When Do You Use a Second Anchor ?

[Mark Zarley]

Picking where you anchor is as impt as the anchor you use. In my opinion if you need 2 anchors to remain "on station" then you are in 1 poor holding or 2 do not have an adequate anchor for the location you are in. Location is an impt part of picking your anchorage, You need to avoid to much "fetch" which is related to "wind" who has an illtempered brother called "pitch". Pitch is a master at prying your anchor loose from the bottom and he delights when you drag away. We look for less than a nm of fetch , which keeps pitch to a min. Have endured 76 kts sustained using this logic, without draggin, the boat did vibrate, happy wife happy life.

[sarafina]

near river banks when the wind is crosswise to the flow of the water.

[rusky]

This may or may not be ideal, but its what I have been using.
If in the conditions mentioned above - eg in seagrass;

I have used a smaller anchor (25lb manson plough) shackled onto the front of the 60lb manson with about 5m of chain. This allows the bigger anchor to reset if we spun around and it pulled out. The smaller anchor can be pulled up by hand. Setting 2 anchors is a nightmare.

I have 2 seperate anchors and chain, so can set both or either and of course the extra smaller one.

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by craigsmith

What would be the intent?

I was thinking of it as an easy way to set 2 on a single rode to reduce the risk of them tangling. But now that I think about it, that second one would effect the boat's swinging.

Originally Posted by Mark Zarley

Have endured 76 kts sustained using this logic, without draggin, the boat did vibrate, happy wife happy life.

76 knots with a single anchor?

Originally Posted by rusky

I have used a smaller anchor (25lb manson plough) shackled onto the front of the 60lb manson with about 5m of chain. This allows the bigger anchor to reset if we spun around and it pulled out. The smaller anchor can be pulled up by hand. Setting 2 anchors is a nightmare

This is similar to what a friend of mine recommends, although he says even a smaller secondary anchor (in may case the dual purpose dinghy anchor) and even less chain connecting the 2 (only about 10')

He rode out a hurricane using this technique. The chain stretched and needed to be replaced, but the anchors didn't budge.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by grunzster

I was thinking of it as an easy way to set 2 on a single rode to reduce the risk of them tangling. But now that I think about it, that second one would effect the boat's swinging.

76 knots with a single anchor?

This is similar to what a friend of mine recommends, although he says even a smaller secondary anchor (in may case the dual purpose dinghy anchor) and even less chain connecting the 2 (only about 10')

He rode out a hurricane using this technique. The chain stretched and needed to be replaced, but the anchors didn't budge.

Yes, setting 2 anchors at a significant angle (60-120 degrees) reduces swing. That can be the intent, or it can be an issue. I would never set 2 anchors in the center of a crowd; only if I am alone or at the very edge (common with cats).

Avoiding tangles is dead simple. Adjust the line lengths to change the scope and angles.
* Place the first anchor in the normal manner, but go to about 10:1 scope.
* Place the second anchor. Use a rode only long enough for 6:1 scope; it cannot be permanently attached to boat or fed through a windlass.
* Pull up to 6:1 scope on the first anchor.
* Attach the second rode to the first rode about 8 feet below the bridle apex or snubber. Set the second anchor.

Only 1 rode is attached to the boat--no tangles, no matter how she spins. I actually store the second anchor at the stern to save time (I lower it from the stern) and weight in the bow, but I do not anchor from the stern--the rode goes forward.

I have done this at least 100 times over 25 years and have never had a tangle or a keel wrap, spent more than 5 minutes setting the second anchor, or more than 5 minutes getting it back; generally much less. If retrieving when the wind is up it can be required to attach a long line to the secondary anchor rode and let it loose, swing back on the first and pull it up, and then get the second. In practice, that seldom happens, in part because I set the first anchor so that it will face the morning wind.

Setting at a shallower angle (<60) has no real benefit; both of the anchors will see full strain and will be pulled from many angles and will be forced to reset. Setting at a greater angle (>120) greatly increases the strain in a side wind and increases the odds of a keel wrap (having a weight at the attachment point keeps the line down and prevents this). 120 degrees is about perfect; no increase in strain and the anchors will not need to reset in any change.

That said, I use one anchor 85% of the time; I only use 2 when I have chosen a tough anchorage. Using 2 anchors just requires a little thought to avoid hard work and too-common troubles.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Shrew

so, would 2 anchors still be better in reversing currents, tides, winds, etc. or would simply using different ground tackle be the better solution here. I know it could be said that simply NOT leaving the boat would be a better option. However, i still need to sleep at night and would prefer not to wake up on the beach.

With our semi-diurnal tides I rareley anchor anywhere where the tides don't reverse overnight. The solution is to get an anchor that resets easily. This used to be the big claim to fame for Bruce anchors, but now it seems that the Rocna resets more quickly, more consistently.

Not all that expensive once you compare to salvage bills... (Have you talked to your insurer, by the way? Mine will pay salvage minus the standard deductible.)

[Greg S]

We also have multiple anchors but have never used them. For the last five years a 66 pound Spade and all 3/8" chain has held us tight even in high reversing current. Setting two anchors seems like a lot of extra work but there is nothing wrong with it... as long as you stay clear of those boats already anchored with just one. Of course, having said that, you can bet I'll soon find myself in a situation where I'll have to set a second ancor. Think I'll go back and re-read the posts on how to do that! :-)

[barnakiel]

We used our second hook in two scenarios:

- when leaving the boat and going ashore,

- when the tide, wind, swell or anchorage called for positioning the boat in a specific way (e.g. bahamian way when tides shift, or fore and aft between a palm and the slope, in the V when plenty of wind forecast, etc.).

barnie

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Greg S

For the last five years a 66 pound Spade and all 3/8" chain has held us tight even in high reversing current.

Gosh, I should hope you've never dragged, with that much ground tackle on a Tartan 40!

[Mark Zarley]

Yes 76 knots(Isabel) ,anchor 110 lb Lewmar Claw (Bruce knock-off) with 180 ft of 1/2 in BBB chain in 10 ft of water. Holding was excellent as we were able to back down at 1800 rpm , with both eng.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Bash

Not all that expensive once you compare to salvage bills... (Have you talked to your insurer, by the way? Mine will pay salvage minus the standard deductible.)

I'm currently 'dealing' (fighting) with my insurance company who has rejected the claim on the grounds that there was no damage to any property involved.