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Second anchor

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by JimmyL, Mar 25, 2016.

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  1. ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    :)
  2. Bahma

    Bahma Member

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    Some years back a heavy front, unreported by the Nassau Met. Office, swept through the central Bahamas, it put 14 boats ashore on Rose Island, and overturned a 17 ft Boston Whaler in the Narrows, one of the POBs drowned.

    All were sitting on a single lunch? hook, whilst their occupants were ashore.

    I would never leave my boat unattended on a single hook, whatever it's weight or design.

    I prefer a Bahamian Moor, in which the boat sits in the middle, between two anchors which are basically set in line. This particularly advantageous when anchoring in a narrow creek, for the boat cannot go aground during a tide or wind change.
  3. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Sounds like the Derecho that hit the Exumas on jan 6. We were between the majors and got about 70kts for two hours. Numerous boats dragged and three washed ashore. Waderick was hit bad too and supposedly clocked 90 Kts. same in gtown

    In this case had we set a Bahamian moor it would have been more of a hassle than anything else as the down wind anchor would have done nothing

    If a cut or creek is too narrow to swing with the tides then I pick another spot. We spend weeks in th Exumas every year and I ve never had an issue swinging around (70')
  4. JimmyL

    JimmyL Member

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    Good info and this sounds like it would have the best holding ability.
    So, for the less experienced (me), to properly set a Bahamian Moor, do I set my main hook and then lay down say 50 ft of chain on the bottom and attach a second anchor, get it set and then lay down the proper added scope of chain?
  5. ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    Sorta-kinda, maybe, possibly... or not, depending on who you listen to and circumstances at the time... and then it depends on whether you're willing to deal with the downsides. Think about what happens when wind and/or current changes directions, etc.

    You might try some global reading on the whole idea; bound to be lots of discussion about pros and cons out there.

    -Chris
  6. Bahma

    Bahma Member

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    Last August I anchored with a Bahamian moor in the small southern bay at Allens Cay, Exuma. Sandy bottom..... both anchors were original Danforth. The a chore were laid roughly north and south along the midline of the anchorage.... I must say this was the first time I had actually anchored this boat which I had bought, in Florida during the month before,..... a Bertram 42 ft Flush Deck Cruiser.
    My son arrived and tied up along side, he placed, by dingy, a large Bruce with an all chain rode to the SE....... 65ft Hatteras LRC. Both boats present much windage.
    The following morning the wind having shifted more to the SSW, caused our two boats to be held on my one southerly placed anchor, which, by chance, was the smallest about 55lbs. We were quite secure, although my single supporting rode was violin string tight. 3/4" nylon.

    I could not believe when I checked his rode was slack and carrying no load whatsoever.

    I guess anchoring is very personal thing mostly learned by experience, as what works and what causes sleepless nights.
  7. Bahma

    Bahma Member

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    I was taught the Bahamian Moor by an experienced Bahamian skipper way back in the early 60's.

    Logically, being aware of the tide and wind, together with the limits of the anchorage, I go up wind/tide and drop my first anchor, allowing the boat to drift down wind, my crew will make the rode temporarily fast so I can set the anchor into the sand with the engines. Continue astern until there is about 100 ft of line out. Make fast and drop the other anchor, now motor back again until the boat is about mid way between the two anchors, the crew will pay out one line and gather in the other Make them both fast.
    I like 5 to 1 ratio, so 50ft of rode is good for 10 ft of water, logically the anchors are set depending on the conditions.
    Incidentally, during the hundreds of times I have anchored in this manner, I have never tripped over my own rode. In my younger days, I always snorkeled over my anchors, after a rather exciting time when a beer can rendered the Danforth useless. Nowadays, I use the boat to set them.
    With anchors secured in this fashion I am happy to leave my boat to it's own devices.
  8. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Not much current in that small bay on SW Allen and good Sandy bottom, plus protection from SW. So a decent Danforth will hold well, even two boats.

    JimmyL, in theory you d set up the first anchor and pay out extra scope to fall back to where you want to set the second anchor. Then you drop the second anchor, shorten the scope on the first one till the boat sits in the middle. You need to leave enough slack on the second one so the rode, especially if using line, can't catch the running gear or a stabilizer fin.

    Problem with this is thst very few boats are rigged with two rollers and windlass so while it s a fairly easy process on small boats with lighter anchors, in the real world, you re not going to manually deploy a 100+lbs anchor with chain.

    Also when using all chain rode, the drag of the chain really helps when the current switches or if the wind shifts. It prevents the boat from drifting to far off to the side, unless the wind is really howling.
  9. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    All you would need is one anchor to drag and fowl the other rode/anchor. Then no holding power.

