How many anchors do you have?

[Olly75]

This, hopefully, isn't a question about the best type of anchor, cause I really don't want to be responsible for opening that can of worms again, but a more general q's about the number that people have on board.

I've gone and got myself a nice Rocna and am thinking about how many anchors I actually need. My portfolio now consists of:

Rocna 88lbs
Danforth Fluke 44lbs
Large CQR (the Rocna replaces this one)
Fortress FX23

I'm inclined to dump the fluke as its so big that I can't work out a way to store it (there's no place for it below and none of the rail mounts that I can find are big enough), and would happily dump the CQR but having a back up to the Rocna in case of loss seems sensible.

So what have you got?

[Mike OReilly]

That Rocna is quite the over-kill for a 35’ monohull. If your imaginary boat can manage it, then great, but it’s about many times bigger than suggested.

My boat is 37 feet long, 30,000#. I carry:

25 kg (55#) Rocna (bower)
Big Danforth (not sure the weight)
15 kg Bruce (stern/oh-crap! anchor)
F-37 Fortress (storm anchor)

Also carry three independent rodes.

[Olly75]

Ah yes, need to update my info, the boat is actually 44 ft and 35000 (ish) pounds.

[Smokeys Kitchen]

I carry 4. Boat is 24,000 lbs displacement monohull. Came with 2-45# CQR's on the bow w/ 2 separate rodes. Sold both CQR's.

Now:
Rocna (actually a Vulcan to fit on the bow roller) 25kg bow anchor
Fortress FX 25 mounted on the stern w/ small chain-rope rode attached
Fortress FX 37 - dissembled in locker
PE Luke 70 - dissembled in locker

Vulcan is on permanent chain/rope rode
2nd chain/rope rode mounted in bow
extra rope rode in locker

FX 37 and Luke 70 were both purchased off of Craigslist; both were unused.

[zeehag]

i fishermans/yachtsmans, 3 danforth, one dinghy brucelet, one 30 kg bruce 1 45 pound cqr
boat came with all except the bruce. i bought that from a nice cpt named ray who works for sd maritime museum. good peeps,. and i use it most.
41 formosa, 14 ton

[thinwater]

It really depends on where you plan on sailing and how far you're cruising.

Daysailing. One, unless you need medication for OCD. Something for kedging and short stops. Not an undersized lunch hook.

Weekend cruising. Two. You might loose one and you just might use two. The odds of both happening in weather you choose to cruising in is beyond remote.

Coastal cruising. Maybe three. You will use two someday and you may loose one. On the other hand, I did this for 20 years with two. Only once would I have liked to have had a 3rd when I lost one, but I replaced it before I had any need of it. So I'd say two.

Distance cruising. I've never gone far enough that I couldn't replace a lost anchor in a few days. But still, three should be enough. Four is defensible if you might face a tropical storm.


(dinghy anchors don't count)

[belizesailor]

I own about half a dozen anchors, but have only actually carried two aboard for many years. A Bruce and a Fortress...have covered me for every anchoring scenario Ive encountered to date.

The others are mostly for setting up off season moorings back on the Rio Dulce.

[JPA Cate]

It really depends on the intended cruising grounds. If you're going somewhere with rocky bottom, you may want to carry a rock pick, a fisherman style anchor. They're a pain, because they need to be large and heavy to work, but sometimes they're just what you want.

12 tonnes, 60 lb Manson Supreme, 45 lb. plow-type, 20 lb HT Danforth.


Ann

[model 10]

I couldn't bear to toss the 45lb CQR so I turned it into a 2 piece and now it's buried in the boat. My Rocna 25 kg is a Canadian job that looks like it needs new G. There is an FX-23 on the stern rail that I used a couple of times this year.

[Pelagic]

Two permanant on the bow, one deployable for the stern.

[a64pilot]

I have three on the bow.
I had the Fortress mounted towards the rear, there is nowhere to put it now that I have a code zero, it’s in the way of the sheets, the dinghy takes up the whole stern, I don’t dare mount an anchor there for fear of damaging the dink.
Fortress weighs nothing anyway, too easy to carry aft if needed.
Besides it my kedge plan as well as aft anchor

[kmacdonald]

10 lb. Manson Supreme and a 4 lb Guardian G-7. 6' of 1/4 chain and 100' of 3/8 three strand nylon on each. I know, I went a little overboard on ground tackle for a 22' coastal cruiser.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Olly75

This, hopefully, isn't a question about the best type of anchor, cause I really don't want to be responsible for opening that can of worms again, but a more general q's about the number that people have on board.

I've gone and got myself a nice Rocna and am thinking about how many anchors I actually need. My portfolio now consists of:

Rocna 88lbs
Danforth Fluke 44lbs
Large CQR (the Rocna replaces this one)
Fortress FX23

I'm inclined to dump the fluke as its so big that I can't work out a way to store it (there's no place for it below and none of the rail mounts that I can finyd are big enough), and would happily dump the CQR but having a back up to the Rocna in case of loss seems sensible.

So what have you got?

I have a 60# Manson Supreme that’s my primary anchor and a 45# Mantus backup that has never been wet

[oldcal46skipper]

On my Cal Cruising 46 I have had 36 years and lived aboard/cruised North, Central & South America I have:
-Bow and stern 66# CQR's with 350' of 5/16" chain. General anchoring and when the swell is different from the wind so I can anchor bow and stern
-75# Danforth for those "Aw-s__t occasions
-45# Herreshof for getting through bottom vegetation
-35# Northill for kedging


Have used them all at one time.


Tom

[janice142]

Seaweed has a 33 pound Rocna and a 16 pound Hydrobubble in the cockpit as my emergency Stop Anchor. I would not mind having a Fortress too as I currently have two plow-type anchors. You Olly75 have a good variety which will serve you well when your primary can't seem to set. Having the ability to try another type is excellent. And it's smart.

That said, an improperly stowed anchor can cause damage. Secured or sold would be my choice. Good luck.