How Do You Anchor A Boat in Deep Water?
Boating is a fascinating activity for both sailors and people who only like to watch others sailing. It is a hobby that provides the best time to relax, allow you to go on adventures, experience new things, and appreciate the beauty of nature. However, boating is not an easy task. You need to consider a lot of things for a successful water expedition.
Most people face challenges to anchor a boat in deep water. This might happen because they don’t pick the right anchor, anchor system, or simply don’t choose an appropriate spot for anchoring. There are many factors you need to consider before anchoring.
Here in this article, you can learn about how you can anchor a boat appropriately, especially in deep water.
What do Anchors Do?
Anchors penetrate into the seabed to hold a boat in place. They also provide safety to your boat, keeping it away from the rocks or out of the surf. Anchors also help sailors while fishing, spending the night, or having lunch by securing the boat temporarily. This is why knowing how to anchor a boat is vital to carry any task while you are in the water.
How do Anchors work?
When you throw an anchor in the water, and it penetrates the seabed, suction creates resistance. The bottom material of the anchor and its weight above the anchor produce the resistance.
When the boat pulls the anchor rode, it penetrates deeper into the surface, which creates more resistance. While in rocky sea bottoms, anchors can’t dig deeper and snag on rocks and other protrusions. Hence, the anchors hold precariously (not securely in a position).
How Do You Anchor A Boat in Deep Water?
Take Plenty of Rode
If you want to anchor in great depth, then you need plenty of anchor line. For instance, if you have a 22-foot center-console boat, and want to anchor in 200 feet deep water surface, it is best to carry 600 feet of a half-inch twisted nylon line and chain (collectively called rode). How much rode you need depends on how deeper you want to anchor a boat.
You will also need enough space on your boat to store the rode. If your anchor locker doesn’t have space for them, you can carry the rode in a laundry basket or plastic tote in the forward cockpit. You can drill half-inch holes in the bottom of the basket or tote to drain water.
Determine the Bottom of Water
If you are planning to anchor for fishing in deep water, try to set your anchor in sand or mud, even when fishing a wreck or reef. The fish finder can help you know the composition of the bottom surface. It will appear as a light, shallower echo return instead of the dark, deep return of rocks.
Set your anchor into the sand or mud, and scope it back with current or wind; it will help ensure that the anchor and ground tackle, i.e., the chain does not get damaged in the bottom structure.
It can be dangerous to extract a snagged anchor in deep water, and may also cause trouble in heavy seas, putting your boat at risk. If it happens and you are unable to extract the anchor from water, then cut the line.
If both current and wind are flowing in the same direction, you can easily anchor your boat by motoring up-current or upwind, setting the anchor, and then scoping back.
You can set the anchor at a distance almost three times the depth, which will give you more than 3 to 1 scope. This means you will use three times as much anchor line as the depth.
However, when current and wind flow in the opposite direction, then it all comes down to trial and error. It is best to make a guess, dig the anchor in the water, and check the boat position.
If it’s not the right place for fishing, record the compass heading where the anchor line is pointing. After that, scope the anchor back and set the boat with the help of compass bearing.
Choose the Type of Anchor
Various types of anchors can hold the boat securely, including plow-style anchors, fluke-styles, and claw-style anchors. Each type of anchor has its specific quality that affects the anchor’s performance.
For instance, claw-style anchors are more hydrodynamic and heavier than others, so they dig into the bottom more easily and quickly.
These types of anchors are ideal if you are sailing in water with current that can move a lighter anchor away, making it difficult to land into its intended spot. The current can also cause the anchor to entangle and flutter with the chain.
Claw style anchors are one of the best because they set quickly and usually get into the surface within their shank length. It becomes more critical with the deepness of the water.
Moreover, claw-style anchors are best to securely hold a spot for fishing with 3 to 1 scope. This means you can anchor in 200 feet and 600 feet of rode, with a 3 to 1 scope.
If you want to stay in the water overnight or you’re riding in shallow anchorages, then the claw-style anchor is not best for these types of purposes.
For such circumstances, you will need an anchor that can hold better with sufficient scope. You can use a fluke-style anchor like Fortress anchor in these scenarios.
Pick Right Size of Anchor
You must have the right size anchor to hold well and remain in a secured position; you can even oversize the anchor sometimes for the boats. Some marine retailers like West Marine offer you manufacturer size charts of anchors.
However, some sizes may vary from one anchor brand to another. For instance, for a 22 footer boat, West Marine’s chart shows an 11-pound anchor for Lewmar Claw.
But if you check the Manson Ray chart, it indicates a 22-pound anchor for the Lewmar Claw. If you have experience with the boats, you can easily determine what will work for you. For instance, in this case, you can split the difference and purchase 16.5-pound Lewmar claw.
Make sure to attach an anchor chain to it. It protects the chafe and also helps the shank remain parallel to the bottom, eventually helping the anchor set into the surface more quickly and hold the bottom efficiently.
A good rule of thumb is to equip the anchor with the same length of chains as the length of your boat, but the more is always better. The extra chain also increases the holding power of the anchor.
Choose a Way to Retrieve the Anchor
In the past, people used to retrieve the anchor line with their hands. It was tough to pull the wet anchor line because of the weight of the anchor and chain. However, now boaters use electric windlass, which makes the whole procedure comparatively easy. Now you can anchor a boat and retrieve the anchor more efficiently with the windlass.
If you want to add a windlass in your boat, you need to know that every model has its own requirements, such as a specific line and chain. It also needs a certain type of rope-to-chain splice to grip the rode firmly. So, suppose if you purchase Lewmar ProFish 700, it will need ¼ inch galvanized Grade 43 chain and a half-inch rope.
If you want a windlass for deep anchoring and fishing, choose the one with free fall feature, which lets the anchor drop loosely when you liberate the gypsy. This will help the anchor reach to the bottom as quickly as possible. Moreover, you also need an anchor roller so that windlass can work efficiently.
Anchoring in great depths is not an easy task for a beginner. But with a little experience and the right gear, you can anchor accurately. Retrieving the anchor is just as important as anchoring into the surface, which you will also learn with the time.
Anchoring Tips
Contrary to the manufacturers’ claims, no single anchor design will help you deal with all conditions. Boaters going to a particular area must have an anchor best for that type of seabed. But it is better to have at least two anchors at a time because of the following reasons.
- If your anchor gets lost, you can use the other anchor.
- Different anchors’ designs are best for different sea surfaces and conditions.
- Using two anchors at a time will help anchor bow in tight anchorages.
Moreover, don’t forget to inspect the entire anchor system every few days for loose shackles, chafe, and bent flukes.
Also, for emergencies, store at least one anchor. You could use it if your anchor gets stuck into the seabed surface or gets lost. Even the best and most reliable anchor can cause trouble for you if you can’t deploy it. It’s best to deploy quickly, even if you have a small anchor.
Bottom Line
Now you may have got an idea of how you can anchor a boat in deep water. If you consider all the aspects mentioned above, you can easily manage to get success in your first attempt.