Anchor gear for tender?

[thinwater]

I've found a grapnel to be about as useful as a rock in mud or loose sand. No holding power. Often during testing in knee deep water it was easier to pull the anchor to me than to walk over to it.

I don't care for pivoting fluke anchors as a single anchor. They don't work on all bottoms and I've had them trip and drag with small boats and dinghies. Personal preference.

I like the Lewmar Claw. No sharp corners, works on any bottom. Not great holding, but you only need so much.

Also the Mantus Dinghy anchor. Similar to new generation anchors, it holds like a bull and can be folded for storage.

As for rode, 8mm should be more than enough. Heck, 8mm is enough for a 20-foot boat. A few feet of light chain helps but isn't needed unless there are a lot of rocks.

With a dinghy we're talking about working loads of less that 30 pounds and a tiny, tiny fraction of the main boat. Can't you easily hold the rope with one hand?

 

[James_Calvert]

The normal pattern of folding grapnel must take all of two seconds... to deploy.

but not as foolproof as a ready to use anchor maybe...

 

[geem]

Just got the grapnel out of the dinghy to check its weight. It's a 3.2kg version. All this talk of them dragging got me thinking. Mine doesn't drag easily in a sandy bottom unless I really pull hard. It has plenty of grip to hold the dinghy. I remembered that I had a lighter version that was a chocolate fire guard! It seems they need a little more weight to get them to work adequately.
I anchor the dinghy three times a day just off the beach to take the dogs ashore for a walk. I don't have a problem with it dragging even in the gusty conditions but I do let plenty of line out so the pull is as horizontal as possible.
I also have a 6kg and 10kg version in the lazarrette but they get little use as the 3.2kg does it well enough.

 

[neil_s]

I have tried a small stockless and a small Brittany anchor with my dinghy, but the best all rounder was a small Fisherman. The small sharp points can even dig into shingle.

 

[thinwater]

The Mantus Dingy does all that at 1kg. I've measured holding up to 200 pounds in sand. Only the Guardian G-4 can touch that, but it is not reliable in all bottoms.