[ssc]

I am thinking I must be missing something. Lets say you are out and about and decide to anchor. You get out your box anchor and throw it off the bow and it hits bottom and you let out another 30 feet of line. Depending on how much anchor line you have or how deep your anchor, you could still have another 10 to 50 feet of line.

Here is my question, where do you tie off the line in your hand? It doesn't seem correct to tie it to a bow cleat. I know the dog would get pissed if I had him sit on the bow and bite down on the line while we had lunch. The eye that is used to attach the trailer strap to the boat under the bow seems like the right place, but on my boat you would have to jump off the boat and tie it to the eye. It can not be reached from on board. It wouldn't be any fun if the water wasn't calm.

I know I am missing something. I appreciate your input.

Regards, SSC

 

[TheCarDudes]

I have the same issue with my Howard. I do tie it off to a bow cleat. Not that big of a deal. Remember that the bow cleat becomes the "center" of the line. It is usually no big deal in the middle of the lake but it does funny stuff in the river/sand bar. I usually go to the eye underneath when a current is involved.

 

[Dan_Lorenze]

This reminds me, I need to get some longer anchor lines... Been having a tough time lately getting my box anchor to sit still with 25' even in shallow water...

 

[Rivertoys]

I attach it to the bow eye (where the trailer winch attaches), but in an open bow, it's not that big of a deal.

The Slide Anchor Danik Hook is AWESOME for adjusting line....

I'm thinking about getting another one for the sand spike.

No more hoops in the line every 5'.....the only down side is, with 50' of Top Knot and a box anchor, I have a couple hundred bucks wrapped up in the anchor system! Unsure

RTJas

 

[bajadad]

X2 on the Bow Eye, just get in the water damn-it.....

 

[RitcheyRch]

I have a Danik Hook and love it. I use mine at the sand spike.

I attach it to the bow eye (where the trailer winch attaches), but in an open bow, it's not that big of a deal.

The Slide Anchor Danik Hook is AWESOME for adjusting line....

I'm thinking about getting another one for the sand spike.

No more hoops in the line every 5'.....the only down side is, with 50' of Top Knot and a box anchor, I have a couple hundred bucks wrapped up in the anchor system! Unsure

RTJas

 

[hkunz]

I hang over the bow and hook to the bow eye. When I have to hook to multiple spots because of multiple anchors, I use the hand holds or the cleats. I don't use the bimini mounting hardware.

Check out your boat and see which of your hardware is through-bolted like your bow eye is, and only use those things. Anything mounted with screws wouldn't be a good idea to tie your anchor to.

 

[Beer:30]

Geez, what boat do you have that you can't reach the bow eye from inside? Even with as much freeboard as I have, I lay on the nose holding on to the nav light and swing an arm under to hook/unhook.

 

[ssc]

Conquest top cat. Maybe you have long arms.

I can't reach the eye. Glad to see I am not the only one.

Regards, SSC

 

[TPC]

Bow eye.

BC is the Ayatolla of anchoring techniques.

Never tie off the stern when anchored BTW, except in calm shallow water like the sand bar:

Remember those football players in the Gulf:


There was a news conference on Fox News.
They brought the boat in and showed pictures.
The conclusion it was the boat owner's fault and if he were alive he would be cited.

What he did wrong:
Anchored from the stern. That is the major cause of this loss of life.
The anchor stuck and he put the 200 hp outboard in gear and attempted to free the anchor. It pulled the boat under and capsized it.
The key was on and the throttle in gear and applied.

So it was quick.
A mistake from someone who didn't have the proper skills to handle his boat.
They should have got the anchor line attached to the bow and if they couldn't get it loose, cut it.
The flares were not in a waterproof container and while they say planes in the area, they were not able to signal them.

The weather was bad when they went out. The advise would have been not to go.
Another mistake by the owner.

 

[Crazyhippy]

The general "rule" is to use a 7:1 ratio of rope to depth. Ie for 20' of depth, use 140' of line. http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse/ReviewPages/BoatUSF/Project/info5e.htm

This is pretty drastic overkill for 95% of the time, just realize that you do need to rope to be @ an angle to properly hold (yes, even the box anchor). If the rope is vertical, any wake will pull the anchor up off the ground and I havent found an anchor yet that works w/o the ground...

Oh and use the bow Eyedevil

 

[ellabo]

i use the bow eye as well along with the slide knot.

holds great

 

[NeverSatisfied]

Conquest has the bow eye way back there so its a pain in the ass!

 

[conquestcat]

True

 

[Patyacht]

Whenever in doubt about small boat handling etc go to Chapmans!! In your anchoring question, read and learn about Scope as it relates to setting an anchor. Always when using 1 anchor tie off as close to center bow as possilble after setting the proper scope and insuring the anchor is properly set. http://www.amazon.com/Chapman-Piloting-Seamanship-Small-Handling/dp/0688148921 Hope this helps.

 

[burtandnancy]

Crazyhippy beat me to the important rule; 7:1 scope ratio...

 

[hkunz]

A lot of the rules refer to a "normal" anchorage. The Sandbar, and many river locations, don't apply to the term normal. It is very hard to get 7:1 in some spots, and if you do, you'll float off, or get drug off by the current. Other places require more than that scope. One of the reasons we use box anchors is the fact that we need something that will hold well even with the wrong "scope".

We almost never use chain, either, even though the rules say we should. Again, the box anchor helps a lot here, whereas the Danforth will drag without chain, even if set correctly with enough scope. Getting it up from the muddy bottom and into the boat again without a winch, that's another issue.

 

[MudPumper]

Anchor Buddy helps a lot too. Keeps the boat from pulling sharply on the line and unsetting the anchor.

 

[Rexone]

The proper place is center line as in bow eye. Doesn't mean a bow cleat won't work though.

Many larger boats have a deck or anchor cleat mounted front center with chocks mounted above the rubrail area each side to hold the rope from chafing. You don't see it much on performance boats though.

 

[Big Warlock]

http://www.anchorbuddy.co.nz/anchoring.html