Every boater knows that having an anchor onboard at all times is as essential as remembering to put the boat plug in before launching the boat. For those of you boating on the Amelia River, having the right anchor or ground tackle will make your anchoring effortless and secure.
The waters inshore of Amelia Island are composed mostly of soft mud and heavy silt rendering most all anchors useless with the exception of one, the Dan-forth. The Dan-forth anchor is not noted as the preferred gear for soft or loose mud conditions, however the river’s bottom here off of Amelia Island is perfect for this type of anchor. A Dan-forth anchor has several components such as the shank, flukes and the stock. The shank is the bar that the chain attaches to, the flukes are the two angled pieces attached to either side and the stock is the rod that extends through the shank and flukes and makes up the anchors total width. Dan-forth anchors come in sizes ranging from 5lbs to 103lbs and can safely secure vessels up to 85’ in length.
For conversations sake let’s take an average 25’ outboard powered fishing boat requiring roughly 1000lbs of holding strength only a 9-14lbs Dan-forth anchor is recommended for this scenario. Next is the chain and rope that is needed for any anchor. Chain is required regardless and what size boat or anchor you are setting. The chain works like this; it provides weight and additional holding power to any setup. If you’ve ever been snorkeling or diving and seen a correctly matched anchor and chain you will have realized the anchor was working in harmony with the chain and if the proper amount of line was used the chain was doing most of the work. For our scenario above a 4-5’ section of 5/8” chain is perfect. You will also need the rope or line. Three-strand, nylon line provides the highest strength in the smallest sizes, resist abrasions and has a very low stretch factor. For boats up to 25-30’ in length 5/8” line is preferred however ½” is acceptable. Now that you have the correct size Dan-forth anchor, chain and line now its time to properly set your anchor.
The Amelia River is no different than other areas one would anchor, however with the soft bottom conditions and the strong current, an up-current technique is preferred. Idle your boat to the desired area you wish to anchor, compensating for any wind or other boats that may be moored in the area. With the Dan-forth anchor in the ready position, make sure the chain is clear of the boat. Put the engines in neutral and drop it over the side (bow) first. Once the anchor has found the bottom allow the boat to drift back naturally as you want the boat and ground tackle to set to the current’s conditions without any interference from the engines. As the anchor line begins to payout you want a 7:1 ratio between the anchor line and the depth of the water. This is calculated by allowing 7’ of anchor line to every 1’ of water depth to be used IE: for a depth of 30’ a total of 210’ of anchor line is needed. Once the proper amount of line is deployed secure the line to the boat’s bow using only the boats cleat.
Retrieving the Dan-forth anchor is almost as easy as deploying it. Begin by starting the boats engines and slowly idling towards the anchor taking in the anchor line as it becomes loose. Once you have reached the spot where the anchor is physically located (directly straight down off the bow) place the boat in neutral and give the line a few stout tugs. In most cases the Dan-forth will dislodge it’s self from the rivers bottom allowing you to finish retrieving it. Should the anchor be held fast to the bottom, secure the anchor line again to the boat bow cleat taking up any loose slack. Once the line is securely attached to the bow cleat, slowly idle ahead on the anchor line and this will aid in breaking the anchor loose. This may have to be repeated several times depending on the severity of the situation. Once all the anchor line has been retrieved and the anchor and chain are safely aboard, you are ready to proceed to your next destination.
