Anchors and the Chesapeake

[Gary1]

Hello, everyone.

I've got a question for you Chesapeake boaters: What anchor do you use?

My boss recently took his 56 foot sloop to Baltimore. Last week, he anchored out somewhere with friends on another boat, and as happens during the summer, a squall came up and blew between 30-45 knots. The boat dragged her anchor over a hundred feet, but luckily slid between two other anchored boats.

I wasn't there, so I have to go on what he told me. He claims to have had a hundred feet of chain out in ten or eleven feet of water. With freeboard at the bow being about six feet, that's a scope of about 6:1. All 11mm chain with a 70 pound Danforth hanging on the end. At the advice of the other people in the marina, he'd put on the Danforth after taking off the 66 pound Bruce.

In any event, I'm curious what you Chesapeake sailors use. On my own boat a Morgan 36-T, I use a Fortress anchor with the mud foot, 50 feet of 5/16 chain and 5/8 nylon rode here on the St. John River, which is all soft mud. (REALLY soft mud).

He's got me looking at that new XYZ anchor, Fortress, and anything else that will actually hold in mud. (good luck, I think). I've prowled around here in Jacksonville a bit and haven't seen an XYZ anchor in use. They're pricey, and that might be part of the reason. They also don't make one yet for a 56 foot boat. (Coming soon, they claim...)

Anyway, I'm trying to do the research. Any help would be very much appreciated.

Cap'n Gary
S/V Island Breeze

[sailingdog]

Capn Gary-

Unfortunately, anchors and asking which is best is generally like asking which distro of linux is best... and almost as violent as holy wars.

That said, I'd highly recommend you try one of the next generation anchors, like the Rocna, Manson Supreme, Buegel or Spade. These anchors are far and above better than the older designs in the speed at which they set and their ability to hold.

Personally, I have and like the Rocna, but you do pay a bit of a premium, price-wise, to own one. The Manson Supreme holds almost as well at a good deal lower a price, but isn't as well constructed IMHO.

The 33 lb. Rocna 15 or the 35 lb. Manson Supreme would probably be a good fit for your boat.

[kavakava]

I've used many different type anchors here on the Chesapeake, but the newer spade anchors have converted me. The Bay can be silty in spots, and plows drag easily. I happen to use a Manson Supreme 45# on our h41, and sleep much better now.

[sailingdog]

One point on the design of the Manson Supreme anchor.

It has a slot that is designed to be used in cases where the anchor might get fouled, so you can easily retrieve it. One question about the design:

How does the anchor know if the change in rode angle is due to the boat shifting in a reversing current/wind situation or because you're trying to retrieve it?

It doesn’t... which means that if you're using the slot, rather than the shackle hole, in a reversing current/wind situation, you could easily end up dragging. Just food for thought.

[MIKEMCKEE]

I've found that using a kedge on the anchor line to lower the angle to which the line run's to the anchor chain attached to the anchor is really great. There are various kedges out on the market, but I didn't want to spend up to $600.00 for one. I took a 40 lb mushroom anchor I got at a yard sale and rigged a roller to it and all I have to do is just let it out while the line is almost stright down and it just rides down the line. After It hit's the bottom I then let out my anchor line and then just pull the kedge up so it's just off the bottom and presents a lower angle from the anchor to the kedge. This also works very well if you have a long keel that you don't want to wrap your anchor line around when you swing around during the night.

Good luck,

Chief

[sailingdog]

Mike-

That's generally referred to as a kellet, not a kedge. A kedge is usually the secondary anchor on a boat.

BTW, IMHO, a heavier anchor is a better bet than using a kellet. If you're going to bother with the hassle of a kellet, why not just get a heavier anchor to begin with.

[MIKEMCKEE]

Sailingdog,
sorry about that, just had a brain fart, I knew iswas something that started with a K or something. But to answer your question about getting a bigger anchor. I have a 40lb danforth along with a 60lb CQR on the bow. I just like saving my back by not having to pull up the CQR with all the cain attached to it. The Kellet is just a idea for Capt. Gary just in case he doesn't have either the money or the area on the bow to put another anchor. A stern anchor is also a good idea to have around just in case.

Thanks,

Chief

[sailingdog]

LOL... I do that all the time...just catch myself before I hit POST usually.

I have a manual windlass to save on the back.

Originally Posted by MIKEMCKEE

Sailingdog,
sorry about that, just had a brain fart, I knew iswas something that started with a K or something. But to answer your question about getting a bigger anchor. I have a 40lb danforth along with a 60lb CQR on the bow. I just like saving my back by not having to pull up the CQR with all the cain attached to it. The Kellet is just a idea for Capt. Gary just in case he doesn't have either the money or the area on the bow to put another anchor. A stern anchor is also a good idea to have around just in case.

Thanks,

Chief

[chucklesR]

I use a little bitty 25 lb danforth, 25 feet of 1/4 chain and 1/2 inch rope, usually aiming for 6 or 7:1 in the usual Chesapeake Bay rivers and creek mud.

I've been in 30kt blows with two 30 foot boats rafted up and not had a problem.
I had nine boats in the 30-38ft range (over 125,000 pounds of boat) hanging on that two weeks ago, in 10-15 kts all day long and never drag. I was in 10 feet of water, bow is39 inches off the water, and had 60 feet total (5:1). We did break it into two raftups for night I kept 5 boats overnight on that hook with no problems many many times, in up to 20knts.

I've watched bigger boats with bigger anchors drag while I've sat still.

Someday I will drag and find out what all the hub bub is about.

Having said that, I might go to the Manson Supreme next season, if it fits and deploys off my bow roller.

Other than what you are holding in (sand, mud etc) I think the key is the set, not the anchor. I set the anchor at 10% reverse, once hooked I put it to 80% reverse power. It's a bear to pull, but worth the sleep at night.

[SailorMitch]

f or chesapeake mud i have found the Fortress with the mud flaps to do the best. pound for pound you can't beat that anchor. I have 20 feet of chain for my Pearson 33 right now , and have some new chain on hand to bring that up to as much as 55 feet if i desire. Actually i plan on making an entire new rhode with Brait. my second anchor is a Delta, which also does pretty well, but has dragged on me while the Fortress never has. i have never tried one of the newer designs but will check out the Rocna and Manson ones for grins.