Danforth Anchor Won't Set

[sdculp]

My Danforth anchor won’t set. My boat is a 16’ Starcraft Super Sport with a 50 hp Merc engine. The typical anchoring scenario is as follows: Adirondack Lakes or Lake Ontario. Sand bottom and sand shore. About 100 feet out the water is waist deep and gradually gets more shallow toward shore. The plan is to set the anchor about 100 feet out, swing the boat around and then set a shore tie-point to keep the boat from swinging. I have never been able to achieve this—having to beach the boat while camping and suffer the usual consequences of wind and wave.

The anchor just drags along on one stock and fluke, refusing to dig in. I have tried to set it manually (out of the boat) with different chain and rope lengths to no avail. If I shove it in with my feet and then put a load on it, the flukes end up perpendicular to the bottom and only half sunk in, and it won’t take much of a pull to break it free—then it just drags along.

I have talked to many boaters and marina operators and none has a solution or reason. A friend of mine had the same problem, got rid of the offending anchor and bought another Danforth—this time one made out of aluminum, although he did not specifically ask for aluminum—and it worked fine.

I am attaching a picture of the anchor. If I had to make a wild guess as to what the problem is, I would think that it isn’t sharp enough to penetrate the sand. However, I would think that sharpening it would ruin the galvanize and would make it a bit dangerous to have around.

Does anyone have any ideas or a solution?

Stu Culp

 

[sdculp]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

I don't know why the picture didn't send. Here's another try only compressed more.

 

[xtraham]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

read this thread on how to post your pic's


POST YOUR PIC

 

[tommays]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

It all depends on the bottom conditions

i live on Long Island it is allmost allways a nice sandy easy to anchor bottom

I also trailer to Lake George 1 week a year and camp the bottom is smooth and rocky SO anchoring is very hit and miss


Tommays

 

[sdculp]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

OK. Here's my try at making photobucket work.

Stu

 

[sdculp]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

If this doesn't work, I give up!!!

SC

 

[sdculp]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

Here is the URL the hard way. I don't know why the instructions (vague) don't work.

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p163/sdculp/T_PA291190.jpg

SC

 

[alden135]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

 

[xtraham]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

that's not a danforth, sell it on ebay and get yourself a danforth s13 with about 8' of 5/16" chain and that will hold ya..

heres your pic

Danforth

 

[sdculp]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

Thanks for the reply. I'm kind of new to boating. I can see that there are Danforth and "Danforth type" anchors. I did some Googling and found Danforth anchors on pyacht.net and they have an S300 and an S1300, but no S13. Surely you aren't referring to the S1300, which is for 31 foot boats.

Most sources carry "Danforth types", but few seem to be true Danforths. Can you recommend a source.

Thanks again.

Stu Culp

 

[xtraham]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

the 1300 only weighs 16# I don't know why danforth charts thier anchors the way they do, but I use the 1300 on my 17' boat and a danforth 40# on my 44' boat, you want the anchor to hold not plow worms so there is no over kill, I had the 9 on my 17' er and it would'nt hold, and with a heaver anchor you don't need as much scope, so the extra line is there if you need it...........

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

Yeah, I don't like those danforth type anchors with the sliding chain ring. I've had problems with those too. Getcha the real deal like xtraham shows.

 

[QC]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

I agree on true Danforth, that ring does work though for retrieving from opposite side of set. If everything goes right, the ring slides towards the flukes and they pull right out. Not your issue . . . yet.

I have another couple of thoughts though. Are you using power to set? You should try that. Also, it actually sounds like the prevailing wind and/or current is not working towards the shore and you are trying to force the boat to anchor perpendicular to the wind and/or current. If that's the issue then well, it won't work . . .

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

Here is a great source for a Danforth anchor.

Danforth Anchors

If you would prefer a light weight aluminum anchor with great holding power, although quite a bit more expensive look at the Fortress anchors.

Fortress Anchors

 

[BillP]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

A 13S on a 17' boat would hold in a hurricane.

A few yrs back Danforth renamed their anchors. A "Standard" 13lb used to be called S13. Their "High Tensile" anchors had an H in front of the weight.

Later, they added a little beef here and there and the anchors started weighing a tad more and the numbers changed.

I use 2.5lb and 4lb Danforths on 17' & 20' outboards boats. The 4 has the same basic dimensions as the 2.5 and the weight increase is from thicker steel. They work fine if the bottom and scope is right.

B.

 

[xtraham]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

when I drop my anchor I want it to set right where I put it, there is nothing worse that someone trying to set a dragging anchor right next to you while your catching fish, not to mention getting their anchor in yours, or your fishing lines, and I want MY anchor to hold in a hurricane, if you anchor in places like lakes where there is flat bottom, no current or large seas a small "danforth" will be fine, but I still would not use less than a 9# anchor 10' of 5/16" chain and 300 foot of rope,

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

I would buy the Fortress anchor. Boatfix has it for the best price.

 

[BillP]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

I use lighter than normal anchors only because I learned what works for my local conditions. A 17' boat puts approx 500lbs pull on the anchor at 60kts. A 2.5 lb Danforth is rated to hold 760lbs in hard sand. Physical breaking strength of the 2.5 Danforth is approx 3040lbs. A 4lb Danforth is rated to hold 1470 lbs at 60kts and breaking strength 5880 lbs.

Nothing wrong with a 9# Danforth (old 8S) or a 13S on a 17'. Either will hold a 17' outboard in a hurricane...so will a 4lb. But using 300' (60:1 scope) in waist deep (6' including boat height) water isn't going to do any better than 60' (10:1) scope. Danforth pubs 10:1 scope as giving 85% of max TENSILE (breaking) strength of their anchors. Their published SWL is approx 25% of tensile. 60:1 scope would give nothing extra and make beach anchoring more of a hassle.

B.

 

[xtraham]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

lol I was refering to carring 300' of line on board not using all of it in 6' of water,

happy plowing.................

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Danforth Anchor Won't Set

Stu, I use a 2.5LB Danforth anchor on my 16 speed boat. it holds great. You should be able to get away with a 5LB Danforth, on your boat. For the conditions you will be anchoring, you do not need chain, just 3/8 nylon twisted line7-8 times the depth of water you want to anchor in.

Those Danforth anchors hold super well. I anchored my friend's 30 foot cruiser with a 5LB Danforth, in a stiff wind and strong current(soft sand bottom), with minimal line. I was a nervous wreck waiting for the anchor to slip, but it never did. This was of course, under emergency conditions (only anchor we had), and I do not recommend it.