MS,
Thank you for your recommendations on anchors and rodes. We swapped our old (venerable?) CQR with a Manson Supreme 35# and ditched the 6 foot chain leader for 65' of chain coupled to another 150' of 3 strand rode. This past weekend, we left our slip for a night at anchor to play with the new ground tackle (and have crabcakes and a beer or 3 with friends on the water.) The Manson worked its way into the muddy Potomac bottom so robustly it was amazing. Plus, the chain significantly reduced our boat's tendency to sail or drift with the tide around the anchor. The next morning, I got a good workout as we weighed anchor to go sailing. In all the anchor set perfectly, though I must add 2 cautions to others:
1) Do not rush setting the anchor (it takes time to work into the bottom).
We put it to the bottom, layed out the rode (36 feet in 6 feet of water) and let everything sit for about 20 minutes, taking sights to some good references points. Then, when we finally went into reverse, slowly increasing to max throttle the anchor did not budge, wiggle, wobble or skip or drag.
2) Take your time raising the anchor. If you don't have a windlass, you will get a workout. Judicious motoring forward was the only way we could get it to release its tenacious hold on the bottom.
In all, it was a confidence inspiring evolution. Thanks again for the solid information.
Thank you for your recommendations on anchors and rodes. We swapped our old (venerable?) CQR with a Manson Supreme 35# and ditched the 6 foot chain leader for 65' of chain coupled to another 150' of 3 strand rode. This past weekend, we left our slip for a night at anchor to play with the new ground tackle (and have crabcakes and a beer or 3 with friends on the water.) The Manson worked its way into the muddy Potomac bottom so robustly it was amazing. Plus, the chain significantly reduced our boat's tendency to sail or drift with the tide around the anchor. The next morning, I got a good workout as we weighed anchor to go sailing. In all the anchor set perfectly, though I must add 2 cautions to others:
1) Do not rush setting the anchor (it takes time to work into the bottom).
We put it to the bottom, layed out the rode (36 feet in 6 feet of water) and let everything sit for about 20 minutes, taking sights to some good references points. Then, when we finally went into reverse, slowly increasing to max throttle the anchor did not budge, wiggle, wobble or skip or drag.
2) Take your time raising the anchor. If you don't have a windlass, you will get a workout. Judicious motoring forward was the only way we could get it to release its tenacious hold on the bottom.
In all, it was a confidence inspiring evolution. Thanks again for the solid information.