When to Set a Stern Anchor?

[TomLewis]

Boatman pretty much captured when I use a stern anchor. The only thing I can add is with a sugar scoop transom, when the current reverses, it may drive you crazy with the slapping. We got up at 3am to spin the boat around because it so bothered the person I was with. A canoe stern may not be a problem.

[zboss]

We just got a great deal on a fortress fx11 as a stern anchor. We intend on using it on the ICW as we go north/south this year. It will help us keep the boat in the very thin estuaries (some are only 50 to 80 feet wide) where few boats anchor.

If it looks like we could get walloped by wind we have a Fortress FX-37 for the bow (or our trusty Spade) and our Fortress FX-23 we could use for the stern. Or, we don't put down anchor in a place without great swing room.

There are some places along the ICW where there are very few places to anchor, so the anchorages tend to be chock full of boats during the off seasons, never mind the migration season. In places like that boats almost always use a stern anchor.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Triumphant

Setting a Stern anchor to stop the boat rolling?

I am surprised that more people do not use an anchor spring off the main anchor to pull the boat head to swell as it is much easier to handle than a stern anchor. This is how the sailing ships used to get out of anchorages.

I also have used 2 anchors off the bow more than once (but, key point, my boat is set up for it), particularly in a northers where the holding is patchy, and I know the wind direction will change but I always have a very narrow angle between the anchors, typically 35 degrees, most of the books I have read suggest much wider angles but I think this puts too much stress on 1 anchor at a time.

BUT as soon as you do not need the second anchor, retrieve it otherwise you can have a real mess

Indeed. I doubt that anyone has used a stern anchor for this purpose, who ever figured out how to spring off the main anchor rode.


I use a stern anchor a lot -- but only for bows-to Baltic mooring against a quay or a rock. If you do it to limit swing, in an anchorage whether others are anchored conventionally, you will get swung into. It's for me to imagine being that desperate to avoid swing, but I suppose there must be some cases. We have 100 meters of chain and can usually solve any such problem just by anchoring further out.

[Uplander]

I have limited the swinging by laying a second anchor off the bow on maybe five occasions. It is amazing how much more secure it makes us feel and enables fine tuning of the boat's position. Twice we have motored forward to drop the anchor, twice we have taken it out by dinghy when strong winds forecast and once another boat laid it for us.
It is more difficult to recover but the extra peace of mind made it worthwhile.
Which leads me to another point. Never say never. When boating the most important thing is to keep your options open. Don't reduce your war chest because a whole lot of people on CF haven't had the need to try something.

[ohdrinkboy]

I use a stern anchor a lot. I'm on a lake. If if it a flat night and I'm tucked in a cove, I use a stern anchor to keep me from floating about. It also keeps my bow in to the prevailing wake.

Easy to set/retrieve. I set the bow with twice the scope i want. Toss out the stern anchor and then retrieve the bow anchor back to the scope I want. Reverse for retrieval. If I have to ditch the stern anchor in an emergency, I would tie a fender to the bitter end so I could retrieve later.

[Rustic Charm]

Well, this has been interesting. My lack of experince will not help much as its the full time cruisers that will help the most with anchor threads.

Im a little surprised the concensus is not to use two bow anchors ive used two off the bow with an anticipated blow expected. I have a 25kg Rocna as my main which many people comment as looking over sized. It's not oversized according to the Rocna site, its actually recommended size for a 36 footer.

When i added a second anchor i used a 3m rode and simply bolt it on to my main. Then i dropped the spare over the bow until it was in the water and then used the anchor windlass to drop the whole lot. That night i didnt sleep but i sat rock solid in 40+ knotts. Next morning it was calm enough to be gone. The main anchor came up first into the roller no problem, which left the second just swinging under the boat which i had to lift by hand from the shackle on the Rocna. In future ill attached a rope of three meters with a loop on it to ease picking it up.

So far, ive had no need for a stern anchor at all.

[J Clark H356]

I'e never used two anchors on the bow. On my Hunter. 356 I changed from a 22 lb Delta that came with it to a 44 lb delta. Rule one GET A BIG ANCHOR. Rule 2, USE LOTS OF SCOPE. My anchor line has 30 feet of chain, Use 5-1 min scope, 7-1 if you can, more scope, less potential for drag. In rivers and when tight anchorages like on the Tenn-Tom waterway (see photos) where you back into a creek or you are behind a bridge just out of the channel use a stern anchor to stay straight so you don't drift into the channel or against a bank. I have my original 22 lb delta for that, but have never used it. A fluked mushroom works well in mud and light winds ( not for much more than light, otherwise use something with holding power and scope).

