Anchor Rodes and Restless Nights

[motion30]

Let me clairfy If I am anchored for the day and will be on deck 100% of the time I dont set it, if over nighting I do back down on it but so far both ways it has set deep every time
When I first replaced the 45lb danforth with the mason surpreme I was disapointed , but now I can see what all the talk is about the new gens anchors of course all my stuff is over sized according to manufacturects spects better that then to small

[AnchorageGuy]

Dockhead is absolutely correct and this has been our practice for many years. Drop the anchor, pay out enough scope, put engine in reverse, throttle up to about half average RPMs, ease off the throttle slowly if the anchor is set. We usually site something on shore to be certain we are not dragging. We sleep better this way. Chuck

[motion30]

Originally Posted by Waterwayguy

Dockhead is absolutely correct and this has been our practice for many years. Drop the anchor, pay out enough scope, put engine in reverse, throttle up to about half average RPMs, ease off the throttle slowly if the anchor is set. We usually site something on shore to be certain we are not dragging. We sleep better this way. Chuck

That is my practice as well But when anchored for an afternoon , it seems redundent with the mason and chain Dam its hard to break that thing loose by hand

[AnchorageGuy]

I do understand the reluctance to go through all of that for an afternoon, but other than just a lunch stop, we do the entire setting process. I can't tell you how many afternoons have been interrupted by thunderstorms packing 30, 40 and even 50 knot winds, especially in the Chesapeake and South Florida. But that is just our choice. Chuck

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by motion30

That is my practice as well But when anchored for an afternoon , it seems redundent with the mason and chain Dam its hard to break that thing loose by hand

While in most cases you will be OK without setting the hook, there are things to consider. Take the not so uncommon event of your anchor coming to rest on a plastic bag on the bottom. It will just lie there, doing bugger-all while you lie to the chain. When the thunderstorm comes, with an on-shore wind, you take off like a shot and end up on the beach.

Yes, not gonna happen every sunday, but there are a lot of reasons that an anchor (even a good one) will fail to bury. It is so easy to do the backing down thing that IMO it is silly not to do it.

Our most recent event of this type was in Coffs Harbour, NSW. Nasty E'ly wind with a big swell coming in through the heads. When we backed down, the Manson dragged immediately. Pulled it up and found it fouled in a pair of board shorts. No naked surfer was seen nearby, so I reckon they'd been there a while. Winds later got up to 30+, and I was glad to know that my anchor was well set ahead of time.

Cheers,

JIm