Stern Anchor

[Kettlewell]

Yes, we have all read about the emergency stern anchor braking scenario, but it is hard to find anyone who has ever actually used one that way. In practice I suspect what would happen is this. You wouldn't have any need of your dedicated stern anchor for five years or so and so you wouldn't notice that over that time you've gradually accumulated a few items nearby on the stern: dinghy davits, solar panels, a wind generator, a couple of fishing poles, a spare bucket, those extra big fenders you like, etc. In that five years of no use I've broken my toe on the anchor twice, tripped over it at night endless times, managed to snag it with the jib sheets nearly every day, and sat on it by accident a time or two. Suddenly the moment arrives that you have been waiting for as the current sweeps you down onto the bridge and you have to get out a machete just to find the anchor, which has rusted solid right to its chocks. Maybe a slight exaggeration, but you get the point. Since I use my main anchor nearly every day I know exactly how to deploy it effectively in seconds and nothing is in the way. Plus, when it is down I am now safely anchored, not crudely hooked by the stern in an awkward manner that I will have to change before I can begin to work on the motor. On the other hand, if you're in the Med. you'll probably have to put up with all this awkwardness whether you like it or not.

[forsailbyowner]

I keep mine there to use as a quick deploy kedge to run out in the dinghy when grounded sometimes quick deploy can make a big difference. Used numerous times in the last decade

[Kettlewell]

It makes good sense to have a quick deploy anchor for taking out in the dinghy, and I too have done that numerous times, though I find that most of the time I want the rode to lead from the bow. I store a Fortress in my anchor locker with a mostly nylon rode in a sailbag. I can carry the anchor and bag anywhere I want to on the boat, but it usually gets deployed off the bow. In my experience, if you go aground and can't back off with just the engine, it is almost always better to winch the bow around to face in the direction towards deeper water and then proceed in a forward direction towards the deep water. Most sailboats will pivot nicely on their keel, and this avoids the problem of overrunning your stern anchor while in reverse when the boat suddenly pops into deeper water, which is easy to do with the rode leading off the stern. Plus, your rudder is less likely to be damaged if you can move in a forward direction.

[cheoah]

Kettlewell, good points on the kedge. I've never really run hard aground (knocking...) but the soft groundings while being adventurous were easily solved with a small danforth I keep on the stern in one of those Windline brackets.

So, to answer op's question, I have used this anchor a couple of times in 5 years but in each case I could have deployed a primary anchor or assembled my fortress and gotten the job done. I keep it handy for peace of mind like the other folks said, for drawbridges or other oh sh*t situations.

csh

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

You wouldn't have any need of your dedicated stern anchor for five years or so

This made me laugh. As it happens my stern anchor in a lovely articulated roller has been sitting back there for almost exactly five years, unused. I've managed not to block in with anything. I use my main anchor for kedging.