Anchor Weight

[charles]

I replaced the CQR knockoffs recently and went with a Delta. It seemed to work wonderfully until last week. I anchord in Glorietta Bay, San Diego and let out about 4-1 chain and observered for an hour before dinking asore with zero movement. When I returned, the winds had picked up to about 15 knots and my boat was a boat length downwind from original position. The other boats in the anchorage had not budged an inch. If memory serves, my friend with like boat has a delta 55# and said it was oversized for what was needed. I got a Delta 45# and am now wondering if it needs to be bigger? As a single-handed sailor, I need to be sure for restful nights.

[Great_Aardvark]

You may want to increase the amount of rode you ley out. I usally do a 7:1 and it seems to work fine on every boat I have owed. I have not anchored with this boat (HC33) which also has 30 feet of chain.

[mimoza]

Your anchor may be heavy enough for this particular ground. My guess is that the other boats around you were not using all chain rode. By using an all chain rode, you had a much deeper catenary, while your neighbors barely had any. When the wind picked up, your catenary had much more rode to straighten than theirs, which made it look as though your anchor had dragged, when in fact it was still firmly planted right where you left it.

4:1 is OK for all chain rode in calm conditions, but I agree that more scope would be a very good idea, especially when going ashore or when increased wind or wave action is expected.

[clonjers]

In shallow waters (15 feet or less) we layout all chain based on depth of water + height of bow sprint from the surface + 100 feet . I also agree that all you probably did was streach out the rode, maiking you think you had moved.

[sv_bruadair]

We to agree that you probably just stretched the chain out, happens to us all the time when the wind picks up. A boat length is really nothing to worry about.