Storing that 2nd Anchor...

RobMcClain

RobMcClain

Member
On the bow of our 23' Venture model hangs a Delta anchor. In a large plastic container in the cockpit is our secondary Fortress Danforth anchor, complete with chain and 200' of rode. I am curious to read how folks store their 2nd/backup anchors. I don't always have it along but when I do it is cumbersome. Being a Fortress I can certainly take it apart but that seems to defeat the purpose of having it. I recently saw a product that encloses the anchor and chain in a neoprene jacket, but it is rather pricey. While it doesn't move the anchor out of the way it at least protects both the cockpit and anyone nearby should the anchor decide to move around. With all the creative things Brats do, what cool ideas have you come up with to get that 2nd anchor safely out of the way??

Rob
 
RobMcClain":fj5jph0i said:
On the bow of our 23' Venture model hangs a Delta anchor. In a large plastic container in the cockpit is our secondary Fortress Danforth anchor, complete with chain and 200' of rode. I am curious to read how folks store their 2nd/backup anchors. I don't always have it along but when I do it is cumbersome. Being a Fortress I can certainly take it apart but that seems to defeat the purpose of having it. I recently saw a product that encloses the anchor and chain in a neoprene jacket, but it is rather pricey. While it doesn't move the anchor out of the way it at least protects both the cockpit and anyone nearby should the anchor decide to move around. With all the creative things Brats do, what cool ideas have you come up with to get that 2nd anchor safely out of the way??

Rob
Click to expand...
On my 22, I used to keep it under the port side aft seat, above the water tank. I just had it in heavy cardboard box. That worked fine for about 8 years or so.
 
I keep 3 Fortress/Guardian anchors, with chain, & rides under the floor between the dinette seats in the locker under the floor. There is also a shovel, hatchet, spare prop and several hundred feet of extra line. Two of these anchors are broken down, and it takes a couple of minutes to put them back together. One of the anchors is kept ready to go, on the top, with chain and rode attached.

Time to get this anchor out, and deploy under a minute. I anchor fore and aft often. It takes minutes to set the bow anchor. As you are setting it, and letting it set in, it is plenty of time to get the second anchor ready to deploy.

The way that you set the stern anchor is a whole other matter. I usually go to the beach, in non tidal areas, and we put two anchors on the beach. At times I will run a line and chain to rocks or trees on the beach. I will take the anchor to the beach with the dinghy.

At times I may drop the stern anchor first, and let several hundred feet of light line (back up) paying all of this out, and then set the bow anchor. Although you can set the bow anchor first, if you have a windlass, it is difficult to let the extra hundred or so feet of rode out, than it is to set the stern anchor "on the run".

Your conditions may vary.
 
When I bought my boat it came with a 16lb Bruce, 25' chain, and a couple of hundred feet of 3/8" rode. I replaced it with a 15lb Manson Supreme, 30" HT 1/4" chain, and 200" 1/2" rode. A superior set-up in my opinion. The Bruce/chain/rode I now store in a back pack in the forward locker under the V-berth. The weight helps keep the bow down.

Martin.
 
My second anchor is a HydroBubble plow that breaks down into two pieces. It fits in an old canvas Forest Service ruck sack along with ~280' of rode.
I rests on top of the main rode in the bow.
 
I keep my second anchor and rode in a duffel bag. This was first done as a sort of "temporary let's try it just for this trip" measure, but it worked out so well that I don't see changing it (except for maybe to a nicer bag with a mesh bottom). I can carry the whole works up to the bow when necessary, or use it in the stern when anchoring fore and aft. It's nice to have the anchor and its rode as an easy carrying unit. Typically there is enough rode left in the bag to weigh it down (when the anchor is out), but I can also easily tie it off (from blowing away) by a handle. It's also not prone to chipping/scratching things when aboard in the bag.

In past chapters of boating, the second (bow) and third (stern) anchors sat on dedicated rollers, but those were different/larger boats. I find the duffel bag works really well for the 22.

(I have a third anchor stored away, but that's not ready for instant/frequent use as the duffel bag second anchor is.)
 
