Anchoring a boat allows you to take advantage of the open water by fishing away from the shoreline, but anchoring does much more than that. According to the St. Petersburg Times, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary states mastering the art of anchoring is necessary to both boat and personal safety. An improperly anchored boat will not ride the sea waves but may pull under or turn over in the water. Anchoring is not a complex task if you do it right. Once you learn the steps, securing the boat will be second nature.
Step 1
Bring your boat into the anchoring location, either by riding the current or by letting the wind carry you.
Step 2
Tie the appropriate length of nylon rope to the anchor chain. As a rule of thumb, use five to seven times as much rope as the distance from the bow cleat to the bottom of the body of water. If the distance from the water line to the bottom is 10 feet and the distance from the cleat to the water line is 2 feet, provide at least 60 feet of nylon rope.
Step 3
Secure the anchor line to the bow cleat. Clear the path for the anchor line of any potential obstacles, such as gear or people.
Step 4
Stop the boat at the anchoring position and slowly lower the line. Do not drop the anchor or toss it over the boat.
Step 5
Wait for the anchor to hit bottom then reverse the engine to pull the anchor backwards. You should feel the anchor catch and see tension in the line. If not, pull the anchor back up and drop it a second time.
Things You'll Need
- Nylon rope
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