Chapter - 07

Anchors And Anchoring

The anchor is the seaman's oldest, simplest and most efficient instrument. How it works can best be illustrated by the laborer's pick. Take an ordinary pickax, drive, it down to the head in the earth and attach a fifty-foot line to the handle. No pull on that line will ever move the pick. On the other hand, if you place yourself above the pick and pull the line straight up, as is the case when you are raising an anchor, the pick, like the anchor, is broken out with small effort. That is the action of the anchor.

Wind Strain Is Small

The wind strain on an anchor is very small, if there is no sea. Wind seldom breaks out an anchor or causes a boat to drag. The average motor boat, even of fairly large size, in a good strong wind and no sea perhaps does not put a strain on an anchor of much more than five hundred pounds. It is the sea that breaks the anchor out and not the strain of the wind.

Of course the form of a vessel, to a large degree, governs the size of the anchors. A boat that is deep and narrow with low bow and no deckhouses can carry much lighter anchors than a vessel that is broad or has a high bow or high superstructure.

Another thing we must remember is that sail boats at anchor lie pretty well with head to wind and don't yaw around, while the modern motor boat is a vessel that tacks all over the harbor. Consequently, she should have proper ground tackle to hold her, allowing for the action of wind and wave on this type of vessel.

Sea Action Breaks Out The Anchor

The action of the sea is what breaks out the anchor, causing it to drag. As the vessel is moved up and down by the action of the sea, it naturally tends to lift the rope or chain connecting the boat to the anchor. Or, to go back to our illustration, it lifts the anchor as one does the handle of the pick. As long as you can keep the anchor line down to a small angle with the bottom, your anchor will not break out.

The average yachtsman makes no study of anchoring. He may study navigation but he does not consider the problem of how to stay safely in the harbor when he gets there. That study is one that every yachtsman ought to take up for his own protection.

How Many Anchors

We come now to the subject of how many anchors a boat should have. Every boat should carry at least two. Every boat that does real cruising and knocking around, particularly if it is done single-handed, should carry four.

The question arises as to how heavy these anchors should be. No fixed rule can be made, but for a normal type of boat, assuming anchors of the usual type (not patent) of good design with proper length of ropes, the regular anchor should weigh about a pound per over-all foot. The kedge anchor is more or less used for fishing or kedging off a bar and is admittedly designed to save labor in handling larger anchors. This should weigh one-half pound per foot and be of a rather spidery type—long thin arms, small palm and pointed bill.

Chain vs. Line

Leaving the subject of mooring, the next question is the rope-versus-chain proposition. That is an argument that has been going on for ages, and nothing has ever come of it. It is largely a matter of preference. I can only tell you what my preference is, without saying that my preference is correct.

I like rope rather than chain up to certain limits. Roughly speaking, that limit is a boat of 45 to 50 feet in length. The reason that rope cannot be used to advantage in a larger boat is because the size of the rope has to be such that it makes it very unwieldy. But, for ordinary anchoring, and assuming that you buy good rope and that you do not use the rope forever, you can anchor a boat up to 50 feet in length with a one-inch diameter rope.

Rope in the olden days used to be named by its circumference. In other words, a rope that was three inches in circumference was called a 3-inch rope. Lately, the custom has been changed and now they speak of rope in terms of diameter. A one-inch diameter rope would be a 3-inch rope in the old style term.

Take Care Of Your Line

You must take care of your line. If you haul it in and pass it right down to the locker without drying, the rope won't last. One of the reasons I do not like chain is because it scars the boat's bow and deck and chafes the stem. Also chain has no stretch to it.

I remember having seen a friend of mine anchored in a small racing sloop in Lloyd's. In a fathom and a half of water he had about thirty or forty fathoms of half-inch rope out ahead. A good breeze was blowing and quite a sea running but the rope would stretch like an elastic band and he rode as easily as could be.

