Anchor for Ciera 2455-gctid826564

[Gerd1ff]

Hello,

I have searched the forum and also online.so far I have not been able to figure out what type anchor I need for my 2455 Ciera 2000.

I want to spend most times on lakes and some extended weekends in the ocean around Charleston.

Can anybody give me a better clue from your own experience?

I would prefer to keep it stored on the roll up front even though I do not have an automatic winch.

Thanks!

[Gerd1ff]

I meant type size also please. Any input is appreciated..

[cb450sc]

Is the bottom of the lake rock, sand, clay, muck, or weed? The lake bottom where I boat is sand so I use a Danforth on my 2455.

[CptCrunchie]

"Gerd1ff" post=826564 wrote:
Hello,

I have searched the forum and also online.so far I have not been able to figure out what type anchor I need for my 2455 Ciera 2000.

I want to spend most times on lakes and some extended weekends in the ocean around Charleston.

Can anybody give me a better clue from your own experience?

I would prefer to keep it stored on the roll up front even though I do not have an automatic winch.

Thanks!

I currently have a 22lb Bruce (claw) on 100' of ¼" chain and 200' of ›" nylon rode, ...though I have a windlass. I like the Bruce because it can be used in rocks, cobble, mud, and if you have enough chain on the bottom and set it like a plow, in sand.

[Jeffw]

"CptCrunchie" post=826568 wrote:

"Gerd1ff" post=826564 wrote:
Hello,

I have searched the forum and also online.so far I have not been able to figure out what type anchor I need for my 2455 Ciera 2000.

I want to spend most times on lakes and some extended weekends in the ocean around Charleston.

Can anybody give me a better clue from your own experience?

I would prefer to keep it stored on the roll up front even though I do not have an automatic winch.

Thanks!

I currently have a 22lb Bruce (claw) on 100' of ¼" chain and 200' of ›" nylon rode, ...though I have a windlass. I like the Bruce because it can be used in rocks, cobble, mud, and if you have enough chain on the bottom and set ti like a plow, in sand.

I have the same 22 lb. Bruce anchor, 30' of chain and 150' 1/2" rope and it holds my 2858 in all conditions so far, bought it in 2011.

[joe440]

I had the same as Jeff on my 2455. Bruce anchor, 30ft chain,150ft rope.

[Gerd1ff]

Not sure what the bottom of most lakes around SC looks like, mostly sand I think from the ones I've been too. Some have rocks.

I was originally thinking of a danforth as well. How heavy is yours?

As far as the bruce: I'd like those too but isnt that a lot of chain and weight to pull without a windlass?

[Jeffw]

The first consideration is what you need to hold your boat in your local conditions.

[Gerd1ff]

Do you think the Bruce would be an overkill then?

Get a Danforth for local conditions?

Like a 10 lbs?

Currently I only have a small mushroom anchor from the previous owner...

[CptCrunchie]

"Gerd1ff" post=826646 wrote:
Do you think the Bruce would be an overkill then?

Get a Danforth for local conditions?

Like a 10 lbs?

Currently I only have a small mushroom anchor from the previous owner...

A mushroom is great if you are lake fishing, as is an underweight Danforth. However, they are dangerous in the ocean, especially when overnighting when you won't be readily available to monitor changing conditions. A standard Danforth is great for silt and sandy bottom areas, as long as you can get them to set correctly. (I had a 45lb'er on our motorsailer, and I could drag for miles trying to set it, which was rare. I switched to a 44lb CQR ...made by Danforth, and I loved it! That thing would set our 34,000lb boat in 5' using 30' of Ôà£" chain and ┬¥" nylon rode. The motorsailer had a manual windlass, but I retrieved it using just the motor to break it free, then pulled it aboard by hand. Even 30' of Ôà£" chain is not as difficult as it sounds.)

JSYK: Once the anchor is set, the chain is what keeps it set, especially in a blow or changing current, so the weight, size and length of it is a huge consideration. And 'scope' is the multiplier you use based on the distance from your bow roller (or from where it breaks over the bow) to the bottom of the lake or ocean you are anchoring in.

While lakes and the ocean both have wind, tides dictate the scope and swing you need. You can use a very short scope - like 3:1 or 4:1 in most lakes. Tidal areas where you use a nylon rode need 7:1. You can go with a shorter scope if you are using all chain, though most still stay with a 7:1. But as you said, it is really heavy if you are pulling it by hand.

