The kind of "anchoring" (not "__anchor__") you're describing is sometimes
called using a "lunch hook." In other words, you're not expecting heavy
conditions, you're not staying very long, and most importantly you have your
bearings under constant observation so that you can take corrective action
immediately if the anchor starts to drag.

You may be able to get away with a fairly casual setup for such a lunch
hook. For more serious anchoring, boaters know that anchors work best when
the pull on them is nearly horizontal, which is why the standard advice is
to use a scope of 1:7. If the depth is 3 metres (from the bottom to the
__bow chocks__!) then you let out 21 metres of "rode" (of whatever
material).

However, in crowded inland non-tidal anchorages with a calm forecast, 21
metres of rode gives you a swinging circle of 42 metres, so that's often not
practical. I often sleep overnight with a 4:1 rode, for example, and will
lunch at 3:1 or 2:1.

Using chain on the end of your line helps. Most consider it essential (for
more than "lunching"). It won't abrade through if it chafes on a rock, it
adds weight down near the anchor to help keep the pull closer to horizontal.
I have worried several times if my anchor was properly set in weeds, in a
light wind gusting up to 10 knots, and so snorkelled down to find the chain
not even pulled taut. I was, in fact, holding just on the weight of the
chain. (And I saw a big cruiser drag onto the rocks last year when the wind
freshened and the weight of the chain alone could no longer hold him! His
anchor obviously wasn't well set - mine was!) One rule of thumb is a length
of chain equal to your boat length.

There is some disagreement about whether the standard "7:1" is for an
all-rope rode, or whether using chain reduces it. (I think not.) But the
main thing is: lots of rode in heavy conditions. I exceeded 7:1 when a
gale-force squall line blew through one day, and didn't begrudge one
centimetre of the extra rode I let out.

Then there's the choice of type of anchor, but you can see how much more
there is to it than hardware. I've barely started...

====

Charles T. Low
- remove "UN"
www.boatdocking.com/BDPhoto.html - Photo Contest
www.boatdocking.com
www.ctlow.ca/Trojan26 - my boat

====

"Ree-Yees" wrote in message
...
Im anchoring in J Percy Priest lake in tennesse, it is a muddy lake.

The people before me said they only used the anchor twice, so I would
assume
they just had it for the heck of it. However, me and my family like to
anchor down for an hour to do some fishing or swimming.

I have been looking up some anchoring information and it appears that I
have
been going about it all wrong and with this garbage anchor. All the other
boats that I see anchored are just dropping them over the side to the
bottom
and ting it up. So that is what I have done.

I realize now that I am supposed to be giving it a bit of slack to make
like
a 45 degree angle with my anchor! That danforth anchor looks pretty cool.
I
have seen some like that for about $30 at bass pro so I might test one of
those out too.

There sure is alot to learn about boats. Sure sucks some money away too!

Thanks guys,
--C