How do you drop an anchor on a yacht ?

Question

My wife has a small 17ft yacht with an anchor beofre we have that picnic in a nice deep spot I need to be sure I am okay with anchoring the yacht and then get ting it up

Answer 1

First make sure the end of the anchor-rope is properly tied to the boat.

Answer 2

To anchor properly, you shold know the depth.  It's important to understand that anchors do not work by their weight sitting on the bottom.  They work by hooking the bottom.  For this to happen, the pull must be along the bottom, not towards the surface.   They key to accomplishing this it to have the proper scope or ratio of rode to depth.  Generally, a ratio of 1:5 is sufficient for all chain anchor rodes and 1:7 for chain leader wtih the rest rope.    For example, if you are anchoring and the distance from the bottom to the point of the boat is 10 feet, you should let out 70 feet or rope.

When coming to place to anchor, feel free to motor around to figure out where you want to be, then approach the spot you want to drop the anchor from directly down wind.   Shift into neutral and time it so the boat stops where you want the anchor.   Lower the anchor just as the boat begnis to get pushed backwards by the wind, paying out the chain or rope as you drift back.  You can reverse on the anchor to help set it and make sure it won't drag.

If you are undersail - point your boat into the wind and drop your head sail. Luff the main. Lower the anchor as above when your boat stops moving forward and begnis to move back.  You can lower the main once you are anchored.

If there are no other boats nearby, you can let out more rode if you wish, but if you are in an anchorage with other boats, it considered rude to let out too much as you will swing on a larger arc.   Boats that anchor first have the right of way over boats that come later - When you anchor it is your responsibility to make sure you are out of the swing arc of boats that were there first.

To retrieve the anchor - motor or pull yourself up on it.  When scope is sufficiently reduced, it will break free of the bottom and you can pull it up.

Happy boating.

Answer 3

The first answer is good, but there is more. You want to know the depth, roughly, of your anchorage, as well as the tidal range. This is so you will have enough slack for the rising tide, but not so much that your vessel swings in too large an area when the tide falls.