How do I anchor this boat??? (medium-long)

I boat mostly on bay waters with shifting winds, tide changes, and current changes. I am used to my 14 ft MFG Niagara (the boat in the signature photo) that is a planing hull and can run in 24" of water. I take this little boat up to about 10 ft from shore, kill motor and pull it up, then jump out into the water and carry the chairs, cooler, etc to the beach, then walk waist deep into the water dragging the boat behind me, toss the anchor, then tie it off to the bow. Then another line is used to tie the transom off to a line back to the beach. When I need to retrieve the boat after a day on the beach, I just do the reverse.

I have just spent the last week with my (new to me) 1985 Bayliner 1600 Cuddy Cabin (16ft). Well this boat has a deep V, and needs a lot more water to run in.

The problem I ran into was anchoring this boat. First tried the method above, but the wind pushed the boat into the bottom before I could pop out the hatch on the bow and toss anchor. So I jump out, and push the boat back out to deeper water (up to my chest) and I climb back in via the swim platform (great invention that swim platform with folding ladder). But by the time I drop the Force motor (no power tilt/trim - its all up or all down) the wind pushed me back into the shallows. So I take out the boat hook and push the boat back into the deeper water like the guys in Venice. Going against the wind in reverse with a navy top up made it hard work.

After firing up the Force and getting about 150 feet from shore to review the situation, I realized I was too tired to mess with this any more and I left.

I think that I need about 150ft of anchor line. That way I can drop anchor in the deeper 8-10 ft of water (tied to bow cleats), let the wind or motor push the boat into 4ft of water, pull up the outboard, then jump out with a second line run from the stern to shore.

I carry two Danforth anchors now. It is really easy to drop a Danforth anchor on the beach and shove the spades into the sand. That will hold the boat just as well as the anchor in the water, if not better.

Is there a better way of anchoring a boat that you don't want to put on the beach? This Bayliner is really clean and I don't want to be rubbing bottom with this puppy. Plus, without a power tilt/trim, I can't just raise the motor to clear the bottom and run it to pull me out.

What suggestions do you have?

Thanks!

Re: How do I anchor this boat??? (medium-long)

I'm buying a windlass to make my life easier (& make wifey feel better),
but what I've done is tie off the line to the cleat with as much run out as I need to anchor for conditions (usually bout 30' or so) & have the anchor on the seat behind me (make certain line won't foul on anything when you throw out the anchor). Back the boat toward beach, when you're about 30-40' from where you wanna be, toss out your anchor. Shut the motor down & let the momentum take up the slack. Jump out with your rear one & set that & you're done.

Re: How do I anchor this boat??? (medium-long)

i have one of those bungee type anchor buddy. you anchor up the bow, then back into the shore, throw someone over to that the shore anchor in. then pull the boat in to unload, then let out the shore line, and the bungee pulls the boat back to deep water. when ready to go you pull the boat back in, and load. retrieve the anchors. i've used it on the 23 footer several times.
here it is "http://www.waterskiworld.com/boataccessories/Anchors/AnchorBuddy/anchorbuddy.html"

Re: How do I anchor this boat??? (medium-long)

I just mentioned this today in another 'anchor thread, there seems to be a new design type anchor which might make the overall anchoring process much easier along with the bungie cord suggestion..I'm about to purchase one anyway but was hoping for reviews here first.

http://www.slideanchor.com/

Re: How do I anchor this boat??? (medium-long)

I like the bungie idea, but there is just no way that the bungie will work for me due to the long distance the boat will have to travel, the weight of the boat, and bungie just doesn't hold up well to salt environment. The few bungie cords I use on the boat to stow stuff loose their stretch after a year or so and become "limp" after long exposure to sun and salt.

Re: How do I anchor this boat??? (medium-long)

Mark, There is no real good way to do what you want. The best answer is to figure out which way the boat will drift and set the bow anchor off the beach. Now back up (as long as it is safe) and toss a light stern anchor onto the beach, slightly upwind. Now adjust the lines until you are as close to the beach with the stern as you can get (motor up).

When you want to leave, load the boat, and then grab the beach anchor and climb aboard. Now shorten the bow anchor until the motor can go down. Start it and now pull the bow anchor in.

This will work with wind and current moving up/down the beach. It will also work with the wind/current blowing onto the beach. other wind/current situations are not as optimum.