March 2025 Column STOW THAT ANCHOR By Capt. John N.Raguso
I n past articles, we’ve covered the different anchor types, styles and shapes, correct anchor weights for the size of your vessel, along with what’s the right amount of rode and chain to keep onboard for your typical weekend getaways with family and friends. Today’s article will focus on some of the best and worst ways to stow your anchor, so it’s ready when you need it and out of the way when you don’t. Old School Method 1- Exposed Deck Mount
Back in the 70’s and 80’s, when cuddy cabin and walkaround cabin boats were the dominant go-to choice for many coastal fishing and boating needs, many of these vessels were not equipped with vertical anchor lockers in the bow. This would change over time as naval architects, boat builders and engineers eventu- ally responded to consumer demand. If you wanted access to a functional anchor with this type of layout, the old standby was the deck anchor plate tie-down method, where chrome-plated brass frames would be screwed or through-bolted
into the foredeck of the cabin or walkaround area, the anchor (typically a Danforth type) set into position and then locked down with bungee cords, rope or whatever. Getting the chain to stay neatly in place was always a challenge, plus operators needed to drill a requisite anchor pipe/lid somewhere nearby where additional chain and rode could be accessed from a locker down below. This wasn’t the greatest solution but it was a“lesser of evils”approach. Old School Method 2- Jambalaya Box
Many smaller 15-to-19 foot skiffs, Whaler, Aquasport, Mako and EdgeWater center consoles, Garvey clam boats, Carolina Skiffs and other open deck craft, especially the ones from the 80s and 90, offer minimal accommodations to store an anchor and rode. My 1999 EdgeWater 185 center console would be a poster child for that shortcoming. The only place that it would make sense to stow and anchor and rode on this skiff out from underfoot would be in the general purpose insulated box that is set under the raised forward casting platform. This enclosed space is a jack of all trades and can be
used as an insulted fishbox with through-hull drain; a general purpose semi-wet storage box for PFDs and other emergency gear; and as the aforementioned anchor and rode box. Bob Dougherty and his design team obviously thought of that solution when they built this proven center console, since the hatch offers a recess in the forward center of the lid to allow anchor line to freely flow out through the space when setting the hook. I nicknamed this my“Jambalaya Box”, since to stow the hook and rod, you make a nest of the line with a hollow in the center, place the anchor in the nest with a boat fender and hope that it
doesn’t bounce around too much when you’re underway and damage the fiberglass liner. Old School Method 3- Fiberglass or Teak Bow Pulpit This is my least favorite method of mounting and stowing an anchor and it can cause a lot of harm to you boat and the neighboring boats around you when you are attempting to idle back into your marina with a wind and moving current playing havoc with your every move. For some cabin boats who sport traditional values, this type of anchor cradling approach gives their boats a certain look and feel and when combined with an anchor windlass, can make retrieving and deploying the anchor as convenient as a one button touch with your fingertip. I will say from experience that things don’t always go as planned with this setup and it’s more of a pain than as
asset…there are better ways to solve this problem. Another dark side to the anchor pulpit approach is that some marinas will add an extra two-to-three feet of boat length for this accessory and when you are paying your annual or transient dockage bill by the foot, this can get expensive.
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