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Every sailor should know how to use an anchor. After all, anchors keep boats from floating off into the vast ocean or into another boat. They can also offer boaters the chance to relax on the water without worrying if they will float too far offshore.
With learning the uses of anchoring, you should also know how to choose the right size, type, and weight of an anchor.
It is not as complicated as it sounds and with a few good tips and techniques, you can learn the uses of an anchor, what the anchor is made of, what they look like, and, of course, how to anchor an actual boat.
What Anchors Do
Anchors are a type of marine equipment designed to hold a ship or boat in place by digging into the seabed. How a ship anchor works is by providing a safety net for preventing boats from hitting rocks or floating away. The anchor also acts as a braking system to stop the boat from moving forward, which is helpful when sailors want to stay in one place or move slowly.
The uses of an anchor are very many, but boatmen use anchors for the sole purpose of helping their vessel stay put. Whether they’re stopping to enjoy a bit of fishing or eating, anchors help keep their boat in place.
How Anchors Work
Typically, anchors are made of some sort of metal designed to endure long periods of water without rusting.
Most boat anchors work by using sharp grips for digging under the surface of the water. The actual anchor is attached to a heavier chain, helping keep it horizontal below the water. Both the anchor and chain are connected to a long rope that attaches to the boat.
How Do You Anchor a Boat?
To make sure you anchor your boat safely and securely, follow these simple steps.
1. Determine Water Depth
You’ll want to know how deep the water is to determine the length of the anchor to drop into the water. You’ll also want to make sure you’re anchored in a suitable place, far enough away from other boats and away from reefs or rocky places.
2. Ensure Anchor Is Ready to Run
Check to make sure your rode (what connects the anchor to your boat) has enough length and is free of any knots or tangles. Once you’ve done this, you can tie the end of the rope to the bow cleat.
3. Drop the Anchor
Move the boat forward and then slow your speed by putting your boat in reverse. Once your boat is moving at an appropriate rate, slowly lower the anchor until it has reached the bottom.
4. Hook the Anchor
Once you’ve got the anchor to the bottom and a good amount of scope lowered, you’ll want to secure the anchor. To do this, put your boat in reverse and move backward, so the anchor digs into the seabed, securing your place.
Choosing a Type of Anchor
There are many types of anchors, all of which work to secure a boat: mushroom, grapel, navy, plow, fluke, and claw anchors. What a ship anchor looks like will depend on its specific purpose. Deciding on what type of anchor to choose depends on the area you will most often boat around and the size of your boat. Here are the three main types of anchors.
Plow-Style Anchors
These anchors look exactly how they sound: like a plow. Rather than having two sharp points for penetration, there is only one deep point that helps the anchor dig deep into the bottom. The types of bottoms it works best in sandy, rocky, and grassy bottoms. Soft mud bottoms don’t work very well with these anchors since they can’t grab ahold of the sand properly.
Fluke-Style Anchors
These are also known as “Danforth” anchors and are typically made from metal or a lightweight aluminum and have two sharp points used for digging into mud or sand. Its lightweight helps it to be easily stored inside boats, especially efficient for smaller boats.
These anchors aren’t recommended for very large boats or boats that frequently sail to grassy bottoms or bottoms with deep or soft mud.
Claw-Style Anchors
Claw anchors look almost like plow anchors, except instead of having one major sharp point, it has three or so that resembles a claw. This anchor doesn’t work that well with grassy bottoms as it can’t hold onto the grass effectively. However, it is very strong and resets quickly, proving it as great for muddy, sandy, and even rocky bottoms.
Picking the Right Size and Weight of an Anchor
While there is no one-size-fits-all to choosing an anchor for your boat, there are a few factors you can keep in mind to help you choose.
- Boat size and weight
- Location of where your boat will dock or sail to
- Environmental factors
All in all, the bigger your boat, the bigger your anchor will need to be. If you are sailing in places that are very windy or with unpredictable weather, your anchor needs to be able to have adaptable features for any environment.
Why Do Ships Lose Their Anchors?
With an increase in the loss of anchors lately, a joint project by Gard, DNV GL, and The Swedish Club showed the most common causes for the loss or breakage of anchors to be due to both technical and operational issues.
Technical Issues
Most technical issues are due to a failure or breakage of:
- D-shackles
- Kenter shackles
- Swivel
- Chain
- Windlass motor and brakes
- Chain stoppers
Operational issues due to inadequate procedures:
- Dropping, heaving, or securing of the anchor
- Not paying attention to environmental factors such as storms or windy conditions
- Properly watching and maintaining the anchor
How to Retrieve an Anchor
Understanding how to lower your anchor is only half the process. Here are a few steps you can use to retrieve your anchor in a few simple steps.
- Move your boat over towards the anchor and begin lifting the rope slowly.
- To free a stuck anchor, turn your boat in a circle to break it free.
- Once the anchor is freed, pull it up.
A super helpful nautical device is the windlass. Windlasses can retrieve your anchor with a push of a button. This is helpful for sailors in preventing the loss or damage of an anchor.
Anchoring Tips
Anyone who owns or uses a boat should be able to use an anchor properly. Although it can be tricky sometimes, here are some helpful tips to make using an anchor nothing but smooth sailing.
- Make sure your anchor is suitable for the type of seabed you will anchor to.
- Allow enough room for your boat to go a full circle around your anchor without touching other boats.
- Avoid anchoring to lee shores at all costs.
- It’s recommended to use a scope of 7:1 (i.e., use seven feet of rope for every one foot of water).
- Put out the correct signal, so other boats will see that you’ve anchored (a floater during the day and a white light during nighttime).
FAQ
Why Do Some Ships Have Two Anchors?
To prevent a ship’s anchor from popping out of the seabed and preventing a boat’s dragging, two anchors are used to keep a boat from going in the opposite direction of the set anchor.
How Deep Can You Anchor in the Water?
It’s pretty much impossible to set your anchor into the deep abyss of the ocean. Sailors use sea anchors or storm drogue, which help slow the boat’s movement. You’ll also want to carry plenty of rope. The amount of rope depends on how deep the water will be. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you have seven times as much rope as the depth.
What Happens if an Anchor Gets Stuck?
If your anchor gets stuck, you can either pull your boat straight over the anchor and bring it up until it pulls free or drives your boat in a circle.
What Is the Purpose of an Anchor in a Storm?
During storms, no sailor wants to be swept away by the wind or waves. Many boats use drogues, which are drag systems set in place to slow the boat down in any type of situation where it would otherwise move with instability.
Final Thoughts
With all this information, you can be set to master the waves and anchor your boat for a safe and secure day on the water.
To recap, anchors are used to keep a vessel in place, and they come in all shapes, sizes, and types. Remember, determining which anchor to choose depends on the size of your boat, where you will boat to, and the environmental factors.
It is also important to remember the proper ways to drop your anchor and retrieve it, that way your boat stays in place and you don’t lose your anchor!
