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Recreational Boating in New York Harbor
Anchoring in a Tidal River
In the sort of weather you will enjoy anchoring in, the wind will die at night so the tidal currents are your principal anchoring consideration. The ground is mostly good firm mud--ideal for Danforth type burying anchors.
Our main anchor is a Fortress Fx16 with about 30 feet of heavy chain and 250 feet of 5/8 nylon. We usually set that upstream if we can.
Our second anchor, and lunch hook, is a 5-Kg Bruce with 12 feet of chain and 150 feet of 3/8 nylon.
We also carry two 12-lb lead downrigger weights, from a fishing-tackel shop. These are fitted with carabiner hooks and polypropylene (floating) line with eye spliced ends.
The lunch hook is stowed below in an anchor bag with its line carefully flaked in. If the tide is ebbing, we set the main anchor upstream from the bow and set it carefully. We let out over 200 feet of rode at first and drop the lunch hook off the stern.
We carry the end of the lunch hook rode to the bow, outside the lifelines, and through the bow chock.. Then we take a downrigger weight and clip the carabiner around both rodes and let it ride down until it is lower than the keel at least. Secure the end of the polypro retriever line. Repeat with the other weight.
Now when the tide turns, the anchor rodes will not wind themselves around your keel. Your boat will swing as if on a single anchor. You can shorten the scope after the weights are low enough.
If the tide is flooding, set the lunch hook first down stream. Otherwise the procedure is similar.