I'm using a small timaran for the EC (comparable to the Hobie AI) and am trying to decide whether or not to take along an anchor. Is the extra safety benefit worth the extra weight? That is the question. I would typically pull my boat up on the beach when I stop. I would only need an anchor if I needed to stop for some reason at a location where I could not beach it or tie off to something. What are other people doing with small beachable stabilized sailing crafts concerning anchors?
anchor or no anchor?
(35 posts) (18 voices)-
Imagine a scenario similar to Ridgerunner's last year where you have a strong easterly and you have a rigging, rudder or spar failure that doesn't allow you to get back to shore under your own power (RR was able to limp in with the mizzen). Because it is relatively shallow off the coast you would be able to stay put with proper ground tackle until help arrived. The other situation might be a breakdown with a strong NW cold front onshore breeze and you need to not be blown onto a beach with large breaking waves.
Posted 8 years ago # -
On Clarity, our 18' tri, we brought along a 10lb plow, and we needed it! If your boat is too heavy for the crew to drag up the beach in breaking surf, you'd better have a way to anchor outside the surf line. You may well find yourself tired, up against an inhospitable shore, and in need of rest. Without an anchor, you are flotsam (feel free to substitute other words!)
On Discovery, I'll be carrying a much smaller plow, but she's nearly as beachable as a heavy tandem kayak... but I still want a lunch hook (or is that a nap hook.....?)
A good way to carry anchor rode is on a plastic extension cord reel or wrapping frame.
Posted 8 years ago # -
CleanSlate
MemberOK, you guys talked me into it. I'll bring one along. Thanks for bringing up the scenarios where one would be necessary even if you plan to beach it. If I lose steerage while in the ocean with a strong breeze blowing into shore with bad breakers, I certainly would want a way to stop the boat...
Posted 8 years ago # -
When my tri was being stuffed I left my secondary anchor behind (a little grapnel) then thought about leaving the regular one behind, but remembered good advice heard, and carried it. 3:30 that morning my planned camp at an island inside Venice Inlet was unattainable due to the current, the coastline around there was unknown, dark, and somewhat noisy (couldn't tell if it was steep or had mangroves), and I was all done because of no sleep the previous two nights -- I don't know what I would have done without an anchor, then. The small plow anchors are fairly light. -- Wade
Posted 8 years ago # -
Jeff,
I have used anchors in the past on many of my larger boats. At the same time knowing your boat and the size of it weight becomes critical. You might be trading one sense of security for another. To anchor out even in shallow Florida Bay you will need sufficient anchor and enough line. I do not recommend any of the collapsible grapnel type anchors. For my boat I think that I have crossed the threshold and anchor creates more problems then it is worth. My anchor trolley can be unclipped and a drogue object can act as a sea anchor to slow the boat down in heavy following seas. Worst case situation approaching a beach through heavy surf: I jump off the boat and float the boat into the shore in front of me. A good dry suit is a must...
Posted 8 years ago # -
I carry a grapnel occasionally when kayaking, but it's more for scaling steep banks than anything else (commando kayaking).
Where did I buy it? Why, http://www.weapons-universe.com/Martial_Arts/Ninja/Ninja_Gear/Ninja_Grappling_Hook.shtml of course!
Posted 8 years ago # -
CleanSlate
MemberSailBirdMike, are you also bringing a crossbow to shoot the grappling hook?
Personally, I can't see the benefit of an anchor for a basic sea kayak. It isn't like you would be stopping in the water and taking a nap (because you would turn upside down). You also probably would not venture out in the ocean if there was an inside track possible. I think the question is really for those with vessels that won't flip over if you are not paddling and who want to venture in the ocean for long periods of time.
