Mooring setup

[tpenfield]

70 lbs is not much for a mooring anchor and a danforth is not designed to serve as such either. Regular boat anchors require a fair amount of scope (5:1 or more) and a mooring anchor uses little scope (2:1) .

A mooring anchor for a 36' boat would be approximately 500 lbs You should perhaps consult with some of the mooring service companies in your area. Additionally many areas regulate the mooring spaces, so you should see if any 'rules' apply.

I have a 500 lb diamond (dor-mor) anchor mooring my 33 formula. Alternatively, I could have used a 500 lb mushroom anchor, but the diamond anchor is better for the shallow water where I moor.

 

[johno71]

Hello everyone,
I have searched and cant seem to find the information i am looking for. I am looking for some advice on mooring my 36' sea ray off to the side of a local channel in new smyrna beach fl. I see a lot of boats moored out there but I don't know what they are using as far as anchors. I know a large mushroom anchor is used sometimes but I have no way to get it out there. Is it acceptable to use a large danforth anchor instead? I was looking at something in the 70lb range. Its a sand and or mud bottom. I have a solar panel to keep my batteries charged and a photo cell on my anchor light to keep it on at night. Should I be concerned with the boat drifting or coming loose with an anchor that large? I have seen that some people set a rear anchor and some do not. What is recommended? Thank you in advance.
John

 

[Scott Danforth]

you will need a Danforth anchor (about a 20#) and 20' of chain. I actually recommend two bow anchors and a stern anchor. use an anchor buoy or two for the front anchors.

A mushroom anchor has no business down here in Florida unless your on an in-land lake

 

[Ned L]

If you are talking about mooring the boat for the season, then YES a mushroom anchor with a chain rode is what you really want to have (say 200 + pounds). A danforth anchor has the potential of breaking loose from the bottom and not re-setting itself properly as the boat swings over time . A mushroom anchor will always stay set regardless of how it swings and shifts.
To get a mushroom anchor out there you can take two similar size small boats (aluminum jon boats etc.) put a couple of large planks across the two of them as a platform, put the mushroom anchor on the 'platform', tow it out there and dump the anchor.
Sorry Scott, a 20# Danforth & 20ft of chain is good for overnight in a blow, but not what you want as a seasonal mooring (if this is indeed what the OP is referring to. .... He did mention solar charger etc.)

 

[johno71]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to go the engine block route. This should be fun!

 

[Ned L]

Ahh,... It's your boat, but I would strongly advise against going that route for your boat. I have done that, but wouldn't do it for anything more than about 18 ft. In any kind of a blow an engine block will do not much more than slow your boat down some. With a proper mooring it's about the shape and the ability to grab the bottom. A block doesn't have that... Or even enought weight.

 

[johno71]

yeah, i have reconsidered and have decided on a 500lb diamond anchor

 

[ssobol]

I have heard that the engine block anchor works well, but only if the bottom is right and if you let the engine block settle in to it properly. If conditions are right the block will settle into the bottom completely (you won't see very much of it at all). Once this occurs you will have a very strong set. It can take awhile for this to occur though.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... My houseboat, a 34'er is moored to motor blocks,.....

The forward moorin' is a 351 windsor, 4' of chain to a 3.0l block, then chain to the ropes,.....
Even if the wind blows, 'n tugs on the 3.0l, the 351 ain't gonna move,....

The aft blocks consist of a 327, chain to a steel sculpture I built, then chain to the ropes,...
Didn't have anymore 3.0ls to put on that 1,....

The motor blocks I used are cleaned Long blocks,....

I slid 'em out on the ice, 'n dropped 'em through a hole I cut,....
The aft blocks, I hadta to in the Summer, I put 'em on my floatin' dock, 'n pushed 'em off, where I wanted 'em,....
Neither has moved, since I dropped 'em in,....

 

[Ned L]

Two blocks in tandem works much better (if using blocks). Years ago I used a 351W short block for a 16ft inboard skiff and after a full season was still able to pull it by hand from a 12ft aluminum Jon boat.