We keep two small extra anchors on the boat instead of one large anchor. I find them handier to use for shore anchors, dinghy anchors, and I can connect them in tandem to make a reasonably solid backup anchor if were to loose our main with in-line setups even providing up to 30% additional holding ability in some situations. I can rig them inline or tandem in about a minute for 200+ft of reach. I keep them each in a simple reusable grocery bag and stash them in the storage under one side of the berth for bow weight. When they are being used daily on a trip, I keep them in the splashwell or in the rear lazarette storage. The bag allows them to be gathered a moved easily and to dry as well.

20160115_111331_resized.jpg

Each uses a 50ft (extendable to 100ft) Anchor Buddy as the rode and the Anchor pictured at left is a 1.5lb grapnel type with 8ft of chain and a 1.5lb kettle weight for a total weight of about 7 lbs.

The Anchor picture at right is a 2.2lb claw type with 3ft of heavier chain and a 3.5lb weight for a total weight of about 10lbs.

I find the additional weights keep the stretching action of the rodes from affecting the set of the anchor as easily.

I like two different types for use in different situations such as the grapnel for a rocky bottom and the claw for a beach anchor.
 
Our main is a 22 lb claw so the second anchor has only been used in Lake Powell as a beach anchor
We stow it in a canvas bag under the vee berth alongside the spare prop and tool box ( a bit of weight forward helps trim) the chain and rode are hooked on always and to deploy would take a minute or so thru the hatch under the bunk and out the fordeck hatch and overboard
It is a Danforth copy by Rule and is 11 lb
Being 2011 boat, the underside of the bunk is all open with 3 acces hatches so loads of space
George
 
The 25 lb manson on bow. Stowed away another 20lb under birth storage. If overnighting will go to trouble of getting it out for second anchor. Also fortress with put together ,just need to shackle it to chain and rode. Keep it laying in berth out of the way then put it on stern deck at night. Thinking of mounting it on rail near bow like you see on sailboats ,didn't get around to it.
 
Aurelia,

I agree on the handiness of a (or more than one) small anchor. I have a 1 lb. Bruce plus 15' of chain and around 75' of three-strand nylon that used to be my dinghy anchor (for while snorkeling or holding off from a dock) and -- somewhat on a lark -- I brought it along on my first trip to Powell on the 22. It came in amazingly handy for various things and I've brought it on every trip since. The anchor and rode live in a found (afloat) canvas bag that originally covered a Magma round grill.
 
I recently placed a spare Danforth on a hanger off the rail on the aft starboard side. This has a couple hundred feet of rode attached ready to deploy. My primary on the bow is a Delta. I also keep a Fortress apart in a storage unit in the cockpit.
 
Aurelia":g3k9ayeg said:
We keep two small extra anchors on the boat instead of one large anchor. I find them handier to use for shore anchors, dinghy anchors, and I can connect them in tandem to make a reasonably solid backup anchor if were to loose our main with in-line setups even providing up to 30% additional holding ability in some situations. I can rig them inline or tandem in about a minute for 200+ft of reach. I keep them each in a simple reusable grocery bag and stash them in the storage under one side of the berth for bow weight. When they are being used daily on a trip, I keep them in the splashwell or in the rear lazarette storage. The bag allows them to be gathered a moved easily and to dry as well.

20160115_111331_resized.jpg

Greg

Who has the best deal of the lines?


Each uses a 50ft (extendable to 100ft) Anchor Buddy as the rode and the Anchor pictured at left is a 1.5lb grapnel type with 8ft of chain and a 1.5lb kettle weight for a total weight of about 7 lbs.

The Anchor picture at right is a 2.2lb claw type with 3ft of heavier chain and a 3.5lb weight for a total weight of about 10lbs.

I find the additional weights keep the stretching action of the rodes from affecting the set of the anchor as easily.

I like two different types for use in different situations such as the grapnel for a rocky bottom and the claw for a beach anchor.
Click to expand...
 
I have bought them locally for 25 to 30 bucks each for the larger size. That seems to be the normal price range online as well. They are really handy and simple to use and manage. They dry quickly and pack pretty small.

Greg
 
My CD has a walk-around deck. I store my main anchor on the roller with the rode and chain in a Rubbermaid tub. The extra anchor is bungeed off to the bow railing but lays on the deck.
I love that walk around....very safe for us clumsy old buggers
 
Back
Top