ZEN AND THE ART OF ANCHORING

Have you ever noticed, in a crowded anchorage, there is always someone that is doomed to drag anchor? They may drag down onto another boat, or worse, you can use your imagination. How are these poor folks chosen? If it’s always the same person, there may be a question of genetic material involved. If it really is random in choice, some would attribute that to Poseidon’s revenge being wreaked, others might attribute it to the individual skippers karma. Either way, if it IS indeed random, there is a way to put the odds in your favor, more in line with your chance of winning the Florida Lottery.

We’ll start by assuming that you carry enough anchor, chain and rode sufficient for whatever boat you sail. E&B, WEST MARINE, and BOAT US catalogs all carry charts that will assist in insuring that your gear is of ample size and strength. As to type of anchor, from the cruising point of view, it’s better to carry a choice of anchors to be used depending on the bottom you’ll be wanting to stick to. A suite of anchors considered sufficient for a cruising boat would include a BRUCE, a CQR and a DANFORTH, all properly rated and rigged so that any of the three would be ready to drop within minutes, made fast to a proper length of rode that has been properly cleated off. One or more of the anchors should be of size considered for use as a storm anchor.

So then, assuming all that, what is the secret to a successful anchoring? Planning. Pure and simple planning. Start with the depth of water you’ll be stopping in, and the state of the tide at the times you’ll be anchored. You’ll want to plan for the high tide depth in terms of rode scope and low tide depth in terms of swing. Plan properly and you can sleep through the night, letting your gear do it’s job in keeping your boat safe.

Rode scope is determined by taking the depth of water at maximum tide, and add to that the distance between the water’s surface and your bow fitting. Multiply that by a minimum of seven and add ten to determine the total length of anchor rode (chain and line) to flake out on deck. For ‘puter nerds, that formula would be RODE = ((depth of water + height of bow fitting) * 7) + 10. A more conservative approach would substitute a 10 for the 7 in that formula. Depending upon the size of your boat the rode should include a length of chain from six to fifteen feet at an absolute minimum. Some of us that are more paraniod carry thirty, sixty or even a hundred feet of chain. The chain is important in keeping the rode lying along the bottom which will keep the angle of the anchor rode to the anchor flukes low, increasing the effectiveness.

Swing is determined by the tides and winds. Depending on the bottom and the type of anchor you have out, during a tidal swing your anchor may pivot in place, or unseat, drag slightly and reset. This distance will be minimized by maximizing the amount of chain used in your rode. When allowing for swing and bottom depth, imagine a circle defined by your anchor rode. The anchor is the center point of that circle, and your boat is at the outside, swinging around the circle. Within that circle you don’t want several things. At low tide, you don’t want a bottom depth less than the maximum draft of your vessel anywhere within that circle. You also don’t want to have any obstructions, such as docks, pilings, old tree trunks, or other boats within that circle. You also don’t want to have any part of a navigable channel in that circle.

Deploying the anchor properly is important in getting a good set. Approach your chosen site at dead slow, into the current, you slip into neutral and coast until the current begins to take effect and lower the anchor rather than let it go completely. You’ll be able to tell when it’s on the bottom as the chain will begin to play out at more of an angle rather than straight down. Once the chain is clear of the boat, you can let the rest of the line play out as it wishes, making sure no kinks show up and foul the fair lead. By letting the current take the boat at this point your set will be confirmed by the rode taking up slack and the bow pointing into the current. Grab the line outboard of the fair lead and pull slightly and hold the tension. If the anchor is dragging you’ll feel it bumping across the bottom. If it’s holding, you feel a regular rhythmic vibration from the current. The two feelings are noticeably different.

Now that you’re sure the anchor is holding properly, note the time of the tidal current change. You’ll want to be on deck for that. Also note several landmarks that you can use for reference during the night. As long as the bearings to these landmarks remain constant, your securely anchored. When the current changes, there will be a brief time where your boat will answer more to the wind than the current. This change in motion should be noticable, and will alert you to change in conditions. The actual time of slack water is usually very brief, and the reversal of the current often will have occurred before your boat has fully answered to the wind. Once the current is firmly in control, note your landmarks again, being aware of any change in bearing from before the current change.

Up until now, we’ve discussed anchoring as if the location were Back River, Cumberland Island, or the anchorage at Fernandina. These places will have tidal currents that are substansial in strength. There other places where the current will not play near as strong a part in the action of your vessel. Places such as Pine Island may exhibit little tidal flow, and a place like Hallow’s Cove will exhibit almost no current at all. In these places, your boat will probably go through some kind of "dance" from the effects of wind currents on your superstructure and rig. These may be unnerving at first, but as long as the tug of the anchor rode on your cleat through the fairlead isn’t extreme, your anchor should stay well set. Backing down slightly with the engine, once the anchor is down and sufficient rode is played out, will tell you if the anchor is set or not.

In crowded situations, it may be desireable to set two anchors. This will allow you to use slightly less rode (glad you have chain on more than one now, eh???). But, DON’T use too much less. Set one with the above described method, and drifting back to it’s extent, drive at a forty five degree angle to the current to a point even with your first hook and drop the second, drifting back on it. Once you’ve played out the desired length of rode on the second anchor, make it fast and take up tension on the first until both are taking the same amount of strain. If you wish to anchor bow and stern, set the bow first and play out TWICE as much rode as you’ll need. At that point, set the stern anchor and take up on the bow until you have the desired amount of rode set. Anchoring this way should only be done in restricted, narrow waterways without possibility of slolam skiers passing by. For storm anchoring, set the biggest anchor you have, with all the chain you can shackle together, to all the rope you can lay your hands on. That, and a faith in a higher diety, should do you fine.

In case you hadn’t noticed, I lied. You’ll not be sleeping through the night at all. You’ll be awake and on deck at the change of tide and any abnormal movement of the boat. It will awaken you, frustrate you at times and perhaps even frighten you a little occaisionally. If you’ve done the job properly, with the proper equipment for the task, once your over the initial eye-rubbing and are aware of where you are and what’s going on, it’ll be a comforting feeling to know that the gear you’re depending on is doing the job you ask, because you gave it the best possible chance.

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