<font size="2">Added 4' of heavy chain this morning and I made a big difference in a 20 mph wind. Plus I added rode between anchor and boat (scope) using the following info I found last night: </font></p>
<font size="2">Before you drop your anchor, determine how much you'll line, or rode, you'll need, then use a cleat hitch to tie it at that distance. The term scope refers to the ratio between the length of your rode and the distance from the bow to the bottom. A good rule of thumb is a scope of at least 7:1 for a rope rode, or 5:1 for a heavier all-chain rode. Increase the scope to 10:1 or more for stormy conditions or if your anchor keeps ripping free of the bottom. The longer the scope, the closer to horizontal your rode is, and the more tightly you will be anchored.[30] Measure from the bow, not the water surface. If the water is 10 feet deep (3m), and your bow is 4 feet (1.2) m above the water surface, the total depth is 14 feet (4.2m). A typical scope of 7:1 would require 14 x 7 = 98 feet of rode (4.2 x 7 = 29.4 m).</font></p>
<font size="2">For smaller lighter boats like my 16' aluminum boat, the scope can be 4:1 but no less. The chain and line length (4 x 5' = 20') for a Danforth (fluke) design anchor still dragged anchor but much slower than no chain and a shorter rope, both of which are supposed to keep the anchor shaft as horizontal to the bottom as possible to allow the sharp blades to dig in. I added more rope but the 25 mph wind still slowly dragged anchor. Conclusion: use two anchors plus chains. I have a heavy three prong anchor I also use next time after I buy a chain for it.
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<font size="2">Thanks for the suggestions. Who know anchoring could be so complicated!? emoBang </font>
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