Using two anchors

[rgano]

Hi Wayne. What did you use in the Celestial?

BTW, I just noticed somebody put "Guru" under my name while you, dear ancient mariner, are merely a "Veteran Member." And here I was thinking guru meant you know what the heck you are talking about.

 

[Dougcole]

Can’t imagine using or needing two. I’ve never needed or used two.

What on earth are you doing that requires two.
No being a smart butt I just wanna know.

Re the above I’d use your Rocna55 all the time and pull your spare out of the Laz or wherever. For your stated use you might consider a 25lb Supreme for a spare. They may still be on sale at WM. Great short scope performance and holding power and the 25 weighs 28lbs. Can handle by hand. For a new anchor the ARA Excel is better than the Supreme and will set in a very wide range of seafloors. And you may consider a new SARCA in a large size. Would do almost anything.

But I’d shy away from multiple anchors. Kinda like a pet that’s just too much trouble.

We use a second anchor frequently, ironically enough in our favorite anchorage in the Bahamas. It's a narrow creek with a very strong reversing current. We set them on each side of the creek, one up tide and one down tide. It limits swing room and keeps us off the rocks in a wind change. It's a PITA but it is the only safe way to anchor there. I never use a second anchor for better holding though, I think that is a myth.

 

[Dougcole]

I have a 55lb Rocna and a fortress on my 400 as well. Can't remember what size the fortress is. I'd love to find a way to store both of them on the rollers, but haven't figured it out yet. I'm considering trying to lay the fortress on its side but I don't like the way that would look.


For now, I divided the anchor locker into two unequal sections with a big piece of starboard. I store the fortress, assembled, in the stb section, which is the bigger side. I put it in shank first which is the only way it will fit.


I deploy the fortress by hand, it has 30 feet of G4 chain (fits the windlass wildcat) spliced to the rest of the 5/8" nylon rode, so it's not terrible to manhandle it.


But when I rebuilt my windlass a few months back, I learned that you can use the rope capstan without taking the primary chain out of the wildcat, you just loosen the plate on the top of the windlass a few turns which loosens the "clutch" allowing the capstan to spin but not the wildcat. I realize most of you are probably saying "well, duh" but I never knew that.

 

[Nomad Willy]

SeeVee,
You can rig your primary on the pulpit per typical. Possibly even removing the pulpit board and just using a big enough bow roller adjusted for your anchor size to just clear the bow of the boat. You may even save 1’ of boat moorage.
The secondary Fortress can be stowed on deck w cleats made for Danforth anchors. The anchor will be fully rigged and ready to deploy w the chain doubled back from the bow roller and attached to the anchor shank on deck. Just pick up the anchor on the deck and lower it over the rail on the side. Then feed out rode as you would typically lower your anchor.

This way the pulpit can be simplified or/and made smaller. And likely the visibility from the helm will be considerably improved.