Dogslife, that is a good point that an inadequate anchor to do the job would just be dead weight (especially in a very small boat) and you might be better off not even having one. I'll have to think about this. My boat is just a glorified sea kayak and almost the same rules apply as for sea kayaks. The only difference is a sea kayak can probably survive a roll in the surf at the beach. I would probably surfer a race-ending crack at my wing-ama joint.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Since a Kayak or a similar boat have a long bow I would not use a anchor without a anchor trolley. With a straight long munohull there is a great danger that the boat will ride over the anchor line and a side force can quickly flip the boat. A AI or a Triak is less prone due to the added stability. What do you do in a kayak if you snag the anchor? I have two laying in the Cement Ships at Kiptopeke State Park. I opted to cut the line instead of beeing fliped by the rollers coming in from the Chesapeake...
Posted 8 years ago # -
DogPaddler
MemberCleanSlate,
I agree with comments made about folding grapnel anchors. My first experience testing the holding power of this style anchor ended up with my "Three Amigos" kayak tri drifting away an hour after I set it in sand. Just turned my head for a minute and a futile chase running/wading in shallow water ensued only to watch my boat drift 1/4 mile offshore in a heartbeat. My friend sailed in to the beach with his Sunfish and we reteived my rig. Forget grapnels! Also tried a very small lightweight danforth style in mud and stone and it didn't hold either.
Don't let compact size, weight, or even the cost skew your decision. Make a lightweight padded vinyl storage bag to protect your boat.
I researched various types and their pros/cons in different seabeds and decided on a 7 lb. Manson Supreme plow style anchor. It has a roll bar and sets very fast. Better to overshoot on holding power for your size and weight boat.
Brad
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Posted 8 years ago # -
ZeroTheHero
MemberI am no kayaker but I would think an anchor would be of very limited use in that type of craft. It would be difficult and hazardous to store where it could be deployed easily. And don't most kayakers just haul the boat up the beach? I would think a grip type mangrove anchor would possibly have a use but again limited. Now a small sailboat or tri is different. As I mentioed before we are carrying a 9 pound danforth with chain and 100 feet of line. When I use my sit on top to retreive the small moorings in the fall it is always a bit awkward balancing the boat as I pull the 5 pound load. And that is on a flat lake, no waves.
Posted 8 years ago # -
To clarify, the grappling hook was carried in a recreational kayak (usually a Mad River Synergy 14), not a sea kayak. Some areas of the Little Manatee and upper Peace have some pretty steep banks, so we'd tie off on a tree, heave the hook up high, and climb on up (with the line properly set up: stealthy ninja knots help the ascent!)
I can't see any reason for carrying an anchor in a sea kayak though... I pretty much consider a sea kayak to be an extension of my own body, and I don't go swimming with anchors.
Posted 8 years ago # -
MisterMoon
MemberThe original question was for a small trimaran. For that I'd want an anchor. On a sea kayak, not so much. But for a boat that's a) not likely to capsize at anchor such as a small trimaran, and b) has as the capacity to carry at, yeah, give me the anchor every time.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Ridgerunner
MemberI have slept aboard my Kruger with a grapnel-type anchor and P cord rode. I was in about tow feet of water in the Everglades backcountry. It was dark and I was very tired. But, an anchor is usually not part of kayaking gear.
On a sailboat, especially one without an engine, an anchor is a necessary piece of safety equipment (think lee shore). An anchor ready to deploy on a bow roller saved my chickens once. A prudent sailor will carry at least one, and a little chain will keep it from dragging.
Posted 8 years ago # -
in class 4 and 5 setting an anchor and going to bed saves so much time and energy that I wouldnt be sailing without one.
Posted 8 years ago # -
danceswithmullet
MemberA few years ago we had a discussion on types of anchors and that went worse than discussing politics. I loved my little bruce anchor for its fast setting on a short scope. Daveoncudjoe said they were useless crap, the anchor worked great until Flamingo and when I got down to Daves neck of the woods guess what? It was useless crap! Wouldn't hold 5lbs of strain or just collected balls of grass. Also on the rode I decided on a longer one and kept it in a milkcrate, I ended up with 100ft of knotted rode. I think the solution is to keep the rode on a spool. DWM
Posted 8 years ago # -
CleanSlate
MemberAlthough my Triak is in class 5 since the amas and aka are not removable and the hull has a daggarboard slot, it is really more similar to a class 3 sea kayak outfitted with removable stabilization for sailing. My anchor decision is probably more in line with what others in class 3 would consider. My total assembled dry empty boat weight is just over 100 pounds. Keeping gear weight to a minimum is crucial for both performance and safety. Thus, I need to be careful on my anchor decision, what I would use one for, how it would be deployed, and where I would store it. There isn't much room in the cockpit. One purpose for using it would be to temporarily hold the boat in place if something went wrong and I needed to tend to something and I couldn't paddle for a while. Another reason would be to provide some security to hold the boat over-night if the tide comes in farther than I expected while I'm sleeping ashore. Or perhaps there is a long mud flat and I want to avoid dragging the boat all the way to the high-tide line to securely store it while camping.
