Emergency Anchor?

[LADY JANE]

Have you ever needed an"Emergency Anchor" and why, or is the main anchor sufficient? ~ BB+

 

[LADY JANE]

Has anyone added an Emergency Anchor to they're boat?

 

[knotflying]

I carry an aluminum Fortress. I have it mounted on the rail about midpoint on the port side between the bow and the port forward window. It is all set to go with chain and rode. Never used it. 😀

 

[Favunclerich]

We carry two anchors aboard Roam, an R-25. The primary is the claw anchor sold as a factory option. It has worked very well for us. The secondary is a 13-pound Danforth that is stored in the compartment below the V-berth and above the bow thruster. It has six feet of chain and 150 feet of line.

I can think of three reasons for cruisers to carry a second anchor.

The first is if you lose your primary. Anchors sometimes get caught under a log or rock and cannot be retrieved. There are lots of articles about how to retrieve a stuck anchor, and I won't repeat the information here other than to say that, on rare occasion, anchors cannot be retrieved. Using a trip line may reduce the probability even further, but again there is no guarantee. Some newer anchor designs incorporate features that allow them to be pulled from the opposite direction and often free themselves.

The second reason to carry a second anchor is for extra holding strength if you are expecting high winds. You can set the anchors out in a "V" pattern and the load will be distributed between the two. It can be difficult to retrieve them if the boat swings and the rodes wrap around each other, but you will probably sleep better. The best sleep can be obtained by using a cell phone app such as Drag Queen. It senses it the boat is moving and will wake you if it moves more than a preset distance.

The third reason to carry a second anchor is for tight anchorages where you don't have room to swing. Often the current switches in these areas. Set a bow anchor and let out twice as much scope as you need. Drop the stern anchor and then center the boat between the two anchors. Make sure to give the stern anchor a good tug to set it as well.

So, there's a long answer to a short question. If you're planning to do any serious cruising, get a second anchor. One anchor is probably OK for most lunch stops and perhaps an occasional overnight in good conditions.

Rich

 

[Dave Patstone]

I wouldn't leave home without it. Twice in my fairly long boating career I have had to leave an anchor on bottom. Once I was simply halibut fishing at slack tide and when the tide changed I figure when the boat swung around it must have wrapped the chain around a rock. In tide water with no anchor you go home plain and simple unless you happen to be near a marina with room.

 

[tlkenyon]

I carry an old navy-type 50 lb anchor, and stow it in the stbd aft locker. It is really hard to handle because it is heavy, but that heaviness is a real asset when it is really needed. When really needed, I shackle it to my primary anchor on 50 feet of 3/4 nylon and then deploy the anchors in series. The prime anchor serves as a mid point weight that pretty much ensures the emergency anchor will set. It also serves as a shock absorber and catenary-enhancer.

I (almost) never set two anchors on separate rodes. There is too much opportunity for tangling and fouling in a variable wind/current situation. A single anchor, or two set in series is almost always desirable. That being said, there are an almost infinite variability in conditions and no one solution is right for all conditions. A narrow anchorage with a needed stern tie is just such a situation.

Light winds and a full moon,

TK

 

[LADY JANE]

For our R-21EC, what are a couple of good 2nd anchor weights & name types that would make a good backup/fishing anchor while in the Pacific coastal bays?....♐️..BB+the LadyJane

 

[LADY JANE]

Looks like emergency anchors are really indispensable, like: Claw, Fortress, Danforth, & Navy styles.