Anchor Problems, Please Help!

partlowr

I did check out the FAQ's and used the search feature but found nothing specific to my size boat which addressed my specific issue.

First things first, my boat is a Rinker 232 Captiva Cuddy(23.5ft). I purchased a Danforth anchor which has a holding weight of 1300 pounds and says it will work for boats up to 30ft in length. I also purchased a high quality rubber coated 6 ft chain. I have had a number of issues with this anchor not holding in different lakes (Lake Michigan, Lake Geneva in varying conditions from calm to 10-12mph winds. For the record I was with some friends with similar sized boats(my hull might be deeper) and similar sized anchors who were not having any issues. I even tried using a smaller secondary anchor and that did not help. Furthermore running two anchors is a pain in the butt and I spend more time trying to make sure they don't tangle with one another or other people's lines when tied up in a group. I know how to properly throw and anchor and drift and allow to set before line tie off so I don't think I am the problem.

I am starting to think my problem is the rubber coated chain, I think it might be too stiff and not be allowing the anchor to hinge and set. Do any of you have any opinions on the stiff rubber coated chains? Should I just buy some cheap galvanized chain and give it a try? My only other option is to move up to the next size anchor but it will not fit into my anchor locker on the bow of my boat. Do any of you guys out there with 23-24 ft Captiva cuddies have similar issues? What type of set-up are you guys using that you are having good luck with. Should I move away for the Danforth style anchor for my boat?

bella-vita

How many feet of rope are you using at the minimum you would need 150 feet if not 200 unless ur ar in shallow water

partlowr

I have 175ft of rope plus the 6 feet of chain, so 'm pretty sure I have plenty. Furthermore most of the boats I was with were getting their anchors to set with about 75 ft of rope. I was with two other boats a 22 ft Mastercraft which has a shallower hull than mine but weighs more and a 25 ft  Sea Ray, we would all throw out our anchors at the same place, start driting backwards and those guys would set in about 50-75 ft and I would just keep drifting away. I eventually had to just tie off wit them to stay put.

Handymans342

6 foot of chain at 30 feet deep will just float

partlowr

How many feet of chain do you recommend? Is it more about length of chain or overall weight of the chain? So it sounds like I light be on the right track thinking its a chain issue. Thank you.

TonyWalker

A different anchor might do better too.  The one I swear by is the Manson Supreme made in New Zealand.  It does an awesome job of grabbing and holding onto the bottom.   I had to special order it from West Marine.  I would go a bit  longer on the chain.  And I would think you would do better with plain galvanized links.

Even though the Manson is a ton different in shape from the danforth it should fit into your anchor roller.  Mine fits snugly.

Michael T

After Tony's comments on a post a while back we bought a Manson Supreme.  It is awesome,  THANK YOU Tony.  We have 30 feet of chain, which works quite well,  even in a breeze.  If I were starting  from scratch  I'd probably use 50 feet of chain. 

TonyWalker

I love the sound of galvanized chain entering the winch as the anchor is being pulled up.  If you close your eyes, the sound adds 40 feet to your boat.

aero3113

TonyWalker said:

I love the sound of galvanized chain entering the winch as the anchor is being pulled up.  If you close your eyes, the sound adds 40 feet to your boat.

LoL! I'm going to remember to do that this coming season!

rasbury

Arg! I feel like a pirate when I hear that chain clunking up when I hit the switch!

rasbury

Ps- i think i must have at least 30' of chain but i tell you,part, anchoring is still a bit of a mystery to me in costal areas/tides and swinging this way and that- it just is not so simple as dropping an anchor, is it?

Black_Diamond

6' of chain is too little. You need like 3x that amount PLUS the correct rode length to get the scope correct. The idea is the chain is laying flat on the bottom, so with the right scope, lifting that chain to dislodge the anchor is not possible. My plow type anchor has held my 342 in 8' Lk Mich waves. 

LaRea

Talk to the other boaters and find out what types of anchors they have that are holding.  Maybe your best bet is to use a different anchor.

If the others are having success with Danforth or similar anchors, then your rode might be to blame.  As @Black_Diamond said, a Danforth will only reach its rated load when it is being pulled parallel to the seabed.  To make that happen, you can: add more chain, use heavier chain, let out more anchor rode, or all of those things.

Of course, adding too much chain weight can make life difficult if you are hauling it in by hand.  It can also affect balance and handling.

Cableguy Greg

Black_Diamond said:

6' of chain is too little. You need like 3x that amount PLUS the correct rode length to get the scope correct. The idea is the chain is laying flat on the bottom, so with the right scope, lifting that chain to dislodge the anchor is not possible. My plow type anchor has held my 342 in 8' Lk Mich waves. 

Coming from a 232cc, I have to say that the anchor locker isn't all that big. If he has 18-24 feet of chain, there won't be any room for the anchor or the rode.

