Something to Ponder If You Don't Set Your Anchor

[noelex 77]

There is an amazing amount of debris on the bottom of many anchorages in even the deserted areas I usually anchor.

In light wind the only way to test your anchor is to use the motor (or the boat's momentum and/or sails) to both set the anchor and test that it is holding. Not everyone does this, arguing that anchors set better after a rest and that the natural wind forces (as long as they don't rise too quickly) will do the job for you. There is an element of truth in this, but I often wonder how they sleep at night knowing there are things like this on the bottom that the anchor could have landed on.

It would have been much more typical if I had shown a photo of a towel, part of a torn sail or some plastic garbage, and it would have made the same point, but this was a bit more exotic and only about 10m from my anchor today. It looks like the aileron from a plane (no not MH 370 ). Probably of WWII vintage, there were a lot shot down around here. (Or it could just be a bit of garbage)

Anyway there is a lot down there that will prevent your anchor working properly. Give it a good test. Just my 2c

[zboss]

You shouldn't be anchoring there anyway... That's critical queen conch habitat.

My Bruce would definitely drag.

[Adventurebound]

Use a big magnet as an anchor if there is a lot of heavy metal around.

[onestepcsy37]

friends of mine anchored in nassau harbor for a few days. when they tried to pick up the anchor they couldn't. eventually discovered it was fouled around a large washing machine...

[avb3]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

There is an amazing amount of debris on the bottom of many anchorages in even the deserted areas I usually anchor.

In light wind the only way to test your anchor is to use the motor (or the boat's momentum and/or sails) to both set the anchor and test that it is holding. Not everyone does this, arguing that anchors set better after a rest and that the natural wind forces (as long as they don't rise too quickly) will do the job for you. There is an element of truth in this, but I often wonder how they sleep at night knowing there are things like this on the bottom that the anchor could have landed on.

It would have been much more typical if I had shown a photo of a towel, part of a torn sail or some plastic garbage, and it would have made the same point, but this was a bit more exotic and only about 10m from my anchor today. It looks like the aileron from a plane (no not MH 370 ). Probably of WWII vintage, there were a lot shot down around here. (Or it could just be a bit of garbage)

Anyway there is a lot down there that will prevent your anchor working properly. Give it a good test. Just my 2c

Looks like it could be the side of a stake truck also, especially with that tire close by.

Can you imagine the fun dropping your anchor into that tire? It might set, but what a surprise when you haul it up.

[Fuss]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

There is an amazing amount of debris on the bottom of many anchorages in even the deserted areas I usually anchor.



In light wind the only way to test your anchor is to use the motor (or the boat's momentum and/or sails) to both set the anchor and test that it is holding. Not everyone does this, arguing that anchors set better after a rest and that the natural wind forces (as long as they don't rise too quickly) will do the job for you. There is an element of truth in this, but I often wonder how they sleep at night knowing there are things like this on the bottom that the anchor could have landed on.

I would never have an anchor that I felt needed a rest in order to set properly.

I consider an anchor to sometimes need to be used in an emergency with no time for laying the chain out nicely and waiting for the anchor to gradually sink in. Then gently pulling back slowly increasing the force.

If my anchor required that treatment.... I would replace it.

Decide on the spot and dump it, and dump some chain without caring if some is on top of it, then slightly tighten the clutch and either allow wind if strong enough or the engine to drag out the rest. Snub it off and give it a pull on the motor increasing the revs over 2 mins to 75% by which time it better be holding steady as a rock.

And it better do this every time , if not I would expect there to be a real good reason, like flat rock for example.

Otherwise you can never sleep in 35kts of wind or leave your boat unattended for a day or so.

[sailorboy1]

what's the name of this perfect anchor?

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

...Anyway there is a lot down there that will prevent your anchor working properly...

It works the other way, too.

I dropped my anchor in about 30' and backed in the the quay at the St Georges Dinghy and Sports Club in Bermuda. After about a week I went to pull it up and it wouldn't budge, no matter how hard I tried to break it free. One of our friends on another boat put on his SCUBA gear and went to to free it for me. It was securely snagged on a big section of steel pipe!

[Fuss]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

what's the name of this perfect anchor?

Most of the new generation ones would do that if sized right I think.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Fuss

Most of the new generation ones would do that if sized right I think.

well mine NG anchor is oversized and it isn't as prefect as your requirements so I thought maybe you have a special one to share with us

[a64pilot]

You wouldn't believe the number of smaller anchors I salvage from wrecks and bridge spans meant to be dive sites and fish habitats.
You get a good set on an old sunk tug boat, it ain't coming up

[Fuss]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

well mine NG anchor is oversized and it isn't as prefect as your requirements so I thought maybe you have a special one to share with us

You didn't specify what is not so perfect....maybe you just need to oversize it a bit more or use more scope.

As I said, you have to believe it's going to hold in an emergency. That would not be a nice to have would it.... It's more the minimum requirement.

[ontherocks83]

So what do you do with an all chain rode if you get it stuck on a immovable object. Do you dump the whole chain or cut it some how?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Fuss

You didn't specify what is not so perfect....maybe you just need to oversize it a bit more or use more scope.

As I said, you have to believe it's going to hold in an emergency. That would not be a nice to have would it.... It's more the minimum requirement.

my anchor works just fine, but not as perfect as as you expect of one

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by ontherocks83

So what do you do with an all chain rode if you get it stuck on a immovable object. Do you dump the whole chain or cut it some how?

There are a lot of techniques for freeing a stuck anchor, but if you have tried them all what is left is to buoy the whole rode and hope you can get a diver, or cut your losses literally.

Even with all chain rode the bitter end should be attached to the boat by rope in such a way that you can reach this and quickly cut and dump the rode in an emergency.

If the anchor is caught and you decide to cut the rode rather than getting a diver it is not usually an urgent emergency requiring cutting the bitter end. The sensible procedure is too save as much chain as you can.

Chain cuts quite easily with some BIG bolt cutters or a hacksaw. Even a junior hacksaw will cut through chain in a few mins. (Try not to get the steel shavings on the deck. Even tiny spots will rust)