A boat anchor is a heavy weight that is placed in the seabed to stabilise a vessel. It is made of concrete, steel, stainless steel or aluminium depending on the type of material. It is used when anchoring. But how does an anchor work?
Characteristics of the anchor
Boat anchors come in a variety of forms. You can choose between permanent and temporary anchors. In the first case, they are attached to a dead body such as a buoy. They come in several shapes. The mushroom shape is suitable for a muddy or sandy bottom. They can support weights from 5 kg to several tons. This category is also characterised by screw anchors for fish farms and suction anchors for oil tankers.
As with permanent anchors, the temporary types also depend on the type of bottom in which they will be fixed. These are stowed on board the vessel. This category includes flat anchors, for sandy or soft bottoms, and ploughshare anchors, which are suitable for rocks. The grappling hook is also used in this area, but its use requires great care in relation to the coral.
How to anchor?
This device is used to counter the weight of the boat. The boat anchor is attached to a chain that links it to the vehicle. Anchoring is done in a few steps. Firstly, you need to locate the place where you are going to moor. This is to assess the type of seabed, but also the weather. Ideally, you should anchor in sandy or muddy ground. The tide also determines your mooring. As a general rule, the length of the chain should be three times the height of the sea. The pull of the chain also depends on the strength of the wind. If the wind is strong, you should let go of the chain.
Mooring techniques differ according to these conditions. The first method is to strike a line on the front of theboat anchor. This method makes it easier to pull it up. When the wind increases, the anchor is set with two anchors at the end of the chain. This procedure can also be replaced by the back anchor. In this case, the devices are placed on both ends of the boat. Finally, you can slacken your mooring. This keeps your yacht stable by using two anchors with chains at equal distances.
Successful anchoring
Certain criteria must be respected to ensure the success of the boat anchor. Firstly, the length of the chain must be 3 to 5 times the depth of the water depending on the weather conditions. The diameter varies between 8 mm for a 4.5 tonne boat, 10 mm for those between 4.5 and 12 tonnes, and 12 or 14 mm for larger boats. The traction of the latter must remain horizontal to keep your vehicle stationary. This force increases as the anchor sinks into the ground. In this case, make sure you choose the right type of anchor to use.
