Simple question - what is better, one anchor or two anchors? Assuming you are not making a bahamian moor, you just want a security anchor out in case the first one drags. We've had some strange experiences with two anchors, but have yet to drag. Or is it better to just have one anchor that resets itself cleanly? I would like to hear people's opinions.
One anchor or two anchors
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Simple question - what is better, one anchor or two anchors? Assuming you are not making a bahamian moor, you just want a security anchor out in case the first one drags. We've had some strange experiences with two anchors, but have yet to drag. Or is it better to just have one anchor that resets itself cleanly? I would like to hear people's opinions.
R
Richard J.
One Anchor
Unless you can keep your boat perfectly into the wind direction at all times it is going to burden one anchor at a time as the boat swings or tacks about,so for the most part you are laying on one single anchor or the other, might as well have one good storm anchor deployed. Last time I tried two, the rodes managed to wrap around the keel when the tide and current reversed, what a mess, had to dive to get the rodes free.
Unless you can keep your boat perfectly into the wind direction at all times it is going to burden one anchor at a time as the boat swings or tacks about,so for the most part you are laying on one single anchor or the other, might as well have one good storm anchor deployed. Last time I tried two, the rodes managed to wrap around the keel when the tide and current reversed, what a mess, had to dive to get the rodes free.
R
Richard J.
One Anchor
Unless you can keep your boat perfectly into the wind direction at all times it is going to burden one anchor at a time as the boat swings or tacks about,so for the most part you are laying on one single anchor or the other, might as well have one good storm anchor deployed. Last time I tried two, the rodes managed to wrap around the keel when the tide and current reversed, what a mess, had to dive to get the rodes free.
Unless you can keep your boat perfectly into the wind direction at all times it is going to burden one anchor at a time as the boat swings or tacks about,so for the most part you are laying on one single anchor or the other, might as well have one good storm anchor deployed. Last time I tried two, the rodes managed to wrap around the keel when the tide and current reversed, what a mess, had to dive to get the rodes free.
We use one - depends on the ground
All anchoring depends on the bottom types where you sail. But you should be able to find an anchor type suited to set, hold, and reset in your area. When you do, one anchor is the right answer for normal conditions. We dragged once, using a plow on mud over rock, when an expected 180 wind shift hit. We had lots of room, and the anchor reset after it dragged off the rocky area. We have used two anchors only when we needed to control our position in a crowded anchorge. I would also set two anchors if we expected or experienced sustained gale force winds. David Lady Lillie
All anchoring depends on the bottom types where you sail. But you should be able to find an anchor type suited to set, hold, and reset in your area. When you do, one anchor is the right answer for normal conditions. We dragged once, using a plow on mud over rock, when an expected 180 wind shift hit. We had lots of room, and the anchor reset after it dragged off the rocky area. We have used two anchors only when we needed to control our position in a crowded anchorge. I would also set two anchors if we expected or experienced sustained gale force winds. David Lady Lillie
We use one - depends on the ground
All anchoring depends on the bottom types where you sail. But you should be able to find an anchor type suited to set, hold, and reset in your area. When you do, one anchor is the right answer for normal conditions. We dragged once, using a plow on mud over rock, when an expected 180 wind shift hit. We had lots of room, and the anchor reset after it dragged off the rocky area. We have used two anchors only when we needed to control our position in a crowded anchorge. I would also set two anchors if we expected or experienced sustained gale force winds. David Lady Lillie
All anchoring depends on the bottom types where you sail. But you should be able to find an anchor type suited to set, hold, and reset in your area. When you do, one anchor is the right answer for normal conditions. We dragged once, using a plow on mud over rock, when an expected 180 wind shift hit. We had lots of room, and the anchor reset after it dragged off the rocky area. We have used two anchors only when we needed to control our position in a crowded anchorge. I would also set two anchors if we expected or experienced sustained gale force winds. David Lady Lillie
B
Bill
Depends on situation
One anchor is usually the way you go. But, in certain areas, such as the free anchorage at Key West, you must use two or you will be swinging into everyone else. If you are in a tight anchorage with a good current periodically going through, you will use what everyone else is using, which most likely will be two. If you use two and everyone else is using one, then they will be swinging into you with wind changes. Two anchors can foul each other if not properly deployed. You can always have two on board so if you lose one you have a 2nd. Or have one as a storm anchor and another as a lunch hook. It all depends on where you sail (or I should say "anchor")
One anchor is usually the way you go. But, in certain areas, such as the free anchorage at Key West, you must use two or you will be swinging into everyone else. If you are in a tight anchorage with a good current periodically going through, you will use what everyone else is using, which most likely will be two. If you use two and everyone else is using one, then they will be swinging into you with wind changes. Two anchors can foul each other if not properly deployed. You can always have two on board so if you lose one you have a 2nd. Or have one as a storm anchor and another as a lunch hook. It all depends on where you sail (or I should say "anchor")
B
Bill
Depends on situation
One anchor is usually the way you go. But, in certain areas, such as the free anchorage at Key West, you must use two or you will be swinging into everyone else. If you are in a tight anchorage with a good current periodically going through, you will use what everyone else is using, which most likely will be two. If you use two and everyone else is using one, then they will be swinging into you with wind changes. Two anchors can foul each other if not properly deployed. You can always have two on board so if you lose one you have a 2nd. Or have one as a storm anchor and another as a lunch hook. It all depends on where you sail (or I should say "anchor")