I feel the pain of the OP. I could never get my anchor to grab on my 232. The Allegheny river outside PNC Park is a popular place to anchor out and enjoy the ball game replays and I would always have a tough time with my 232. With my 280, I can drop the anchor in fast or slow current and it holds like a dream.

Michael T

BD'S advice on chain and rode scope is,  in my opinion,  critically important. The chain definitely holds the anchor down and 30 feet is a minimum for a cruiser.  As well a scope = the ratio of rode to water depth to water depth should be, according to most experts, a minimum of 7:1  I prefer 8:1  so anchoring in 10 feet of water would require 80 feet of rode.  BTW  when anchoring overnight or in waves or wind I use the Prussia Knot bridle that we have discussed on this forum. 

BTW........ A when calculating the depth of the water to calculate your scope ratio you must count the distance from your bow pulpit roller to the water+the actual depth of the water,  so maybe like this:

6 + 14 = 20 x 8 = 160 feet of chain and rode required

BellevilleMXZ

Michael T said:

 BTW  when anchoring overnight or in waves or wind I use the Prussia Knot bridle that we have discussed on this forum. 

So much to learn......whats that?

Michael T

@BMXZ, When I return from Phoenix I can probably send you a link or you can google it.  Basically you wrap a spare mooring around your anchor line certain way (it's easy to learn) then you tie the ends of the line to cleats on your boat and release the rode until the two line ends are spreading the stress, 50-50 to take the stress of your bow roller which could and often does bend them. To undo thePrusikKnotafter use is a one tug affair and done A VERY GOOD SAFETY SYSTEM. 

Dream_Inn

Yep, I use the Prussia knot almost every time I anchor!

BellevilleMXZ

Michael T said:

@BMXZ,  Athens I return from Phoenix I can probably send you a link or you can google it.  Basically you wrap a spare mooring around your anchor line certain way (it's easy to learn) then you tie the ends of the line to cleats on your boat and release the rode until the two line ends are spreading the stress, 50-50 to take the stress of your bow roller which could and often does bend them. To undo thePrusikKnotafter use is a one tug affair and done A VERY GOOD SAFETY SYSTEM. 

Thanks! Never heard of it

partlowr

Cableguy Greg said:

Black_Diamond said:

6' of chain is too little. You need like 3x that amount PLUS the correct rode length to get the scope correct. The idea is the chain is laying flat on the bottom, so with the right scope, lifting that chain to dislodge the anchor is not possible. My plow type anchor has held my 342 in 8' Lk Mich waves. 

There is no way I am going to 18-24 ft of chain on my little 232. The anchor locker hardly fits my Danforth and the 6-8 ft of chain I currently have. I may have to try fining super thick heavy chain in maybe a 12 ft length.

partlowr

Thanks for all your insight guys, you are all brining up some good points but I don't want to break the bank trying all sorts of different anchors, chains and rode's combos. I was hoping someone else with a 232 cuddy would chime in and let me know what set-up works well for them.

Glassguy54

Also depends on bottom conditions. I can tell you a Danforth/fluke style anchor is basically worthless on a rocky bottom, so you may need a claw type + a fluke type if you trailer your boat to different locations with different bottom conditions as we do with our 246 - the Mississippi River (sandy) vs Dale Hollow Lake & Lake Cumberland in Tennessee & Kentucky (rocky) vs our local reservoir (muddy).

Handymans342

Has anyone heard of or used the Anchor Saver? www.anchorsaver.com

JC290

Handymans342 said:

Has anyone heard of or used the Anchor Saver? www.anchorsaver.com

Heard of it never used it never even seen one in use. Looks like it would work

Handymans342

I will be using it down here for sure. I talked to a scuba diver yesterday. He picks up 2-3 every time he dives. Then he sells them on Craiglist

halifax212

I had a 4 foot vinyl coated chain which was useless. I took an anchoring course and the more you keep the stem of the anchor parallel to the bottom the better. I now have 6 feet of galvanized chain with a medium large link which is better but not in all conditions. Going to try 12 feet this year. Pretty cheap fix if it works.  

TonyWalker

Just for grins, I keep a sharp knife in the anchor compartment.  Just in case I have to leave it on the bottom.

jme097

Whatever your depth you're anchoring at, you should be using 7-10 times that for the length of your anchor. 5 foot deep you would be 35-50 feet of anchor. Have to have the smallest angle so that anchor buries itself. Its always worked for me. 

Michael T

Agreed,  seven or eight times the distance from your bow to the bottom.... So a bow to bottom distance of 20 feet = rode of 140 to 160 feet. If you have a cruiser at least 30 feet of chain is recommended. 

TonyWalker

It is a treat to spend the night at anchor.  Sleep is light, your are sensitive to every sound an motion.

Michael T

True Tony,  but  we slept better after initiating the drift alarm feature on our GPS along with a NMEA cable coupling and DPDT switch to install a second alarm buzzer in the downstairs cabin...... and yes it works. We moved in excess of our 15 foot alarm setting one night and the buzzer nearly gave me a heart attack 3 a.m. LOL!