Every boat needs an anchor or two but they are not all created equally. Neverland�'s previous owner equipped her with 3 different types of anchors; Delta, CQR type and Danforth. The one that was on the anchor roller was a Delta anchor. They have excellent reviews but the first time we used it we were plowing the soft bottom of the bay. I don�'t know if it doesn�'t like the soft bottom of the Chesapeake Bay or there was simply not enough chain attached to the rope/chain rode. Anyone with anchoring experience will say that the chain part of the rode should be at least as long as the boat and that one wasn�'t.

The boat was also equipped with a Danforth anchor. This type anchor with the two long flukes works well in soft bottoms like the bay. I don�'t recall the last time I saw one on a boat in the Med. We used ours for a short while because it is lighter than the other anchors. We do occasionally deploy the Danforth from the stern if we expect the wind and waves to cross each other.

After we took the boat to the Med we switched to the CQR type anchor which works well in all types of bottoms. I found it hidden under the V-birth one day. We also switched to 75 meters of heavy chain when we came to the Mediterranean and added an electric windlass so we don�'t have to muscle the anchor up. Monica usually does all the anchor handling, she still doesn�'t like driving the boat in close quarters. Anchor handling is a breeze with the 2 foot switches, black is up and red is down. We rarely drag anchor, I can�'t remember the last time. If ever in doubt I always add more chain.

A lot of boaters in the Med use a Bruce type anchor. They look like 3 fingered claws on the bows of the boats. I�'m not sure of their holding capability because I often see boats dragging their anchor along the bottom looking for the place it will hold.

We were anchored in the bay at Martinique for 2 days and the anchor didn�'t budge, even with the high winds. When it came time to raise the anchor, a strong gust came on us and an incoming boat crossed just in front of us, perhaps over the anchor. Monica normally lets out some chain so I can drive past the anchor if it is stuck. This time it didn�'t work and we bent the anchor shank more than 90 degrees. So today was spent swapping the Danforth in place of the CQR while underway. It had been attached to the chain so long that I had to cut the shackle ping to free it. Anyway the Danforth is ready to use in Curacao and Aruba. I think a good mechanic can straighten the shank before we launch the boat again.