might be best if you continue to the Bohemia River.Edit to add : High tide and slack water are predicted for 1600 hrs on the 28th at Chesapeake City. Low tide at 2130hrs. So max ebb will occur about 1830 hrs The direction of ebb is 230 degrees.