"Jeff" wrote in message
...
Bryan wrote:
"Jeff" wrote in message
. ..

Bryan wrote:
BTW, what kind of anchor do you use, and do you have a windlass?


The ground tackle is a Danforth anchor, 30 feet of chain, 250 feet of
nylon. No windlass. I aim for a 7:1 scope so 30 feet at high tide is the
max depth I'll anchor in. At Catalina I aim for a spot with 20 feet
depth so I can let out more rode if needed. I'm a fair weather anchorer,
so I'll be on a mooring if conditions aren't near perfect or I won't go.
And you're right my most common anchorages are not textbook perfect. I
don't know where the idea of 300 feet of chain came from (but it wouldn't
be on the boat I'm sailing).

Sorry, it is Gordon, who started this thread, that has 300 feet of chain.

If I were using a Danforth on bottoms other than mud, I would double
anchor more often. I've learned by hard experience that the Danforth is
less than 100% perfect when resetting on wind/current shifts. I've never
had a problem with a Delta, and I'd expect a Spade to do fine as well.
With two anchors this is not so much of a problem; I use a Fortress as my
secondary.

I do anchor in sand and mud; I'm very limited in my alternate opportunities
and the danforth is the common anchor on the boats I sail.