On my KY Lake to Florida and back cruise, I used a 30 lb mushroom off the stern. This was is in river anchorages with small currents. Out of three anchorages going down and four back on the Tenn-Tom, I used the stern anchor 6 out of 7 times. 4 were in the mouth of small creeks where it was very tight and swinging could either put me into a bank or tangle my mast in the cradle in the overhanging brush. One was behind a bridge, downstream, and we had to avoid swinging into the current. It was on a straight section of the river and there is tow traffic that we have to give room. My wife slept lightly and 3 tows went by that night. The other was parallel to a bank with the wind light and coming from the bank side, and a small amount of current. We were facing upstream and the current mostly kept us parallel. That same anchorage with wind off the river side, I wouldn't have used for fear of getting pushed into the bank. The mushroom holds by suction and I have 3 flutes on it to.

The three photos are in two of the tightest anchorages where we used the stern anchor. First is Bashi Creek at mike 145 and the last two are Upper Sunflower at mile 78.

I have had 956 days on this boat and anchored 233 times. I've only drug anchor twice. Once early on when the 22lb delta was my primary in 20 knot winds. Second time was in 30 knots, water 30 feet deep 44 lb delta and we were the committee boat for KLSC races. I didn't have enough scope at 5-1. I have sonar, so I found a small high spot on the lake nearby in 20 feet, reset to 7-1 scope and didn't move an inch for the rest of the race. I had one anchorage where we got hit by a squall line with 60 knots for several minutes and sustained at 45 for about 30 minutes and with 7-1 scope, no dragging.

Hope this helps





Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Hydra]

In a distant past, I used a stern anchor in addition to a bower for beaching in sheltered places: I didn't want to be pushed up the beach at high tide. The stern anchor was also useful for getting away.

Other uses for a stern anchor are as described by boatman: in a narrow and sheltered river, to avoid going aground when the current reverses. Or, sometimes, in a narrow cove, when the wind blows against the swell.

Alain

[Don C L]

Well, where I am going, as Michael knows, looks a lot like Hydra's picture, so I am always setting an oversize bow and a "recommended" size stern anchor. I would be a little hesitant to set two bow anchors just because as was mentioned, it could be a hassle dealing with two off the bow, BUT I think it is a good idea to be able and ready to set two off the bow and I can imagine times and places where that would be a good idea. I am usually tucked into small anchorages, but I also just like to be able to keep the boat headed into the swell because currents and winds change at night, in some cases 180 degrees (hence the big stern anchor.) Running the stern rode, or a line hitched to the stern rode, to the bow is not so hard if I need to turn the bow to the wind. HOWEVER as Michael says, sometimes you may want to get out of a place in a hurry and a stern anchor could be a liability then, especially if it is set in a place where if you suddenly find yourself broadside to the wind, and when you retrieve the stern, the boat will swing in such a wide arc in a strong wind that it will drift into the rocks or beach you've been trying to avoid in the first place before you can haul in on the bow, if that makes sense. In that extreme case I'd consider dropping the stern, putting a buoy on it and come back for it later when things calm down. Haven't had to do that yet but I think about it. Wherever you go, just be sure you have a workable escape plan.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Well, this has been interesting. My lack of experince will not help much as its the full time cruisers that will help the most with anchor threads.

Im a little surprised the concensus is not to use two bow anchors ive used two off the bow with an anticipated blow expected. I have a 25kg Rocna as my main which many people comment as looking over sized. It's not oversized according to the Rocna site, its actually recommended size for a 36 footer.

When i added a second anchor i used a 3m rode and simply bolt it on to my main. Then i dropped the spare over the bow until it was in the water and then used the anchor windlass to drop the whole lot. That night i didnt sleep but i sat rock solid in 40+ knotts. Next morning it was calm enough to be gone. The main anchor came up first into the roller no problem, which left the second just swinging under the boat which i had to lift by hand from the shackle on the Rocna. In future ill attached a rope of three meters with a loop on it to ease picking it up.

So far, ive had no need for a stern anchor at all.

The only oversized anchor, is the one which won't fit in your bow roller, or which your windlass won't lift 25kg sounds about right for a boat that size. It was what we had on my Dad's boat, 37 feet and 10 tonnes. The bigger the better. For some reason, anchor performance seems to go up disproportionately with size.


