Bent danforth anchor - ideas how to fix?

[Caracal]

I'm with the "scrap it" people. You'll get a weaker anchor by reusing it and if you use it in the same way again, it will bend again, but this time easier.

[four winds]

Originally Posted by Bowhaus

..............

Any other tips to prevent the large amount of swinging (~120 degrees) that my boat experiences at anchor pretty regularly? Does it have something to do with he fin keel setup?

My Pearson sails at anchor like a ghost ship. Sometimes making 2 kts from side to side. Dropping a second anchor straight down from the bow until just dragging the bottom (hammerlock mooring?) has helped many times. In most winds it stops the motion, and if not slows it to the point it's not noticed. Much different than making 2 kts and abruptly halting and reversing direction.

[bobconnie]

Before we had a ketch, we used a old wind sock from an airport, it's about 7 ft long by 24 in dia. at the front! just raiser her with a halyard with a light line to ease it out ! kept us inline in most winds almost as well as our mizzen do now !! I think we paid abut ten bucks at a garage sale. If ya have a sewing machine im sure ya could whip one out for almost nothing ! just a thought

[CarinaPDX]

While it might be possible to cold form the anchor while keeping most of the strength, the risk is of poor performance. If the geometry is not perfectly symmetrical Danforths tend to corkscrew out. Scrap it.

Danforths are great in sand, gravel, and mud while always pulling from the same direction. They damage easily in rock and coral, and often fail to reset after a swing. This makes them poor for general anchoring. They do shine as a stern anchor when going bow-in for a Med-moor, as old harbors usually have a lot of soft mud. And they also make great storm anchors for stowing below, as long as they are only needed in the right bottom conditions...

Consider a newer anchor design for your replacement.

Personally I avoid like the plague using two anchors at a time; having one off the bow and the other off the stern is the worst. In a reversing tidal current the rodes twist around each other under the boat - I can attest that it is not so easy to escape from that.

Greg

[Andrew Troup]

I'd straighten it if it's a mild steel shank, provided you've owned it since new and know it hasn't been bent before.

[CarinaPDX]

As for hunting around under anchor, the place to start is to lead the anchor rode (or snubber) on deck right at the bow; running through a hawsehole or chock that is a couple of feet off center will cause it to sail side to side. If it is not possible to attach in the center, then use a bridle, which is usually better anyway.

Personally I don't have experience with riding sails, but clearly they improve the situation.

Greg

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Bowhaus

Thanks for all the replies, based on the responses, I think I'll end up replacing the anchor.

Regarding the stern anchor setup, I still have a couple of questions-

The danforth off the bow was plenty strong to hold the boat in those winds, but the boat was swinging ALOT which is why I put out the stern anchor (actually first time I did this).

Any other tips to prevent the large amount of swinging (~120 degrees) that my boat experiences at anchor pretty regularly? Does it have something to do with he fin keel setup?

Yeah, I've been in anchorages where some boats jst seem to do that,usually fin keeled boats. Only thing i know is a small riding sail on the back stay.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

Before we had a ketch, we used a old wind sock from an airport, it's about 7 ft long by 24 in dia. at the front! just raiser her with a halyard with a light line to ease it out ! kept us inline in most winds almost as well as our mizzen do now !! I think we paid abut ten bucks at a garage sale. If ya have a sewing machine im sure ya could whip one out for almost nothing ! just a thought

Fascinating.

I found that when I installed weather cloths on the aft lifelines (aft-cockpit boat) it cut down on the boat's tendency to sail the anchor. Kinda like feathers on an arrow.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by rtbates

For me the Bruce would be the primary and a danforth a stern hook IF THAT.

+1.

Exactly what I have (and I use a bridle between amas with the anchor rode slack to the main hull); the stern hook is aluminum and only used when needed because of a tight anchorage spot.

[motion30]

If.i.were buying new. Either.a.roca or a.manson. no quesion

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

Use stern anchoring only, forget the bow..

I hope that's not a serious suggestion!

Boat builders place the anchoring equipment at the bow (the pointy end) for a reason.

Anchor the boat from the bow. You can add a stern anchor in low wind/low current situations only.

[sabray]

excerpt from Jordan Series Drogue - Mooring and Anchoring. The following section has generated little interest so far.. I even mentioned it to a couple of Marine insurance companies to no avail. However, I finally picked the following up on the web.
"Have you ever tried anchoring from the stem? I anchored the other weekend for an experiment in 20 to 30 knots out in the open. The difference between how our Seraph 25D behaves stem to as opposed to bow to was utterly amazing. Sure we had wave slap and some spray into the cockpit, but she just sat there and pointed into the wind with every shift. By the bow she dances around like a drunken ballerina, sailing off one way, snatching up on the anchor line, turns, and off she goes the other way. The anchor sail on the backstay helped but she still wasn't nearly as composed as when her stem was facing the waves. Mr. Jordan will tell you why this works. And more importantly maybe, why sailing vessels USED to be able to get away with bow anchoring and why modem sloops just can't ;without sailing all over the place."
MOORING AND ANCHORING

In the fall of 2004, four hurricanes devastated southern Florida.
"Hurricane Ivan struck the Gulf Coast causing extensive damage. Insured U.S. losses exceeded $7 billion". Science News, April 05. The media showed scenes of marinas with a shambles of damaged boats. Boats from moorings and anchors littered the shore.

[Don C L]

Looks like you got your answer but I'd add that it looks like you have a Danforth 13S and the H (Hi tensile) series is considerably better and can withstand what you experienced better. Where I am I regularly anchor bow and stern with Danforth 12H stern and 20H bow, which is overkill for my boat, but when those anchors are set I am only concerned about the cleat pulling out, and it won't. As far as sailing at anchor, what Teddy Diver suggested may sound like a joke, but it does work. Boats with lots of stuff on the stern like arches and such do better. I have not used a riding sail but if I had that problem, and I only wanted one hook down, the riding sail would be my first choice. But the stern hook is probably the best way to go IMO. I occasionally wake to a current or wind hitting me broadside and I will go up and move the stern rode to the bow so she will swing to the wind on the two hooks and I go back to bed. I have not bent a shank yet with my Danforth Hs yet. If I were planning to go farther afield I'd get a newer gen anchor for the bow, but a (real) Danforth is very hard to beat for holding power in one direction.

[Cheechako]

If you are handy enough to bend it back, you can do that. It will actually be stronger due to work hardening. It's a smooth gradual bend, and that is not a 'Hi Tensile Danforth' (which would be better) so no worries. If there is a local mechanic shop or etc with an arbor press, they could do it better.
There are often Danforth, CQR or other old school anchors on Craig's list very reasonable priced. Or put a card up wanting one at your local marina.

Your cause is not uncommon, stern anchoring in most situations has been nothing but a nightmare for me over the years.

[Shrew]

I'd scrap the anchor. I would use a stern anchor if other folks around me are doing the same (and I couldn't anchor somewhere else), or basically if I had to restrict my swing radius for any reason.

I wouldn't use a stern anchor for additional holding in bad weather. I'd rather be bow into the wind. If strong winds are astern the stern anchor may be too small (many are, mine is as well). IF winds are abeam, the windage is horrible, as is the rolling. IF winds are off the bow, the stern anchor is less effective.

I'd rather start with a solid, slightly oversized anchor and chain to account for when weather pops up. Then anchor off the bow.

OP may have had to restrict swing radius and I missed that detail.