What is your technique for setting the anchor alarm?

MonacoMike

Well-Known Member
Sep 15, 2009
14,721
Indiana lakes and Lake Michigan
Boat Info
2000 Cruisers 3870
8.2 Mercs
Engines
85 Sea Ray Monaco 197
260hp Alpha 1
My technique is to set it to allow a small amount of movement then each time it goes off set it a little farther out. By the time I'm ready for bed it is pretty much dialed in. MM
 
Push the man over board where you drop the anchor (when you are directly above it) and again after you back up and set it. You will be surprised at how much you move. It will give you a drift scope to set your alarm at. Leave it on all night a few times and see what your boat does.
 
Push the man over board where you drop the anchor (when you are directly above it) and again after you back up and set it. You will be surprised at how much you move. It will give you a drift scope to set your alarm at. Leave it on all night a few times and see what your boat does.

Good tip. MM
 
I tried to use it and found it too sensitive to be of value to me... I don't use it...
 
I usually only anchor in 10 to 20ft of inland water. I drop it with 6ft of chain and 70ft of line and slowly back the boat. Once it sets, I toss a stern anchor out to prevent swing in the wind and I'm good to go. Mostly sand/mud bottom, Mike.
 
Setting your achor alarm after you have fallen back against the rhode only works if the wind or tide never shift.

I set the anchor alarm at the spot where the anchor hits bottom. I then set the alarm radius depending on water depth, but I'm usually in about 15' of water, so have it pre-set to 0.02nm (about 122 feet). If I let out 100' of scope (deck is 5' off the water so 5+15' depth = 20' x 5 = 100'). With my all chain set up I am about 80' from the anchor with no wind or current, but could be as much as 98' away in a blow. If the anchor drags I get an alarm before I move less than a boat length. Setting the alarm radius any closer causes false alarms.
 
What exactly is an anchor alarm?

You mark on the GPS a spot, not much different than a fishing spot, and if the vessel drifts out of the range you select an alarm will sound. In theory if you had 100 ft of rode out you would set the alarm for 200 ft and it would notify you if you were dragging the anchor. MM
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,946
Messages
1,422,763
Members
60,929
Latest member
Henchman
Back
Top