Anchor setup for anchoring at a cove or beach

[4x15mph]

I am interested in hearing what type of setup works well for anchoring up to a beach. I went to a beach yesterday and I pulled the boat onto the beach and then I anchored the back but since it is a dam, the tide level changes. Everyone else had spikes, etc.

What works well?

 

[Bruce]

I like to throw an anchor out the front with an anchor buddy on it then back up to the beach and jump out with a second anchor to place on the beach. Once everyone and needed supplies are off the anchor buddy pulls the boat back out. When we need the boat again we pull on the anchor line. If I lived where shore spikes could be used I would use one instead of the second anchor.

 

[txav8r]

Most boats while beached are fun, just suffer unbelievable abuse from being beached. The list is long, of those things that cause damage to a boat while being beached as well. So avoiding going into all of that, what @Bruce describes, is a very common way that many Yamaha owners utilize their boats in relationship to shore usage. I use my primary anchor, a box anchor off the bow, whether deepwater anchoring or beaching, just like Bruce. I however don't use the anchor buddy, because the wind affects its use too much in most situations for me. I do however use a shore spike and would use that even on the shores of some of Bruces' lakes...and have used in on Ouchita in many spots. So like Bruce, I set my box anchor off the bow in water far enough to give me a shallow angle on the rode to provide good hold, I then back the boat into the shore until I can jump out and hold a stern like while I set at the spike, attach the line, and tie it off with the boat in roughly a foot of water below the keel beam. This makes entrance and exit from the boat easy, puts my stern, swim deck, and the useful end of the boat where I want it. If I had to deal with tide (I don't), I would just adjust my depth from the bow line occasionally and leave the stern a little deeper most of the time. The anchor buddy is helpful, but as you move toward the bow anchor, the anchor buddy gets more slack in it and the wind affects the boat more. Lots of ways to do it...but I won't beach my boat.

 

[itsdgm]

I do the same as @Bruce with the shore spike.

 

[MOA_Chaser]

Two anchors, one fore, one aft.

 

[jawsf16]

Same as Mel. Box off the bow, shore spike off the stern, about 1-2 feet deep water. If we are going to swim in the deeper section mainly (vs play on the beach) then I just switch them and spin the boat.

 

[jetboater4life]

I was thinking about this the other day and isn't there a risk that some yahoo is going to cross your anchor line and get it in his prop? How much rode do you let out? I was in a spot with boats beached bow first one after another and didn't feel comfortable being the only one to drop an anchor off shore with a line.

 

[OCMD]

There is the ever present risk of the jack ass drunk on the water. That's why I avoid the Assawoman Bay and Assateague Island beaching out my way; and stay on my private river. Then, the only fool I need contend with is me.

 

[Magic]

View from the beach....

View from the sandbar.....

 

[Magic]

@Glassman likes to dive his anchor out, but you can just drop it a ways from the beach with practice....

Remember to set an anchor line float to prevent others from fouling your gear.....its just considerate!

 

[Magic]

I was thinking about this the other day and isn't there a risk that some yahoo is going to cross your anchor line and get it in his prop? How much rode do you let out? I was in a spot with boats beached bow first one after another and didn't feel comfortable being the only one to drop an anchor off shore with a line.

If we were in a place, as we often are, with loads of boats all bow to, then we would just go bow to as well..... no sense in going against the grain.... Its only when we have the freedom to anchor as we wish and for overnights that we tie stern-to with the anchor buddy...... especially with fluctuating lake levels like the upper portions of Saguaro Lake..

 

[4x15mph]

Great information and thanks for all of the ideas. It sounds like I will get the anchor buddy, an anchor line buoy so it is visible, and a shore spike.

My anchor now is a very small standard anchor for the LS2000 and it doesn't have any chain on it between the anchor line and anchor. It does have a small weight thing attached which is an "invention" from the previous owner.

