Challenge, Adventure and Fun on Land and Sea
ANCHORS
Everyone knows about anchors; they are used to fasten things to
something else. Anchors are particularly important on boats to attach
the boat to the bottom of the sea, lake or river. To stop for lunch,
overnight or to moor your boat you need an anchor. You also need an
anchor in emergency situations like the time I and a friend were caught
in a tropical storm on the Little Bahama Bank. The wind was so strong
that the dinghy that we were pulling was lifted out of the water and was
twirling like a propellor. Fortunately we had a storm (large) anchor
on board and after untangling the line, being careful not to be caught
up in it, safely anchored.
There are a number of types of anchors useful in different
situations. Desirable features include good holding power in all bottom
conditions and not breaking out in shifting winds and tides.
Fluke style anchors are good in sand and mud, but not good in
weeds, rocks or hard sand or clay. They are light in weight and very
popular, but tend to break out in shifting winds and tides. The
aluminum Fortress anchor (www.mountains-and-seas.com) with its excellent
holding power, life-time warranty and adjustable fluke angle is the
best performing example of its kind.
Plow style anchors are heavier than fluke style anchors and are
shaped as the name implies and hold well on most bottoms except deep mud
and tend not to break out with changes in wind and tides.
Grapnel anchors are good for such small boats as canoes, dinghies,
etc. The folding type is very compact and easy to store.
In choosing an anchor consider the size of your boat and the bottom
conditions where you will be boating. Also it is wise to carry an
extra anchor or two on board.
Anchors are attached first to a chain which because of its weight
tends to pull horizontally on the anchor helping to set it and then to a
line, called a rode. A ratio of 7 to 1 between length of rode and
water depth is usually sufficient; however, in extreme conditions the
ratio should be increased. In the situation mentioned above we let out
all the available line.
In anchoring many boaters throw their anchor; however, the
recommended procedure is to drop it vertically and then to back down on
it with the motor, wind or tide to set it. Be careful not to get your
feet entangled in the rode as it plays out.
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