Concerning double anchoring -- the problem is when the rodes get tangled, which they WILL, if you are swinging in tidal waters. If you need to bug out, you may be faced with jettisoning both anchors, which is a massive PITA and big risk of losing both anchors, even if you have a fender to hand. I can imagine a situation where you might need to despite all this, but it's certainly to be avoided where possible.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

The only oversized anchor, is the one which won't fit in your bow roller, or which your windlass won't lift 25kg sounds about right for a boat that size. It was what we had on my Dad's boat, 37 feet and 10 tonnes. The bigger the better. For some reason, anchor performance seems to go up disproportionately with size.


Concerning double anchoring -- the problem is when the rodes get tangled, which they WILL, if you are swinging in tidal waters. If you need to bug out, you may be faced with jettisoning both anchors, which is a massive PITA and big risk of losing both anchors, even if you have a fender to hand. I can imagine a situation where you might need to despite all this, but it's certainly to be avoided where possible.

I can not imagine retrieving two. One of ample size seems to make more sense.

[powsmias]

Originally Posted by Gone2long

Right now I'm somewhere where it is hard to find good literature on the subject, so I am posing a question on this forum.

I would like to know when most folks consider it necessary to set a stern anchor. Also, what is the downside to doing so, and when might a 2nd bow anchor be a better choice.


Also, if anyone knows a good e-book on anchoring, which I can pick up on the net for a reasonable price, please let me know.

Thanks to all,

G2L

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...is-154976.html

[tenchiki]

Most of the smaller (and picturesque) anchorages on the channel islands of southern California are too small (and deep) for even a single boat to lay comfortably to one anchor. Certainly not with the number that are normally there on summer weekends... Bow and stern anchoring is the norm.

[over40pirate]

Reading some of these posts is scary.
People saying, things like, I never use 2 anchors. Avoid using 2 anchors. Etc.
I'm not an "expert" as I have only anchored a few thousand times.
Most of the time using 2 hooks off the bow. 3 in Hurricanes and other big blows.
I have seen many, many boats drag anchor and most only had 1 hook down.
Using a bucket from a dink or snorkle and mask, to check anchors holding was part of my anchor method.

Someone mentioned a Fortress for the stern. Don't count on it to hit bottom in a current or if the boat is moving. Been there, done that.

The only place I would use a bow and stern anchor as others have said, is like at the edge of river, and you don't want to, or isn't enough room to swing.
Beware, there is a lot of windage if the wind is off the beam and the boat can't turn into it.

The most useful use of a stern anchor, is when you are anchored in hot weather, and the wind is light.
It's hard to describe.
Picture this.
Anchor off the bow with an extra boat length of rode.
Keeping rode cleated at the bow, grab the line near the bow and walk it down the deck (outside lifelines, shrouds, etc) to a stern cleat, and cleat it off, with a slippery hitch. (To release quick if it starts blowing)
Now the boat is stern toward the wind and the cockpit is much cooler. And dodger funnels any wind below.
If it starts to blow hard, or when leaving, just uncleat at the stern, and the boat will now hang on anchor off the bow.
This can be a real blessing in certain conditions.

The subject of anchoring has many opinions.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by over40pirate

Reading some of these posts is scary.
People saying, things like, I never use 2 anchors. Avoid using 2 anchors. Etc.
I'm not an "expert" as I have only anchored a few thousand times.
Most of the time using 2 hooks off the bow. 3 in Hurricanes and other big blows.
I have seen many, many boats drag anchor and most only had 1 hook down.
Using a bucket from a dink or snorkle and mask, to check anchors holding was part of my anchor method.

Someone mentioned a Fortress for the stern. Don't count on it to hit bottom in a current or if the boat is moving. Been there, done that.

The only place I would use a bow and stern anchor as others have said, is like at the edge of river, and you don't want to, or isn't enough room to swing.
Beware, there is a lot of windage if the wind is off the beam and the boat can't turn into it.

The most useful use of a stern anchor, is when you are anchored in hot weather, and the wind is light.
It's hard to describe.
Picture this.
Anchor off the bow with an extra boat length of rode.
Keeping rode cleated at the bow, grab the line near the bow and walk it down the deck (outside lifelines, shrouds, etc) to a stern cleat, and cleat it off, with a slippery hitch. (To release quick if it starts blowing)
Now the boat is stern toward the wind and the cockpit is much cooler. And dodger funnels any wind below.
If it starts to blow hard, or when leaving, just uncleat at the stern, and the boat will now hang on anchor off the bow.
This can be a real blessing in certain conditions.

The subject of anchoring has many opinions.

I tend to use a wind scoop.. less pissing about.