Mud anchor in weed?

[pugwash]

For picnic anchoring with a constant deck watch, is it practicable to anchor in weed such as eelgrass using a good old mud anchor. It has no flukes to pick up roots and damage the vegetation so could it be an answer to anchoring at Studland, for example? If so, roughly how many pounds would you need to hold a 30-footer in a slight sea and F2-3?

 

[webcraft]

For picnic anchoring with a constant deck watch, is it practicable to anchor in weed such as eelgrass using a good old mud anchor. It has no flukes to pick up roots and damage the vegetation so could it be an answer to anchoring at Studland, for example? If so, roughly how many pounds would you need to hold a 30-footer in a slight sea and F2-3?

And how long is the piece of string . . .

- W

 

[noelex]

An anchor that drags will always do a lot of damage. An anchor that doesn’t drag will do very little damage even if it penetrates the sea bed.
So a heavy anchor that’s good in weed would be a better choice.
However Its very hard to drag anything in F2-3

To minimise damage to the seabed a rope rode should help. It may even be worthwhile attaching some small floats to the rode near the anchor, provide the rope cannot become a hazard to other boats.

 

[Seajet]

In my experience, anchors attached to floats usually ends in tears !

Deliberatley anchoring on Eelgrass, especially at Studland with the current politics washing around, would be a very unthoughtful move unless in emergency; despite what some of the more rabid seahorse huggers say, no-one wants to disturb the habitat of the wee beasties.

As a previous poster said, however, a proper anchor will not cause damage ( the Seahorse Trust love the term 'plough anchor' as a demonising term, and have not bothered to find out this refers to the shape, not the function ), while something like a dragging mud weight may well do.

In good weather, at Studland one can see the seabed, and hopefully find a bit of clear sand.

In emergency, and especially with the light winds suggested, I'd use a folding grapnel anchor, around 7KG, which can also be used in folded state as an 'angel' on the main bower warp when anchoring seriously.

 

[Captain Haddock]

In emergency, and especially with the light winds suggested, I'd use a folding grapnel anchor, around 7KG, which can also be used in folded state as an 'angel' on the main bower warp when anchoring seriously.

Good idea that, never thought of using a folding Grapnel as an Angel.

 

[Seajet]

Good idea that, never thought of using a folding Grapnel as an Angel.

Thanks for that, it's a little thing I have about some people carrying a lump weight as an angel, when something which will penetrate weed and have a chance of holding onto rock in emergency, seems a better thing to cart around.

Of course a grapnel or similar weight can be also used to weigh down shore lines alongside a wall to keep the boat alongside, to avoid constant adjustment; as 2 lines are required, a bucket with bricks or anything handy will cope with the other end - did I mention the old saying, " you can never have too many buckets ! "

 

[Searush]

My angel weight is over 40lbs, my grapnel (for dinghy) about 7lbs. Lowering the angel to the seabed helps reduce shock loads & reduces swinging circle, lowering the grapnel would be pointless!

 

[Seajet]

My angel weight is over 40lbs, my grapnel (for dinghy) about 7lbs. Lowering the angel to the seabed helps reduce shock loads & reduces swinging circle, lowering the grapnel would be pointless!

So, a 40lb-ish grapnel would be a lot more multi-purpose and useful than carrying around a shapeless lump !