Torries

92

january/february 2017

cruisingworld.com

The single most important

factor is to carry an anchor of

suitable weight. A loose rule

of thumb is 1 pound per foot

of overall length or, if you are

at the extreme ends of the

displacement/length spec-

trum, 3^1 ∕ 2 to 4 pounds per ton

of displacement.

If the bow roller, bollards

and windlass can handle it,

there is much to be gained and

little to lose by overdoing it

when choosing your anchor

weight. Your windlass has a

maximum load rating, often

referred to as the “stall load.”

This is usually three times

the rated working load, or the

power to haul the combined

weight of your entire chain

and anchor once freed from

the bottom. You should use

the boat’s engine, not the

windlass, to break free from

a deep set. If you deploy the

typical maximum of 300 feet

of^3 ∕ 8 -inch chain, weighing

in at 390 pounds, adding 5

pounds to your anchor adds

less than 2 percent to your

working load, leaving you well

within recommended reserve

tolerances. Yet that 5 pounds

may have a profound eff ect on

holding power, not just due to

the additional weight, but also

due to the increase in surface

area of the fl ukes or blades.

The debate rages on as

to which style and brand

of anchor are best. It’s a

discussion clouded with

personal preference and often

skewed by fi nancial interest.

I hesitate to endorse a single

product, because there are

several excellent choices

available. And since diff erent

designs excel in diff erent

terrains, when choosing an

anchor, factor in the nature of

your likely cruising grounds.

Traits to look for are robust

materials and construction;

tested holding power in mud,

sand, rubble and rock; aver-

age distance from drop to set;

tendency to foul in swinging

conditions; susceptibility to

clogging or jamming articula-

tions; and compatibility with

deck hardware.

The predominant styles

break down into fl uke (this

category includes fi sherman,

Danforth and Fortress

anchors), plow (including

CQR, Rocna and Delta) and

scoop (Bruce). Mushroom and

grapnel models are specialty

styles not relevant to normal

yachting use. Scrutinize sev-

eral professionally published

test results to determine

consistent winners across a

spectrum of environments

and methodologies.

I carry three anchors of

three diff erent types on board

our 36-foot, 9-ton cutter. My

55-pound Rocna may appear

to be overkill, but it served us

well in 90-foot-deep Aleutian

Island anchorages where

short-scoping was an unfortu-

nate necessity. My backup is

a 45-pound CQR, as it is con-

venient to stow and handle on

deck and easily attaches to the

main anchor to create a hurri-

cane arrangement (see Figure

1b). Its size and shape also

make it ideal as an emergency

kedge anchor, without threat

of puncturing our infl atable

dinghy. My old-fashioned col-

lapsible fi sherman anchor

seldom tastes the salt water,

as it is of questionable value

in silty bottoms due to min-

imal fl uke surface area, and

it is especially susceptible to

fouling in tidal swing situa-

tions. But in certain slate and

boulder bottoms, such as the

notorious Pago Pago Harbor,

it is the only style guaran-

teed to hold — so well, in

fact, that I joke it would hold

on a basketball court. But be

warned: Fisherman anchors

can be frustratingly diffi cult to

retrieve and should carry a trip

line (see Figure 2).

CHAIN AND GEAR

A vital but often-overlooked

link in our tackle train is

the shackle and/or swivel

that connects the anchor to

the chain. For both, choose

a proven brand name, not

some cheap knockoff. Use the

largest-diameter shackle pin

that will fi t into your chain

link to reduce point loading

and wear on the pin. Always

mouse the shackle pin securely

with seizing wire or, in the

event that the pin is recessed

into the shackle or swivel

body, secure the pin with a

high-strength mechanic’s glue,

such as Loctite. I further ping

the edge of the pin end with

a center punch to be sure.

Ensure that the shackle pin-

head faces toward the least

obstructed side of the rollers.

A subtle problem can occur

with the modern, sleek style

of swivels when they are used

on anchors with slots instead

of holes on the anchor’s shank

end. If the jaw of the swivel

slides up the slot before pres-

sure has been applied, it can

jam up the channel and the

load can bend against, rather

than pull on, the swivel pin

(see Figure 3a). There have

been numerous accounts of

otherwise reputable hardware

mysteriously parting. I have

mitigated this on my Rocna TIM BARKER

The single-rode, double-anchor hurricane set (Figure 1b)

is easier to deploy and retrieve than two separate rodes

and anchors (Figure 1a). Theoretically, the single-rode

variation also has more holding power, for the wider the

angle of a double set, the greater the force put on each

anchor, until they drift together and possibly foul. For ease

of deployment and retrieval, use a lighter style, such as a

Danforth or Fortress, for the auxiliary anchor in a single-

rode set, and connect the two anchors with a short chain.

Figure 1a

Figure 1b

CRW0217_HOS1_Anchoring.indd 92 11/22/16 10:26 AM