Best Anchor for my Sailboat

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Adventurebound

What size and type anchor would allow me to have sweet dreams at night?

So 3 pages of thread now; what's the best anchor for your boat?

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Adventurebound

My yacht draws 1 foot with the keel up, downunder. For fun, say I anchor 5:1 sope in 1 foot water, I need 5 feet anchor rope. In an emergency I could tie a few lengths of shoelace for anchor rope.

Then I would certainly follow Boatman's recommendation of all chain.
In shallow water I would be looking a larger scope than normal to give you some catnerary. Easy to handle all chain in shallow water but I wouldn't rely on shoelace.

cheers

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by downunder

Then I would certainly follow Boatman's recommendation of all chain.
In shallow water I would be looking a larger scope than normal to give you some catnerary. Easy to handle all chain in shallow water but I wouldn't rely on shoelace.

cheers

Dyneema shoelaces, that's the go!

Jim

[Adventurebound]

[QUOTE=downunder;1545076]
In shallow water I would be looking a larger scope than normal to give you some catnerary.

Catnerary-no reference to it's meaning in my dictionary??

For the latecomers to this thread I bought a Rocna anchor as the best one. Just looked on the internet on an anchor from the Queen May 2. It looks like a modified danforth. You would think thay would use a heavy verion of the Rocna or similar if that design is so good.

[downunder]

[QUOTE=Adventurebound;1545086]

Originally Posted by downunder

In shallow water I would be looking a larger scope than normal to give you some catnerary.

Catnerary-no reference to it's meaning in my dictionary??

For the latecomers to this thread I bought a Rocna anchor as the best one. Just looked on the internet on an anchor from the Queen May 2. It looks like a modified danforth. You would think thay would use a heavy verion of the Rocna or similar if that design is so good.

Spelling - My error.
Try googling anchor catenary and scope.

http://www.anchorbuddy.co.nz/anchoring.html

http://www.petersmith.net.nz/boat-anchors/catenary.php

http://www.dulhunty.com/dmp3.htm

Plenty of basic information on these links. Anchors from cruse liners or oil tankers do not necessarily relate to small vessels. Read up on anchoring one of the most important skills for any sailor.

Try also the Bigger is Better thread on CF.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f118/anchors-bigger-is-better-99104.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f118/choosing-the-most-fail-safe-anchor-chain-126395.html

On this and many other threads the term is often discussed.

cheers

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Dyneema shoelaces, that's the go!

Jim

[Adventurebound]

Thanks downunder. Anchor Buddy has me interested. It is 30 lb of weight sent down the anchor line to reduce the angle. Has it's own line to pull back up before hauling up the anchor. This may be just as effective as having two anchors in tandem without the weight of manually hauling two anchors up at once. Any body ever use this device. Looks easy enough to make if you have a workshop. BTW I spent 8 years living at Seaforth north of you.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Adventurebound

Thanks downunder. Anchor Buddy has me interested. It is 30 lb of weight sent down the anchor line to reduce the angle. Has it's own line to pull back up before hauling up the anchor. This may be just as effective as having two anchors in tandem without the weight of manually hauling two anchors up at once. Any body ever use this device. Looks easy enough to make if you have a workshop. BTW I spent 8 years living at Seaforth north of you.

I was not in anyway recommending an anchor buddy . Its certainly a fancy Kellett - nothing new. They say considered essential in coral!! Never seen it used in coral on GBR. Something else to get caught up . Can't beat a decent single anchor and chain. I have no experience with a Kellett to really comment. Perhaps others will advise.

The 27ft powerboat I had on GBR I always used chain for diving and overnight. Can reasonably handle easily up to 15/20kg anchor without a winch. Few would recommend the tandem anchor technique.

Rocna is a good anchor although I personally would go minimum 10kg and use the heaviest chain you can handle. Put out plenty of scope. BIB in anchor speak. Would prefer as second anchor a Fortress. In the clean water of WA dig in your anchor and dive on it until you build up confidence in that Rocna.

Seaforth certainly has good access to offshore islands.

[forsailbyowner]

Ive had a problem with danforth anchors that i wonder if people have with the spades and rocna. In heavy weather it would dig to the point it was not retrievable without breaking the blades off. This was after much effort as it must have been 5' under the seabed. Do the rocnas and spades dig so deep that it takes a crane to pull them free?

Ive been happy with my delta. I sleep fine at night.

[Adventurebound]

Originally Posted by forsailbyowner

Ive been happy with my delta. I sleep fine at night.

Sweet dreams-a delta anchor is a great sleeping companion [keeping you safely anchored at night ]


I read a great article last night on anchoring. The author had nothing to sell and so was free of bs. He supported it with test data and came to logical conclusions based on that. The holding power of an anchor is based on scope, size of anchor, design. Heavy chain, weights dropped down the anchor line, all chain or all rope have little or no effect on holding power. When you need that holding power in strong winds the anchor line has litttle or no bow in it. You see pictures of anchor lines with a big bow reducing the the upward lift of the anchor.That occurs in very light wind conditions, but when the wind is strong the anchor line is very straight. Use of chain is for abrasion resistance.