1) Should I have some chain on the anchor along with the new anchor buddy? How much for this light anchor/boat
2) I have about 20' of anchor line/rope currently. I read that you should have 7' for every foot of water that you are anchoring in. Does that sound right to get the correct angle? How much rope should I have on my anchor with 15' being about the deepest that I think (?) I will anchor in

 

[tdonoughue]

@Magic , how do you rig your anchor line float?

@4x15mph , not sure about the 'invention' and it probably tries to perform the same function as the chain. But I would put on a chain. The chain drops the top of the anchor down so it drags on the bottom and can bite. Mine is about 3-4 feet, I think.

As to how much anchor line, it depends upon what type of anchor you have, but most anchors will need at least 5:1 scope (though 7 or 8:1 is suggested for overnight, rough weather, etc.). The only exception of which I know is the box anchor, and even that I suggest at least 3:1 and more is probably better. It is always much more than you think it will be. 20' does not sound like nearly enough to me except in very shallow water (that would be 4', or about 3' of water, since you measure from tieoff). I think I have 75 feet.

Hope that helps.

 

[sysinu]

I thought about doing this a little while back instead of using an anchor buddy (or maybe in addition to using an anchor buddy): Run your rode out whatever scope you prefer and then about 1.5 x depth tie a mushroom anchor in-line with your rode. Doesn't have to be a heavy one, but that will drop your rode to the bottom unless there is bad weather or your rode is fully extended. Just make sure you do this after you set the anchor.

That said, you're never going to be able to protect yourself from all types of jackassery. Maybe drop two anchors and plan on them getting one of the lines stuck in their prop. Will serve them right for being stupid in your proximity (many options to serve just reward to idiots when it comes to your anchors. It's fun to brainstorm of ways to do this, but in reality I would never do it on purpose to someone myself).

 

[sysinu]

@Glassman
Remember to set an anchor line float to prevent others from fouling your gear.....its just considerate!

By this you just mean a marker buoy right? I had floated a buoy vertical off the end of my chain one time a while back and some idiot thought of it as an invitation of the sorts to attach onto temporarily because they didn't want to drop anchor in bad weather. Since then I haven't done that.

 

[Magic]

By this you just mean a marker buoy right? I had floated a buoy vertical off the end of my chain one time a while back and some idiot thought of it as an invitation of the sorts to attach onto temporarily because they didn't want to drop anchor in bad weather. Since then I haven't done that.

Wow....... I guess the saying is really true, "If you build an idiot-proof mousetrap, the world will somehow produce another level of idiot!"

 

[Gumbeaux]

First time I have seen anchor buddy. I like it!

 

[Magic]

@Magic , how do you rig your anchor line float?

We set the anchor buoy off the point where we attach the anchor buddy to the anchor line....just use the same carabiner that we attach the anchor buddy to the chain rode we use with the box anchor..... I know they say you don't need a chain rode with the box anchor or anchor buddy, but we do anyway because we live on the edge.. lol!

 

[Magic]

I will do a more extensive write up next time we go out....Should be in 2 or 3 weeks.... I need to head out to Newport Beach today for a week of training so will have to make do with surfing for a while... =)

 

[sysinu]

We set the anchor buoy off the point where we attach the anchor buddy to the anchor line....just use the same carabiner that we attach the anchor buddy to the chain rode we use with the box anchor..... I know they say you don't need a chain rode with the anchor buddy, but we do anyway because we live on the edge.. lol!

What kind of float do you use, and how do you control the float elevation? That's the other reason we stopped using a marker is because of managing line depth and keeping the buoy/float from popping the anchor out when someone wakes us pretty heavily.

Chain on a box anchor can't hurt, especially if you use the box anchor that is "sized for your boat". Adding chain to your box anchor could also allow you to possibly reduce your scope even further as well. That said, I don't think I can add much more to my large box anchor and keep the first 100' of anchor line in the bag with it, so I'll stick to my chainless rode on my box anchor.