Anchoring Resources

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Books

The Second Edition of Happy Hooking is out now!

by (us!) Capt. Alex Blackwell & Capt. Daria Blackwell

ISBN Number: 978-0-9815171-0-0

Click here to read independent reviews

Happy Hooking is a very readable book loaded with valuable information on anchoring tackle, anchoring technique, tying up and rafting, anchoring etiquette, as well as the occasional anecdote - simply stated a must have! (if we don't say so ourselves)

Unless you are far offshore, at some point or another you are going to need to park your boat. Just like knowing how to stop your car before you start is perhaps the most important part of driving, we feel that anchoring is perhaps the most important skill you can and should acquire in boating. Anchoring a boat can be a lovely dance in a harbor, or a painful and often embarrassing display of Homo sapiens’ inability to plan or communicate. We will endeavor to help you find a combination of tackle and technique best suited for your circumstances when anchoring your vessel. By outlining how different anchors work, the pluses and minuses of different adjunctive pieces of equipment, the current thinking about how to deploy this equipment, and how to select an anchorage, we hope you will be armed with enough information to make some informed decisions about what might work best for you.

If you could take only one piece of advice from these pages with you on your travels, perhaps you will remember what Tommy Moran, an old salt in the West of Ireland, advised time and again:

“Anchor as though you plan to stay for weeks,
even if you intend to leave in an hour.”

Click here for:

Happy Hooking Book Reviews

It features:

More gear

More photos

More illustrations

More independent reviews

Experience from both sides of the Atlantic

Personal anecdotes based on thousands of miles of sailing and countless times anchoring

Kindle Edition
US and EU

Kindle Edition
UK

Print Edition

Secure online ordering

The Complete Book of Anchoring and Mooring (2nd edition, 2001) Author: Earl R. Hinz

Publisher: Cornell Maritime Press, Centreville, MD

This is the bible on the subject and an excellent reference on anchoring and mooring for all recreational and work boats in the range 12 to 80 feet. An award-winning author, Hinz is also an aeronautical engineer, a consummate Pacific Ocean sailor, and inventor of design improvements in ground tackle.

Part I covers the technology of ground tackle and Part II covers the art of anchoring. Part III reviews the mechanics of mooring. The book also includes an extensive appendix of anchoring resources and bibliography for further reading.

Any boat owner will greatly benefit from reading Hinz’ recommendations and studying the simple drawings that accompany them. Sections can get technical, but there’s plenty to satisfy any boating enthusiast and answer most any question even an experienced sailor can raise.

Handling And Anchoring Your Boat Video (Bennett Marine)

The video is designed for single and twin screw power or sail. It teaches all aspects of boat handling, docklines (tying and throwing), docking and undocking, effect of wind and currents, steering, "walking" the boat, and maneuvering with no engine. It also features a large section on all aspects of anchors, including types of anchors, how to select them, chain and line rode, selecting an anchorage, setting the anchor, dragging surge, retrieval, and stowing. 75 min.

Websites with information and tips on anchoring:

CoastalBoating.net:

Useful Information on the Fortress Anchor Site:

Boat US BoatTech Guides to Anchoring

Choosing a windlass

Let a windlass do the donkey work by Norman Ralph

Links to anchoring suppliers

Anchor Buddy (http://www.anchorbuddy.co.nz/) Anchor rode weights

Bruce Anchor Group - The Bruce cast steel anchor for boats from 23' to 125'. Bruce anchors have the following characteristics: self-orientating, absolute roll stability, full veering capability, high holding power, low breakout force, unequaled setting, ultra short scope capability, high rock hooking and ease of stowage - Douglas, Isle of Man, British Isles

Coppins Sea Anchors - Award winning designers and manufacturers of Para Sea Anchors. Products include the Parafish™, Squid Parafish™, Storm Fighter™, Limpet™ and Seaclaw™ sea anchors... over 90 sizes in all - Motueka, New Zealand

Danforth® Fluke Anchors - "The World's Most Trusted Anchors" by Tie Down Engineering - Atlanta, GA

Digger Anchor - Grabber cleats or "diggers" put constant downward pressure on flukes to set fast. No chain needed! Just a "jerk" on rope when pulling up anchor will drop flukes - then all mud, sand and weeds stay in the water. Saltwater models have stainless steel and bronze parts - Sauk Centre, MN

Dor-Mor Inc. - Pyramid Anchors and Moorings that rapidly penetrate the bottom due to the high point loading of its compact size and shape. Our product achieves approximately 10 times its dry weight in holding power once it has penetrated the bottom and is completely covered with bottom material. The large surface area of the pyramid shape has a high suction effect which increases the deeper it sets - Claremont, NH

