Dragging stock anchor

[ForeverCobalt]

Does anyone else have issues with the stock anchor Lewmar dtx ohp short 13lbs on a 2022 R6OB, when it comes to both grabbing as well as dragging? We have mostly sandy bottom and last weekend it stuck for like 15 minutes and often started to drag. Also its taking like 3-4 times to get it to bite. We are novice boaters but we look at the depth 17 feet or so, cant see the bottom but gauge the chain let out is around 20+ feet or so, then we reverse to drag it and get it to flip/roll whatever to bite. Unfortunately its a busy anchorage so lots of boats and little room to maneuver. Are we doing it wrong or is this just a crappy anchor. We have the windlass option

[CobaltDeadHead]

For 17' depth, you need much more line than 20 feet. The sandbars we anchor in are roughly 4' deep and we let out about 25' of line for both the bow and Stern anchors; sometimes more depending on wind.

[ForeverCobalt]

Totally agree once it bites we let more chain out but we can't get it to bite. We tried dumping a bunch and none made a difference.

[drtbar]

As a rule, if your anchor isn't holding, you need to let more line out. Keep letting it out until it holds.

[bruceb58]

For anchoring in no wind, 3:1 scope so you need over 50 feet out in 17 foot depth

[Snowman8]

Bruce is right, you need to let out more line. My anchor only weighs 4lbs with a 6’ section of chain and it will hold my R5 with 2 other boats tied to me in the wind in 15’ of water with 50-60’ of line out.

[bruceb58]

Bruce is right, you need to let out more line. My anchor only weighs 4lbs with a 6’ section of chain and it will hold my R5 with 2 other boats tied to me in the wind in 15’ of water with 50-60’ of line out.

You have the Fortress FX-7 like I do?

[Snowman8]

Bruce is right, you need to let out more line. My anchor only weighs 4lbs with a 6’ section of chain and it will hold my R5 with 2 other boats tied to me in the wind in 15’ of water with 50-60’ of line out.

You have the Fortress FX-7 like I do?

Yes. It holds like it weighs about a thousand pounds! But it only weighs 4 pounds. A couple weeks ago a guy in a brand new Chapp threw out his new box anchor and he drug that thing all over in the wind. My little FX-7 held my R5, a Cobalt 240 and a Yamaha jet boat, I think it was a 232 or 240 or something. I was in about 10’ of water with 60 - 70’ of line out and we didn’t move at all. I had a heck of a time getting it pulled up when it came time to leave. I had to chinch it on the bow cleat and have my daughter run the throttle to pull it opposite of the way the wind was pushing us. It came up with a bunch of sand and silt stuck to it. It really dug in deep that time.

[NautiWeasel]

I agree, more rode out of the locker should do the trick. I actually bent the 7 lb fluke anchor we use because it stuck so well. Had to do what Snowman8 did, and use the engine to break the anchor free. If done correctly, and with the correct length of chain (sounds like the OP has enough) they do hold really well.

[mdadgar]

I had a heck of a time getting it pulled up when it came time to leave. I had to chinch it on the bow cleat and have my daughter run the throttle to pull it opposite of the way the wind was pushing us. It came up with a bunch of sand and silt stuck to it. It really dug in deep that time.

I had the same experience with my box anchor at Table Rock a week or two back and when I finally got it up it had an old tire hanging from it.

[Big Block Power]

I had a heck of a time getting it pulled up when it came time to leave. I had to chinch it on the bow cleat and have my daughter run the throttle to pull it opposite of the way the wind was pushing us. It came up with a bunch of sand and silt stuck to it. It really dug in deep that time.

I had the same experience with my box anchor at Table Rock a week or two back and when I finally got it up it had an old tire hanging from it.

Hey welcome back! I had a tree on mine. Honestly on TRL just use a rope and a brick from Menards! It's cheap and you don't care when you lose it

[Snowman8]

When we spent a week at LOTO a few years back I pulled a large tree branch up one day. I might have to try BBP’s idea if i ever go back..

[ForeverCobalt]

Thank you everyone for your insight! With the general consensus being to let more out, won't that get me in trouble given that boats in the anchorage are probably no more then 12-16 feet apart? I know boats will generally all turn at the same time with wind and waves but I am afraid of turning more then the guy next to me given the radius I can have with that much anchor out?

[NautiWeasel]

It should work out fine, and yes, all the boats "should" move at roughly the same time, unless it's a wake that is moving them, and not wind/current.

With letting out more line, you're going to have to drop anchor well ahead of where you'll want to end up. Pull into the wind roughly 30-50' from where you want to be (in 15-20' of water) and let out 60' of rode/rope. Every time I've followed this rule, I've been surprised at how well such a small anchor can actually hold a bigger boat.
Also, a little tip I like to use is to tie the anchor off to the bow eye first, (where your trailer winch connects) then to the cleat on the bow. This gives the rope a lower pulling point as well, and will help a little bit.

[Big Block Power]

Thank you everyone for your insight! With the general consensus being to let more out, won't that get me in trouble given that boats in the anchorage are probably no more then 12-16 feet apart? I know boats will generally all turn at the same time with wind and waves but I am afraid of turning more then the guy next to me given the radius I can have with that much anchor out?

You can also throw another anchor off the stern to help prevent the boat from swinging. Most of us have 2 anchors.