Using your stern anchor before the main anchor.

[lauriel]

I am trying to choose the most appropriate hardware for a stern anchor and rode on a 32ft fin-keel sailboat.
Apart from mediteranean moorings which are pre-planned, when have cruisers used their stern anchors?
I am particularly thinking of occasions when a manually deployed stern anchor is used before the forward anchor has been dropped from a windlass rather than as additional holding in a challenging location.
At present I am thinking an aluminium Fortress with 10ft of chain then rope will allow ease of use.
All comments will be welcome. Even the humourous. Thanks in advance.

[JPA Cate]

Hi, lauriel,

It sort of depends on how you're planning to use the boat. Sometimes in a really crowded place, you can wedge your way in, close to shore, if you anchor bow and stern. Mostly, it hasn't been necessary here in Australia, but for instance, we have used one to keep the bow or stern into the swell, for more comfort at anchor, and one time we used one to keep the stern off the rocks. We've also used our stern anchor off the bow, to help the boat stay safe, and to add holding power in light-holding mud.

Ann

[CarlF]

Years ago before the newer anchors, everyone would use two anchors in reversing current situations since the old anchor designs wouldn’t reliably reset. But those days are gone. Now, if you use two anchors in a crowded anchorage, you swing differently from everyone else on one anchor and cause problems.

When I use a second anchor now, I take it out in the dinghy after setting the first. I use it 1) when I expect a wind change may put me close to a shallow spot in the harbor. 2) as storm preparation when I will put it out at a narrow angle to the first anchor.

The Fortress is a great 2nd anchor as it is light enough to handle from the dinghy. Unless the bottom is coral, I don’t use any chain but at least 7:1 scope.

[ItDepends]

In 30 years of cruising, I have used a stern anchor.... once. Prepping for a direct hit by a hurricane in a narrow creek.

I have used a second bow anchor... once. In a narrow channel with a reversing tidal current.

It's a tool in your toolbox you need to have and know how to use, but you will almost never use it.

[Don C L]

In my area, (Channel Islands, So Cal) with many small anchorages, and sometimes conflicting waves, wind and currents, it is customary for boats to have a stern anchor out. It is also common to see folks come into an anchorage, drop the stern anchor first and motor up to where they want to place the bow anchor. When we leave, we usually fall back to the stern anchor to take it up and then go forward to the bow. Naturally this means you need to have double the rode you expect to need on both the bow and stern anchor because when you are done, half of what you let out will be used, if that makes sense.
Here is a shot of boats anchored as an example:
https://www.cruisersforum.com/galler...ageuser=155384
https://www.cruisersforum.com/galler...ageuser=155384

Anchoring like this also ensures more folks can slip in and make use of the anchorage. And with no threat of boats swinging into each other, we all usually get along really well.

You can get by with the fortress and 10' of chain if you are sure there will be no source of chafe on the rope rode. I use Danforth HI-tensiles bow and stern and they do not let me down when set properly. On the stern I have over 50' of chain and the stern is on roller ready. In my area, the stern anchor may end up being stressed as much as the bow so I have a 12-H on the stern for my 29' 8000# boat. The "storm" anchor for me is the 20-H.

[goboatingnow]

Here in the med many boats are rugged with stern anchors.

Arrangements run from complete stern anchor rollers and dedicated capstans to simpler systems typical a stern mounted stainless box with all chain or combination rode and typical light weight anchor

[DEAN2140]

I thought med moors were stern in, bow anchor out. What am I missing?

[capt jgw]

Originally Posted by DEAN2140

I thought med moors were stern in, bow anchor out. What am I missing?

You could Med moor bow to the pier, but would be a lot harder getting on and off most boats that way. Lyn and Larry Pardey described doing it that way in their books, I think it was because they didn't have an engine and couldn't really back up.

[lauriel]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Hi, lauriel,

It sort of depends on how you're planning to use the boat. Sometimes in a really crowded place, you can wedge your way in, close to shore, if you anchor bow and stern. Mostly, it hasn't been necessary here in Australia, but for instance, we have used one to keep the bow or stern into the swell, for more comfort at anchor, and one time we used one to keep the stern off the rocks. We've also used our stern anchor off the bow, to help the boat stay safe, and to add holding power in light-holding mud.

Ann

Thank you everyone for your informative replies, all much appreciated. I'm based 30 nm north of Sydney with sandy or muddy bottoms. Sometimes weed but no coral locally so I'll organise better storage for my stern Fortress for my limited coast cruising.

[JPA Cate]

@ lauriel,

If you go south to Broken Bay and Kurangai-Chase Nat'l Pk, you will find many moorings. There are also places to use anchors outside the mooring fields. They get very busy near Christmas season. North of you, there's Lake Macquarie, with many places to anchor.

We have some Aussie friends who sailed a Top Hat from Newcastle to Canada, met them in Hawaii. They had very good use out of that boat. It was called "Deus Regit".

There are actually cool water corals in your area, and with global warming, having some chain seems to me to be prudent for each anchor. Perhaps 7 m. per each.

Enjoy, and fair winds.

Ann

[wsmurdoch]

We carry a FX-16 with 250 ft of 1/2 in nylon plus 25 ft of 5/16 in chain in our stern locker. In addition to uses listed up thread, we have used it for correcting what might be described as navigational lapses. Watching the nylon stretch alarmingly as it is winched in has prompted us to buy 50 m of 12 mm UHMWPE to use in place of the nylon, but so far it is untried.

[nhschneider]

We recently chartered a Dufour 360 out of Stockholm, Sweden and in the Stockholm Archipelago it is very common for boats to deploy a stern anchor and tie the bow to a point on land. Even though the boat we chartered came with ‘rock cleats’ (similar to a rock climber’s piton) and a robust stern anchor setup, we never gave it a try.

We have used a stern anchor a handful of times but it’s partly because our setup isn’t easy to deploy and retrieving it usually leaves me saying many bad words. Regardless, I feel that having a functional stern anchor setup is worthwhile for any cruising sailor to consider.

Fair winds and calm seas.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by lauriel

I am trying to choose the most appropriate hardware for a stern anchor and rode on a 32ft fin-keel sailboat.
Apart from mediteranean moorings which are pre-planned, when have cruisers used their stern anchors?
I am particularly thinking of occasions when a manually deployed stern anchor is used before the forward anchor has been dropped from a windlass rather than as additional holding in a challenging location.
At present I am thinking an aluminium Fortress with 10ft of chain then rope will allow ease of use.
All comments will be welcome. Even the humourous. Thanks in advance.

I would use a Fortress. I would have the rode in a locker or bucket ready to deploy and attached. The anchor on the stern pulpit with a bracket.
-My main use has been tied to a tree/landing at the bow, and the stern anchor to keep the boat perpendicular to the shore. This is often done with multiple boats around you tied to the shore also.
-The other use is when you row out an anchor and the lightweight Fortress is a plus for that.
-If it's ready and you need another bow anchor quickly it's easy to pull the rode forward along the deck as you move the anchor up there.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by DEAN2140

I thought med moors were stern in, bow anchor out. What am I missing?

Many med town quays are too shallow or have debris and hence the exposed spade rudder is vulnerable . Hence it’s not uncommon to go bow in in many places and is commonly seen in certain places. It’s always advisable to be able to deploy a stern anchor

[Anders]

Originally Posted by DEAN2140

I thought med moors were stern in, bow anchor out. What am I missing?

I prefer to go stern to but in a stiff cross breeze and a full keel it's a lot easier to go bows to.