Anchoring system for overnight boat camping

[Jayme]

I just got back from a week of boat camping on priest lake in Idaho. It was my first boat camping experience and had my family along. I had just a standard danforth anchor and it was an absolute pain. It wouldnt set well and we had some pretty big whitecaps at points. I ended up having to dive to set it and then surrounded it with rocks to secure and was still nervous as hell at points when the wind was beating away. Someone else had suggested an anchor buddy which I can see would be great in calm water but again in wind it just meant for more drift even when I connected to shore with another line. So I had the worry of the anchor not being set as well as drifting into someone elses boat. I need some help and ideas with a new anchor and setup situation for overnight camping and essentially leaving anchor for a week and accessing boat relatively easily. Ended up shuttling myself to boat by sup board cause even when I set with anchor buddy was too nerouse to put it close to shore because wind would push it into shore.

 

[Robconn]

I added a second anchor due to the inconsistency of the stock danforth anchor. I purchased a 30lb River anchor, much heavier than my boat requires. I use it at the bow in windy days the boat will pivot some but the anchor is not compromised. I don’t have to use the typical 5:1 scope either in tight spaces. For backing into a beach, I use the original danforth on the shoreline from the stern while using the River anchor at the bow. Hope that helps. I have 5 ft of galvanized chain added to River anchor.

 

[TS4811]

I use the standard (too small) Danforth when I’m looking for a quick set in smooth water. I has never failed to disappoint.
Most of the time, especially when I am on a sandy bottom and/or in windy conditions, I use a 25lb. navy anchor with 6’ of chain. I have always felt well tied to the bottom and forget about it. In any case, use a length on chain on the anchor to weight the rode and improve drag angle.

 

[Marvin willis]

Mantus. It sets immediately and your done. I even hooked another boat to mine when we went camping in 40 mph winds

 

[tdonoughue]

For overnight applications and in foul weather, it is not uncommon to use two anchors. Set them 30-45 degrees to port and starboard off the bow (with extra scope, of course, especially in windy conditions).

I have a box anchor and like it. But I do not know if it would overnight with it alone (which is why I kept my Danforth--so I can always double anchor as described, or if I am at the beach can do forward/aft to prevent the swing).

 

[Robconn]

Here is a screen shot from my Navionics app. I was in tracking mode at anchor and used it like an anchor alarm. It shows the total time and direction of boat movement. I am using the river anchor only. there a lot of chop today.

 

[Beachbummer]

I have found the 13lbs mantus sets instantly at every chance. The 8lbs not so much. Mine is attached with 6ft of chain, and there is a spot where the 8lbs will not catch in several tries (mud with some sort of vegetation, no idea what's going on) but the 13lbs holds instantly. I wish it fit in my anchor locker, but it is what it is.\

My 20lbs navy anchor also held instantly and fits in the locker, and resets instantly, but a BIG wave will make it drag. The 13 lbs mantus DOES NOT DRAG. sadly does not fit in the locker. If you are is mostly sand or mud the 8 lbs will do just fine. No clue what crap is on this bottom that the 8lbs does not hold, I just need to use the 13lbs in that spot.

 

[Jayme]

Mantus. It sets immediately and your done. I even hooked another boat to mine when we went camping in 40 mph winds

Do you have the m1 or m2 (one with roll bar or not) does it fit in your bow anchor space? I have a 242limiteds

 

[Jayme]

I have found the 13lbs mantus sets instantly at every chance. The 8lbs not so much. Mine is attached with 6ft of chain, and there is a spot where the 8lbs will not catch in several tries (mud with some sort of vegetation, no idea what's going on) but the 13lbs holds instantly. I wish it fit in my anchor locker, but it is what it is.\

My 20lbs navy anchor also held instantly and fits in the locker, and resets instantly, but a BIG wave will make it drag. The 13 lbs mantus DOES NOT DRAG. sadly does not fit in the locker. If you are is mostly sand or mud the 8 lbs will do just fine. No clue what crap is on this bottom that the 8lbs does not hold, I just need to use the 13lbs in that spot.

Just wondering if your 13lb has the roll bar or not. It seems theyve done one without roll bar and wondering if it would fit and if it's as good...

 

[Beachbummer]

Both are Mantus M1, which have the rollbar

 

[Seadeals]

I have been in the same situation, camping all week with the boat anchored just offshore at the campsite. Summer storms have created the same challenge for my anchoring skills. I now have one navy and one river anchor, both with About six feet of chain rode. Since wind shifts and I want it to stay in front of the campsite, I set one out front to port and the other to starboard with a line off the stern to a shore anchor.

