Wanting to overnight, what anchor?

mudtertel · Mar 27, 2014

I have two Danforths on my boat , They work great , I'm on the Hudson River.I guess it is mostly clay.I've dropped anchore, to hangout and swim with the Grandkids and my Honey.I also drop when we're watching Fireworks. I always leave plenty of line. So far I haven't moved to much.

Bad Obsession · Mar 27, 2014

I have a 33lb lewmar on my Catalina 30. That is a very good anchor and it would work for you. I have 30 feet of chain on it.

It is mostly mud in Chesapeake Bay. Danforth is good but it will not reset and the wind will often do a 180 if you get a thunderstorm. That being said, my Uncle has spent the last 34 years cruising the Chesapeake Bay and he has been to almost every place you can think of (he uses a Danforth).

Java, a Hunter 356, swears by a Manson Supreme.

Anchors are a touchy topic and you will hear a lot of this and that. Don't skimp on a small anchor because you will be awake at night worrying about your set.

My vote, for the money, and based off of my experience, would be the 33 pound Lewmar with 35 feet of chain for your boat (you could go up to 40 feet and it wouldn't hurt).

Bill1565 · Mar 27, 2014

Yes, big anchor will work. Pick your weather. You will not enjoy bouncing around even if securely anchored.

Remember scope includes freeboard to the cleat as well as depth of water . Use 5 to 7 x for good weather 10x for chance of storm.

You can practice any time no need to wait for evening.

Five0 · Mar 27, 2014

I have always used Delta anchors. What ever anchor you use I would have at least 20' of chain.

Deadhead · Mar 27, 2014

I use a Manson Supreme with an all chain rode and sleep soundly anywhere on the Chesapeake Bay.

gettinthere · Mar 27, 2014

Chesapeake is rather unique in that the very soft mud means you cannot power set the anchor. It will drag almost every time.
Our method is to drop it and slowly back up to pay out chain so we dont have a ball of chain on top of the anchor and then shut down the boat. If I have any concerns of heavy weather coming overnight I'll restart the engine an hour later and power set the anchor then. The anchor will eventually work its way down deep to thicker harder mud and hold fine. Weight helps, lightweight aluminum anchors wont sink as fast if at all.
We full time cruise and anchor a lot in a variety of conditions and this is what you have to deal with there. Using this method we had 7 boats rafted to us in a tight anchorage on short scope and held fine with a wind shift and a breeze that came up. 42' boat with 45 lb manson supreme and 5/16 hi test chain

Gunni · Mar 27, 2014

Since you want to get serious about your anchoring bona fides you should start with a modern anchor. Mantus, Manson, Spade...Mantus is offering a good product and you can find it in the site store. The newer anchors roll and reset better. But the real trick is learning how to do a good set - drive the bad boy in good so you can sleep. How do you know? Practice, practice, practice. Set an anchor alarm on your GPS (or smartphone) and sleep in your sea boots the first few times! Anchoring isn't just for lunch and overnighting - skilled anchoring can save you when all else fails. Oh yeah,bigger is better, go up one size if it fits your roller. Move up to 5/8 8-braid and put enough chain on the end to protect your rode from bottom chafe 25-30 feet should work. Cleat the rode, do not trust your windlass to hold you.

Bill Roosa · Mar 27, 2014

Pick your spot. Don't anchor in places that are open to a long fetch unless you KNOW the wind will not be coming from that direction. I find the snugger the anchorage the better providing the traffic is not too heavy.
don't forget to use a 5+ scope and measure from the bow spirit not the water depth. So in 10' of water + 5' of height to the bow spirit you would want 15*5=75' of rode out. That makes 150' swing so check your depths all around BEFORE you pick your spot. You do have your rode marked with 'feet from anchor" markers right?
I use a 45 lb delta with 100' of chain and have never had any problems.

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · Mar 27, 2014

I used to cruise a big tri- spent an entire year without ever touching as dock. Now I sail a 25 footer, and anchor 75 % of the time.

On the tri, I used a 35 pound CQR and 100 feet of chain. On the 25, I use a 22 pound Claw, and 75 feet of chain. Both had 200 feet of nylon behind the chaiin.

On both boats I had large Danforths, and I use them iin a Bahamas Moors.

BUT

NO way on earth I would anchor and go to sleep on a single Danforth. It's a really fantastic anchor, but if the tide changes, or a wind shift happens you CANNOT rely on it to reset!! And it's pretty worthless in grass.

I have a friend who when asked about anchors, claims you should have 5 pounds less than the heaviest thing you can haul aboard. ,Joking of course, but not far wrong. That anchor is your BEST insurance policy. Don't skimp on it. And I highly recommend at least a boat length of chain, and plenty of rode. And if you are going to be anchoring, have TWO aboard, complete, ready to go fairly quickly. I carry 3. And 3 complete rodes ( with 25 feet of chain on each)and all are different types.

The bow of my 25. Those are 12 inch cleats

caguy · Mar 27, 2014

There are some pretty good anchor watch phone apps that will help you sleep. I have one on my Garmin but I don't like the battery drain from leaving it on all night.

Ron20324 · Mar 28, 2014

If you have a chart plotter with track function, once you anchor and settle back on it, start a new track. You will probably swing side-to-side, but you should not move back much unless there is a gust of wind, which would make your rode taut.

