DRAGGING in a Storm || What to do when you drag ANCHOR || 45 Knots WINDS || Florida Keys Storms ||

6 boats drug and 3 ran aground this past weekend. A northerly storm blew through with amazing gusts of wind and caused chaos all over our anchorage. Chris helped another boat as they were dragging and needing assistance. It was wild. We filmed a lot of the conditions and radio chatter.
We are a family with 3 boys learning life on a boat. Every week we explore, learn something, fix something, answer something and try to share the true essence of boat life. We also love this boating community. But no matter what your passions are in life and where your life leads you. We want you to enjoy the journey.
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[@SVDiscipleShip]

Captain America came to our rescue that day! You know you have amazing friends when they risk crazy weather to come onto your boat and help get us back to safety!

[@sandyc6569]

👍

[@jeffjohnsisland5551]

If I was in the Boston Whaler, I would not go ashore. I have been in that situation. I think going ashore probably means taking a bath, swamping, possibly injuring yourself and maybe giving the outboard a bath. I would have worn a PFD if I was on the deck raising the anchor. Glad to see mom and kid wearing a PFD in the dinghy.

[@halfwaymo9075]

Dad you need a life jacket, you scare me without one 🤪

[@FAAjoker]

I’m pretty disappointed no one has mentioned the morale raising moment! Someone called out “Rainbow!” that’s keeping it real. I’ve just discovered your channel, looking forward to watching the rest of this and your other work.

[@WanderingKnapps]

Thank you so much. I appreciate the encouragement. It's been the best place to raise these boys

[@ericsharp1384]

We love your down to earth approach on your channel. I'm impressed your son can drive the boat if need be! Can I just say Jolene is so gorgeous! From one mom to another, you're doing an amazing job! ♥️ Jenny

[@halfwaymo9075]

She's interesting

[@richardbigelow4981]

Thanks= you guys for making it real. I learn more from your life experiences than all the other cruisers, yet you show the beauty of it all too. Thanks for sharing the journey!

[@muskokaknotscruising6471]

Whooo Hoooo Team Mantus!! As the Canadians you mentioned anchored in front of you we where very glad to have a good and properly sized anchor (Mantus). Helpful information and Great video!!!

[@halfwaymo9075]

What a good thing to help another boater. 👍 I'm enjoying your videos, keep posting 💙missouri

[@sandyc6569]

Whoeee What chaos and a little scary! Good job everyone and I am glad that everything turned out fine!! Be safe out there! See you next time! 👍💞💖💝💖💞👍

[@josephkordinak1591]

I remember dragging an anchor in a typhoon in Japan on a 560ft ship. We had a small island to our stern. We just engaged the screw and made like 5 turns just enough to stop us moving. Had to do that for a few hours till the winds died down. In hind sight we should have dropped both anchors but I wasn't the captain.

[@janissarywalker6312]

It was impressive how you helped the other boaters.

[@WanderingKnapps]

Thank you

[@halfwaymo9075]

I ask all boaters, the same question. Why aren't you guys fishing? I'd be fishing everyday. That would be an awesome video. 💙Missouri

[@novoiperkele]

"talking from our aft" - awesome segment name

[@floridatabdigger3104]

Just ran across your channel the other day. Really enjoy your vids.

[@WanderingKnapps]

Thank you so much. We appreciate it

[@TwotheHorizonSailing]

Yikes! Never fun watching boats drag all around you! Glad you guys were safe

[@WanderingKnapps]

Thank you. Thats anchorage has a bad reputation for dragging.

[@RLVTECHUSA]

great video ! glad you are are safe god bless you all

[@zombiescantswim7371]

This blow was crazy! A boat broke loose in the anchorage beside us and it was all hands on deck with bumpers to protect the boat on our dock! We were jumping on boats like monkeys lol! The loose boat hit the last boat on the dock causing damage and then slammed into the other marina dock behind us. The guys at that marina jumped on board and tied it off. Crazy day!

[@michaelhensley4102]

Love your videos. Talking from the aft has always been great answers to real life everyday problems. I am convinced about the Mantas anchors and a windlass control at the helm and the bow in case i am alone. Haven't looked into it yet but that just occurred to me while watching your video.

