Anchor useage

markpierce · Nov 1, 2014

Don't anchor much. A couple times a year overnight with six-hour tidal reversals as well as a rare lunch stop. Still, in my local waters (ignoring the Delta), anchoring vessels are almost always daytime recreational fishermen. Here is a rare view of a motor vessel (with a rope rode) apparently taking a lunch break. Perhaps a lunch hook is what most boaters need for an anchor.

markpierce · Nov 1, 2014

Graceful:

Not graceful:

Bashfully waiting to perform:

bayview · Nov 1, 2014

The beauty of the right setup and windlass is no lunch hook is needed.

SCOTTEDAVIS · Nov 1, 2014

When I anchor I want to stay put regardless of what meal I'm eating, therefor I will use my main anchor.

I also don't own a "breakfast or dinner" anchor.

As a safety device I want to be able to deploy and recover my anchor at any time from the wheel house under even adverse conditions, it may some day save the boat.

Billyfeet · Nov 1, 2014

On any boat that I am responsible for I want my "main" anchor to be sufficient for any condition that I may encounter except wind in excess of gale force. I want it ready to deploy and retrieve quickly.

Nomad Willy · Nov 1, 2014

We eat lunch underway or ashore so have no need for the lunch hook.

However a small anchor w no chain and a light 1/2" line may come in handy.

But yes Mark .. judging by what I see on the bows of many boats you probably are mostly right. There is a 45' boat one over from us on the hard that shows no evidence of having ground tackle at all. Nice clean looking bow though.

The guy next to us has a Navy anchor.

FlyWright · Nov 1, 2014

bayview said:
The beauty of the right setup and windlass is no lunch hook is needed.

SCOTTEDAVIS said:
When I anchor I want to stay put regardless of what meal I'm eating, therefor I will use my main anchor.

I also don't own a "breakfast or dinner" anchor.

As a safety device I want to be able to deploy and recover my anchor at any time from the wheel house under even adverse conditions, it may some day save the boat.

Billyfeet said:
On any boat that I am responsible for I want my "main" anchor to be sufficient for any condition that I may encounter except wind in excess of gale force. I want it ready to deploy and retrieve quickly.

I'm with you guys. With the right anchor and equipment, no 'lunch hook' is required.

When we were waiting 20 mins for the Petaluma Bridge operator to show up to work, I just dropped the hook midchannel. It was as simple as pushing a button. Two other boats motored in the narrow channel countering the wind and one tied up alongside a docked tug or barge.

As much as I anchor, I wouldn't be without a self-deploying, one-finger anchoring system.

Edelweiss · Nov 1, 2014

"Lunch hook?" Lunch hook too me is 3:1 of chain out vrs 6:1 for overnight. :ermm:

I do have a second "storm anchor" which I have only used twice in 30 years. It can be deployed in addition to the main, in high wind/soft bottom conditions.

Slowboat 37 · Nov 1, 2014

We anchor 90% of the time. If I'm expecting any real windy conditions I'll go for a buoy if one is available. Or an outright storm I'll go for a dock if it's available and within reach time wise. We have a 40# Danforth and 250 ft. of 5/16 chain and controls at both helms. Here is another shot of something graceful and with anchor choices. This is 65ft. Feadship.

mbevins · Nov 1, 2014

All you guys that talk about deploying the anchor from the helm. Do you not have safety lanyards on your anchors? Or is this a thing reserved for the planing hull set.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Trawler

FlyWright · Nov 1, 2014

Yes, I have a safety lanyard that stays connected if not anchoring. I've never had an unintentional deployment where it was needed.

When I'm out fishing, the rode stays untethered.

Slowboat 37 · Nov 1, 2014

Yes, we do. When we are coming into an anchorage at slow speed I walk out and remove it and take the cap off the chain pipe, go back to the helm and find that perfect spot to drop it. Sometimes the mate likes to deploy from the foredeck using the foot controls and I don't have to do anything except look Cap't. like.

markpierce · Nov 1, 2014

bayview said:
The beauty of the right setup and windlass is no lunch hook is needed.

I was alluding to the observation that some boats appear to be using lunch hooks for their main anchor.

markpierce · Nov 1, 2014

FlyWright said:
Two other boats motored in the narrow channel countering the wind and one tied up alongside a docked tug or barge.
...