I have used a small grappling style anchor with other kayaks and found them to be worthless to secure even a small kayak in water with a sandy bottom. There are larger grappling hook anchors (3 pounds) that might be better but I haven't tried them. There are also the traditional larger bulkier folding anchors. The smallest of these (4 pounds) may be a good choice for my boat size. The chain would add extra weight.
The following are the options I'm considering for my particular boat.
1. Go without one altogether. Save the weight. Just bring along some extra polypropylene line to tie off to shore as needed. I would limit my open ocean sailing if I forgo an anchor.
2. A large 3 pound grappling hook anchor. It should hold better than some other very light weight grappling hook anchors I have tried in the past. http://www.surftosummit.com/large-anchor-p-1654.html?cPath=199_200 Grappling hook style anchors would be much easier to manage in the limited cockpit than traditional folding small boat anchors.
3. A medium sized 1.5 pound grappling hook anchor. http://www.surftosummit.com/small-anchor-p-1655.html This won't be as good as the 3 pounder but better than lighter weight ones.
4. A four pound traditional small boat anchor. http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=767224 Getting the rode would add extra weight. This would hold the best but it would weigh more overall than than the other options and be more bulky and difficult to manage in my sea-kayak styled cockpit.
If I do get one, I would permanently tie it off to the bow, store it and deploy it from the cockpit, and have a retrieval line rigged to be able to retrieve it from the cockpit.
I guess I could bring something along and if I get tired of carrying the extra weight, I could chuck it overboard (while keeping the line) and make my own little miniature reef donation to Southern Florida.
Posted 8 years ago # -
DaveOnCudjoe
MemberRemember, an anchor doesn't always need to hold. Slowing drift offshore or keeping a boat oriented into the waves , while repairs are made or personal issues are addressed can be advantageous as well. Perhaps a small vinyl covered mushroom with a short length of chain. Dave
Posted 8 years ago # -
DogPaddler
MemberCleanSlate,
A lightweight folding anchor is fine mooring in calm winds and flat seas, but don't have the illusion a 1 1/2 lb or even the 3 lb folding anchor will hold your boat in more challenging conditions. My 125 lb kayak tri shares enough similarities to your Triak and mine drifted away in totally flat water and 15 knot winds with minimal gear on board using the ( 3 lb ) folding anchor.
I wouldn't trust (leaving) my boat alone with that weight anchor. I realize weight and limited storage is a dilemna with small tri configured kayaks. Good luck deciding and let us know what works for you.
Brad
Posted 8 years ago # -
ZeroTheHero
MemberWhat little I know about Triaks has me leaning tword a minimal anchor or none for you Cleanslate. Even if you lost your paddle I think you can probably padde to windward with just your arms. Easily? No, but I think in more moderate conditions possible. Perhaps you ought to try it out. Also don't you carry a kayak paddle and a single blade paddle? I think I saw that in one of your vids. Plus you have your sail, you could easily make headway, maybe not directly where you want to go but it will get you to windward. With a Triak you are likely going to be in the ICW or hugging the beach, not farther out like say a Seapearl or beach cat. I would not get a heavy anchor since that could effect the handling of the boat and be a real detriment to your efforts. If it was me (remember advice is free and worth every penny!) I would go with a very small Danforth style anchor and store it very carefully with a system to launch and retreive it so that the load was at the bow.
Posted 8 years ago #
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