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| Anchoring 101 |
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When you have so much invested in your boat and equipment, an anchor is essential to safe boating and is the last place one should cut cost. The anchor is a significant piece of safety equipment. It is recommended that you carry at least one anchor, of sufficient size, on your boat not just for every day anchoring but for emergency situations as well. When purchasing an anchor look for quality construction features such as heavy duty components, strong material, strong welds, and marine grade 316 stainless steel. Use the heaviest anchor the boat and crew can handle. Size your anchor to withstand heavy weather as well. The Fluke Anchor: The Fluke anchor is a functional anchor with deep penetrating pivoting “flukes”. This anchor is very versatile works very well on all types of bottoms. When the anchor is dropped the flukes dig the anchor into the bottom and the anchor buries itself. The fluke anchor is most commonly used anchor and are reported to have the greatest holding power,per pound, of any style of anchor. Anchor Lines: The connection from the anchor to the boat is called the rode. Most boaters use a combination of chain and rope to make this connection. Chain: The chain is attached to the anchor. It is important that an adequate amount of chain be attached to the anchor. The chain has several benefits. The anchor will sink faster, grab hold faster, and keep the shank on the bottom. Most anchors will not hold properly if the shank is not parallel to the seabed. The added extra weight will reduce the chances of the anchor dragging. The minimum amount of chain used should be at least five feet for every 25 feet of water depth. Fifteen feet of chain is usually sufficient assuming proper scope is used. Remember, you can only benefit from having more chain than you will actually need.  Rope: The best anchoring line is three-strand nylon. The rope line should be attached to the chain line with adequate gear. Some ropes come with plastic rings. However, the marine grade stainless steel rings are the best for this application. Attach the rope to the chain with either a shackle or a swivel. This connection should be inspected regularly for wear and to be sure that all connections are intact and functional. Scope or Ratio Once you have chosen the correct anchor and size for adequate holding power you must determine the amount of anchor line (rode) you will be using. These are the factors that determine if your anchor will hold or drag. Too short of scope can destroy the efficiency of the best anchor. It is recommended, under favorable conditions, that you use a minimum scope of 5:1. Meaning, that for every foot of water depth, you should use 5 feet of rode. In average conditions 7:1 scope is considered satisfactory. In heavier weather, a 10:1 or greater scope is recommended. Note two important factors: the height of the bow cleats above the surface and the range of the tide.  Example under favorable weather conditions in 45 feet of water and bow cleat is 5 feet above water. The scope for 5:1 would be 50 feet (B) - depth of water from the boat bow cleat X 5 (A) scope = 250 feet of line paid out. Now that we know how much scope is required, how do you know when you have paid out enough? Estimates are risky! It is recommended that you mark your rode line at 10 to 20 foot intervals. Remember, not putting out enough scope is a common mistake in anchoring. Anchoring Once you have selected a suitable place, and have the proper ground tackle, the next steps should be taken to properly set the anchor. • The approach • Getting the anchor down • Setting the anchor • Making the anchor line fast Setting your anchor properly is critical to holding your boat in place!! The Approach Having selected a suitable spot, run in slowly, preferably on some range selected from your GPS. This area should be well up wind/current from where you want the boat to end up. Make your approach slowly into the wind or current, noting if you are near any rocks, shoals, reefs, or other boats to consider. Give them all as wide a berth as possible. Keep in mind a possible swing of 360 degrees about the anchor with wind shifts or current changes. Remember larger boats nearby may swing to a much longer scope than you allow and, conversely, that you may swing much further than a smaller boat nearby lying on short scope. Also, consider you may have to pay out more scope in case of weather changes. Getting the Anchor Down DON’T SPLASH!! Never throw the anchor over the bow. It is a sure way to tangle your anchor. Make sure the boat has stopped all forward motion before lowering the anchor, or you may tangle your anchor in the propeller. Lower the anchor easily over the side until it hits bottom, crown first. Be careful not to stand in the coils of line on deck!! Setting the Anchor Once the anchor is in the seabed, slowly put your engine in reverse until you feel the hook dig in. Back up steadily, paying out anchor rode until you reach the predetermined scope. Your anchor MUST be set properly if it is to yield its full holding power. Make a positive check that the anchor is holding and not dragging. Check your position with landmarks. While anchored recheck the landmarks periodically to make sure you are not moving. Most GPS units have alarms that will alert you if the boat moves. Be sure to use this feature if you are planning to sleep aboard. Making the Anchor Line Secure After the anchor has a good hold, and with proper scope paid out, tie off the line around a BOW cleat, and pull on the anchor to make sure it is secure. BEWARE!! Never anchor any boat by the stern!! Your engine and the bulk of the boat’s weight rest here. Stern anchoring is likely to result in swamping and flooding. Always have something readily available to cut the rope in case of an emergency. How to Retrieve your Anchor When you are ready to retrieve your anchor slowly run up to the anchor under power, so that the line can be taken in easily without hauling the boat up to it. Ordinarily the anchor will break out readily when the line stands vertically. If your anchor is obstructed, simply drive past the vertical point, keeping slight upward tension on the rope. Once past the vertical point, tug on the rope until the Releasing Mechanism disengages. This will allow the pulling force to be distributed to the rear of the anchor allowing it to become free to pull up. No sliding is required only rotation of the release past a 90-degree angle to the shank. Always retrieve your anchor INTO the boat before leaving the area. Make sure you regularly inspect all anchor equipment. Your anchoring system is only as reliable as its weakest link. |