anchoring advice

[VESHAY]

As new C-dory owner, I wanted to practice anchoring with bow and stern anchors. I was only in six feet of water (Missouri River, mouth of Platte River). Strong current.

Displayed bow anchor first. Put out what I thought was plenty of line. Boat swung bow to current (from north) and held. I threw stern anchor as far to rear as I could. Within the next minute, the bow swung down current and I found myself anchored in fast water by the stern anchor. It was an uncomfortable 30 seconds.

I dont know why the bow swung downstream. Unless it was just strong current from Platte River inflow that forced bow to starboard while stern anchor held. Maybe I didnt have as much line out on bow as I thought.

I need to figure this out, intending to spend much time on river. Current is often from north and strong summer winds from the south. Advice?

[Captains Cat]

Don't use a stern anchor at all. If you need more anchor, deploy two from the bow unless you are in very calm water.

Charlie

[JamesTXSD]

I'd avoid the stern anchor, if possible. The Mighty Mo has a lot of twists and turns; if you can find a backwater or cove where you are out of the current somewhat, it will be more comfortable. A stern only anchor situation in current can be a serious (bad) situation. You can also get behind a sandbar and find calm water and beach the bow.

Check with other locals in your area to see what works for them... different techniques for different places.

Enjoy your boat!

Best wishes,
Jim B.

[thataway]

I don't remember what primary or secondary anchor you have. What may be best in the PNW, may not be best in the Platte river.

When anchoring in a strong current, you have to use the engine. Hold the boat in one place, and then as you lower the anchor down, allow the boat to slowly drift (with some forward power) down stream. You don't want to try and set the anchor too "hard". After it has set in and seems to be holding, then take the engine out of gear and proof its set.

I agree that in a strong current you want to anchor bow only. I also understand with the strong wind, you want a stern anchor to keep you from swinging to the wind. But if in a back water, you may want two anchors, to keep from swinging out into the main stream, shore or other vessels. There are a number of places which a second anchor is appropriate. For example out West, where many anchors are exposed to swell, you want to keep the boat into the swell, so bow out, and stern anchor to the beach. Places like Lake powell, bow anchor, and stern anchors to the beach, so the stern is only in inches of water and you can easily step ashore.

Types of anchors: The Fortress/Guardian are great anchors, but will "sail" as they are lowered in deep water, or in current. I am not a fan of the Bruce or Claw, but it is very popular i the PNW. I also like the Delta Quick set and the Manson Supreme or Ronca--the latter two quickly set and are very good performers.

For a Bow Anchor we carry a 14# Delta (I think a 22 is preferable); might get that size Ronca. We have a 6# Guardian and 7# Fortress as stern anchors. We have about 25 feet of chain on the bow, and about 8 feet on each stern anchor. The bow is 200 feet of 1/2" nylon rode, and I have added a second hunk of 100 more feet. The sterns are 100 feet of 3/8 or 5/16 nylon, but I have a total of about 300 feet as back up for these.

Anchoring is an art, and you will learn it. However, never throw an anchor. Let out on the anchor which is already set, and then drop the second anchor, take up on the first.

Although some say that you can set an anchor with 2 or 3 to one, I nearly always anchor with the 7:1 scope. Don't forget the 3' free board of the bow. So in your case, if the river were 10 feet deep, you would need a total of 91 feet of total bow rode out--25 feet of chain, and 66 feet of nylon rope.

[smittypaddler]

I second the advice about not using a stern anchor and not throwing the anchor, and using a 7:1 on the rode. Both anchors off the bow, if you need two. I keep a just-in-case Fortress anchor mounted at the bow, but when I anchor overnight I use a Delta Plow instead:

http://www.go2marine.com/product/99341F/delta-plow-marine-anchors.html

The only thing I would add is to set your anchor by putting your engine in reverse with just a little throttle. If your see the shoreline moving by, you need to find another spot to anchor.

[journey on]

I don't have much experience in anchoring in a river with a decent current. And I hope I don't learn this summer.

However, I have tried anchoring in a lot of different bottoms: mud, sand, rocks/coral and seaweed. I assume that the latter is not a problem in the Missouri.

