Carrying a 2nd anchor

[BenBowSirocco]

I am in the two anchor crowd. We carry a 55lb Rocna on 300' 3/8 chain as our main bower. And a Fortress FX21 on the stern rail with chain and 300' nylon for kedging/spare main anchor.
We sail a 30' 8.5 ton pilot cutter type.

Beth Leonard and Evans Starzinger on Hawk: single storm sized bower and single stern anchor.
Skip Novaks boats: Single storm size bower.

It seems many of the modern expedition yachts are running this set up. Probably because they carry SCUBA gear, as I do.

I personally feel far more secure setting our monster Rocna than I ever did either of the two anchors (35 cqr/35 Delta) that were on the boat when we got it. I still saved a lot of weight moving to a single anchor, but its far more secure than before. If it hung up or I had to ditch it- I have a full size spare on the stern ready to fly at all times while retrieving the main anchor or replacing it.
Sailing the west coast of FL a ready kedge has certainly saved us many hours of waiting for the tide.

[Lihuedooley77]

yep, we would also have two anchors, as situations change, and change often. Wind, seas, tides, currents, storms, etc.

You come into a crowded anchorage and all of the other vessels are anchored bow and stern. You have to do the same. Into the wind direction.... no good in a strong beam wind. They also may be anchored bow and stern with the bow held into the wind waves or swells for a more comfortable situation on board.

Other times, use a Bahamian Moor, two bow anchors , each one 45 degrees off the bow. We used that method often. If strong shifting currents set 2 bow anchors 180 degrees from each other . Or just to enjoy the comfort of having a second anchor out.

Strong blow, and a back up your main anchor. Bahamian Moor.

For a second anchor, I like the fortress as well, super strong and lightweight, easy to handle, or move from stern to bow.

Good strong ground tackle can save a boat, and maybe you and your crew.

Also, you may snag some beast of an anchor grabber in deep water, and cannot get it to come free. Then, you need a workboat with an A frame, or diver, and your second anchor may come in handy while the anchor and chain recovery is in progress. Or, you have to drop off your snagged anchor. Tie a couple of fenders to the bitter end of the rode, and , re- anchor with your back up .

Surprise, near hurricane force winds, and a chance that one anchor drags, and you have not layed out a second anchor, or you have no other anchor . Like 64 mph in gustavia harbor, St. Barts. No moorings available.

The other thing , with a second anchor is that we sleep , or even go ashore, with more confidence that our vessel will stay put, and not drag into other boats, shoals, rocks, or reefs, or bye bye, it is off to a crewless passage beyond the horizon. You are at the pirate bar, knocking em down and dancing with the girls with no tops.


Just our own opinion, 2 or more anchors may be required . Prior proper planning prevents poor performance. CYA.

[SuW]

Why have more than one anchor?
Apart from the possible loss of one anchor (hopefully buoyed for later retrieval) you have to consider the bottom conditions.
We have anchored in places where nothing but a Bruce seemed to hold on backing down under power (which we always do). Probably boulders on the bottom.
In several places that were recently dredged, only a Fortress in the mud position would hold. (Figure out how to adjust this before you need to use it!)
In lots of grassy weed (freshwater) something heavier is needed that would penetrate into the substrate.
Sometimes, in a narrow creek or river, you want to drop the hammer - after anchoring with your main anchor, you drop a lightweight stern anchor on a very short rode, to keep you out of the channel.
Kedging off, you need something lightweight but powerful, like a big Fortress.

Our main anchor is a Delta, we have a big Bruce in a locker, a Fortress on a mount on the stern with rode with chain pipe, a bigger Fortress broken down in a locker. Then there's the dinghy grapnel...

[MAJICDAN]

We also carry four anchors of varring sizes, along with three pieces of 200ft 3/8 chain and 400 ft of 1inch anchor rode and several long 3/4 anchor rodes.
I have a mooring swivel with a plate with seperate clevis for three anchors which I have used with three anchors several times because of hurricanes.

[LargeMarge]

Originally Posted by Turk397

I have...a 2nd anchor... [edited]

Ah, geez.
I read that as "two nd".

As I read it, my inner-ear pronounced it "tuned".

And suddenly, I realized I needed a tuned anchor!

[DHLyman]

Two anchors? Of course. You were thinking of losing one?
Fit the second anchor to your stern push-it, so it can be deployed in a hurray . . . That is if you don’t have two anchor rolls on the bow. Next, if you cruise in the tropics where hurricanes frequent each summer and fall, a storm anchor is required, with a separate rode and all the gear, stowed below, as low as possible.
See my articles on hurricane survival and preparation in the June and July editions of CaribbeanCompass.com