What would you do?

[Franklin]

My guess

Is that people get a danforth set a little (not backing down on it) and it holds for the current conditions but then the conditions change and up it comes and doesn't reset because of the mud stuck on the flukes. The key with Danforths is to set them hard. The harder you pull a danforth in mud the deeper it goes. You really can't pull a danforth out with proper scope and pulling in the direction you set it in. I was broadside (rode wrapped around keel) to a 50 knot wind for hours and it didn't budge. If the rain holds off, I'll let you know my test results for this weekend of trying to pull it out backwards on a 4:1 scope after being set with a 7:1 scope. I'm very interested in what happens.

 

[newly anonymous]

trick question

Come on Gary! We know you too well to think you'd put out a night hook of 3 to 1 with nylon. Wouldn't happen.

 

[s sauer]

Two Anchors

Sounds like a situation I wouldn't put myself in. However, hypothetically, I'd consider deploying one (danforth) from the bow, setting it at 7:1 then pay out enough rhode to deploy another (danforth) at at least 60-90 degrees to the first, also dug in at 7:1. Then tighten up and check your swing room. You may be a ble to get more scope out safely, but it's dificult to anticipate what would happen with a significant wind shift. I've found that my smaller 13h Danforth sets and digs in better than the larger 16h.

 

[Paul Akers]

Same thing as if 2:00PM

I would reset the anchor and do what it takes to secure the boat for the evening.

 

[Michael]

Horn

First thing first if I were drifting close to the neighbor I would figure if the damn wind woke me up they need to be awake and I would blast them with me horn for allowing their boat to get so close to mine. Then I would fire up the motor, gunning it a bit to add to the noise of the anchorage to make sure everyone is awakened. i would then toss out a couple of anchors, light up the deck and call the PARTY to order; just so there wouldn't be no hard feelings for the rude awakening.

 

[Anchor Down]

It Was My Decision

Bruce (response #15), Paul (#8), and others in this vein have it as right as I can figure. It was my call to try to squeeze in there. And I then probably had no room to set that Danforth properly. I agree: they need to be set flat, then you can come up on a shorter scope. I rolled the dice, but crapped out.First, I can't let out more scope if I'm already dragging down and am "very close" to my downwind neighbor, so that's out. The engine is the only option. Crowded means there's probably no room to set out two anchors, so the best I can do is to come back to my orig. spot, re-set, run the sentinel down, and stand watch.If I have a different type of anchor, it might hold better than the Danforth on shorter scope in this particular bottom, esp. if it is a design that uses weight to penetrate, so I'd try that. Still a sentinel, still stand watch.If that don't work, it's almost 4AM by now, so I'd just get underway if that were a stop-over, or motor out and stand off, make a nice breakfast & sip coffee until daylight and the early birds heave-ho, then come in and find a better spot with room to get more rode wet, if that cove were my destination. And then a nice afternoon nap.I know I'm usually the guy saying "don't give yourself anything outside what Gary wrote," but most of us carry more than one type of anchor (Lord, I hope so), so the probability is that it's there.

 

[Mark]

Reverse toavoid fouling rode

It's all been said - but on trick to avoid running over your rode is to navigate in reverse streming the rode and chain behind (in fornt) of you like the way the guys do at the marinas in the BVI's etc.Then when you are clear you can haul it all in and either attempt to re-set it or get the heck out of dodge.

 

[wurzner]

3 to 1 Scope?

I'm really amazed to see folks putting out 3-1 scope in the PNW. With tide exchanges of ~13 feet and currents associated with that, I would never put out 3 -1 scope. I NEVER go below 5 -1 at night and that includes 50 feet of chain. Also, I'm surprised no one uses a GPS anchoring alarm. Even doing this, I have lost my hold in PT Townsend when the tide changed 180 degree and the ferry's came in with fairly large wakes. I was in fine all night until the tide changed and we went for a ride. I have an Ericson 38 and use a 33 Bruce with 50 feet of chain and an additional 200 of line. I also have a danforth depending on where I anchor and a smaller 25 lb danforth.shaun

 

[Ross]

WOW! If you allow 6 feet of draft and 5 feet

from deck to water and 13 feet for tide range and a 7:1 scope you need to put out 170 feet of chain and nylon. When people calculate a 3:1 scope is it from high tide or low tide?