Bad Obsession · Mar 28, 2014

Hrm.....I have to comment about the power set in the Chesapeake Bay.

I ALWAYS powerset the anchor. I will back up until it catches (back slowly). Then after I get a good set I will really power down on it.

Most of the cruisers I know power down on the anchor. I can't imagine sleeping without knowing that I have a good set. If the anchor drags when I start backing up then it won't hold overnight. If it doesn't set a first time, I pick it up and try again a short distance away. Only once have I not had a set on a first try with the Lewmar anchor I carry. I got a set on the second try and it held through two nasty thunderstorms.

My Uncle who uses the Danforth anchor has a Catalina 34. Before that he had a Catalina 27. He has been sailing the Chesapeake Bay for a long time. He taught me to power down on the anchor.

Sometimes if you know a front or storms system is coming in we set at 90 degrees to the wind. This way if the wind does a 180 (and this frequently happens with storms) you will still have a good set most of the time. I have sailed over my anchor a few times when storms hit. There is always that minute where you hold your breath and wait to see if the anchor sets. When the boat slams down hard on it you will be glad that you have plenty of anchor and line out and that you powered down on it.

Bob S · Mar 28, 2014

Cool Bean,
You'll love the experience but regardless of you anchor choice I'll bet you won't sleep. I know I didn't on my first night. Fairly windy and a somewhat crowded anchorage. Every place up here is crowded unless you can sneak out midweek. I anchor sailed all night long. Slept on the starboard settee looking out the open hatch watching other boat's anchor lights all night long. Tried to envision if I was getting closer. I know there are some pretty cool anchor apps for your phone that can sound an alarm if you're dragging. I have a Garmin 76C handheld that I set an anchor alarm and take to bed. You'll get a feel for your anchor and gradually build trust in it. Main Sail has some very good advise, just do a search.

i have a 25# Mason Supreme with 60' of 5/16 chain and 300' of line. I generally anchor in 20' or shallower waters.

You'll really appreciate the morning coffee on a few hours catnapping

We almost always anchor out as I'm sure you will to once you build your confidence.

http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=594777&highlight=Anchoring

http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=716386&highlight=Anchoring

rfrye1 · Mar 28, 2014

Mr Cool.
All great advice. I would read up and get book smart. Get more chain. Then practice for lunch and afternoon stops. Practice make perfect.
Good luck. Bob

Benny17441 · Mar 28, 2014

If you have not spent a night on the hook in 4 years I have to assume that you are not going to pick one with a stormy forecast. The Chesapeake Bay has many nooks and crannies where you can find protection in short order and most likely will be setting the hook in one of them for the night. Take the 22 pounder attach 25' 5/8 chain and 150' of rope and you should be fine. The combination will provide adequate holding power for your boat while not being to bad on your back. If you decide to take an extended trip then I would pack heavier tackle but no sense in killing your back or having to install a windlass just for a planned overnight.

Bill Roosa · Mar 29, 2014

Weighing anchor needs practice too!
unless there is no wind/current you will probably want to motor over the anchor which requires the helmsperson (be a man and weigh the anchor while the first mate girls the helm!) to know which way to turn the boat so work out some hand signals before you try. I find left, right and "over the anchor" to work fine.
On a related note can someone tell me why I see a lot of the ladies weighing the anchor (by hand) and the burly man helms the boat? I could understand if you have an electric winch or there is some medical problem but these guys don't seem to have that as an issue.

Bill1565 · Mar 29, 2014

Bill Roosa said:
Weighing anchor needs practice too! unless there is no wind/current you will probably want to motor over the anchor which requires the helmsperson (be a man and weigh the anchor while the first mate girls the helm!) to know which way to turn the boat so work out some hand signals before you try. I find left, right and "over the anchor" to work fine. On a related note can someone tell me why I see a lot of the ladies weighing the anchor (by hand) and the burly man helms the boat? I could understand if you have an electric winch or there is some medical problem but these guys don't seem to have that as an issue.

+1 on hand signals. +1 on man the anchor. We once cruised with a houseboat couple who went to the local big box store to buy an anchor. She started at the small end lifting the displayed flukes. When She got to one too heavy to lift, they Bought one size lighter. He drove the boat, she deployed and Retrieved. Wouldn't hold the houseboat in any current( we were on the Mississippi) so they tied off our stern a couple of nights.

Bad Obsession · Mar 30, 2014

My Lewmar 33 has held all over the Chesapeake. I have held through 50+ knot storms, 180 degree wind shifts, etc, etc,etc.

I had issues with my Danforth on some bottoms. If I remember correctly I got my Lewmar 33 pound bruce style anchor for around $100. I then did 30 feet of chain and used my existing line (it was in good shape).

Bow rollers are nice because you can leave your tackle on the roller when not in use. They aren't absolutely necessary and you can hold off on the roller. Get the anchor and chain first and use your line that you have (if it is in descent shape).

If I remember correctly, Willoughby Bay has good holding. I believe that it was a mud bottom. I am not sure about the James River.

If you are still using a danforth make sure that it is big enough for your boat and make sure that you get a good set. I know people that use them exclusively on the bay and they have worked for years.

If I remember correctly, I will back down on my anchor slowly until it grabs and then build up the RPMs to about 2,000. If it holds then it will take a lot for it to come loose.

Wanting to overnight, what anchor?

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Attachments

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.