Anchoring & Mooring

Question 1

CQR or Plough Anchor

Answer 1

Drags when pulled hard enough, tilling the sea bed. The CQR’s tip loading is 12-16% of total weight.

Question 2

Delta Anchor

Answer 2

Drags when pulled hard enough, tilling the sea bed. Deltas (and presumably the very similar Kobra II) have good tip loading, about 28%, helping them to set easily but ultimately dragging at high loads.

It can self launch.

Question 3

Fisherman’s Anchor

Answer 3

The Fisherman holds well on rock and weed, but its tiny flukes are likely to drag on any other bottom, ruling it out in most anchorages.

Question 4

Danforth Anchor

Answer 4

Danforths have a large surface area for their weight, thus they hold extremely well in soft-to-medium bottoms. Setting on these bottoms is also good, thanks to sharp fluke tips, at an optimum angle for penetration. On hard bottoms such as packed sand and shingle they may tend to skid without setting. Their only drawback: they tend not to reset when the tide or wind changes the direction of pull. A flat anchor in lightweight aluminium is thus the ideal kedge, but few choose them as a bower anchor.

Question 5

Bruce Anchor

Answer 5

Sets and holds well in soft-to-medium bottoms, is said to hold on rock, but its long leading edge struggles to cut through weed. Again, big, heavy ones work far better than small ones.

Question 6

How much chain only should you use when anchoring?

Answer 6

4 x (maximum depth at high tide + free board)

Allow plenty of room behind the boat when anchoring and for the swing, remembering not all boats will turn at the same time.

Question 7

How much chain and warp should you use when anchoring?

Answer 7

6 x (maximum depth at high tide + free board)

Always have at least 10m of chain between the anchor and warp so that the chain lays on the bed and helps the anchor set.

Allow plenty of room behind the boat when anchoring and for the swing, remembering not all boats will turn at the same time.

Question 8

How do you calculate the minimum depth of water to anchor?

Answer 8

Boat Draught

+

Minimum water clearance required

+

Fall of the tide (height of tide at the time of anchoring - low water height)

Question 9

What should you consider when selecting a good anchorage?

Answer 9

1. The depth of water at low tide
2. The nature of the seabed shown on the chart. Mud and sand are better than rock or shingle
3. Shelter from the wind
4. Weather forecast in case the wind changes direction
5. Space behind the boat
6. Whether there is enough room to swing when the tide turns
7. Check the chart for a recommended anchorage
8. Make sure boat is outside any channel used by other boats, including if it swings

Question 10

How to set the anchor

Answer 10

After selecting the site for anchoring:

1. Prepare the anchor and chain on the foredeck
2. Flake out the required amount of chain and secure it to the cleat
3. If the area has a fouling problem, add a trip line to the anchor (a small buoy attached tot he front of the anchor to help pull it in the opposite direction to free it). Make sure the trip line is long enough at high tide.
4. Motor in direction boat will lie once anchored (usually into the tidal stream).
5. Stop boat and let it drift backwards, paying out the chain slowly
6. Let boat settle and check if anchor is holding using a transit or a bearing on the beam
7. If boat is dragging, let out more chain if there is room and check again

Question 11

How many anchors should you have?

Answer 11

2 - the main bow anchor and a smaller kedge anchor

Question 12

Name the 5 main anchor designs

Answer 12

Fisherman - oldest, dismantles to stow flat, poor holding except in weeds or rock

Danforth

Plough or CQR - good for mud or sand, but awkward to stow

Delta - Plough variant designed for self launching and retrieval

Bruce - Good hold in soft ground, awkward to stow

Question 13

What are two types of moorings?

Answer 13

A floating plastic buouy tied to a ground chain or heavy buried sinker

A marina berth alongside a floating pontoon

Question 14

How should you approach a mooring?

Answer 14

Up-tide so that you can use the current to stop you

Question 15

How many lines should you run from the boat to the buoy

Answer 15

One line if staying for a short time

If staying longer, two lines run from opposite bow fairleads

Question 16

How should you tie up to a pontoon

Answer 16

With a bow line and a stern line

and 2 springlines

Question 17

What is a Mediterranean Mooring?

Answer 17

Used extensively in the Mediterranean, boats are moored either bow or stern to a quay.

Question 18

How do you prepare for a Mediterranean Mooring?

Answer 18

Prepare two shore lines from the bow or stern.

Put fenders on both sides of the boat

Drop the anchor about four boat lengths out from quay and motor into position*

* Some harbours have installed lazy lines attached to the quay and seabed to avoid the need to drop the anchor. You pick them up on the quay or with a boathook if there is a pickup buoy.

Question 19

Parts of an Anchor

Answer 19

Question 20

What is the term for your spare anchor?

Answer 20

Kedge Anchor

Use if you anchor on a sandbar. Put it on the dinghy and row out. Set it and then winch the boat to it.

Question 21

What is the term for your main anchor?

Answer 21

Bower

Question 22

What is a Grapnel Anchor?

Answer 22

An anchor for dinghies. Stows well.

Question 23

Duncan’s 5 Essentials of Anchoring

Answer 23

1. Shelter - NEVER anchor on a lee shore. Check forecast and tides.
2. Not prohibited. Not a channel or fairway or fish farm or protected areas.
3. Holding - sea bed.
4. Depth of water
5. Swinging room

Question 24

How Duncan marks his anchor chain for length

Answer 24

Tape the code on the inside of the chain locker.

Duncan ties silk ribbons on his chain because they don’t foul and will keep their color.

Question 25

How do you indicate you are anchored during the day?

Answer 25

Black ball in the forepart of the vessel

Question 26

How do you indicate you are anchored during the night?

Answer 26

All round white light on mast