jimbaerselman
Well-Known Member
I agree with you that a lunch hook or short stop only needs a weight on the bottom . . . a short scope.
My point was, for each anchor type, there's a scope at which the anchor can achieve its maximum performance, and there's no need to exceed that scope. This is usually a lot more than the 3:1 which many people use in UK. But it's possible (and useful, let alone educational) for anyone to determine what that scope is for their anchor. . . or at least, what scope will cope with full astern in their boat (which is usually, in a sail boat, the equivalent of the rode loads of a boat snatching and yawing in 35kts average wind)
I anchor most of the time, and in recent years, in the Cyclades. A characteritic of the area is that the meltemi can kick in at any time of the day or night. It's direction is predictable. But it's often amplified in anchorages by being in the lee of a ridge of hills, so 30kts (with gusts that heel the boat significantly!) in a flat calm anchorage is a common situation. With this threat I always go to bed with my maximum necessary scope (and no more - some anchorages are busy or cramped!).
Of course, in less challenging conditions, by all means use less scope. But I've seen so many vessels dragging past me in the night that I thought it worth making the point that everyone should have a go to see what scope gives them maximum anchor performance, rather than relying on guesswork.
My point was, for each anchor type, there's a scope at which the anchor can achieve its maximum performance, and there's no need to exceed that scope. This is usually a lot more than the 3:1 which many people use in UK. But it's possible (and useful, let alone educational) for anyone to determine what that scope is for their anchor. . . or at least, what scope will cope with full astern in their boat (which is usually, in a sail boat, the equivalent of the rode loads of a boat snatching and yawing in 35kts average wind)
I anchor most of the time, and in recent years, in the Cyclades. A characteritic of the area is that the meltemi can kick in at any time of the day or night. It's direction is predictable. But it's often amplified in anchorages by being in the lee of a ridge of hills, so 30kts (with gusts that heel the boat significantly!) in a flat calm anchorage is a common situation. With this threat I always go to bed with my maximum necessary scope (and no more - some anchorages are busy or cramped!).
Of course, in less challenging conditions, by all means use less scope. But I've seen so many vessels dragging past me in the night that I thought it worth making the point that everyone should have a go to see what scope gives them maximum anchor performance, rather than relying on guesswork.