Best way to anchor for a hurricane?

I'm going out tomorrow to ride out the storm on the hook and was wondering about anchoring options. I have two Danforths and was trying to decide between putting them both on the main line spread apart by ten feet or so or put out a second rode with the secondary attached to it. Looks like it's going to be a direct hit for me in Deltaville!

The Hurricane Manual for Marine Interests published by the Florida Inland Navigation District shows two anchoring methods. You can see it online here: http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/pdfs/disaster/HurricaneManual1.pdf
Please note that they also say "Do not stay aboard any vessel during a hurricane." I agree with that statement. One of my customers was killed when he tried to ride out hurricane Andrew on his boat. He was killed by flying debris when he went out to secure his transom door.

Mark,
I've got no hurricane experience here but praying you all stay safe through this pending storm! I am sure others will chime in here ASAP.

I Would deploy two Danforths with one shakeled to the crown of the other and 50-100 ft of line between.

If you have a riding weight to send down , use it too.

Remember this will take a huge swing room as the Hurricane clocks your location.

Weather chain or rope it will be the heaviest you have , so to ease the surges thin , say 1/2 should be used as a snubber for the last 50 ft.

Chafe is the big hassle , so we always use chain 3/4 in where the anchor line comes aboard.

Only 3 ft is usually enough to be sure any wear will be on the deck , not the rode.

FF wrote:
I Would deploy two Danforths with one shakeled to the crown of the other and 50-100 ft of line between.

If you have a riding weight to send down , use it too.

Click to expand...

********* Wow,* This sounds like an excellent setup,** never thought to rig dual anchors like this.

********* Live and learn,* JohnP

John,

Check the archives. I'm quite sure we had a thread on anchoring w multiple anchors.*

This is an excellent article covering multiple anchors.

I posted this on another thread, but given the urgency, here it is again.

http://www.petersmith.net.nz/boat-anchors/tandem-anchoring.php

Daddyo, Danforths are not made to be deployed in tandem, nor do I think it is possible to do so without significantly diminishing the purchase of the lead anchor.* If you look at the Rocna or Manson, they have a special hole drilled low down on the shank close to the flukes as an attachment point.* Some people have used the trip line attachment point on some anchors, like the Bruce, and this has proved a disaster because the trailing anchor pulls downward on the Bruce shank preventing it from digging in.

Tandem anchoring has its defenders and critics.* Defenders say the trailing anchor helps secure the lead anchor.* Critics say the trailing anchor is trying to dig into the trough of the lead anchor as it drags, adding little.* I don't know how to sort this debat out, but if I only had two Danforths there is no question I would deploy them them on a Bahamian moor - 45 degrees off from each other each on a separate rode.

I'm no fan of using dual anchors, nor do I endorse doing so other than as a last resort. *I also wouldn't do so unless you have at least two or three able bodied crew on board. There's too much chance for things to go wrong.

That said on two occasions, using Danforths, we had success. *In both cases we were in high wind conditions and a very soft bottoms. We tried three times to set and hold the primary anchor, all chain,only to very slowly plow the bottom of the bay, along with the other 6 boats anchored there. *

Final attempt, we launched the skiff with the second Danforth (15' chain and the rest rope) ran the boat up and set the primary anchor at the top of the bay (so no one else could anchor up wind and drag into us. *Once the primary was down, the skiff dropped the secondary anchor Bahamian moor style. Within a few minutes both anchors were set, sharing the load and holding.

Yes, we stood anchor watches all night, Didn't get much sleep, but we didn't drag anymore. The next morning there was one other boat left in the bay. *In retrospect, I would put a release line and buoy on both anchors so you can see where they are in respect to each other.

But do what you have to do!!


-- Edited by Edelweiss on Friday 26th of August 2011 05:26:32 PM

I've got a Fortress FX-85 as a storm anchor. Don't need a second one, and I hope I never have to use it. 42' Krogen.

"I Would deploy two Danforths with one shakeled to the crown of the other "

I'd like to see a pic of this setup. I anchored my 42' Roamer and the 44' TD Vinnette using one anchor and lots of scope for each with plenty of swing room, 2003 Isobell. I'm not to sure about attaching one anchor to another, one could foul the other.

Good luck to all.
Larryw
















-- Edited by LarryW on Friday 26th of August 2011 06:45:32 PM

Well I went with the seperate rodes. 10' water (pre tide surge) 175' chain on the primary. 40' chain and 100' line on the secondary.

