trouble anchoring

[LegalEyes]

hey now!

I'm still having trouble getting my anchor to set. 20 ft boat, 15 ft of chain.. not sure how much the anchor weighs but some old salts tell me my set up is fine. More often then not I just drift and drag the damn thing.

last week I was watching how much line I had out... 80 ft of line in 20 feet of water and I couldn't get a set at the hook. Back bay I was able twice to set, but it's been the minority.

any advice?

[Gerry Zagorski]

By the sounds of it you have enough chain. Try this next time.

1) Don't just toss the anchor out and let if free fall with no pressure on it since this might be causing the chain to get caught up on the anchor. Keep at least some pressure on it until you feel the anchor hit bottom....

2) Once you feel it come in contact with the bottom pay out some line and every once and a while put some slight pressure on it to try and get the anchor to set. Repeat until your anchor digs in and catches.

[Flukemeister1]

Great advice Gerry!

In 20 feet of water you need to have 140 feet of line out, more if it's rough. If you don't have enough line out the anchor will not dig in very well and you also will not ride over a big wave if it does bite on a short line. This is very dangerous in that not enough anchor line out combined with a big enough wave can lead to the bow being sucked down and the boat will spin on it's nose and end up upside down.

[LegalEyes]

7 to 1 ratio.... I thought it was less.

Thanks both for the suggestions.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Although I've seen 7 to 1 suggested, if your are using a chain you should be fine at 3 to 1. If you pLanned to anchor in a storm or overnight I could see 7 to 1

[Capt. Debbie]

Dead on Gerry. Learned that doing tuna and you have to pull back in all 400 or 500 feet of line because it's dragging.

The chain sinks faster than the danforth which flutters down due to the flukes. A controlled drop is needed with a little tension. Else the anchor falls on top of the chain and does not deploy correctly and locks up the flukes in some cases.

With enough chain you can get by with even 3:1 on scope. Rule of thumb- chain should be 3/4 the length of your boat.

Other factors-
1- how big is anchor. If the flukes that dig in are too small you dont get much bite into the bottom for holding power.
2- the bottom must be clay, sand or mud to work. Otherwise it will not snag the bottom and dig in. It'll just keep dragging.
3- if wind or current is variable the anchor never bites. Like in a lake. Must be a steady pull in one direction. Even if you back down to snug it up, a change in direction could free itself.

Just some thoughts.


By the sounds of it you have enough chain. Try this next time.

1) Don't just toss the anchor out and let if free fall with no pressure on it since this might be causing the chain to get caught up on the anchor. Keep at least some pressure on it until you feel the anchor hit bottom....

2) Once you feel it come in contact with the bottom pay out some line and every once and a while put some slight pressure on it to try and get the anchor to set. Repeat until your anchor digs in and catches.

[Capt. Debbie]

That would be amazing.

Not sure how that could happen. Not enough anchor line the danforth anchor shank goes vertical and breaks free of the bottom.

How would the boat spin with a wave passing under it?



Great advice Gerry!

. ... not enough anchor line out combined with a big enough wave can lead to the bow being sucked down and the boat will spin on it's nose and end up upside down.

[Flukemeister1]

That would be amazing.

Not sure how that could happen. Not enough anchor line the danforth anchor shank goes vertical and breaks free of the bottom.

How would the boat spin with a wave passing under it?


Yes if, and that is a big if, the shank goes vertical it will break free. If the anchor sticks, and who has not had a stubborn anchor, if there is not enough line to allow the boat to rise with the wave it will pull the bow down. When this happens there is no lateral stability to the boat and it will spin and can, and usually will, land upside down. We had this exact senerio happen in Montauk in the 80's. Father and son fishing for porgies, big wave went under the boat and pulled the bow under capsizing the boat. The son spent the night jammed between the lower unit and the transom, the father unfortunately succumbed to hypothermia and was recovered by a helo out of Brooklyn.

[Capt. Debbie]

I guess you'd need a wench to do that. The line tension would be would come out of your hands.

Assuming you're not pulling the anchor line in by the stern, it's still hard to picture. Since by nature of what you are doing the bow is pointed into the oncoming seas. I guess anything is possible with big enough seas?

[MrAC1980]

Try to find out the weight of your anchor. I used to try to get away with my old 6lb anchor from my 19ft bayliner for my 21ft and it used to slide on me. Went up to 8lb and never had a problem since. If unsure of weight, try to weigh it or take a pic and post it here. And make sure its not bent at all. Once the shaft gets bent from getting stuck in a wreck or something its trash. I've tried to straighten them out and it never works right again.

[Capt. Debbie]

Not sure if weight is accurate. Surface area of flukes is dispositive.

Know anything about Fortess Anchors? They are 1/2 the weight and same size. They rely, as they should, on the chain keeping it flat to the bottom.


The chain is the secret. The more the better.

READ Jamieson's - Seamanship Secrets. THE BEST!

You use a danforth anchor in a wreck anchoring? Really? Been around marina for decades and never saw a bent anchor shank. Should try a grapple type anchor with bendable Re bar tines. Those don't use chain as it would foul and get hung up secure and defeat the purpose of having bendable tines.



Try to find out the weight of your anchor. I used to try to get away with my old 6lb anchor from my 19ft bayliner for my 21ft and it used to slide on me. Went up to 8lb and never had a problem since. If unsure of weight, try to weigh it or take a pic and post it here. And make sure its not bent at all. Once the shaft gets bent from getting stuck in a wreck or something its trash. I've tried to straighten them out and it never works right again.

[Rob B]

like others said use plenty of chain, we use 10' on a 21' boat and never have a problem. also we don't have to put out the 7-1 either.

[Capt. Debbie]

SPOT ON! The more chain the better.

The chain lessens scope meaning you normally don't have to carry around 400 feet of anchor line for just 50 feet of water.

3 and even on less windy days even a scope 2:1 will work.

[MrAC1980]

You use a danforth anchor in a wreck anchoring? Really? Been around marina for decades and never saw a bent anchor shank. Should try a grapple type anchor with bendable Re bar tines. Those don't use chain as it would foul and get hung up secure and defeat the purpose of having bendable tines.

Really have to ask this??
Anyone who has done a lot of wreck fishing has had a double anchor slide on them and get stuck in a wreck... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
BTW - Guess the Charter boat who's anchor I found stuck in a wreck scuba diving two years ago didn't get your memo either! LOL...