Can two lighter anchors substitute for one heavy anchor?

[LoTech]

Opinions/Input please.

If a person had a 24,000 lb, 42 ft. sailboat with no windlass would it be realistic to cruise the Caribbean, Central and South America always using two (2) 33 lb Rocna anchors, each with 40' of chain and 200' of nylon? (I could easily haul these two anchors in by hand.)

I would feel most secure with a 60 lb anchor with all chain but I would obviously have to buy an electric windlass with all of the associated gear and battery upgrades.

The manual ones that are still being sold are built with aluminum and can only handle 400-500 lbs. They don't look beefy enough for my tastes.

I currently have a Cal 40 at 15,500 lbs with a 33 lb Rocna and 150' of 5/16 chain and haul it in by hand -- sometimes I need a little help from a winch or a mate.

[xort]

I got a SL Tigress 555 manual windlass with my 25,000lb Endeavour 42.
I had plans to replace it with an electric. But it's not that easy, I have to change the mounting location and do a bunch of modifications at the bow. Then I need to run wiring and add a battery. I am seriously reconsidering all that after using my 555 several times. I have a 45 lb manson and 200' of 5/16 chain. I was pleasantly suprised at how easy it is to raise the anchor. It is time consuming and tedious but not all that physically hard.
I suspect with some searching, you can find a used 555 for not a lot of cash.
And a manual windlass hauling one anchor fits well with your "KISS" principal.

[Cruisingdad]

Two 33 lb anchors when they get all twisted together in the shifting tides weigh 66 lbs - more than your example.

I have not pulled the specs on your required anchor size. Craig with Rocna frequents here - but that info is probably online too. My strong preference is two anchors: one that is a lighter hook (what I call a lunch hook) on rope rhode. On the second ancor, I like something heavy with LOTS of chain. This might especially be necessary when you consider that some areas you anchor may be rocky. I use my lunch hook most of the time and when I can let out enough scope for a good swing (read: not a crowded anchorage). WHen the storms are coming, strong tides, unpredictable weather, long stays, or crowded anchorages, I throw out my heavy/storm anchor which is oversized for my boat.

Everyone has different opinions on this. I am simply giving you mine. Craig SMith is very opinionated on this too (and I do not always agree with him) - but good information to consider.

- CD

[sailingdog]

You'd really want to be on a Rocna 25 (55 lb) or Rocna 30, rather than two Rocna 15s. Get a manual windlass. Here's one that handles up to 800 lbs.

Using two small anchors is generally a pretty poor solution for anchoring your boat, especially if the weather turns nasty.

[Giulietta]

LoTech..

read this thread....CLICK HERE

[camaraderie]

Alex's tandem anchoring still relies on one RIGHT sized anchor. No matter what...you need an anchor that will hold your boat in a blow. For that size boat that means something in the 50-60lb. range in a quality anchor along. You need a windlass.

[Omatako]

Two smaller anchors could work if configured in the tandem format used by Alex in the earlier thread but the problem would be that the section of rode between them would need to be at least water depth else you're going to be pulling up two anchors at the same time (worse off than with 1 big one).

I carry two 45lb anchors on rollers all the time, use only one unless things are likely to get unruly then I go for the same tandem setup as Alex describes. Here's how I handle them:

• Anchor on port roller gets 8 metres of chain shackled to the anchor on the starboard roller
• Port anchor is deployed and the chain paid out till taut
• Starboard anchor deployed to water depth so it can't dig allowing port anchor to dig
• Once the boat reacts to the port anchor (swings, slows) let out the balance of the rode to suit conditions and reverse back strongly to set the second anchor.
• If it doesn't set right away it will when the front anchor drags.

Weighing anchors is logically the reverse with the starboard anchor arriving firmly on it's roller and the second still on it's chain in the water. If I'm feeling young I will lift the second anchor out by hand else I transfer the 8 metre chain to the windlass.

I have rarely anchored in stormy conditions but have used this process in areas of strong tidal flows and in rivers where tide and river combined run at 6 to 7 knots, I've never had it let go.

I have always stayed away from dual anchors in a V format - did it once, more trouble than any other process.

Andre

[sailingdog]

The real problem with using two grossly undersized anchors, and that is what a 33 lb. Rocna is for a 24,000 lb 42' LOA boat, is that if either anchor ends up with the entire load, it will probably start to drag. This could easily happen if the wind or current shifts enough.

BTW, I am very familiar with the Rocna 15 as I use one as my primary anchor, but my boat is only 28' LOA and less than 4000 lbs. Halekai uses a Rocna 15, but his boat is 36' LOA and 18000 lbs. IIRC.

[LoTech]

Two under-size anchors = Bad idea. Got it.

Thank you.

[sailingdog]

Good summary.

Originally Posted by LoTech

Two under-size anchors = Bad idea. Got it.

Thank you.