Where does the anchor go?

[Cargile]

In current or wind, is it better to put out 2 bow anchors or a bow and stern anchor? I have a 28' trailer trawler around 6K lbs wet. On the bow I have a 12 lb Danforth, 130'rope, 30' chain. Stern anchor is all rope 12 lb Danforth.

[rslifkin]

Unless you're in a confined area with no room to swing, you're typically best off with a single bow anchor. If you have limited swing room, then depending on what's around you, potential for wind direction changes, etc. you can do a Bahamian moor with 2 anchors off the bow (set in opposite directions) or you can anchor bow and stern.

[Ded reckoner]

We've anchored bow and stern in a river channel because the channel width was so narrow. You might want to consider adding a small length of chain to the rope rode of your stern anchor for the catenary effect. We've used the Bahamian mooring (in the configuration of 2 anchors 45 degrees off each bow) for a storm in a small harbor. Setting the directions for the two bow anchors must be mindful of the wind direction changes expected as any storm passes and the distance to any shoal or physical structure (e.g. seawall, etc.). As rslifkin wrote, you must be mindful of the swing room which involves both the anchorage area and the length of rode you and your neighbors have put out. Short of a storm, if we have the swing room, we avoid the hassle of multiple anchors and just put out more scope for a single ove-sized anchor.

[landsend]

He's located in Florida. I wouldn't complicate yourself with two anchors unless you are anchoring in narrow channels. I've never had to use two anchors.
Nice looking boat! Lots of windows.

[wholybee]

If anchoring in higher current or wind, size your anchor up to the next size. With that in mind, your anchor might be too small for your boat already, so you might want to go up a couple sizes, to something about 20-22 lbs.

https://www.anchoring.com/pages/fluk...r-sizing-chart

[Cargile]

Originally Posted by wholybee

If anchoring in higher current or wind, size your anchor up to the next size. With that in mind, your anchor might be too small for your boat already, so you might want to go up a couple sizes, to something about 20-22 lbs.https://www.anchoring.com/pages/fluk...r-sizing-chart

Thanks, appreciate the chart. This one is different as I used an anchor chart for the 12 lb albeit it was not Danforth specific.

[Cargile]

Originally Posted by landsend

He's located in Florida. I wouldn't complicate yourself with two anchors unless you are anchoring in narrow channels. I've never had to use two anchors.
Nice looking boat! Lots of windows.

Vintage '73 Cargile Cutter. The builder drove one from NYC to Paris in 1978, unassisted.

[old pirate]

A single bigger anchor would do wonders for your sleeping !

[JPA Cate]

^^^^

Yes, and the Danforth will have difficult with current direction changes, as, going from ebbing to flood. It can get a shell stuck in it, so the flukes cannot resume the proper angle for digging itself in. Good modern anchors are way more expensive than Danforths, but they are able to "shuffle" so as to lie digging in, in the proper direction. Noelex 77 has posted "Pictures of Anchors Setting", here on CF, and also, you might be interested in Panope's "Videos of Anchors Setting." Use the CF Custom Google Search, one of the options under the Search button.

Ann