by Keith Hamburger

Created on: April 07, 2008   Last Updated: February 23, 2010

One of the most important skills to know to become a true seaman, rather than just a boater, is how to anchor.  A properly anchored boat can mean the difference between a comfortable and relaxing night on the water or trying to save your boat from a rocky shore because of an unexpected breeze.

Most boaters on the lakes where I sail seem to be happy with dangling an anchor somewhere near the bottom and going for a swim. As a sailor, however, your fellow sailors will be judging your skills with every move, and there's nothing more readily observed than anchoring in a crowded cove.

First thing to do when preparing to anchor is to identify a good location. Keep in mind that you will need to leave room while swinging at the hook and that, if you're planning on staying any length of time, you'll need to have plenty of anchor line, or scope. Scope is the ratio of length of your anchor line to the depth of the water in which you're anchoring. For overnight anchoring, or in unsettled conditions it is usually recommended to have a scope of 7 to 1, or seven times the depth. If you only have 70 feet of anchor line that means you shouldn't anchor in any more than 10 feet of water.

Since most all boats will swing in the same general direction with the wind you don't need to keep all of the room available to match your scope, but you do need to consider where everyone will swing if the wind changes and make sure you will have enough room to not bump against another boat. Another thing to look for at this time is how the other boats are sitting. Unless there is a significant current they should be downwind of their anchors and you will want to put your anchor down so you can fall back and set the anchor. You should also observe the angles of the anchor rode on the other boats. If their lines are hanging straight down they probably don't have much scope out and will swing in a tight circle, if they don't drag.

When selecting an anchor location you should also consider the type of bottom in which you will be anchoring.  If you're dropping your anchor in a favorite location on your local lake you probably already know what kind of bottom is in the area.  Otherwise, if you can't see the bottom, and it's not listed on any charts you have available, it is best to ask someone with local knowledge.  The best bottoms for anchoring would be sand or moderately stiff mud.  Loose mud won't adequately hold your anchor and your anchor will just bounce across

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