Mushroom Anchor?

[Philpott]

does anyone have a small mushroom anchor I can borrow for a week or so? In Half Moon Bay last year, after you all had sailed home, I helped Dave Morris raise all the danforth and mushroom anchors that he uses to keep the little floating dock there from being towed away. The SSS HMB race is the only time people are allowed to raft up to that little dock, and only because Dave spends hours preparing for it.

anyway, he said the little mushroom anchor is good to use as a stern anchor and I believe him. I believe anything Dave says.

I will be anchored out most of next week in one place or another up in the Delta (aka UpRiver). This is what my bow anchor looks like every time I pull it up. Without a windlass. Yeah.



Since it takes awhile to disentangle all that foliage, I'd like to limit the effort as much as possible. I cannot promise Marianne's ice cream, but something yummy in return. Thanks.

 

[AlanH]

Jackie, I'm not sure that a mushroom anchor is what you want to anchor a Cal 2-27 for a few hours or a day. I think mushroom anchors need to work their way under the surface to really grip, they're something you set for a whole season. I can't swear to this, as I've never used one, but that's my recollection.

 

[Philpott]

Thanks, Alan. Mebbee, mebbee not. So you don’t have one I can borrow?

 

[AlanH]

Thanks, Alan. Mebbee, mebbee not. So you don’t have one I can borrow?

I don't. I have a leetle, deenky Danforth with 60 feet of chain and 1/4 inch nylon, that I used to use on the Skerry, that you can borrow. It's too small for the Piper, but I was gonna use it on the Piper anyway, but obviously that's a ways out.

 

[AlanH]

But look, Jackie...

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/bpo/d/elk-grove-river-anchor-with-chain/7124953682.html

A hybrid...part mushroom, part grapnel. That will probably set quicker and at least at first...grip better than a mushroom, but won't pull up nearly so much weed as a danforth.

 

[Philpott]

But look, Jackie...

Oh, but Alan! I don't want to BUY a mushroom anchor! I could do that any time! I want to borrow someone's mushroom anchor, then give it back! I would only use it as a stern anchor for one week up here. Nowhere else. Then I would borrow it again next year!

I don't have a garage, so if I bought one it would be one more thing to spend the winter in a corner of my dining room. Already in that pile of wonderful items are too many things which will be of dire necessary one day in the future. Too many things. "Nails and snails and puppy dog tails."

But never mind, anyway. I'm up here and must use what I have at hand. Maybe fill a boot with rocks. Dunno.

 

[Daydreamer]

I have a small 20# mushroom with 50 feet of 3/8 braided line.
Probably too light for DuraMater, but you’re welcome to try it.

You can’t see the numbers on the scale, but it gives you an idea of how big it is.
That’s what happens when I don’t put my glasses on to take pictures. DOH!!

 

[Intermission]

I do have a #13 pound danforth, with 4 fathoms of quarter inch chain, and about 225' of half inch nylon, nicely coiled in a milk crate you could borrow...
Worked well for the Hawkfarm, but not so great for the Beneteau. I'll be in Alameda tomorrow if you want to try it.
Eventually it will go to Blue Pelican.

 

[AlanH]

Oh, but Alan! I don't want to BUY a mushroom anchor! I could do that any time! I want to borrow someone's mushroom anchor, then give it back! I would only use it as a stern anchor for one week up here. Nowhere else. Then I would borrow it again next year!

I don't have a garage, so if I bought one it would be one more thing to spend the winter in a corner of my dining room. Already in that pile of wonderful items are too many things which will be of dire necessary one day in the future. Too many things. "Nails and snails and puppy dog tails."

But never mind, anyway. I'm up here and must use what I have at hand. Maybe fill a boot with rocks. Dunno.

Oh I know this feeling. You should see my study. I can barely get into the closet.

 

[Wylieguy]

Damn! I don't know where my "Post Quick Reply" messages go, but they don't get posted. Here's another try.
Jackie, I don't think changing anchors will solve the weed problem. Whatever you have at the end of the anchor line will accumulate the weeds, which are wrapped on the line. (that's the short version of what I originally wrote)
Now to an example. In the 1970s a friend who kept his boat up at the "First Bedroom" all summer and commuted by launch to Korth's where the family kept a car used several concrete blocks with the stern anchor line looped through the openings. At Summer's end, he simply pulled the line out and left the blocks.