Good insurance policy!
Anchoring your boat
- Thread starter CW2008
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What type/size of boat? We typically do not use the 5:1 ratio, a 3:1 (or less) scope in good weather for a temporary anchor is plenty for us. I will usually make sure the anchor is secure in the wreck or at least holding and we rarely leave it out of site since we do leave the boat unattended for near shore diving.
I have about 8 feet of chain on a Fortress anchor. I use an anchor lift ball in deeper water. Our boat is only a 19 footer so no major hardware is needed to hold her steady in fair weather.
I found this anchor and you can see mine in the background:
My wife checking the anchor hold and about to give me the thumbs up:
N
OP
CW2008
Contributor
The boat is a 27 foot Sea Ray.
Just some general anchoring thoughts, in no particular order...
It's hard to have too much chain, but easy to have too little.
It's hard to have too much scope, but easy to have too little.
Every year we rescue some landlubber who sunk his boat by attaching the line to the stern and then trying to pull his anchor free. If the water's cold that's often a body recovery rather than a rescue.
In the Gulf off Lower Alabama there's no shortage of sand. Sand won't steal your anchor; structure can.
An anchor line can break free at the boat end just as easily as at the anchor end; bolts & fiberglass are not stronger than shackles and chain.
Never step or stand in the bight of a line.
Motors die; have two.
Rick
It's hard to have too much chain, but easy to have too little.
It's hard to have too much scope, but easy to have too little.
Every year we rescue some landlubber who sunk his boat by attaching the line to the stern and then trying to pull his anchor free. If the water's cold that's often a body recovery rather than a rescue.
In the Gulf off Lower Alabama there's no shortage of sand. Sand won't steal your anchor; structure can.
An anchor line can break free at the boat end just as easily as at the anchor end; bolts & fiberglass are not stronger than shackles and chain.
Never step or stand in the bight of a line.
Motors die; have two.
Rick
Then you have a power windlass and the ability to pull anchor without a lift ball or hand labor so there is no real concern on keeping the rode/chain/anchor combo light.
Temporary or short term anchorage needs are not the same as a storm anchorage or overnighting. You should always have enough rode and anchor capability to set yourself, solid, when required, in the expected depth of water.
I have a growing collection of anchors but have yet to find a boat at the end of one.
N
kalik
Guest
One thing that we always do whether or not anybody is topside is have another piece of chain and a caribeener attached to the chain road. When descending to the anchored spot I check that the anchor is hooked good, none of the line is chaffing on structure, and rap or tie the piece of chain into something substantial. That way you know that it is there when you return. I also issue everyone a small aluminum caribeener to put on the chain road at the shackle when they descend. They remove it when they turn the dive and head back up. The last person up always checks the caribeeners and unchains us and sets the anchor in the sand. This has worked for us 99.9% of the time.In strong current or very rough sea we usually use other methods. We usually dive of a 28 or 35 foot boat.
MRXRAY
Contributor
I might throw in here that it is a very good idea to carry an extra anchor, some extra chain and some rope. Also think about an anchor ball, these are indispensable in not only pulling an anchor but to tie to your anchor line so you can retrieve a diver who has found him/herself away from the boat in a hurry, and will keep you from spending a great deal of time from either cutting your anchor line or pulling your anchor to retrieve the diver(s).
captain
Contributor
I do a lot of anchoring on a sandy bottom like the Destin Panama City area. Danforth type anchor,
20 feet of chain and 3 to 4 times depth nylon rode. An old Destin charter captain taught me this way of hauling anchor.
Motor up to the anchor while pulling in the rode, when directly over the anchor tie off the rode to a bow cleat, put the boat in reverse, this should break the anchor out of the sand. Once it is free increase speed in reverse. What happens is the flukes of the anchor will flip up and will act as wings that fly the anchor to the surface. Once the anchor is skipping along on the surface it takes very little effort to haul it to the boat. Works like a charm.
20 feet of chain and 3 to 4 times depth nylon rode. An old Destin charter captain taught me this way of hauling anchor.
Motor up to the anchor while pulling in the rode, when directly over the anchor tie off the rode to a bow cleat, put the boat in reverse, this should break the anchor out of the sand. Once it is free increase speed in reverse. What happens is the flukes of the anchor will flip up and will act as wings that fly the anchor to the surface. Once the anchor is skipping along on the surface it takes very little effort to haul it to the boat. Works like a charm.
We see alot of commercial boats employing this technique but they never pull it all the way in. They just drag the anchor behind the boat until they are at the next reef rise they want to fish, pull alittle past it into the current and uncleat the anchor... good to go! Of course this is only for moving a short distance and not a long long way from one spot to the next.
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