Anchor setup.

D

David Stern

Active member
Hi:
I am upgrading the boat this summer to get it ready for duck hunting. Right now I only have one fluke anchor. The boat is a Devlin Snowgoose approx 16'. I was thinking of getting a mushroom anchor or a river anchor (looks like a modified mushroom anchor). Sometimes you need two anchors. I am also putting a chock in the bow and placing the cleats on either side of the cockpit. That way I can tie and untie from the comfort of the cockpit rather than going all the way to the bow where the cleat originally was.
 
The river anchor is like a 3 leave Mushroom anchor. It wont roll that much. How heavy do you think I need for a 16' skiff loaded with gear and to be used in conjunction with my fluke anchor.
 
I use two five pound grapple style anchors on my 15 foot flat. But where I hunt its a hard bottom made up of sand are clay. And it can get very windy so I use those style anchors so they can dig in are grab a stump.
 
I use a folding grapple anchor as my extra anchor. Use it to position the boat, folds for stowage. Available at West Marine and others. Also keep a extra for emergencies.
 
David~

Although they have fallen out of fashion, I like Navy (stockless) anchors. To make matters worse, I do not use any chain, either. I treat my duckboat anchor like a "picnic anchor" on a large boat. It's a small, handy anchor intended for temporary anchoring but not for saving the boat (and you) in storm conditions. Because I am never mooring overnight and frequently just use it to hold the boat against the bog (on a tide too high for spikes/bog stakes), I have never had one fail.

IF you do envision mooring the boat - and especially if you will leave it for any length of time, you may want to have a bigger anchor fully rigged to take the worst the bay can dish out. I usually keep such an anchor stowed out of the way, with the long rode (and chain) neatly coiled and lashed - so it will be ready in an emergency. On a few occasions, I have hunted such that I moored my duckboat and then dragged a coffin into a marsh to gun. In such instances, I rigged the big anchor with plenty of scope.

I am assuming you are gunning the south shore of Long Island - so you will have a mud or sand bottom - and most anchor types will work. I use a mushroom, though, only for a stern anchor on my Scooter in the open bay. Its purpose is simply to keep the stern from yawing and drag is seldom an issue.

So, I would recommend a 10-pound Navy as your second anchor.

Hope this helps,

SJS
 
I have three anchors and always carry two of the three.

- Danforth
- Navy
- Mushroom

Only the Danforth has chain on it. (6') On the bow I always try to achieve roughly a 6:1 scope for the rode if anchored in open water.

I normally use the mushroom off the back to set the angle or steady the boat. I try to avoid using the Danforth if the bottom is rocky. It can be hard to set although it is easier to recover if it gets stuck. Mine has a ring and slot in the shank that allows the user to go upwind of the anchor and pull it free.
 
Thanks guys.
I think the 10lb Navy looks like it will do the trick with the folding Grapnel hook at a close second.
Hey Steve. What do you use for marsh stakes? Old broom handles?
Thanks
Stern
 
David~

The very best stakes I've found are galvanized steel - the 1/2" rods used to guy power poles and the like. They have a cast eye in the end to take the line. (Source was friends who worked for a major utility company.....) Mine are about 18" long and the lower end is cut at a bevel. This allows me to stick it into even frozen bog or slush ice as needed. I splice on about 8 feet of 1/4 manilla - because it's the right color and splices so nicely. I have 2 in the boat but often need just one.

All the best,

SJS
 
Anchoring is an art,lol. I've "found" and rescued too many boats that got lost after some potato farmer thought they knew better.

A 5 lb. danforth style will hold a small boat in practically any condition, IF, you use enough scope and have 3-6' chain on the anchor. Use proper shackles and a galv. eye on your line, don't just tie it off. Figure at least 6'-8' of line per foot of water, more if it's really blowing

Always have a second anchor, a grapnel works good here, or another danforth, Navy styles are heavy and sometimes wont grab on hard sand. NEVER get off the boat without that anchor in your hand and "set" it into the bog or beach, everytime!

Bog stakes are handy, I've only used cut hardwood "broom sticks" and never broke one or had one pull.

Trust me, you do NOT want to watch your boat drift, or drag away at 4 pm in January.
 
One additional point, when you attach a shackle always run a piece of wire through the eye and shackle body and twist the two ends tight together to keep the shackle pin from backing-out of the threads.
 
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