 

[zipper]

The anchor that come with our boats, The sliding ring along the shank, what people are calling Danforth, is not a Danforth. I think it is Seachoise. This POS. Get rid of it as a primary anchor, it will drag. I purchased an 8# Danforth style fluke anchor and did a minor modification to the stock to fit in the anchor locker. It has 8' of 5/16" galv. chain attached. It has never dragged on us. The seachoise is a stern anchor for the beach now, I will never trust it for anything else. For overnight camping, you want to set it and forget it. I might just say buy an overkill anchor, big and will not fit into anchor locker. I am pretty sure my Yamaha will not drag my 16# Danforth with 10' of chain, that came with the sailboat and is too small for that job. Also get an anchor watch app. I use Sailsafe. You will need to leave one phone on the boat, but it will notify you if your boat moves outside of the set perimeter. Small Boat Anchoring - BoatUS Magazine

 

[Babin Farms]

One thing that I'm not seeing is how much line is being let out with the anchors. I have had to let 90' of line out before to have my fluke anchor hold, but once it grabbed it never moved. Another time it might only be 30', it all depends on depth, currents, wind and wake. I have seen too many times that an anchor is thrown directly in front of the boat and expected to hold with no extra line thrown. Unless your tossing a 80lb concrete tub straight down over the bow, no anchor will hold without extra line. To determine how long your anchor rope should be, multiply the deepest water you expect to anchor in by roughly eight.

 

[Seadeals]

The amount of line is key to a good hold; but I also feel like the compromise is seldom discussed with smaller boats which we usually want to stay closer to an exact spot than a boat we can live on. Swinging in a huge arc if the wind changes and you are not on the boat Is often not acceptable. In the case of trying to “bound” the boat in the vicinity of a campsite without it hitting shore or ending up a long swim away, I am thinking g multiple good anchors and the line to shore are needed. I like learning about anchor techniques that let you sleep calmly through a storm at night, so other ideas are welcomed.

 

[Babin Farms]

The amount of line is key to a good hold; but I also feel like the compromise is seldom discussed with smaller boats which we usually want to stay closer to an exact spot than a boat we can live on. Swinging in a huge arc if the wind changes and you are not on the boat Is often not acceptable. In the case of trying to “bound” the boat in the vicinity of a campsite without it hitting shore or ending up a long swim away, I am thinking g multiple good anchors and the line to shore are needed. I like learning about anchor techniques that let you sleep calmly through a storm at night, so other ideas are welcomed.

Totally agree. Most times I'm in a river with a good current. If in a cove or lake I drop a 12lb navy off the stern after setting the fluke off of the front and making sure it has a good hold.

When at the sandbar or beach I will back in and set the fluke from the bow with a bungee anchor rope 3/4 stretched and a screw anchor about 4' off the stern tied off with rope. Works perfect, when a wake comes in, the boat moves slightly and doesn't get jerked like it would with rope off the bow.

 

[Speedling]

On Lake Michigan i utilize an auger system i made with a dock auger screw and some pvc pipe. Works well until it along with anchor buddy line until wind shifts hard and i end up on top of it.

 

[Robconn]

The anchor that come with our boats, The sliding ring along the shank, what people are calling Danforth, is not a Danforth. I think it is Seachoise. This POS. View attachment 125037 Get rid of it as a primary anchor, it will drag. I purchased an 8# Danforth style fluke anchor and did a minor modification to the stock to fit in the anchor locker.View attachment 125038 It has 8' of 5/16" galv. chain attached. It has never dragged on us. The seachoise is a stern anchor for the beach now, I will never trust it for anything else. For overnight camping, you want to set it and forget it. I might just say buy an overkill anchor, big and will not fit into anchor locker. I am pretty sure my Yamaha will not drag my 16# Danforth with 10' of chain, that came with the sailboat and is too small for that job. Also get an anchor watch app. I use Sailsafe. You will need to leave one phone on the boat, but it will notify you if your boat moves outside of the set perimeter. Small Boat Anchoring - BoatUS Magazine

Thanks, I will try the app. It’s one thing to constantly monitor your relative position to your anchor but much safer to have notification of anchor failure. Now I add it to the wind, lake level, weather, and lightning App I already use. I think I’ll start a conversation on boating apps.

 

[bumpy]

So, I learned a technique (Bahamian moor) that can help forgive the long rode requirement a little; when we anchor in a tidal river we put 1 full size anchor/chain with 7X rode length upstream and another 180 degrees apart downstream both attached to the bow. The boat will essentially swing around its bow in the middle as if attached to a mooring. Sometimes the 2 rodes get twisted so having good access to the bitter end of 1 of them is important to untwist in the morning. This could maybe be adapted to shore camping by setting anchors parallel to shore and a willingness to get wet if the stern is swung away from shore.
We're the blue Four Winns with the bimini in this pic take in the Little River in Gloucester MA a few years ago.

 

[tabbibus]

Thanks, I will try the app. It’s one thing to constantly monitor your relative position to your anchor but much safer to have notification of anchor failure. Now I add it to the wind, lake level, weather, and lightning App I already use. I think I’ll start a conversation on boating apps.

boating app thread!

 

[Jayme]

Just bought a Mantus and will keep it for the primary camping anchor - probably big and overkill but everyone seems to like it and it sets. I'm still a little unsure how to use the anchor buddy effectively. My thought is to have anchor buddy and regular line both tied to the anchor and during the day when I know the weather and am comfortable have the anchor buddy be the "active" line (the other line having a lot of slack) which would allow me to pull boat into shore and access it easily and then at night to drop the anchor buddy and make the normal rope the main line and tie it on so that I can negate the sway that happens in the wind with the anchor buddy. (Also obviously always having a tie to the shore that is consistent). Thoughts?

Thanks for all the replies - I'll look at the apps. I'm assuming you leave one phone in the boat and then one phone would receive warning that is with us in the tent? Only problem with this is it eats up charges with 2 phones...