On the other hand if you use chain you have much more weight out ahead and there is less of a tendency to lift and so break out the anchor. But my personal preference is rope for boats up to around 45 to 50 feet, and larger than that, chain.

Making The Anchor Cable Fast

Only a few boats have the anchor cables properly rigged for making fast to the anchors. Every cable should have an eye splice around a thimble and a shackle in the thimble. The thread on the shackle should be graphited and in the eye of the shackle there should be a small piece of cotton line, so that when you put the pin in the shackle you can make fast around some convenient part and keep the pin in the shackle from turning and working out. It isn't likely to happen, but it happened once to a friend of mine. He lost all his gear and his boat went ashore.

Above: Two of the common methods of bending a manila anchor line to an anchor ring. The eye splice, with thimble and shackle, is also popular

A common practice among both yachtsmen and fishermen, in some localities, is to bend their anchor line to the ring of the anchor, in preference to the use of eye splice, thimble and shackle. The anchor bend, fishermen's bend, and bowline with extra turn in the bight about the ring are all used in this way. Advocates of this practice point out that, with the line thus quickly detachable from the anchor, it is more easily stowed or used for towing. The line can be cleaned of mud and dried thoroughly; then reversed and used with the anchor on the opposite end. This lengthens the life of the line as sand in the strands cuts them from the inside.

Preparing To Anchor

When entering a harbor and preparing to anchor, there are many things you must do. It sounds like a lot of useless rigmarole, but after awhile you get so that you do these things automatically. Before coming into the harbor, unlash the hook on deck, put in the stock, and lash the pin, ready to let go. Your line, shackled to the anchor, should be hauled on deck, coiled down and nicely fixed so that it will render freely when you put your anchor overboard.

By every maritime law and custom a man anchoring has a right to the spot over which he anchors and free swinging room on all sides, always assuming he anchors free and clear of other boats and out of the channel. All vessels anchoring subsequently must keep clear not alone when anchoring, but in stress of weather afterward. Consequently if another vessel drags down on you that vessel is liable for the damage. No boat drags and fouls another, except in the rarest of cases, unless it be through carelessness or neglect.

Give Plenty Of Scope

Scope is the one most important item in anchoring. With ground tackle of poor design or improper weight, still if you give any hook scope enough it is likely to hold. For anchoring in ordinary conditions the general rule is seven times the depth of water. Needless to say, you should always know in advance, by consulting the chart or by use of the lead, how deep the water is in which you propose to lie. When it comes on to blow and the sea makes up you will pay out more chain or cable till the 7 to 1 ratio is doubled or more. Assuming you are not anchored in open water and the holding bottom is good and your hooks are even fair for design and weight, if she drags much after you have a scope of 15 times the depth something is wrong. Perhaps the anchors are fouled, or the pin has come out and the stock also. Then the better policy is to get your ground tackle on deck, seek a more sheltered spot and anchor again. Speaking of getting hooks on deck reminds me of another thing. Don't ever take turns on the windlass or bitt over another set of turns. Remove the old turns first and don't ever put half hitches in an anchor rope—or any other kind that tension and water will make tighter.

The advantages of a long scope are generally recognized by most motor-boat men, but probably few realize in just what ways such scope contributes to the safety of the ship and her ease of riding at an anchor.

The longer the scope the more nearly parallel to the bottom the pull will be, and the smaller therefore will be the tendency to break the anchor out. If a chain is used, its weight will help some, but this factor should not be altogether relied upon, as it has been found out that in a moderate wind, with ten times as much scope as depth of water, that not a single link of chain rested on the bottom. One of the chief values of a long scope is the elasticity of the line, which greatly reduces the pull on the anchor itself and keeps same at a uniform amount, especially in a seaway or when the boat is yawing around considerably.