It was we who temporarily docked. Easier than setting/retrieving an anchor and it saved the engine from idling.

Edelweiss · Nov 1, 2014

FlyWright said:
Yes, I have a safety lanyard that stays connected if not anchoring. I've never had an unintentional deployment where it was needed.

Hey Al. . . Did you add that Sampson Post?? Looks like it could easily hold the Queen Mary!!

FlyWright · Nov 1, 2014

markpierce said:
It was we who temporarily docked. Easier than setting/retrieving an anchor and it saved the engine from idling.

Didn't want to "out" you, buddy! Just making the point that with the right setup, it's easier to push the one button to anchor than drift or tie the boat to something solid.

FlyWright · Nov 1, 2014

Edelweiss said:
Hey Al. . . Did you add that Sampson Post?? Looks like it could easily hold the Queen Mary!!

Larry, the PO had that custom made for the boat. It's very stout with a SS backing plate that I think is larger than the base.

As you can see, it gets lots of use. The red line goes to the bow of my dink which is sitting on the bow. The lines that go through the chocks and aft are secured on the aft end of the SS rail near the port steps/stbd door for quick access to the bow line when docking. The last line through the chock to stbd is a dock line to steady the bow.

markpierce · Nov 1, 2014

FlyWright said:
Didn't want to "out" you, buddy! Just making the point that with the right setup, it's easier to push the one button to anchor than drift or tie the boat to something solid.

Here is a photo showing us docked, you anchored in the channel, and the other boat idling/diddling in the channel awaiting for the bridge to lift. There was a sailboat ahead of us docked against a tugboat waiting also.

Insequent · Nov 2, 2014

I have been anchoring quite a lot whilst using the boat, although I have not been using it as much as I would like! I will mostly anchor out next year when I head up along the Great Barrier Reef.

Recently I was in Deanbilla Bay, where the bottom is mud but with large amounts of sea grass. My Davis 100# kept dragging so eventually I had to change anchors. The Davis sits nicely on the bow, quite elegantly, but needed to be manually moved forward about 6" before it would deploy.

So I swapped to my alloy Sarca. It bit instantly into the seagrass covered bottom and did not move an inch. Subsequently I've used it in sandy bottoms where it also works very well. So I will leave it in place as my primary anchor, despite it sticking out and looking pretty ugly in the bow roller. One advantage - it deploys from either helm without needing any manual assistance. So very easy to use.

Peter B · Nov 2, 2014

Edelweiss said:
Hey Al. . . Did you add that Sampson Post?? Looks like it could easily hold the Queen Mary!!

Nah, that's a large cleat really - this is what you call a Sampson post…

And Brian..your Excel isn't ugly..my anchor is what you might all ugly, but when it comes to anchors I like ugly…means no compromise for looks over function. But yes, you won't regret getting that Excel out there. I bet you never put the other one back on. :socool:

Marin · Nov 2, 2014

Peter B said:
And Brian..your Excel isn't ugly..my anchor is what you might call ugly, ...

I dunno.... seems to me that the uglier an anchor is, the better it works.

So we're up here in Seoul, Peter, and guess what? It's like 50 degrees f. and raining and windy. Walked around town today and had to put on a jacket. After being in the oven down there in Brisbane, this is just like being at home.

Brisbane's nice, though. Had dinner one night at the Jellyfish on the river. Best scallops I've ever had. I hope things don't get crazy when they have that economic summit or whatever it is that's coming up.

rwidman · Nov 2, 2014

markpierce said:
I was alluding to the observation that some boats appear to be using lunch hooks for their main anchor.

How do you know what's at the end of the rode in that photo?

rwidman · Nov 2, 2014

mbevins said:
All you guys that talk about deploying the anchor from the helm. Do you not have safety lanyards on your anchors? Or is this a thing reserved for the planing hull set.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Trawler

The manufacturer of my windlass (Lewmar) strongly warns to secure the anchor when not deployed and to secure the rode when anchored to take the strain off the windlass.

That pretty much eliminates deploying from the helm without first making a trip to the bow. At that point, since my wife is on board, she takes the helm and I operate the windlass with the bow switches that I installed.