Tandem anchoring has it's pros and cons. Rocena anchors are the only anchor mentioned that has a specific attachment point for second anchor. If you attach another anchor behind your primary anchor at the back, you have effectivly made a system that will want to pull your primary anchor out of the seabed. Attachment made on the same line has the line going past the primary anchor and possible tangling. Anchors should be a boat length apart to reduce the chance of tangling. If the boat changes position about 180 deg and your primary anchor drags a long ways, then in that rare but possible event you will have tangling. Also, if the back anchor beds itself in first, then the bigger primary anchor will not be set.

Happy anchoring

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Adventurebound

Ok, thanx Nolex. I'll see how confident I get with the Rocna. The extra work of a tandem would be saved for very high wind conditions. Might make a hand winch on the bow to raise the anchor[s]. Met a pleasant guy at the marina. He said he had a line going from the anchor line to the back of the boat where he collected and stored the anchor. He never had to go to the bow to anchor. Still trying to visualize exactly how that works.

tandem anchoring was written up many years ago, by of all folks Evans, IIRC. I did some noodling around and learned it is to be avoided. Dangerous for all the reasons mentioned so far. And a bear to haul up. Why do you think a bigger single anchor would be harder than two of equal weight, since if you do one boatlength between them, then you might actually be pulling the two up at the same time. Just Plain Nonsense.

Line going to the back? That one's simple: tie a rolling hitch onto the anchor line or chain, and run the line back to your jib sheet winch.

Sounds like you simply oughta buy a book about anchoring and read it.

[Adventurebound]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

tandem anchoring was written up many years ago, by of all folks Evans, IIRC. I did some noodling around and learned it is to be avoided. Dangerous for all the reasons mentioned so far. And a bear to haul up. Why do you think a bigger single anchor would be harder than two of equal weight, since if you do one boatlength between them, then you might actually be pulling the two up at the same time. Just Plain Nonsense.

Line going to the back? That one's simple: tie a rolling hitch onto the anchor line or chain, and run the line back to your jib sheet winch.

Sounds like you simply oughta buy a book about anchoring and read it.

Dear Mr Stu,
All my statements are correct but ambigious. Most of the time I will be using one suitable sized anchor. In the relatively rare event of exteme extreme winds, my plan is to anchor two anchors in tandem. So the heavy effort of lifting two anchors will be a rare event if at all. One big anchor would reqiure me to constantly lift that heavy anchor. I'll definiitely try your rolling hitch method. Is the friction between the ropes and chain small enough to get a non binding slide? Keep in mind my total sailiing time can be counted on three hands.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

tandem anchoring was written up many years ago, by of all folks Evans, IIRC. I did some noodling around and learned it is to be avoided. Dangerous for all the reasons mentioned so far. And a bear to haul up. Why do you think a bigger single anchor would be harder than two of equal weight, since if you do one boatlength between them, then you might actually be pulling the two up at the same time. Just Plain Nonsense.

Line going to the back? That one's simple: tie a rolling hitch onto the anchor line or chain, and run the line back to your jib sheet winch.

Sounds like you simply oughta buy a book about anchoring and read it.

Adventurebound

I you really want to use two anchors because your primary anchor is inadequate look up Bahamian mooring with anchors off bow. There is plenty of info from google and discussion threads here on CF.

http://www.tropicalboating.com/2009/...-style-mooring


Has been used in some cases in Carribean for cyclones. Fortress is a recommended second anchor.

Best talk with some local sailors who have cruised extensively in WA and look at their anchor rigs. I would not expect you will find anyone experienced using tandem.

Cheers

[Adventurebound]

Downunder
Sure I will check it out. I have the recommended size Rocena for my boat. It just barely fits in my bow locker. I've read equal stories for and against tandem anchors. The guy who invented tha Rocena used it in tandem-thats why it has a dedicated attachment point. I think that rare time you need tandem, also stay awake on the boat with the engine idling. As I said, this is more a controlled emergency procedure for near cyclone conditions if you get caught out. Good seamanship will keep you out of that predicament-but you need an emergency PLAN for the worst possible situation.

[Stu Jackson]

Dear Dr. Ambiguous

Extreme conditions would require you to carry two anchors, of course you know that.

But the REAL question is what your anchoring SYSTEM is sized for.

Anchor System Sizing Tables (Reply #6) Ground Tackle & Anchor System Sizing TABLES & Swivels

If you size your "regular use" system for your expected conditions, then you should be good for 99% of your conditions.

For extreme conditions, you have two choices: 1) don't go out; 2) if you're "caught out" deploy your tandem, although many have suggested that a second anchor on its own rode will do just as well and be less of a hassle.

That's why, since you mentioned your limited expereince, which BTW comes through in your posts, that you do a LOT more reading on this subject. While these forums are great for specific questions, the deeper background information is usually only available in texts. Why? 'Cuz most of us don't like to type that much!

You should also read up on KNOTS. There are even animations on the internet to show you how to tie them. But certain knots are very good for connecting, and you need to learn what they are, how they do it and why and how to tie them.

Good luck.