All About Anchoring

Anchoring is a critical skill for any boater to keep your boat from drifting while you enjoy a day of swimming or a night sleeping under the stars. While it may seem easy—just drop it and forget it—there’s a lot that goes into it and it's an important skill to keep honing!

Types of Anchors
The two most common anchors are the fluke anchor and plow-style anchors.

Please Note: We strongly encourage you to use anchor manufacturer guidance to determine which type is best for your boat.  

Anchoring Your Boat 
Practice anchoring where there’s plenty of room around your boat, and as you start to understand the process, you’ll feel much more comfortable anchoring around other boaters. 

Step 1. Determine the water depth using a depth finder if you have one
Step 2. If you know the water depth, calculate a scope ratio of 7:1 (seven feet of scope per one foot of water depth). Scope is the ratio of the length of the anchor line you’ll release to the depth of the water. 
Step 3. Motor into the wind or current for the length of your scope. For example, if the water is 10 feet deep, you’ll need a scope of 70 feet. You’ll motor 70 feet into the wind or current past where you want to anchor. 
Step 4. Lower the anchor and let out enough scope, allowing the wind or current to carry you back. If there’s no wind or current, you can use the motor. 
Step 5. Secure the anchor line to a bow cleat. Never tie off an anchor to the stern. It could pull the stern down and swamp the boat.
Step 6. Apply a little power in reverse to set the anchor in the bottom. Use landmarks or GPS to make sure you’re not moving once anchored. 
Step 7. You may need to reset the anchor, and sometimes the anchor will reset itself with wind or current changes. 

Retrieving the Anchor 
Wind and conditions can change in an instant, so make sure you’re vigilant while your anchor is down. When you’re ready to get moving, raising the anchor is even easier than lowering it. 

Step 1. Slowly motor toward the anchor while pulling in the rode. 
Step 2. The anchor should pull free when you’re directly over it.  

If the anchor is stuck, you can try different methods to release it.

• Slowly turn the boat in a large circle to change the direction of pull on the rope.  
• Turn the line around a bow cleat.
• Pull the line taut as the bow dips in the bottom of a wave, and when the next wave lifts the boat, the anchor may break free. 
• If you can’t release a stuck anchor, cut the line and replace the anchor. 

More than a Destination 
Boating isn’t about “getting somewhere.” It’s about the journey. Learning to anchor your boat lets you enjoy freedom on the water and delays heading back to land for as long as you want your adventure to last.