greeneyegi":1pu551p3 said:
ill have to search on how to Set an anchor.
OK lets talk about how to set an anchor. It all starts before you get to the anchorage. What anchor? I have used many anchors, thru the years. # 1 was Danforth type (initially High Tensile---I had a 12, 20, 40 and 70 lb models), I used thru the years, # 2 was the classic CQR plow, Also the Northill pattern, is one of the most common commercial fishing anchors in the world. There is a real place for the old fashioned yachtsman, Fisherman, Hershoff, Luke--all classic and very similar anchors in grass, and to get down into better holding clay or sand substrate. Today these are represented by the ultralight weight Danforth type--Fortress/Guardian, The Delta Fast Fast set, and one of the 3rd generation anchors, such as the Ronca, Manson Supreme or Boss--Spade, and a bunch of other similar anchors. I am using a Manson Boss, and a Fortress FX 7 and two Guardian 6 on my 22. The Fortress break down, and take very little room or weight. (These are excellent for sand and mud, not so good for rocks. I also have a Northill, and Delta Fastset. to use if the conditions require.
When looking at anchors, consider the genuine thing--not some knock off. The metal, welds, cast vs forged makes a huge difference the ability of an anchor to hold the boat in a storm.
When you select an anchorage place, you have to consider the effect of wind, waves and current, as well as the bottom you will be anchoring in. This involves looking at the charts, tide and current tables, and any wind forecasts (both for direction and velocity) Google Earth may also give you some clues about a suitable anchorage. Has there been evidence of recent logging? How about erosion, and the general topography of the land? If so, you may find cables, chains, and sunk timber in the bay.
Apps such as "Active Captain" may give hints about anchorage conditions, and the type of the bottom. Charts will tell you if rocks, shell, sand, mud bottoms are present.
Approach the anchorage slowly, observe the other boats, and how they are moored. The first boat to anchor sets the criteria for anchoring in that cove. If that boat is anchored fore and aft (bow and stern anchors), then it would be advisable for all subsiquent boats to anchor fore and aft. If the first boat is on one anchor, try and estimate the amount of scope (usually should be 7;1, but often shortened up to 3:1.) imagine what the swinging circle will be for each of these boats. Some lie to current, others lie to the wind. Both have to be taken into account when you select an anchoring place. Also take into account permanent moorings, where there will not be as large a swinging circle. It is bad form to play "bumper boat" at 3 AM!
Slowly motor thru the anchorage. Use the depth sounder to find type of bottom, obstructions, and other dangers. Often the water is clear, and you can see the bottom.
When you have selected the point where you want to drop the anchor, stop the boat. See which way it will drift (wind or current). Lower the anchor to the bottom, and slowly let out enough line so that it is at least 3x the sum of boat's bow height, and water depth. Lets say the water is 20 feet, and the C Dory's bow is 3 feet off the water: 23 feet, or about 70 feet of line in this case. Let the boat come back slowly, with power, until the anchor rode comes tight. ( I always mark my rodes: chain with painted stripes. Colored electrical ties every 50 feet for the rope) tell you how much more rode (anchor line) you have to let out to have adequate "scope" (That is the length of rode to have 7x the amount of rode, as the sum of the depth of water, height of the bow roller off the water, AND the amount of tide which will make the water deeper, at high tide.)
You can leave the line on the windlass for this--but not for fully backing down under power. If the anchor has not caught, you have two options. One is to let out another 30 to 50 feet of line and try again, or move the anchor. You don't want to drop an anchor into kelp, on top of rocks, into under water structure (bush) or on a down hill slope--where, have a steep incline, the same way you are pulling the anchor. Sometimes you have to let an anchor set on the bottom for a few minutes, and let more line out, then pull very slowly. I often do this by hand, even n large boats. I can feel if the anchor is dragging on the bottom.
Never throw an anchor! It can tangle the chain in the flukes of the anchor, and not hold.
If the anchor has set--you do not believe that it is dragging on the bottom, let out enough line to get to that 7 to one scope. In the example of 23 feet, you will need about 160 feet of rope/chain. At this point, remove the rode from the windlass, take out another 3 feet or so, and put this on the fore deck cleat (which should be backed by either fender washers, or a under deck 1/4" aluminum plate, to spread out the load. Then, and only then, give slow power in reverse with your engine. Increase the power. Often if I am expecting a storm, I give full power in reverse. Take bearings on several objects on the shore--so you can see if the anchor is dragging (it is also very wise to set a waypoint on your GPS, and watch to see if, or how much the boat moves from this point. If the anchor is well set, and the boat is not moving. Then secure the rode at this position. If there is going to be a blow, I like to have "snubber lines"--thiner lines on each side to act as shock absorbers. You still want to cleat the main rode on the fore deck cleat with some slack. At this point you want to make a mental calculation where you the circle of swing--where the boat will end up with a shift of wind or current in any direction. Danforth(Fortress type of anchors) often can flip out with 180 degree change of direction of pull--the power (or 3rd generation anchors will pivot and continue to set).
I also take a bearing out of an anchorage. A compass course, to get the boat started in the correct direction if you have to leave in the middle of the night (because of a storm making the anchorage untenable.)
How about bringing the anchor up? Do you just push the button, and let the windlass pull the boat to over the anchor, and then break it out, and bring it to the bow pulpit? NO. You power the boat until it is just over the anchor. You use the windlass to take up the slack. In reality, you give a little nudge of the throttle, and let the boat drift until it is over the anchor. It the anchor comes out easily--then leave the rope in the grooves of the windlass, and power forward over the anchor. If the anchor is deeply buried, then you need to cleat the line tight over the anchor, and power the boat forward over the anchor to break it out--and then let the windlass bring it up to the pulpit. I have had anchors bury to the point where it took thousands of lbs of pull to get the anchor out, after a hurricane.
This just touches on the art and science of anchoring. New anchors, are lighter, and have greater holding power. The down scan and side scans give a great map of the bottom, and often find obstructions which may be a problem for anchoring.
