Anchor Rode with a mushroom-gctid387473

[Guest]

I was anchoring in a sandy area with a relatively strong wind from the west. I was having a difficult time getting my anchor to hold, i also did not have enough room in the bay with hundreds of other boaters around to increase my line. I have 20 feet of chain to my anchor, and it occurred to me that it may be an interesting test to attach my 20 pound mushroom anchor at the end of my chain rode to increase my anchor stick. Am i crazy or would this be an okay idea.

Steve

[Guest]

Sure that will work. I use a 12 lb down rigger ball. That's actually an old trick.

Terry

[Guest]

I use down rigger weights quite often; I have even used plastic pails tied along the chain/rode - just sink them ant they work great for just the reason you stated.

Lighter weight(s) along the chain/rode also act as shock absorbers.

[captharv]

What anchor do you have?

Made in China????

[Guest]

I use a danforth and am always interested in extra security. Concerned that ball/weight may give me false sense of security or keep anchor from digging in and getting a good grab...any thoughts?

[Vic_Stewart]

The rig your chatting about is called a 'Kellet'. It effectively flattens the anchor to allow for a better bite.

Vic

Ft Myers

[Guest]

Vic Stewart wrote:
The rig your chatting about is called a 'Kettle'. It effectively flattens the anchor to allow for a better bite.

Vic

Ft Myers

So where would one position the ball/weight relative to the anchor and/or chain?

[Guest]

captharv wrote:
What anchor do you have?

Made in China????

No i have danforth, and it normally is very good, just not in sand

[captharv]

My boat had originally, an 8# danforth. It had about 6' of plastic covered chain and 250" of 1/2 3 strand nylon. This anchor ensanble was transferred from my last boat, a 23'8" chapparal. It set and held rather well until we were caught in a sudden storm (read--microburst). It dragged while holding, and cut a trench 6' long.

The next shopping day, I went out and bought a 13# danforth (not the clone), and 6' of heavier plastic coated chain. It holds so well that sometimes we have to cleat off with short scope and motor ahead until it breaks loose.

Next, i'll ask, how do you set the anchor? Do you use engine power in reverse to set it?

Thats what I do. Idle in reverse with whatever wind is present. Digs it in and tests it.

If I use 2 anchors, bow and stern, I use engine at idle both forward and reverse. Then, take up any slack and retie.

In sand, the danforth should bite in and hold w/o any additional help for normal anchoring. Unless, you are forced to use a short scope because of other boats nearby.

One thing, the danforth clones do not have as sharp as points on the flukes as the real danforth, and are a bit harder to set.

[JimMc]

sea-cruisier wrote:
So where would one position the ball/weight relative to the anchor and/or chain?

If you decide to use the kellet you could position the weight aka kellet at the point where the rope meets the chain.

http://www.rocna.com/kb/Kellets_and_buoys

Not at the anchor end of the chain.

[Guest]

So what is the best sand anchor out there?

Last week I had the same issues in a cove that we go to all the time. The bottom is all sand and it was very windy. I spent half the day drifting starting up the boat and repositioning. Every time I went down in the cuddy to hang with my son I had to run up and move the boat.

[RinnyBeth]

Boatnutcah wrote:
Sure that will work. I use a 12 lb down rigger ball. That's actually an old trick.

Terry

we use our windless anchor AND add a 10lb canon ball to it as well. gives us extra staying power in the cover we like.. granted we wont moor up in an area with tons of people.. we like our own lil world.. lol

[RinnyBeth]

Boatnutcah wrote:
Sure that will work. I use a 12 lb down rigger ball. That's actually an old trick.

Terry

we use our windless anchor AND add a 10lb canon ball to it as well. gives us extra staying power in the cover we like. keeps the surge out of the line too. granted we wont moor up in an area with tons of people.. we like our own lil world.. lol

[RGrew176]

CandyO wrote:
No i have danforth, and it normally is very good, just not in sand

If you can get the anchor to bury itself into the sand it will hold. I have anchored in sand many times and my anchor was a Danforth. You have to bury it. That can sometimes make it difficult to pull back out but you will hold.

[Vic_Stewart]

As a rule (not cast in stone) the kellet is attached to a pully which rides the rode, which is attached to a line. Now you can lower or raise the apperati using the pully/line combo. Physically, you lay out rode, lower the kellet which has the effect of adding more rode by making more of the rode horizontal. Very handy to use on difficult bottoms/windy days/nights and crowded anchorages.

Vic

Ft Myers