Anyway, here's what I would get for an anchor and why. Right off the bat, I'd get a Danforth, a 9 lb one costs $30. Here's why:

They work well in 99% of the bottoms. A Bruce works well in mud, but will not cut through grass. A Manson works well in grass, but pulls in mud. A Delta is a plough, and plows in sand and mud, as does a CQR. A Fortress is light, and needs some weight to set. It should be interesting to set one of those in a fast current.

Everything sets well in sand. That's why all the tests are in sand. I'll bet a lot of the Missouri is mud.

As mentioned above, you need chain to hold the anchor down whilst setting it, and afterwards.

Good luck and keep practicing. Not only will you learn how to do it, but you'll entertain all the multitude of onlookers. We did. And, by the way, first tie off the bitter end. Let's see a show of hands of those who forgot that ONCE.

Boris

[C-Dawg]

Not sure why you'd want a stern anchor in any water with significant current, other than to keep the boat from swaying back and forth. The C-Dory hull is not the greatest at tracking straight while on the hook in a current.

So what we do when anchored on the Columbia River is to use drift socks or sea anchors tied to the stern cleats. It doesn't take huge ones just to keep the boat from swaying.

[Writer_Ron]

The only time we ever set a stern anchor during our sailing days was when an anchorage was so crowded that we wanted to eliminate swing.

So far, we've anchored Muse twice, using the 22-pound Bruce ("claw") that came with the boat. (This is virtually a "storm anchor" for a boat of Muse's weight.) We like to use adequate scope (4 to 5 times the distance from the anchor roller to the bottom; more if there's lots of wind) and we make sure the Bruce is dug in (by backing down).

There's not much current where we cruise, but lots of fast-changing winds. We've been comfortable and haven't experienced excessive swing.

[starcrafttom]

picture of anchor

video

Here are two links. One to a picture of what you should use in a fast river. This anchor will hold in grass sand or rock in fast water. the second a link is a how to anchor with this set up.

You are lucky that you did not die with the stern anchor in fast water. as everyone else said do not anchor from the stern in a current of any kind. You can get away with it in a lake or wide open anchorge with little current or no wind. If you really need to keep the boat from swaying use a bucket on a short rope or a sea anchor(bag) off of a stern cleat.

[Chuckpacific]

The Missouri is definitely a different cup of tea.....I grew up using the wild part (between Ponca and Gavins Point). Not many folks understand why you can't get deeper than up to your knees before the river takes you down.

Now I'm on the Columbia and every year someone dies here (in the Portland general area) because of putting out a stern anchor.

[Hunkydory]

I whole heartedly agree with the very limited specialized use of a stern anchor as suggested by Dr Bob & others. We have only stern & bow anchored one time & that was to hold a desired view in a low current very protected bay.

I have also considered the claw, we use a 22 pounder with 30 feet of chain to be excellent in mud, but on this current adventure we have had several instances in which we couldn't get a good set. The claw would scoop full of mud & then drag with only using one of the 40 hp Honda's with much less resistance than a strong wind. In all cases where the mud had shells mixed in I couldn't pull it free with proper scope even with both motors. Still not sure if it's worth switching to a Manson Surpreme, but it's in the consideration stage.

Jay

[tpbrady]

Jay,

I switched to Delta anchors about 6 years ago after a couple of experiences with claw anchors in grass. I haven't been disappointed so far including anchoring in the Cook Inlet in 200 feet of water with a 4 knot tide.

[thataway]

Our philosophy is to always have a choice of anchors. We have the Delta and Fortress on the current boat (also a Northill--SS Sea Plane, which is one of the best in grass, because of sharp flukes and long flukes). At powell earlier this year, we had the Delta drag, and set out one of the Fortress as a secondary anchor, and it held well.

As far as the Danforth anchors--I do like them, but only the true old fashioned High Test. Not sure what weights are currently available, but we had a 12 lb which we used as primary anchor in a 29 foot boat, a stern anchor in a 45 foot boat and a lunch hook or kedge anchor in a 62 foot boat....and that anchor always held--often when the sheet metal or imitation Danforth anchors didn't.

I have not really tested the Manson Supreme in very soft mud--but in sand/mud/shells it is superb--and I think the Ronca will be the same...but how many anchors can one carry on a 22!

[Writer_Ron]