Anchor comparison for Eric

Yes you'd need a winch like this. I brought it down from Alaska so still have it. This one has chain reduction drive so basically will lift most any anchor and rode. Hydraulic reel winches start at about $3000 and I don't recall any commercial fishing boat without one. Ideal anchor rodes cannot be deployed w a yacht winch. Fishermen in the PNW don't normally set their anchors unless there are high winds in the forecast. A fisherman put it to me saying that they "can't be bothered with all that stuff" associated w pleasure boat anchoring. I think he was referring to setting the anchors and the speed of recovery. They fish late, anchor most all the time and do it near or after dark. Just drop a heavy anchor and heavy chain w some nylon and eat a bite and roll into the sack. Most fishermen have a very heavy anchor (usually a Forfjord) super heavy chain, heavy chain and nylon line in their rode. They anchor on a short to very short scope unless a blow is expected or suspected. The catenary from the first super heavy chain probably acts as their shock absorber and the junction of chain and nylon probably acts as their length marker. The hydraulic motors in/on the winch operate over a very wide range of speeds controlled by the "throttle" valve regulating the rate of hydraulic fluid fed to the winch motor. Their system has evolved over nearly 100 years and one sees very little variation from one boat or fisherman to another.

This evolution has evolved to their needs and in their environment and does not generally transfer over to our yachting activities. But there is still much to be learned from them. But perhaps "at a distance". Some yachtsmen embrace the fishermen system entirely though.