Anchoring from stern - where do you guys tie-off the anchor line?

[Stee6043]

Greetings, boaters. This week I invested in a box anchor to use off the stern of my 340. Last year when anchoring in coves and/or out in the lake I'd get a bit more swinging around on the bow anchor than I'd like. Especially when we'd have a mess of kids swimming.

Do you regulars simply tie-off a stern anchor to one rear cleat, pick a side? Or do you do something more elaborate to try and center the anchor attachment point?

Perhaps I'm overthinking it. My goal is to simply keep the boat a bit more stable this year during swim time. And the occasional night on the hook (which I did not do last year, but plan to this year).

Thanks in advance for any insight.

 

[Stee6043]

When anchoring out on Lake Michigan I assume using the upwind side would be the most logical. In my mind I'm struggling to see how well that would work in a cove where the wind changes directions every 10 minutes. I don't want the stern anchor line becoming a hazard if the boat is now moving between both anchors.

Of course trying this out will answer a lot of questions. Sadly...we're still weeks away from launch and what else do I have to do on a Saturday morning than ask these kinds of silly questions.

 

[SloBurn]

Upwind rear cleat if swimming off the stern. Just makes sense..............
However, for changing wind conditions, I will use my spring line cleat, in middle of boat. Keeps line out of stern area and gets tight when boat swings, thereby limiting swing radius.

 

[Billfletcher]

Not much stern anchoring goes on in the ocean, At least in SoCal. I only had to do it once last year, in a very crowded cove. Went to the aft cleat. I would not want to go to a midship cleat. Anyway, wind came up, the stern anchor popped loose, and got tangled with some other anchor chains. A bit of a cluster.

 

[wingatesl]

After setting the bow anchor, my preference is to back down on the beach, and use a stern anchor off the upwind rear cleat. Be sure to use plenty of scope on both anchors.

THIS
It keeps the line from crossing over the platform. Overnight on the hook, we just swing. If we can't, we move.

 

[Molson]

We stern anchor more than we don't here. As Scott and others have said, upwind cleat if you can. If the winds change that much, and scope is good, you won't really have a problem. The biggest issue I have is the dingy, kayak, SUP etc get caught up in the line. No big deal really.

 

[Skuza]

Also make sure nobody is going to swing into you if the wind does change direction. They will swing, you won't.

 

[BigBoysToys]

We raft up a lot in this configuration and always go with multiple crossed rear anchors. If the wind changes direction we don't move.

 

[ttmott]

Water current is the challenge here. We see a lot of reversing current around the Fl. inlets and in the Bahamas. It's best to avoid broadside current as that puts additional load and stress on the anchorage. So to help prevent from swinging in the current when it flows into the back of the boat I do a split bridle across the two aft cleats then center the aft anchor line on that bridle; this keeps the transom facing the current when coming from behind.

 

[skunkman]

Anchoring in tight spots with other boats around used to make me very nervous. I finally have gotten half decent at it. As others have mentioned I:
1. Set my bow anchor and let out a lot of scope and back in
2. Set my rear anchor off the upwind aft cleat
3. Use lots of chain on both anchors - my rear anchor used to have only rope. Adding chain mad a world of difference.

 

[Brett H]

We raft up a lot in this configuration and always go with multiple crossed rear anchors. If the wind changes direction we don't move.

+1 for BBT

This allows us to drop anchor and back right up to a beach or a friends dock ... close enough to step from swim platform to dock. Lots of scope(10:1), banjo tight, wind but no current. We use two x-large slide anchors for the stern at about 30° angles. Works great when several boats are rafted up, visiting small beach, one dock or lake house. Old anchor rode makes great stern anchor lines.

Have used the same set up on the beach. The two stern lines at about 30° angles. Then we move the stern lines out from boat to boat as more raft up.

We don't typically cross as we want the platform clear. Just use the two lower cleats at stern so easy to step over when crossing boat to boat.

 

[Billfletcher]

A bridle off the aft cleats, centered, is a good idea. We rarely use a stern anchor, but I will do that next time. Same principles involved as towing a boat behind you.

Water current is the challenge here. We see a lot of reversing current around the Fl. inlets and in the Bahamas. It's best to avoid broadside current as that puts additional load and stress on the anchorage. So to help prevent from swinging in the current when it flows into the back of the boat I do a split bridle across the two aft cleats then center the aft anchor line on that bridle; this keeps the transom facing the current when coming from behind.

 

[Madifonzo]

This thread made me think of something. I drop my bow and back down to the beach and heave the stern. I have been tying to my ski hook.

Brings me to my question: can the ski hook handle the strain of the stern anchor? I like using it since it keeps the line low. Why a 280 has a ski hook is beyond me but it's there so I use it. Where We overnight and anchor in this configuration is in a tidal River...at times there is a 5 knot current. The current is so strong I have seen bumpers flat between boats and the anchor lines tight as a guitar string. So can the ski hook handle that sort of load?

 

[SteveRuss]

after setting the bow I usually back down and tie off to upwind cleat so the line doesn't cross over the swim platform. Once I'm actually standing in the water I move the line from the cleat to lifting eye on the same side so the line is lower to the water and not rubbing over the gel coat.

 

[potis]

Madifonzo, good question. Seems to me it may be sufficient if it has a good backing plate where it is bolted. I have used my ski eye to tow our dinghy without a problem. Seems to me that an empty dinghy straight behind the boat is far less strain on the ski eye than a tube with three kids whipping around.

 

[Mikemapva]

There is a lot of good information on this thread. I've never used a stern anchor, but may look into it.

I've got a question. For those of you who have chain in your stern line, where do you store the anchor and rode?

 

[Mikemapva]

I store mine in my transom locker, that way it is easily accessible when time is an issue. Fortunately Sea Ray blessed us with a huge (or Yuge) transom locker, which may or may not apply to other brands or models.

That makes sense. Neither my old 250 Sundancer nor my new boat has or had a transom locker, so I'll have to figure out another spot.