Anchoring can be a great experience - if the iron holds up. In YACHT issues 12 and 13 we described in detail the choice of the right anchor gear and the appropriate anchorage. Volume 14 is now about the maneuvers themselves.
As with the vast majority of nautical skills, the anchor maneuver is above all a matter of practice. This applies in particular to inexperienced anchor berths or charterers who do not know the properties of the respective harness. You should try anchoring in moderate conditions before it becomes imperative due to a crowded harbor or weather conditions.
Correct preparation is also a basic requirement when anchoring. Already in the port of departure and not just at the anchorage, the entire harness - i.e. line, chain feeder and anchor - should be checked. In doing so, pay particular attention to the connections and whether there are replacements for them, such as shackles or securing straps. An anchor ball is also part of this, as well as checking what depth the echo sounder shows, whether under the keel or from the surface of the water. For anchoring you should start like on a long trip: with a full water tank, charged batteries, current weather forecast and - even if no overnight stay is planned - working anchor light. Issue 14 shows how to use the standard anchor maneuver. Special methods, such as with two anchors or land connections, are also presented. The so-called catenation, in which two anchors are driven on the same chain, has been omitted in order to increase the holding force. On the one hand, it is quite difficult to retract both anchors equally. If this does not succeed, it is questionable whether the second anchor, which is not well seated in the ground, will dig in further when the first anchor breaks out. Much more important, however, is the poor handling when catching up. Should this have to be done in an emergency, it means handling two irons on the foredeck. The rear anchor must then be released from the chain before the second anchor can be caught up. On the other hand, it is easier to deploy a second anchor
Another tip: It is not a shame to leave all your harness behind in an emergency to quickly leave the anchorage; Otherwise, in rare cases, it can simply take too long to properly lift the anchor or, in the case of variants, two of these. To do this, tie a fender to the end of the hawser or chain, with a chain with a line that is longer than the water depth. Then let the harness rinse out, along with the fender. When the situation has calmed down, you can return to the anchorage and the harness can be caught and retrieved via the floating fender.