Anchor doesnt hook up

[andyc]

I have an anchor that is like a plough.It doesnt hook up.
I have one on my other boat that is a danforth and it always bites, but this boat is a right bugger.
AN
Any suggestions?

 

[Channel Ribs]

Try throwing a troll over the bow?

Are you giving it enough scope? I recall that ploughs are fairly unforgiving of anything other than a horizontal pull.

 

[blueglass]

is it a bruce? if so plenty scope as per last post. they do take a bit of getting in but once in you can relax - very rarely shift in my experience.

 

[andyc]

Whats a troll?No wisecracks please.
I assume scope is a posh word for how much chain is out.

 

[bazobeleza]

Whats a troll?No wisecracks please.
I assume scope is a posh word for how much chain is out.

more like someone suspects you of pulling theirs.

 

[sarabande]

troll = someone who makes a posting that is designed, not to elicit genuine information, but to inflame, antagonise, exasperate, infuriate, incense, anger, arouse, enrage, or otherwise generate contumely, spleen, dysphasia, choler, and general wrathfulness.


Some anchors do not take kindly to being chucked in vertically; they need to be laid carefully, with the chain in a long arc as the boat proceeds gently astern.

 

[hlb]

Do you mean it's a plough type anchor, as in CQR. Or do you mean it's acting like a plough and being dragged.

Either way your doing something wrong. My plough anchor never moves and I'm not carefull
with it at all.

 

[andyc]

more like someone suspects you of pulling theirs.

I dont see that.I have an anchor that wont hook up.Simple as that.


I googled anchors and its a Plough anchor.Boat is 43 ft and I have only been able to get it to dig in twice.

 

[carlton]

As Saraband said, do you proceed gently astern after dropping the hook to give it a chance to bite?

 

[arto]

How much chain are you letting out?

 

[hlb]

Dunno what your doing, so I'll start from the beginning. Lets say your anchoring in 6M measured from the keel. That's about 9M from your bow roller. So dropping say ten M, it might have hit bottom, or maybe not. So drop 15M, then start to slowly go back, maybe stopping for a bit whilst the winch catches up. Watch the chain, is it going straight down, or stretched out like a piano wire, about half way between is about right. The idea being to have a straight run of chain from the anchor, down wind or tide, to the boat. So using the 3x rule, you've dropped 27metres, but not being pedantic about it, drop 30M. You have now got about 20 M of chain on the ground and about 10M up to the boat in an arc.

It's no where near as padantic as I've written it, but thats what your aiming at. It's the chain that holds you, not the anchor.

 

[bazobeleza]

I dont see that.I have an anchor that wont hook up.Simple as that.


I googled anchors and its a Plough anchor.Boat is 43 ft and I have only been able to get it to dig in twice.

troll = pulling someones chain, trying to get a response.


However, if your plough has a hinge like a CQR then I wouldn't be surprised if it doesnt always set. I have one and it doesn't always set. sometimes two or three goes, sometimes I give up and use the danforth. I'm investing in a Manson as I'm that tee'd off with the plough. trouble is if the boats bow roller is designed for a specific anchor it can be troublesome getting another type to fit.

If your boat has a lot of windage and not much underwater then they would also suggest a larger than you think anchor, for a Manson it would be either 60 or 80lb have a look on their site and also Rocna Anchors,

 

[andyc]

I dont think im letting enough out.Ill try again next time im out.
I must say I have a danforth on a 24 ft boat and it always hooks up.It is the chain weight that holds it most of the time but if the boat movesthe danforth digs in.

This Boat is a different situation though.It spoils the day.You get to somewhere nice to moor for the day and after 1/2 hr of farting around I normally give up.
The only time it did work was in slack water with little wind.,and it was shallow.

 

[NormanS]

Hooks up.

I reckon that's what you're doing wrong. You don't hook up with an anchor, you try to hook down (into the mud).

 

[bazobeleza]

I dont think im letting enough out.Ill try again next time im out.
I must say I have a danforth on a 24 ft boat and it always hooks up.It is the chain weight that holds it most of the time but if the boat movesthe danforth digs in.

This Boat is a different situation though.It spoils the day.You get to somewhere nice to moor for the day and after 1/2 hr of farting around I normally give up.
The only time it did work was in slack water with little wind.,and it was shallow.

Just a thought. You are digging it in by giving a good burst of reverse? sorry if it seems a bit of a basic question but better covering all the bases. You don't say what size of plough it is either. again little things like a blunt tip or loss of lead from re-galvanizing can all have an effect on an anchors ability to set.

 

[andyc]

I was thinking about this a 3am this morning and When I do a bit of fishing, the anchor is out and it just drags along the ground.It is a large anchor fitted by the manufacturer.

 

[Channel Ribs]

I was thinking about this a 3am this morning and When I do a bit of fishing, the anchor is out and it just drags along the ground.It is a large anchor fitted by the manufacturer.

You could change the anchor? Try a bruce style or the danforth that you know works.

It really is all about length of chain you have out, few anchors will set unless dragged flat and as per HLB's post three times depth is a minimum. Also do try a little touch of reverse power once you are sure there is ample chain out.

Edit: Just another thought, remember to take the tide into account too. If it is rising it will lift the boat away from the anchor and that could cause it to keep coming free.

 

[sarabande]

I'd agree with the others that you might change your paying out and setting technique.

One other thought. Is the stock in any way bent ? This might give the share a wrong angle to dig in.

 

[Nick_H]

It could be a combination of things. If by "plough" you mean a bruce anchor, they are not the best and regularly give poor results in magazine tests, so you could change it for a Delta, Rocna etc, which should still fit your stem rollers, or only require minor mods. Also check the anchor isn't damaged. Then, as others have said you need enough scope, because you are relying on the catenary effect of the chain. You can let out more to set the anchor, then retrieve some if the anchorage is tight. The chain and anchor also need to be heavy enough (especially the chain), ideally 10mm chain and 20+kg anchor on a 43 foot flybridge. If the anchor is breaking out when the bow yaws in the wind, you could try a snubber rope with compensaters to soften the load, though that's really telling you you need more scope or heavier chain. Finally where are you anchoring? The Bruce generally only works in soft mud and sand, whereas the Danforth is a bit more of an all rounder, so that may explain why you had better results with the Danforth.

 

[Channel Ribs]

If by "plough" you mean a bruce anchor......

I googled anchors and its a Plough anchor.

So, it is a plough.