[@RLVTECHUSA]

anchor alarm is very important , and when you sleeping is very important to know when you move

[@karlbass7895]

Thanks, as always, for sharing real life you've experienced to help others who may run into the same. As you said, you can try to be a fair weather cruiser but sooner or later, Ma Nature is gonna throw one your way. It's just like running aground. There's those that have and those that will. It's just a matter of time.

[@billdomb]

I'm proud of how Carter's come along. Wow! (and, of course, we have nothing to do with it!)

[@kevbjork1]

I have a big Danforth right now but plan to get a Mantus before we head out on the Loop. Did you get one a size or two larger than the chart? The Danforth works well for where we are right now but I'm sure the Mantus is better for a wide range of seafloors. I'll keep my Danforths as spares because I do some fore and aft anchoring at times too. Man those boys are learning a lot too! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

[@WanderingKnapps]

We actually bought the largest mantus anchor they make. It is easy oversized for our boat. But we have never moved in a blow. So we say it was worth it.

[@dimitriacrosse2904]

Thanks for video

[@marcbloch1963]

One of the absolute best anchors out there are “Ex-cel” anchors…….”Mantus” and “Rocna” are excellent as well although I don’t like that the Mantus is bolted together instead of welded.

[@gregfawcett5152]

What a drag

[@rogerharrison7609]

I’m a big fan of Mantis Anchors. I currently have a Mantis-1 on my Viking. When I take delivery on my Fleming, I will outfit her with the 80kg Mantis-2 for my primary. I’m still researching my Secondary anchor. Some folks have said to get another Mantis, but I’m thinking I should get something that is a little different. Maybe a Danforth or a Fortress.

[@matthewmelton2361]

Fortress stows in laz easy if your not going to have both on the bow

[@johnsummers9434]

The correct way to set two anchors is in tandem ( one behind the other) unless you expect a wind shift, then maybe set to wind vector or use an anchor CHUM. I've sailed for 32 years and only had to use a CHUM twice. Use correct weight anchor and 3 to 5 times depth of water for chain.

[@WanderingKnapps]

Yeah we didn't see any of this. We saw people dragging and chucking an anchor over the bow. We have also used 7:1 as standard and 10:1 scope for storms.

[@plumcreekantiques7191]

Love the information. Getting ready to cruise . Exactly which Mantas anchor do you have ? We are looking for boats your size ….

[@WanderingKnapps]

No matter what boat you get get a Mantus! We have an M1 105lbs. But you can ask them what they recommend

[@larrydicenzo3826]

Awesome video, good information, thanks 😊

[@WanderingKnapps]

Thank you

[@gregorgman]

You should start your engines throughout the storm so you know they will start if you MUST get out of other boaters way. Just because you are hooked and never drag doesn't mean you won't get blown into by other boaters.

[@johnh9888]

Wow Iv never been 1st

[@sandyc6569]

🏆

[@SVFresh2Salty]

We was in keys west and it was just as bad!

[@jodiplock4784]

👍🏼

[@Beanieweenieable]

Wow quite a blow!

[@mariastockman533]

Pretty wild winds! What are your secrets for not dragging (mantis definitely helps)? If I understand correctly , you have a solid bow anchor, with all chain no rode and no stern anchor? Thanks for the info on wind apps as well! I appreciate your knowledge! Safe travels! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 We have scheduled a survey on our first motor yacht! We are so excited and I’m trying to absorb all the info I can!

[@lorapilat8238]