E-Z Anchor Puller Mfg. - Pull your anchor and 300' of line in 3 minutes. Ideal for older folks or those that can'r get out on the bow - Ludington, MI

Flook Anchors - The Flying Anchor. When launched into the water from a boat it automatically takes off and flies out through the water at a glide angle of 5 to 1 until it lands on the seabed

FOB Anchors - Manufacturers of the FOB HP high-power holding anchor, the FOB THP new geometry anchor and FOBLIGHT hefty featherweight anchors - Brest, France

Fortress Marine Anchors - From dinghies to megayachts, we provide a complete selection of anchors to fit all of your boating needs. Our Fortress® and Guardian® anchors are made from a high tensile, corrosion resistant aluminum magnesium alloy. Not Just Stronger, Lighter! - Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Good Automatic Windlass - Manufactures a complete line of automatic free-drop rope/chain combination anchor windlasses and free-drop rope anchor windlasses, plus anchoring accessories for boats from 22' to 60' - Barnegat, NJ

Tie Down Engineering - Atlanta, GA - Danforth, Super Hooker® and Quik-Set® lightweight, hot dipped galvanized anchors and accessories

Inland Marine - US made steel Mushroom Mooring Anchors from 25 lb. to 2,000 lb. We also carry complete mooring systems plus buoys, chains, pick-up buoys, rope pendants, shackles, swivels and thimbles - Assonet, MA

Laclede Chain Company - Welded chain, anchor lead assemblies, fittings and accessories. Established in 1854, Laclede is the oldest chain manufacturer in the USA - St. Louis, MO

Lewmar: Suppliers of Delta™, CQR™ and Claw. Offering a complete line of galvanized, stainless steel, dropped forged and fabricated anchors. Guilford, CT

Manson Anchors - The Worlds Finest Stainless Steel Anchors and Galvanized Anchors. Stainless steel Kedge, Plow or Ray anchors are available from 15 to 2,200 lb. Galvanized Plow anchors are available from 15 to 2,200 lb. - Henderson, New Zealand

Mantus Anchors - a multipurpose, high-performance, new generation boat anchor. Click here for a review

Para-Anchor - Offshore and Coastal model Sea Anchors and accessories. Fiorentino Para Anchor, Newport Beach, CA

Para-Anchors Australia Pty. Ltd. - The Sea Surface Anchor That Works! For ultimate survival at sea Para-Anchors Australia manufactures a range of sea surface anchors to suit all ocean going vessels - Victoria, Australia

Para-Tech Engineering Co. - Manufacturers of PARA-TECH sea anchors, BOAT BRAKES™ inshore fisherman's anchor for trolling & drift fishing, DELTA Drogue® speed-limiting & steering assist drogue for small craft and other accessories - Silt, CO

Power-Pole - Shallow water anchor. Hydraulically operated anchoring spike for shallow water up to 6' deep - JL Marine Systems, Inc., Brandon, FL

Rocna Anchors: New generation fast set ultra high hold marine anchors - Rocna and Vulcan

Schoellhorn-Albrecht Machine Co., Inc - Manufacturer of Marine Mooring Products including Anchors, Capstans, Winches, Deck Fittings, Bolt Down Fittings, Hawser Reels, Accommodation Ladders and accessories - St. Louis, MO

Slide Anchor - State of the art Shoreline and Offshore Anchoring. Our box anchor makes the fluke-type anchor obsolete. Compact, collapsible, with no need for heavy, inconvenient chain! Sets on either side it falls. Deep or shallow water, mud, grass, or rock -- resets in seconds! Available for boats 17-70 feet - Thousand Oaks, CA

Spade Anchors Our vocation is your security !!! We hope you will find on this Web site all the information you need about our products, as well as some useful information on anchoring techniques in general, so that your leisure activity will truly be a pleasure...

Suncor Stainless, Inc. - ClawMaster, PlowMaster and SeaMaster Stainless Steel Anchor Systems, Stainless Steel Chains and Accessories - Plymouth, MA

Supercat - Plow anchors with high-angle shank design. Self-righting regardless of how it lands. With its special sliding shank system, the Supercat anchor is more than 80% retrievable if snagged. Debtech Enterprises, Mandurah, Australia

Super MAX Anchors "If you do not believe the new Super Max anchor is the best anchor you have ever used, return it for a full refund!"

Alex and Daria Blackwell are the authors of “Happy Hooking - The Art of Anchoring.” It covers every aspect of anchors and anchoring in a fun and easy to read format with lots of photos and illustrations. It is available from good chandleries, Amazon and on our publishing website.

For more information on this subject or on anchoring in general, please see our book:

Happy Hooking - the Art of Anchoring