The problem I see w separate rodes is that when wind direction changes (even a small amount) all the tension will be transferred to one anchor. I think I'd prefer the two Danforths rigged in tandem. That is attach the 2nd anchor to a chain link about 10' up the rode from the end of the rode and the end of the shank. Both anchors should set if one was to deploy the gear slowly about the time the first anchor hit the bottom. Just say'in.

nomadwilly wrote:
The problem I see w separate rodes is that when wind direction changes (even a small amount) all the tension will be transferred to one anchor. I think I'd prefer the two Danforths rigged in tandem. That is attach the 2nd anchor to a chain link about 10' up the rode from the end of the rode and the end of the shank. Both anchors should set if one was to deploy the gear slowly about the time the first anchor hit the bottom. Just say'in.

Click to expand...

*Eric, there just isn't a way to attach one Danforth to another without affecting the holding power of the primary.* With dual rodes, a wind shift may or may not make one anchor start to drag.* If it does, the other anchor will come into play.* Now is not the time for Daddyo to be experimenting.

Best of luck, D.*

I would deploy them them on a Bahamian moor - 45 degrees off from each other each on a separate rode.

Every "Bahamian moor" I have seen the anchors were at 180 deg , to keep the boat in a small spot.

FF wrote:
I would deploy them them on a Bahamian moor - 45 degrees off from each other each on a separate rode.

Every "Bahamian moor" I have seen the anchors were at 180 deg , to keep the boat in a small spot.

Click to expand...

*If you want to stay in one spot in a crowded anchorage with minimal wind, that's true.* That's not what the OP is up to, ergo advice to deploy on two rodes spread apart to increase holding power, and advice not to shackle two anchors together that were not designed for the purpose.

Daddyo, sounds like you all might be dodging a bit of a bullet wind speed wise, at least based on the early reports I have seen.

Carl I don't see what is complicated about it. Fasten the 2nd anchor to the rode at the end of the shank just like the first. As long as things didn't get tangled up it should work fine. And I presented it as a conversational topic * ....not something Daddyo should do now. I made no inference to that end. I think this method is interesting, should work well and I don't recall hearing of it previously. I would have done as Daddyo did under the circumstances.

Daddyo wrote:
Well I went with the seperate rodes. 10' water (pre tide surge) 175' chain on the primary. 40' chain and 100' line on the secondary.

Click to expand...

*That is our mooring set up.* One anchor with 180 ft of 3/8 chain and the second "Storm only" anchor with 50ft of 5/8 chain.*(regular secondary is all line rode) *But we hauled instead.*** Still hoping it was the right choice.* Maybe all that chain kept her on the jack stands!!!

Be safe Daddyo!!!

nomadwilly wrote:
Carl I don't see what is complicated about it. Fasten the 2nd anchor to the rode at the end of the shank just like the first. As long as things didn't get tangled up it should work fine. And I presented it as a conversational topic * ....not something Daddyo should do now. I made no inference to that end. I think this method is interesting, should work well and I don't recall hearing of it previously. I would have done as Daddyo did under the circumstances.

Click to expand...

*Understood on the theoretical aspect of your comment.* I think the key phrase is "as long as things don't get tangled up".* I'm not sure I would count on that in a wind shift since you would be dragging chain over the top of the primary anchor as the boat shifted.* That is the main problem with tandem anchoring, although I think it is a technique worth being prepared for.* 180 degree wind shifts could really be a problem, although still a potential problem with dual or triple anchors as well.

This from my tugboat driving son, who is taking "shelter" up the North River (Hudson River) near Ossining, New York:

Me: Do you have a plan B? Anchorage getting crowded? Plenty of swing room? What have you got out for ground tackle?


Him: We're not really in an anchorage, first come, first serve. Someone drops a hook in my swing circle, I let them know. I literally have 1/4 mile of cable out, with a 2.5 ton anchor at the other end. There's no plan B, as we can't handle this thing in those winds...just drive around backwards like I've done before. We just can't drag far, or we'll end up on the beach.

Typhoon anchoring

Here is what we have successfully done when riding out two typhoons in the Philippines.
We put out three old fashioned fisherman anchors about 20 degree apart with lots of rode. We use cheap poly floating line of 1 or 1 1/4 inch with no chain.
I find with floating lines things don't get so tangled up when you swing. I dive on the anchors to make sure they are set correctly. Seems at some point the typhoon will swing almost 180 degree.
During Yolanda last year we set two anchors and then pounded in two heavy bamboo posts into the bottom to tie to. Also we alway keep one spare hook to throw out just in case. I read rode can get so hot because of stretching it can melt and then of course fail.
Anyway a boat where there is not a lot of fetch can ride out a hell of a blow if the anchors hold and the boat stays pointed into the wind.
Some of the boats tied to the pier got pounded up pretty good.
Really not my favorite thing to do but it wasn't my choice and both times we where in a pretty sheltered anchorage.