@mariastockman I guess by now you have bought your motor yacht and perhaps have anchored out a few times. Hope it all went well, but with regard to your question, understanding why you are dragging is the first requirement for stopping the dragging. Many people think that it is the design of the anchor that is the reason for the dragging, but that is only partially true. Different types of anchor can function well in different types of seabed. Some anchors perform well in mud, others better in sand or even weed. So first thing is to figure out in which type of seabed you are anchoring most of the time and then get the anchor that is best for that type of seabed. When you buy the anchor just go for 2 sizes larger than what is advised for your boat. The advised size is based on average conditions and a storm is not an average condition. Same goes for your chain, get bigger (that means also heavier) than advised. We carry 13 mm instead of the 10 mm which is advised and the 13 mm weighs about 4 kg/mtr. Since we have 140 mtr onboard we have a total weight of 560 kg in anchor chain. Add the 55 kg anchor and in total we get to 615 kg of ground tackle. Many people don't know it, but there is actually a formula to calculate how much ground tackle you need to put out in certain conditions. In short it comes down to figuring out the total environmental loads and compare that to the holding power of the ground tackle. If the total environmental loads are higher than the holding power..............your anchor is not going to hold. What makes up the total environmental loads ? Basically there are 3 important loads to take into consideration: wind, current and waves. What makes up the holding power of the anchor ? That will be the weight of the anchor and the type of seabed you are anchoring in, called the seabed factor. I think it is clear for everyone that rocks with a bit of mud on it has less holding power than sand or even thick mud. If you google the seabed factor you will be able to find the subsequent numbers for each type of seabed. You multiply the seabed factor by the weight of the anchor and you have the total holding power of the anchor. One important part is however that the 3 : 1 or 5 : 1 rule are just some guidelines for anchoring in calm weather. In no way should you use them in stormy conditions or when the current is strong or waves are high. If you want to have a quick advise for the amount of chain needed during a storm the best advise is..............drop whatever you have available and whatever you can. There is no need to keep chain on the boat when it can be in the water. If you have 60 mtrs, drop that (although it may not be enough). If you have 140 mtrs (like we do) then drop that, even when the water depth is only 4 or 5 meters. A few months ago we were in a 5 day storm of 8 Bft continuously and we had dropped 90 mtrs of chain in 4 meter depth. That was a scope of almost 20 : 1. Needless to say we did not drag, but I went to take a look at the anchor and chain during the storm. The first 45 mtrs were solid off the ground and up until 60 mtrs the chain was moving left to right (about 50 cm in total). Only the last 30 mtrs were on the seabed, not moving, thus keeping the anchor safely in place. If we had dropped a scope of 5 : 1 the anchor would not have held, we would have dragged straight onto the rocks behind us. If you want a bit more mathematical explanation then realize that the forces on the boat in a storm are the windspeed x the area of the boat which is exposed to the wind. In our case, a trawler, the total frontal square meters is about 16 when you look at a frontal picture. In 4 Bft the force of the wind is around 15 N/m2, but in 8 Bft it is around 105 N/m2. This means that in 8 Bft we get almost 1700 N on the frontal surface of the boat. And that is without the force that the waves will bring and without any current. If a wave hits the boat the bow gets lifted and that will send a ripple through the chain, lifting the chain up. That means that the anchor, the chain and the seabed have to deliver at least that same amount in holding power. Anything less and you will drag. Why will the anchor drag (even when it was set well) ? Any anchor will lose all holding power if the shank of the anchor is lifted more than 25 degrees of the seabed. Once that happens, the anchor has no holding power anymore, no matter how well it was set. So you have to be able to keep the shank level to the seabed. As long as that happens the shank is pulled straight backwards by the forces on the boat and that means maximum holding power of the anchor. The moment you don't have enough chain out the chain gets lifted of the sea bed by the forces the wind puts on the boat. The chain then lifts the shank of the sea bed and off you go. To be sure you won't start dragging in a storm you need to have the chain on the ground to keep the shank of the anchor level with the seabed and that means that ideally the weight of the chain on the sea bed needs to be more than the forces the wind can put on the boat. 1700 N of windforce divided by 40 N per meter (for our 13 mm chain) and that comes down to at least 43 meters of chain on the sea bed. Normally you want to have at least 10 mtr of chain behind the shank of the anchor at all times. So if the wind can lift the 43 mtrs of the ground you will need at least 53 mtrs on the seabed. Remember the 45 meters that I found that was solid off the ground ? In Newton we were talking about 1800 N that was required to lift the chain off the ground. And that was what the wind force incl gusts (plus waves) were putting on the boat. In other words, the math fits exactly with what I saw underwater. 45 mtrs of chain, with a total depth (plus height to the bow) of 7 mtrs would have been a scope of almost 7 : 1 and it would not have been enough. Luckily we had thrown out much more and that ensured we stayed in place. In short, forget all the war stories of experienced sailors who claim it has everything to do with the brand of the anchor or how good you are in setting your anchor. In reality it is a simple math question and once you understand that, you will be able to calculate exactly how much chain you need to throw out. Remember, I have not even taken current and wave height into consideration. A current can cause the same amount of force on the hull as wind can, so at a strong current plus wind plus waves you could be looking at 5000 or 6000 N of total environmental forces that the anchor plus chain need to withstand. That could mean that the anchorage you found might not be as good as you think it is, so keep searching for a better spot. If you don't want to calculated and you are looking at a major storm ? Find an anchorage (with no current and preferably small waves) where you have enough room in a circle around your boat to throw out everything you have, set the anchor well, put 2 snubbers on (one as a back up in case the first one breaks) and stay alert. As a last piece of advise: what is the best course of action if you start to drag ? If you have more chain on the boat then use it. That bit of extra chain can ensure the shank of the anchor stays level with the sea bed. Hopefully the anchor will reset and you will be fine. Of course you can also haul up the anchor, move forward, drop the anchor again, set is well, but then this time throw out much more chain. Like the Wandering Knapps (and we also) do, go to a scope of 10 : 1 or even more. Remember: more is better.