Nomad Willy · Nov 2, 2014

We do as much Ron. Can't relate to push button anchoring at the helm.

Ron wrote re a pic of a boat w only nylon line showing as anchor rode;

"How do you know what's at the end of the rode in that photo?"

Indeed it could be a long rode w a big high performance anchor at the other end buried deep in a bottom marked "good holding".

Moonstruck · Nov 2, 2014

Insequent said:
I have been anchoring quite a lot whilst using the boat, although I have not been using it as much as I would like! I will mostly anchor out next year when I head up along the Great Barrier Reef.

Recently I was in Deanbilla Bay, where the bottom is mud but with large amounts of sea grass. My Davis 100# kept dragging so eventually I had to change anchors. The Davis sits nicely on the bow, quite elegantly, but needed to be manually moved forward about 6" before it would deploy.

So I swapped to my alloy Sarca. It bit instantly into the seagrass covered bottom and did not move an inch. Subsequently I've used it in sandy bottoms where it also works very well. So I will leave it in place as my primary anchor, despite it sticking out and looking pretty ugly in the bow roller. One advantage - it deploys from either helm without needing any manual assistance. So very easy to use.

My Sarca alloy Ex-Cel tucks nicely under the bow pulpit. It is yet to be tested, but hope to do some anchor dunking in the next couple of weeks.

caltexflanc · Nov 2, 2014

Edelweiss said:
"Lunch hook?" Lunch hook too me is 3:1 of chain out vrs 6:1 for overnight.

.

That's pretty much my definition of "lunch hook"... merely short scope as little as 2:1 chain if calm. Think about it, the objective is to stop for a little while and have as little time devoted to anchor deployment and retrieval as possible. Smaller anchor needs more scope, makes no sense to me unless you have no windlass and a rope rode.

markpierce · Nov 2, 2014

rwidman said:
How do you know what's at the end of the rode in that photo?

I have no idea. The boat was anchored for a short time. ... My point was that most boats I see anchored are there for a temporary meal or fishing stop where a heavy-duty anchor probably isn't necessary and thus could make due with an otherwise-considered-inadequate anchor instead of a sufficient-for-all-conditions anchor.

psneeld · Nov 2, 2014

caltexflanc said:
That's pretty much my definition of "lunch hook"... merely short scope as little as 2:1 chain if calm. Think about it, the objective is to stop for a little while and have as little time devoted to anchor deployment and retrieval as possible. Smaller anchor needs more scope, makes no sense to me unless you have no windlass and a rope rode.

..Which is where I think the whole concept came from...back in the days of no or manual windlasses. You might see the explanation in an old Chapman's...but it's rare to see one discussed in an anchoring article today...at least not in the ones I have been glancing over.

Hard to imagine a cruiser with a nice setup resorting to anything else that's probably more work.

rwidman · Nov 2, 2014

markpierce said:
I have no idea. The boat was anchored for a short time. ... My point was that most boats I see anchored are there for a temporary meal or fishing stop where a heavy-duty anchor probably isn't necessary and thus could make due with an otherwise-considered-inadequate anchor instead of a sufficient-for-all-conditions anchor.

I have a "spare" anchor and rode, only because it came with the boat. It's a Fortress, I don't know what size but most likely what they recommend for the boat. It's stored away and difficult to get out because of the chain.

The anchor I use is a 33 lb Lewmar claw with 30' of 5/16" G4 chain and 150' of rope. We seldom anchor for a short time, it's usually for overnight in areas with reversing tidal currents. It hasn't failed me yet.

Seeing my boat anchored, nobody could know anything about the ground tackle except for the scope.

Nomad Willy · Nov 2, 2014

Ditto w me Ron. 30' boat, 33lb Lewmar. I have half as much chain though and over twice as much line. Where you boat though probably only requires 150'.

I just put the Lewmar on Willy thinking it would be more suited to my new boating waters. Been a long time since I've used a Claw as a primary anchor. My last Claw sometimes had "false settings". Would start to hook up and then release only to hook up again and then take a good hard set. Once or twice it did that on our 2003 trip to Juneau. Otherwise it was just like any other anchor that worked except it was handy on the bow roller and inexpensive .. quite.

Hauling the rest of the rode (435' of 5/8" Brait) down to the boat today. Launch Tuesday.

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