The nice thing about a Bruce is that you can use it in far more conditions than any other anchor, so I would hardly call it overkill. While there are easier to pull anchors, will they be secure in a tidal area, holding to the various bottom structures you will encounter? A Bruce holds welling silt, but not quite as good in sand ....unless you use heavier chain so the anchor will sink deeper into it when you set it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hg2s...hor retrieval.

Following up on what Jeffw wrote, how often you anchor in a lake or in the ocean, and in what bottom structures, should dictate your anchor, chain and rode choice, ...not how easy it is to retrieve.

If you have a Marine GPS, you should also have an anchor drag alarm. Ours saved our motorsailer a few times.

[dmcb]

I anchor the entire season, about 100 days.

I have tried several different anchors and for the past 12 years I have used a Bruce with no slipping. The only anchor I can say that about.

Actually the past 12 years was with our 38xx. I used a Bruce on our 2850 also with the same results.

That is approx. 1200 days with no overnight at a dock.

No anchor is overkill if you can lift it and carry it.

Danforth is a good anchor but in a sudden wind reversal it, like all anchors will lift and reset. Anything that gets in the flukes of a Danforth, weeds. even a twig will prevent it from setting. Not fun in the middle of the night when the wind comes up.

I want all the advantage in my favor when I anchor. I use an anchor a couple of sizes larger than suggested for my size boat. I use all chain and still try to get 7 to 1 ratio. Remember that measure starts at the top of your bow. The distance from there to the bottom is the same as distance under water.

I always set a drift alarm on my chart plotter. Just in case something happens. And sooner or later it will.

I never set a marker on my anchor. I did one night when I was anchored in an area that could snag an anchor and I thought I might need to pull it from the back.

Boat drifted over the marker, snagged on the prop and pulled the anchor. The alarm saved me that night as I had little room to drift.

Another thing I never do is drop the anchor and start backing up to set it.

Do that if you plan to plant a crop on the bottom and need to plow it.

Instead we determine how much rode we need for the depth and deploy it all. Shut down and go about our business. Let the wind set the anchor.

That has never failed us. Never. You can tell if you drift with your drift alarm. Of course you check. A visual or your drift alarm will tell you if you are secure.

If you must back in it to see if your secure, wait a half hour. If no wind wait longer.

I use a golf distance meter to see how far I am from shore. When the anchor sets, I don't want to be too close to shore to react if something happens.

Most of the shore where I anchor is rocky.

In the past 12 years I had another situation where the anchor didn't hold. About 3 days after being at anchor I became adrift. There was a log sunk and the anchor snagged it. The wind came up and it worked loose. The log, about 12 feet long and about 6 inches in dia. came up perfectly balanced on the anchor. Another boater came along and got it off for me. It was a hard job to remove it.

Remember I said sooner or later something will happen.

In answer to the question.

Look up the anchor of your choice. Somewhere there will be a chart for your size boat. Go as much larger as you can handle would be my suggestion.

Again you want all the advantages in your favor.

Doug

You will see that works.

I anchor in fresh water. It gets warm and weeds grow. No anchor works well in weeds. I anchor in at least 12 feet of water. Usually weeds won't grow in water that deep. If they do, go a bit deeper.

[simo]

I use the Fortress FX-11 with about 30 feet of chain. Holds great except in heavy weeds. No winch here, plus many times my wife is handling the anchor, thus the light weight for us was also a factor in my selection.

[cbt716]

I have a 07 Ciera 245 and use a 13lb danforth with 20' of 1/4 chain and 150' of rode for mostly lake anchoring in 12' to 25' with a muddy bottom and haven't had a problem with it breaking loose but I broke down and installed a windlass since I go out allot by myself and its allot easier to deal with when it comes time to pull up the anchor.

[Gerd1ff]

How hard or how expensive is it to install such a windlass on a boat?

[CptCrunchie]

I did on mine. I drilled through the foredeck, then through tiny V bulkhead in the bow, and added a 'tunnel' into the forward bilge. I need someone to tail it when I retrieve it, but it pays out nicely. Moreover, putting 100' of chain in the tiny V space, I had to get my hands up there to get it all in. Now I have 200' of ›" nylon rode attached to the chain and it all fits nicely.

I also noticed that when the chain was all up in the bow, the boat waddled like a duck because the center of gravity had been raised. Now that it is in the forward bilge, the boat actually rides smoother.

Total project was less than one boat buck.

Please note: A number of replies state that they are only anchoring in lakes. Lake anchoring and anchoring in the ocean are very different. Please keep in mind where you will be anchoring when buying what you need.