One anchor is usually the way you go. But, in certain areas, such as the free anchorage at Key West, you must use two or you will be swinging into everyone else. If you are in a tight anchorage with a good current periodically going through, you will use what everyone else is using, which most likely will be two. If you use two and everyone else is using one, then they will be swinging into you with wind changes. Two anchors can foul each other if not properly deployed. You can always have two on board so if you lose one you have a 2nd. Or have one as a storm anchor and another as a lunch hook. It all depends on where you sail (or I should say "anchor")
One is sufficient
One well set anchor with the right design for the ground, and adequate scope will hold up to gale force winds in an anchorage protected from the waves, even if the wind shifts. In Lake Erie with mud or sand bottoms, one danforth, Bruce, or claw does the trick. A second anchor is only needed to restrict boat movement in a crowded anchorage, or if winds rise above gale force. A second anchor may give peace of mind, but the extra effort to set it every time would reduce the frequency of anchoring out for us. As it is, we anchor out about on third of our nights on the boat. We love it, especially in Sandusky Bay and the Islands where there are always good anchorages whatever the wind. David Lady Lillie
One well set anchor with the right design for the ground, and adequate scope will hold up to gale force winds in an anchorage protected from the waves, even if the wind shifts. In Lake Erie with mud or sand bottoms, one danforth, Bruce, or claw does the trick. A second anchor is only needed to restrict boat movement in a crowded anchorage, or if winds rise above gale force. A second anchor may give peace of mind, but the extra effort to set it every time would reduce the frequency of anchoring out for us. As it is, we anchor out about on third of our nights on the boat. We love it, especially in Sandusky Bay and the Islands where there are always good anchorages whatever the wind. David Lady Lillie
One is sufficient
One well set anchor with the right design for the ground, and adequate scope will hold up to gale force winds in an anchorage protected from the waves, even if the wind shifts. In Lake Erie with mud or sand bottoms, one danforth, Bruce, or claw does the trick. A second anchor is only needed to restrict boat movement in a crowded anchorage, or if winds rise above gale force. A second anchor may give peace of mind, but the extra effort to set it every time would reduce the frequency of anchoring out for us. As it is, we anchor out about on third of our nights on the boat. We love it, especially in Sandusky Bay and the Islands where there are always good anchorages whatever the wind. David Lady Lillie
One well set anchor with the right design for the ground, and adequate scope will hold up to gale force winds in an anchorage protected from the waves, even if the wind shifts. In Lake Erie with mud or sand bottoms, one danforth, Bruce, or claw does the trick. A second anchor is only needed to restrict boat movement in a crowded anchorage, or if winds rise above gale force. A second anchor may give peace of mind, but the extra effort to set it every time would reduce the frequency of anchoring out for us. As it is, we anchor out about on third of our nights on the boat. We love it, especially in Sandusky Bay and the Islands where there are always good anchorages whatever the wind. David Lady Lillie
two anchors
This fall we drug for the first time. Strange situation. A storm came in during the night and during the storm the wind shifted about 180 degrees. Our plow broke out and didn't reset because of heavy grass. The danforth broke out and speared a large conch that prevented it from resetting. Fortunately my wife woke up and checked our position. We had drifted about one half mile!!!! Fortunately we had drifted out into the bay and there weren't any boats down wind of us. If the wife hadn't checked we would have been blown ashore within 15 or 20 minutes. I had noticed a different motion in the boat but usually I get up needlessly so that night I resolved I wasn't checking the anchor.... Sometimes being paranoid about dragging is a good thing. Tom
This fall we drug for the first time. Strange situation. A storm came in during the night and during the storm the wind shifted about 180 degrees. Our plow broke out and didn't reset because of heavy grass. The danforth broke out and speared a large conch that prevented it from resetting. Fortunately my wife woke up and checked our position. We had drifted about one half mile!!!! Fortunately we had drifted out into the bay and there weren't any boats down wind of us. If the wife hadn't checked we would have been blown ashore within 15 or 20 minutes. I had noticed a different motion in the boat but usually I get up needlessly so that night I resolved I wasn't checking the anchor.... Sometimes being paranoid about dragging is a good thing. Tom
two anchors
This fall we drug for the first time. Strange situation. A storm came in during the night and during the storm the wind shifted about 180 degrees. Our plow broke out and didn't reset because of heavy grass. The danforth broke out and speared a large conch that prevented it from resetting. Fortunately my wife woke up and checked our position. We had drifted about one half mile!!!! Fortunately we had drifted out into the bay and there weren't any boats down wind of us. If the wife hadn't checked we would have been blown ashore within 15 or 20 minutes. I had noticed a different motion in the boat but usually I get up needlessly so that night I resolved I wasn't checking the anchor.... Sometimes being paranoid about dragging is a good thing. Tom
This fall we drug for the first time. Strange situation. A storm came in during the night and during the storm the wind shifted about 180 degrees. Our plow broke out and didn't reset because of heavy grass. The danforth broke out and speared a large conch that prevented it from resetting. Fortunately my wife woke up and checked our position. We had drifted about one half mile!!!! Fortunately we had drifted out into the bay and there weren't any boats down wind of us. If the wife hadn't checked we would have been blown ashore within 15 or 20 minutes. I had noticed a different motion in the boat but usually I get up needlessly so that night I resolved I wasn't checking the anchor.... Sometimes being paranoid about dragging is a good thing. Tom
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