Anchoring Troubles: How to Solve Common Problems

In a Nutshell...

Getting to grips with anchoring is a core skill for any sailor, but it's a sure bet you'll run into a few common anchoring troubles along the way. The trick to sorting them out is all about getting ready beforehand, using the right technique, and having the right gear. The usual suspects include dragging anchor, getting your hook stuck on the bottom, and a real pain in the neck: difficult retrieval. We'll walk you through how to tackle each one, from picking a good spot to dropping a tripping line. Once you've got a handle on the why and how, you'll be able to anchor with confidence and get a good night's sleep.

A second anchor is good insurance

Why Does My Anchor Drag?
My Anchor is Fouled: How Do I Get it Back?
Why Does My Anchor Chain Twist?
Difficult Anchor Retrieval: What's the Problem?
Weather & Seabed Assessment: The Keys to a Secure Berth
Emergency Procedures: What to Do When All Else Fails
Summing Up
Frequently Asked Questions

Why Does My Anchor Drag?

Nothing gets your heart racing faster than the feeling that your anchor's dragging. That sudden lurch, the grinding noise of the chain, and the sinking feeling as you see you're drifting towards the shore—it's a sailor's nightmare. If your anchor's not holding firm, it's pretty clear it hasn't properly dug into the seabed.

The Culprit:

The usual suspects are not enough scope, a mismatch between your anchor and the seabed, or just plain bad technique when setting the anchor.

Not Enough Scope: Think of scope as the secret sauce of anchoring. It's the ratio of your anchor rode (chain or line) to the depth of the water, plus the height of your boat's bow roller. If your scope's too short, your anchor gets pulled up instead of along the bottom, which keeps it from burying in properly. For normal conditions, a 5:1 ratio is what you're after, but you'll want to beef that up to 7:1 or even 10:1 if the wind's picking up.

The Wrong Anchor: It's a bit like trying to use a screwdriver when you need a spanner. A CQR or Danforth might be a dream on a muddy bottom, but they can be a real pain in weedy or rocky patches. Newer anchor designs, like a Rocna or a Spade, are a lot more forgiving across different types of ground.

A Rushed Job: An anchor won't just set itself. You have to give it a helping hand by putting a bit of reverse thrust on the engine. This is called 'setting the anchor,' and it's a slow, steady process that lets the anchor really bury itself deep.

The Fix & The Prevention:

Let Out More Rode: If you feel your anchor start to drag, the quickest and easiest fix is to let out more chain. It'll increase your scope, lower the angle on the anchor, and more often than not, it will let it bite in.

Get an Anchor Alarm: These days, your phone or chartplotter can be a real lifesaver. A GPS-based anchor alarm will let out a squawk if your boat moves outside a safe zone you've set, giving you plenty of time to deal with the problem.

Pick a New Spot: Sometimes the best thing to do is just call it a day on your current anchorage. If the wind's howling or the seabed's no good, it's smarter to haul it up and find somewhere with better holding power or more shelter.

Keep a Lookout: In a busy anchorage or if it's blowing a hoolie, having a dedicated anchor watch is a must. One of the crew should keep an eye on your position relative to other boats and the shoreline to make sure everything's holding firm.

My Anchor is Fouled: How Do I Get it Back?

There's nothing more frustrating than an anchor that just won't budge. You've got it on the chain and you're hauling away, but it's not moving. It's usually because it's snagged on a rock or a piece of old gear on the bottom.

The Culprit:

Hooked on a Rock or Wreck: This is the big one. An anchor fluke gets wedged in a crevice, especially if the tide or wind changes and swings the boat around.

Snagged on an Old Mooring: Some anchorages have old, unmarked moorings or cables lying on the bottom. Dropping your anchor there is just asking for trouble.

The Fix & The Prevention:

The "Engine Trick": This is a time-honoured technique. Put the engine in gear and motor slowly in a wide circle, keeping the chain as tight as you can. The idea is to change the angle of the pull and hopefully pop the anchor free. Just be careful not to get the chain wrapped around your keel or prop.

Go For a Dive: If the water's clear and it's safe to do so, going for a dive is often the best way to sort it out. I'll never forget the time I was off the Isle of Wight and got my CQR wedged in a reef. After trying everything else, I had to put on my mask and fins and go down to wrestle it free. It was a good reminder that you've always got to have the right kit on board.

Use a Tripping Line: This is a classic preventative measure. A tripping line is a thin line you tie to the anchor's crown—the end opposite the flukes—before you drop it. It's a real get-out-of-jail-free card. If the anchor gets stuck, you just haul on the tripping line, and it'll break the anchor free backwards.

Sacrificial Shackles: Some sailors use a weak link, or a sacrificial shackle, between the anchor and the chain. The thinking is that if the anchor gets hopelessly stuck, this weak link will give way under tension, so you don't lose your whole rode. But this is not for me; I don't want a weak link anywhere!

Why Does My Anchor Chain Twist?

A twisted anchor chain is a pain. The kinks, or 'hockles', can jam in your windlass, making it impossible to get the anchor up without having to untwist the chain by hand.

The Culprit:

Swinging Around: As your boat swings with the wind and tide, it naturally twists the chain.

Dropping It Messily: If you drop the chain in a pile on top of itself, you'll be introducing twists that are only going to get worse as time goes on.

The Fix & The Prevention:

Install an Anchor Swivel: A swivel is a fitting that connects your anchor to the chain and allows it to spin freely, which stops twists from building up. Just a word of warning though, a swivel is only as good as its weakest point, so it's a good idea to splash out on a quality one.