Use A Trip Line

In anchoring on a rocky bottom always use a trip line. In case the anchor should be caught in a cleft of the rocks no amount of pulling will bring it out unless it is badly bent. A line made fast to the crown and a little longer than the depth of water with float will enable you to pull the hook out backwards by slacking away on the anchor line and hauling on the trip line. In putting out two anchors there is a great difference of opinion as to whether the lines should be parallel out ahead or at a small angle with each other. Experts seem to favor the parallel line idea and I agree with them if the vessel is such that she lays head to wind. But if she has a tendency to tack like the motor boats, I am inclined to think a small angle between the lines is better.

Keep The Bitter End Made Fast

It may sound ridiculous to say that when dropping the anchor you should not drop the cable or chain overboard with it, but hundreds and thousands of men have done it for the simple reason that the bitter end was not made fast.

The Sea Anchor

There is another type of anchor we have not mentioned and that is the sea-anchor. This is not an anchor at all, but a drag or drogue the purpose of which is to hold the boat's head to the sea or at a reasonably small angle to it, say around 45 degrees. Because of the deeper sections aft and the drag of the screw an auxiliary or motor-vessel without sail or power will drift at an angle greater than 90 degrees to the wind and the sea anchor is designed to correct this. It is made with a heavy large iron hoop to which is fastened a heavy canvas cornucopia-shaped bag. At the end of this is a ring to which the trip-line is rigged for taking it aboard. The sea anchor has no place on anything but a small vessel going off-shore and its bulkiness and difficulty of stowing as well as its ineffectiveness, unless of rather large size, makes it a poor shipmate on any vessel.

In Anchoring on rocky bottom always use a buoyed trip line·

When anchoring take bearings on prominent objects; then you can tell if you are holding

Take A Bearing

When anchoring take a bearing on some prominent object or, better yet, a cross bearing. In this way it is easy to tell if you are holding. Should night shut out the objects used or no objects be available, the small harbor lead (with which every boat should be equipped) dropped overside will tell you whether you are making sternway.

Old-Fashioned Anchor

When the old-fashioned style of anchor is let go in water fairly deep the crown of the anchor generally strikes the bottom first and then the anchor falls over until it rests on the end of the stock, the arms and flukes lying horizontal—that is, on the surface of the bottom. As the first drag on the anchor line occurs the anchor tends to capsize, so to speak, pulling the stock down horizontal and driving one of the flukes into the bottom. Such a condition will only exist provided the pull is parallel to the bottom, which results from a sufficient length of anchor line or scope, as it called. Especially when the anchor is first taking hold a good scope is desirable. In good holding ground an anchor will completely bury itself, as the tendency of the old-fashioned anchor is to work down with the pull. This tendency does not always occur with the double-fluke types.

Holding Power

The holding power is not always proportional to the area of the flukes or palms, and in some cases an excess of area may be a disadvantage. "When an anchor drags, and most of them do slightly when first taking hold, an excessively large fluke breaks up the ground through which it moves and carries the soil along, leaving a broad furrow behind through which the arms and crown move without much resistance. A small and well-designed fluke will allow the soil to close in behind, which keeps a constant friction on the other parts of the anchor. A large palm will often carry along a shapeless mass of mud, which may add to its weight, but when the anchor is slipping does not allow it to get a fresh hold, and in such a case the anchor must be picked up, cleared and let go again.

It is a common rule to allow under ordinary circumstances a length of cable equal to five times the depth of water, and this should be increased in some cases. It is always easier to prevent an anchor from dragging than to make it hold after it has once begun to drag.

If an anchor is known to have dragged in a clayey bottom, it should be picked up as quickly as possible, for it is certain to be "shod" and to have lost much of its proper holding power. In letting go where the bottom is of this kind, it is important to give a good scope from the very beginning to prevent even the little dragging which is to be commonly expected as the anchor digs down to get its hold.

The Stockless Anchor

While all double-fluked anchors are not necessarily stockless, yet most of them are. This type of anchor has come into general use today, chiefly on account of the convenience of stowing it. As the ship swings around, often the upward pull will tend to break out the flukes because the anchor is rolled over. A stock prevents rolling over. Give the stockless anchor two or three times the scope you would give to the old-fashioned kedge. To make a stockless anchor first take hold will probably require scope equal to ten times the depth of the water.