    As a few have commented, the single main anchor (installed anchor) is usually the storm anchor.
    Think we all have agreed there in no need for lunch hooks.
    Backup anchors should be at the ready to deploy if needed, not hinder an already set hook.

    Were 58' 7 fat, don't like crowds (another anchored boat within miles), have more scope than needed, sleep well.
    Fort Jefferson reinforced that attitude last year and it's folly's of experts dragging all over the place every evening around 1800.
    lesson #2; always anchor upwind of the experts.
    Last edited: Mar 31, 2016
  10. JimmyL

    JimmyL Member

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    haha. lesson #2; always anchor upwind of the experts.
    I always use my main anchor (properly set) for any anchoring. Never understood what was saved by just dropping a "lunch hook". I guess I'm needing to get a backup anchor and have it stored properly for use. I suppose it could be a bit lighter and would need to be along with rode instead of all chain as I don't have a second windlass.
    All good reading and ideas and best to be doing in advance of actually needing this backup.
  11. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    They're pretty light for their size, I call them the floating anchor because they will float if trying to let them out with a lot of current. I NEVER use them as a main anchor but for a backup anchor they are great. They store easily in the box and can be assembled in 2 minutes for use. Make sure to have chain for them, and buy an over sized one.

    I also want the biggest real anchor that will fit the windlass and pulpit as my primary anchor. I like 300' of chain and then 300' of rope behind it. It's REALLY hard to cut chain out at sea, and in an emergency if I need to ditch it, can always cut the rope off and still have enough rope to throw a backup anchor with short chain and be somewhat secure or in really deep water, you have a chance of still anchoring with 600' total. Plus the rope gives the chain something soft to lay on.
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2016
  12. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Actually, That is a requirement (per 3 different surveyors up here) to have even just a short length of nylon to cut in case of emergency fast get a ways.
    alvareza likes this.
  13. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Yeah well I like to have a really long piece of nylon just in case!!!!!!!!!! Also, you can always let out just to the nylon if you have the swinging room and not have to deal with a bridle.
  14. ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    FWIW, I haven't found that to be the case, for the larger (heavier) sizes, say FX-37 and above.

    -Chris
  15. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    They do bend the flukes also if you put a big load on them. Fortress does replace the flukes and shanks for free but have to ship to them. I've had both bend on various ones over the years. Luckily Fortress is about 15 minutes away from my house.

    ALSO, you can buy a metal ring/clip to clip on a poly ball that will go over an anchor rode and you drive foward on it and the polyball will work it's way aft and it will lift the anchor to the surface, they're also great to have in case of an emergency and don't have to pull an anchor up from the bottom. They work great on rope. I haven't tried them with chain but have heard they work with chain also.
  16. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Fortress have tremendous holding power in sand and mud but they often don't reset on their own making them a poor choice in tidal creeks.

    Floating is a bit of an exaggeration, unless maybe used with no chain but yes they can be a little harder to set in strong current and high winds, or by folks who back down too hard while dropping the hook. In current or wind, slowing down the drift with the engines is always a good idea as many anchors no matter what size or design will skip on the bottom while you deploy the rode

    I am not aware of any requirement to have a piece of line between the end of the chain and an eye in the anchor locker, who requires it? That said, it s just a good common sense precaution which i woulnt be without. Just make sure the line reaches the deck so you cut it quickly without having to go down in the locker.
  17. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I used to call it a flying or sailing anchor. Without a chain heavy enough to send it down quickly, in a current the flukes would sometimes fly and not make the bottom well.

    It's been popping up on a few used boat surveys recommendation list up here (Jax).

    I do luv the idea also.

    It's an eye opener for a boater to realize a need to cut loose his anchor may happen.
    When that emergency happens, he would not be able to do it.

    Of course a BAK* is the next requirement.


    * Big Asp Knife
  18. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    The rope also acts as sort of a shock absorber when you hit the end of the chain, your not putting a huge shock on the bulkhead if the chain freewheels or whatever.

    I have seen Fortress float in the current with the typical 6' of chain most SF builders put behind them.....
  19. ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    What size was that? Big, or small, or...?

    -Chris
  20. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Or the windlass will not out an ever bigger shock when it reaches the end of the chain,,, the line will slip on the capstan.

    I ve never understood why so many big sportfish only have a n FX, 6' of chain and line... Plain stupid. Like a couple hundred pound of chain is going to make a difference. Good ground tackle is a safety item. That should be a mandatory item on survey