Let It All Out Hang Out: If your chain is already twisted, the simplest thing to do is to let it all out in deep water. The weight of the chain will often be enough to straighten it out on its own.

Regular Check-ups: Take the time to inspect your chain and shackles every now and then. Look for any signs of wear and tear, and make sure your swivel is in good nick.

Difficult Anchor Retrieval: What's the Problem?

Hauling up the anchor can be tough work, and sometimes the windlass just groans or the anchor seems glued to the bottom.

The Culprit:

Buried Too Deep: A modern anchor with a good bite can bury itself so deep in a soft, muddy bottom that it's a real struggle to break it free.

Windlass Overload: The windlass is designed to lift the weight of the rode, not to drag the boat along the bottom. Using it to pull your boat towards the anchor is a rookie mistake and can burn out the motor in a hurry.

Chain Wrapped Around Something: The chain can get all tangled up around your keel, rudder, or even the prop, making retrieval next to impossible.

The Fix & The Prevention:

Motor, Don't Haul: Here's the golden rule of getting the anchor back: motor slowly towards your anchor as you bring the chain in. The windlass is there to do the heavy lifting of the rode, not to pull your boat against the wind or current.

Use the Engine to Break Free: When the rode is 'up and down'—perfectly vertical—put the engine into forward gear at a low RPM. The boat's movement combined with the engine's push is usually enough to pop the anchor free. Once it's loose, you can let the windlass do its job.

Weather & Seabed Assessment: The Keys to a Secure Berth

You can avoid a whole lot of anchoring troubles before you even drop the hook. A successful anchorage starts with a good look at the weather and the seabed.

The Culprit:

Getting Caught Out by the Weather: Not checking the forecast can leave you high and dry when the wind picks up or changes direction. A perfectly sheltered spot can turn into a lee shore in no time, pushing your boat towards the land.

Misjudging the Seabed: Dropping your anchor on a weedy, rocky, or hard-packed bottom with the wrong anchor type can mean it just won't get a proper grip.

The Fix & The Prevention:

Study the Charts: Before you even head into an anchorage, get your charts out. The symbols will tell you what the seabed is made of (like 'S' for sand or 'R' for rock). Pick a spot that's a good match for your anchor. A modern anchor with wide flukes, for example, will do the business in sand or mud, while a grappling hook-style anchor is your best bet for rocky bottoms.

Read the Weather: Always check the forecast for wind speed, direction, and any changes. My personal rule is to always plan for the worst. If a 15-knot breeze is forecast, I'll anchor as if a 30-knot squall is on its way. That means a larger scope and a much wider safety margin.

Emergency Procedures: What to Do When All Else Fails

Even if you've done everything by the book, there might come a time when your anchor is just gone for good. Having a plan for this is a non-negotiable part of staying safe.

The Culprit:

Hopelessly Fouled Anchor: Your anchor might be so seriously wedged or wrapped around something big and unmovable that no amount of motoring or diving will get it free.

The Fix & The Prevention:

The Cutaway Plan: This is the last resort. If you can't get your anchor back, you may have to cut the rode and leave it behind.

Carry a Spare: A spare anchor is a must-have piece of safety gear. After a cutaway, you'll need a reliable anchor to see you through the night until you can get to a new port. It should be a different type or size to your main anchor and ready to go at a moment's notice.

Summing Up

Anchoring isn't just about dropping a piece of metal over the side. It's a proper skill that takes a bit of planning, a watchful eye, and the right gear. By getting to grips with the most common anchoring troubles—from dragging and getting stuck to twisted chains and tough retrieval—you can arm yourself with the know-how to stop them from happening in the first place. A well-prepared sailor is a safe sailor, and with a good anchor, a solid technique, and a little foresight, you can anchor with confidence in just about any conditions. Don't forget, being a good neighbour in a crowded bay is also part of it, which you can read more about in our article on Anchoring Etiquette. For a more comprehensive look at this crucial skill, be sure to check out The Definitive Guide to Anchoring a Boat.

This article was written by Dick McClary, RYA Yachtmaster and author of 'Offshore Sailing' published by the Royal Yachting Association ( RYA) and member of The Yachting Journalists Association (YJA).

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if my anchor is dragging?

There are a few ways. The most reliable is to use an anchor alarm on your chartplotter or phone. You can also keep a visual watch on your boat's position relative to two fixed points on shore, or simply feel the rhythmic jerking of the anchor rode as it skips along the seabed.

What is a "tandem anchor" setup?

A tandem setup means you're using two anchors in a line. The main anchor goes down first, with a second anchor a short way behind it. This is a technique for really bad holding ground or extreme weather to give you a lot more holding power.

Is it okay to anchor in a crowd?

Yes, but you've got to be careful. When you're in a busy bay, make sure you have enough room to swing and that you're using a similar amount of rode to the other boats. It's also a good idea to have an anchor watch and be ready to move if another boat starts to drift.

Should I use a swivel on my anchor chain?

A good quality swivel can be brilliant for keeping the twists out of your chain. But it's also another part in your system, and a cheap one can fail. If you're going to use one, make sure it's a reputable brand and check it regularly for wear.

What maintenance should I perform on my anchoring system?

After each use, rinse the anchor and chain with fresh water to get rid of salt and mud. Every so often, lay the whole rode out to check for corrosion, bent links, or signs of wear. Make sure your windlass is well-oiled and that all the electrical connections are clean and secure.