Light Weight Anchors

In recent years a number of light weight anchors of entirely new type have appeared in which holding power depends less on mass and weight, and more on scientific design. Examples of the new type of anchor are the Northill, which is made of stainless steel, and the Seacurity, made of Monel metal. Their holding power, for a given weight of anchor and scope of line, is many times greater than that of earlier types. In tests, they have demonstrated holding powers ranging from five to twenty times as great as older designs of equal weight.

Some idea of the convenience of these anchors may be had when it is realized that weights of only 12 to 15 pounds are in common use for normal anchoring requirements aboard 38 and 40-foot cruisers. Their small size, compactness and light weight are great advantages from the standpoint of easier handling and better stowage.

Riding Out A Gale

In riding out a gale it may be necessary to let go a second anchor, but where unlimited space is available the boat will be much safer and easier on one anchor with a long scope than on two anchors on separate cables. Two cables will hold a boat longer if bent on the same cable and veered out to double length on a single anchor than if used separately each with its own anchor down. However, it must not be overlooked that in such a case all the strain comes on one cable, while with two down it is distributed over them both.

When there is a possibility that dragging may exist, a sharp lookout should be kept that will insure instant detection should it happen. The drift lead, good bearing of objects on shore, or a range may be used for this purpose.

Anchoring Rules

1. Examine all parts of ground tackle each time before use. See that the key is secure and the pin in shackle fastening rope or chain to hook well wired to prevent backing out and the rope well fastened at bitter end.

2. Always head vessel into wind, or into tide if that be stronger.

A safe and easy rule is to head vessel same as other boats in harbor are lying.

3. Never anchor while vessel has slightest headway. Wait till she has sternway (reversing motor for this purpose) and then drop the hook, keeping a tension on the line or chain if possible till hook has touched bottom. Then pay out slowly till hook bites, when scope can be given more smartly till required length is out. Make fast on the bitts and let her fetch up well on the line to make the hook dig in.

4. In shortening hawser do not put new turns over old—always remove old turns first and never half hitch the cable.

5. If using rope always serve with canvas to prevent chafe.

6. Give plenty of scope—at least seven times the depth. You can't give too much. Vessels on a day with light airs from different directions or by action of tide may swing around their anchors and foul the upright arm with cable. If so, hook will have no holding power. This will happen, no matter what the scope and should always be looked to after a day of these conditions.

7. Never drop a hook stock down or put it over in careless manner. Line is sure to foul on stock and lessen or entirely destroy holding power.

8. Ascertain depth before anchoring and take ranges on shore to fix position.

9. Examine line on bitts and for chafe before turning in or leaving vessel for any length of time.

10. Always use trip line on rocky bottom or where there are wrecks and other obstructions to catch the anchor.

Permanent Moorings

To moor permanently, for example, at a yacht club anchorage, you should use a mushroom anchor of a weight depending upon the size and type of boat, holding bottom and exposure of the location from winds, currents, etc. The weights of such mushroom anchors for an average condition will vary from 125 pounds for a light racing 25 foot sail boat up to 550 pounds for 55 foot cruising motor boat, or say 10 pounds per foot of length.

Chain and not line should be used, although it is good practice to use a manila or stainless steel pennant shackled to the upper end of chain (at the buoy if one is used). This pennant is then carried to bow cleat or mooring bitt on the boat. Of course such pennant must be watched closely and replaced every season or oftener if it shows signs of wear.

The size of chain is important. Never use less than ÿ&" chain even for the smallest craft. It is good practice to use a length of large diameter chain at the mushroom end and shackle a length of smaller diameter chain to this. This arrangement permits the use of a shorter total length of chain which is an advantage when mooring space in a club anchorage is limited.

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