For getting over a stretch of live bottom?
Danforth. People should not be putting their metal directly on the reef. Many areas have anchoring completely banned and it’s only a matter of time before the federal government moves to ban all anchoring over live bottoms and ban all usage of lead for fishing. I’m not joking here. As a matter of fact, every time someone posts something on the internet about using a reef anchor to grab coral, it adds fuel to the fire. Same thing about divers posting “how to catch a lobster video” while they are dry humping the reef because they don’t know how to use their BC correctly.
People should learn to anchor in the sand with a danforth anchor and give themselves enough scope to drift back into position over the reef. It’s actually simpler and safer anyway.
Sometimes we will mark the livebottom with a small marker bouy which only has a 16-24 ounce bank sinker on it and then find your drift. Once you figure the drift overshoot your spot against the drift and throw a danforth and let out rope until you are right beside your marker.Your anchor will be in the sand not harming the delicate livebottom area and your boat should be directly over the area you are targeting.Also you have a better chance of getting your anchor up in the sand anyway.
Jason does have a strong point. That live bottom is very fragile and can take years to recover from anchor damage. In south Florida if you anchor on live coral they will put you in jail. Federal jail. It is a big no-no to even touch it, not even with your fins or gloves.
As for the original question, I prefer a claw type anchor. Lewmar or Bruce.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
Thanks for the good info cdt, will give that a try
lewmar claw… I have two, and they are amazing.
You will find a lot of trash talking about anchors on the net, but that thing hooks up fast, strong, and with no drag at all around here.
The only bottom around here you will anchor in is sand or mud, unless youre doing something wrong, and the lewmar claw is made for it.
They are cheap too, which is a plus. West marine has a buch of them.
Key West 2300cc Mercury 225 optimax “Fish Tale”
I don’t have experience with the lewmar claw so I can’t speak for that one, but the key to a danforth is the chain. If you use 1 foot of heavy chain per 1 foot of vessel, that thing will stick anywhere. I’ve even been the only boat with an anchor in a flotilla of 8+ boats and stayed snug. The chain acts as a weight to keep your flukes at the proper angle to the sand which makes sure they stay dug in.
I use plenty of chain on my claw anchor too, but it sticks to any bottom better than a danforth, with a shorter scope. But I always carry 2 anchors anyway and one of them is a danforth, with chain. Danforth is a great sand anchor for sure, but the claw sticks where the flukes sometime don’t and you’ll never bend it. Try one.
I rig it to trip if necessary…
If I only carried one anchor, it would be a claw type. One anchor is never a good idea to me and my second is a Danforth.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
Lewmar delta fast set on a breakaway is what i have used for 7 yrs now,love it…