The Happy Hooker: Anchoring on Watauga Lake

Where, With What, How

Jeff Arnfield

s/v Windward

April 2007 Rev 2013-09-13

Where to go Easy Medium Challenge

Where to go (west)

Easy Medium Challenge

Special Challenges on Watauga

• Deep water – Lake is > 240’ in center

–Many coves are more than 60’ deep

• Deep close to shore

• Much swing can mean running aground

• Dirty bottom – Lots of stumps, fallen trees on the bottom

• All night fishermen

The Basics

• The “anchor line” is called the rode • Scope is the ratio of rode length to depth

from bow chock to bottom – More scope usually increases holding power – 7:1 is the oft quoted standard – 5:1 is more commonly used

• Catenary refers to sag in the rode • A kellet is a weight placed part way down the

rode to increase catenary • Anchoring stuff is collectively “ground tackle”

Rode • Use nylon, which stretches to absorb shock

• Three strand stretches more than braid

• Use line that’s just right enough – 1/8” for every 9 feet of length

– Smaller than 3/8” is hard to handle

– Too large a line will have too little stretch

• Adding 10’ – 30’ of chain to the end of the rode can greatly increase holding

• Length based on depth in which you anchor

Depth, Scope and Catenary

Catenary

Anchors • Cheap can be good – Watauga eats ‘em

• Danforth

• Bruce

• Plow

• Fisherman • Others

• Navy

Basic Equipment • Best to carry at least two anchor setups – Different types for different bottoms – You may want to use two – You may have to cut one loose

• Most places we anchor are 25’ – 50’ deep – For 7:1 scope, 175’ – 350’ of rode – For 5:1 scope, 125’ – 250’ – For 3:1 scope, 75’ – 150’

• Consider 100’ – 300’ spare line – May anchor deeper – May need to pay out extra to set stern – May want to tie off to shore

• Remember that anchor light!

Windward’s Ground Tackle • Primary

– 22 lb Lewmar Claw (Bruce knock-off) on bow roller – 400’ 3/8” three strand nylon, treated (in retrofitted rode locker) – 30’ ¼” high test galvanized chain

• Stern / secondary – 14 lb Super Hooker (Danforth knock-off) on pushpit bracket – 300’ 3/8” double braid nylon (in bag on pushpit) – 20’ ¼” high test galvanized chain

• Backup – 16.5 lb Plastimo Manta (Bruce knock-off) – 300’ ½” three strand nylon (in mesh bag under settee) – 30’ ¼” high test galvanized chain

• Spare rode – 180’ 7/16” double braid polypro (in bag) (usually for shore tie-off) – 300’ 3/8” double braid polypro (in bag) (usually for shore tie-off)

• Not normally kept aboard – 20 lb Danforth Hi Tensile (primary on coastal trips) – 200’ ½” three strand nylon (primary on coastal trips) – 7 lb Viking (aluminum Fortress knock-off)

What to do

• Don’t panic • Get a depth sounder or fish finder • Consider the prevailing and predicted

wind in choosing a spot • Circle the area, checking depth • Look out for “fish attractors” • Look around for deadfalls and other

debris

Setting the hook • Stopped/moving slowly, lower anchor to

bottom • Back down , pay out rode to about 2:1 or 3:1 • Hit neutral, then lightly snub down the rode • Feel the rode with your hand – Should grab firmly and demand rode. – Feel vibration? If so, it’s probably dragging

• Veer out rode to about 5:1, then apply power to be sure it doesn’t drag under load

• If it isn’t set, try more rode, then try again – You don’t want to be redoing this at 3 AM – You don’t want to go “bump”

• Vibration in rode? You may be dragging.

Anchoring patterns

• Single anchor – Lets boat swing. Rode may wrap on debris

• Bow and stern anchors – Keeps boat in place

– Need extra rode on one anchor to permit you to get enough scope on the other

– In cross wind, greatly increases load on anchor

Anchoring patterns (cont’d)

• Two off the bow, 30° - 60° apart – Limits swing

– Increases holding

• Bahamian mooring – Two anchors 180° apart, both off bow

– Boat can swing into wind

• Bow anchored, stern tied off to shore – Stern cannot drag

– Need a dinghy, swim suit or long reach

– Med Moor is variation on this

Anchoring Alternatives

• Tie off to shore – Need a dinghy, swim suit or long reach

– You probably won’t drag

– Use your anchor line if no spare lines available

– Can loop around tree for easy cast off

– Be sure you won’t get blown ashore

• Raft up! – Let someone else get the hooks set

– Bring some lines and fenders

– Be sure your spreaders don’t hit