Ground Tackle

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Ground Tackle

• Ordinary Requirement 8

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Ordinary Requirement 8

• Describe five types of anchors.
• Describe how each type holds the bottom, the kind
  of bottom in which it holds best, and any other
  advantages or disadvantages.
• Name the parts of a stock and stockless anchor.
• Demonstrate the ability to weigh and set anchor.
• Reference
• Ground Tackle page 147

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Anchors

• If you go boating long enough, sooner or later
  you're going to need to anchor. 
• Knowledge of your anchoring equipment (called
  ground tackle) and the ability to use it is an
  absolute necessity. 
• Examples of anchors include lightweight anchors
  such as Danforth, CQR, Delta

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Criteria for Anchor Selection

• reliability to set
• holding power
• ability to withstand veering (or resetting
  qualities)
• susceptibility to damage

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Parts of an Anchor

• Ring
• Key
• Stock
• Shank
• Throat
• Crown
• Arm
• Palm and Fluke
• Pee or Bill

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Lightweight Anchors

• Fishermans Anchor
• ideal for rocky or weedy bottoms as they can dig
  through the weed and hook cracks in the rock.
• heavy for their holding power and can be hard to
  handle on a small boat.
• Danforth Anchor 
• best known of this type (Danforth, Fortress,
  Florida)
• Stockless, lightweight with good holding power in
  sand mud 
• has difficulty penetrating thick weeds or hard
  bottoms due to lightweight
• Northill Anchor
• light and relatively efficient.
• has a stock at the crown adding to its holding
  power when the flukes are buried.

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Lightweight Anchors

• CQR or Plow Anchor
• looks and performs like a plow. 
• holds well on almost any type of bottom
  conditions. 
• heavy and very difficult to stow unless you have
  a bow pulpit and roller.
• Delta Anchor
• designed to "self launch" off a bow roller -
  slide off the front of the roller as soon as the
  chain is eased.
• requires a suitable bow fitting to make use of
  this characteristic
• Bruce Anchor 
• looks and performs like a plow anchor. 
• easy to set. 
• wont penetrate deep good for a lunch stop

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Other Anchors

• Mushroom  The mushroom will sink down into the
  mud or sand. 
• If left long enough, it will have tremendous
  holding power. 
• Most permanent moorings use a large mushroom
  anchor.
• Grapnel Anchor This is the anchor to use for
  rocky bottoms.
• The hooks will hook under rocks.

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Heavyweight Anchors

• Navy Anchor
• Has no stock and therefore cannot foul the cable
• Effectiveness depends on weight and bottom
  conditions
• Not effective for small craft

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Anchor Loading

• Anchors are rated by their horizontal load
  capabilities.
• When looking for an anchor, check the
  manufacturer's stated horizontal holding power. 
• If you have any doubt, remember that an anchor
  that's a little too big is much better than an
  anchor that's a little too small!
• Here are some approximate horizontal load
  requirements for various boat lengths

Boat Length (feet) Protected Waters (lbs) Unprotected Waters (lbs)
20 360 720
30 700 1,400
40 1,200 2,400
50 1,600 3,200
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Anchor Rode

• Your anchor line is called a rode. 
• Nylon line is the best choice here because of its
  strength and ability to stretch. 
• a good idea to have a 6-foot to 12-foot piece of
  chain between the anchor and the nylon line. 
• The chain really helps to keep the anchor (stock)
  parallel with the bottom and also acts as a shock
  absorber.
• Your anchor rode must be long enough to create a
  horizontal, rather than vertical, pull on your
  anchor. 
• Anchors are designed to dig in deeper when they
  are pulled horizontally. 
• They are also designed to come free when pulled
  vertically.

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Anchor Scope

• Simple formula calculates the proper scope
  (length) of rode you need. 
• Take the height of the boat's bow from the water
  line and add it to the depth of the water.
• In this example, we'll say the height of the bow
  from the water line is 3 feet, and the depth of
  the water is 12 feet.
• In normal conditions (some wind and some waves),
  multiply the total height by a factor of 7.
• Example   15 feet x 7 105 feet of rode needed
• In rough conditions, multiply the total by a
  factor of 10.
• Example   15 feet x 10 150 feet of rode needed

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How to Set Anchor

• Discuss with your crew which procedures you plan
  to use, and who is going to do what.
• Decide on which hand signals you will use to
  communicate with your crew.
• Get the anchor out on deck and lay out the anchor
  line. Make sure that it's not snarled and is
  ready for deployment.
• Make sure the line is securely attached to the
  anchor.
• Approach the spot where you are going to anchor
  with your bow going up into the wind.

• Stop the boat over your selected spot and lower
  the anchor straight down to the bottom.
• Back off slowly down wind, deploying about 1/2
  the needed scope.
• Stop the boat. Snub off the line on a cleat and
  back off slowly. The boat should come to a stop
  as the anchor bites in and sets. Let out the rest
  of the line and secure it.
• Find a prominent landmark on shore and make sure
  the angle between it and you does not change. By
  doing this, you'll help make sure that the anchor
  is holding.

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How to Weigh Anchor

• When you are ready to leave, start your engine
  and slowly approach your anchor, following the
  hand signals of the crew retrieving the line.
• When the anchor line is straight up and down, the
  anchor should come free from the bottom. Get the
  anchor aboard, being careful not to let it bang
  against the boat.
• If the anchor is stuck, try moving everybody as
  far forward as possible, and then snub off the
  anchor line. Then have everybody move to the
  stern. This should pop the anchor out of the
  bottom.
• Make sure the anchor and the line are clean
  before you put them away.

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Tips

• Never throw an anchor. Not only is it dangerous,
  it makes the "thrower" look like a jerk.
• Watch those fingers when deploying the anchor
  line or snubbing it off on a cleat! A boat exerts
  a lot of force.
• Make sure nobody's feet or legs are caught in or
  on the anchor line as it's being deployed.
• Check the condition of your ground tackle often.
  Rocks or shells on the bottom can easily damage
  and weaken your equipment.
• If possible, your boat should carry a second
  anchor that you can use to keep your boat from
  swinging too far.