[@RLVTECHUSA]

wow another strong cold front it was nasty

[@RLVTECHUSA]

chris where is your PFD ?????

[@timothythompson2723]

I have a 40 ft DeFever w/ a 40lb Bruce anchor with 3/8 chain do you think it will hold I’m planning on taking off soon

[@WanderingKnapps]

We always recommend a Mantus and tons of chain!

[@lorapilat8238]

@timothythompson we have a 49' Defever and we have a 55 kg Sarca Excel plus 140 mtrs of 13 mm chain (that is about 1/2 inch). No matter the weather, we are not moving. 😀

[@lafolle1414]

what size mantus do you have....lbs and how long chain....?

[@WanderingKnapps]

105lb mantus, biggest we could get at that time. 200 ft of chain

[@Misteribel]

"Throw out a second anchor", did you really mean "throw", as in, trying to dump the anchor from the boat? If true, that's terrible. It doesn't matter how good your anchor is, but that's wrong. You either do it motoring and put them in a V shape, or you set it for tandem anchoring. You can also do it with your dinghy. But either way, it'll need to be dig in, and have enough scope. Both techniques are difficult to execute well. But if done well, two anchors can be much better than one.

[@WanderingKnapps]

From what we saw during the storm it was never executed well in a last min panic.... and it just caused more harm than good.

[@tedbethwarnock4698]

Hi, Thanks Knapps for the great video! We're shopping for a new anchor now, and wondering -- is it the Mantus M1? or the Mantus M2? you guys are using....

[@WanderingKnapps]

It's the M1, but would trust the M2 just as much. The difference is the hoop. Some boats don't have space for the hoop.

[@seanhayes1965]

Chris shaved the cat off of his face!

[@RLVTECHUSA]

ya he was looking like a pirate arrrrrrggggggghhhhh walk da plank matie lol

[@gerhardvanwaltsleben8944]

Lekker man lekker 🇿🇦🙄

[@csranch2000]

What size mantus anchor do you have, ie. what weight? Is it an M1 or M2. I have a 40 ft boat and just got an M2 65lb. Mantus.

[@helimx]

How do y'all know boats are dragging?

[@seanhayes1965]

Whats up, Knapps!?

[@StephenJPayne]

7:55 - No life-jacket and no safety line. Not smart.

[@chrisknapp5468]

Not necessarily wrong. Everyone has their own threshold for risk. If my goal was 100% safety then I would be locked up in a nice suburban house and double masked at all times while watching the news to see what I should think. After dealing with a similar anchor recovery in 10 foot seas while underway this one seamed rather tame to me. To each their own. Thanks for watching though!

[@StephenJPayne]

@@chrisknapp5468 - I live on my boat as well. I didn't say it was wrong. I said it was "not smart." And I get the "rather tame" thing. But .... it takes 10 second to put on a life-jacket. And 5 seconds to clip on. People drown quite often and very few of them were wearing safety gear. :)

[@halfwaymo9075]

I mentioned that as well

[@zimbobwe13]

How bout explaining what you mean by dragging at the beginning of the video so us newbies know what yer talking about. I'm sure it's self explanatory but you referred to a couple of peeps dragging this way or that way which threw the self explanatory referrals in the toilet. Can you not just put down anchor and not worry about turning sidewasys? Thx

[@WanderingKnapps]

Great question. Simetimes in high winds anchors do not hold the boat in place

[@lorapilat8238]

@zimbobwe When you start dragging it means the environmental forces are higher than the holding power of your anchor and is now just skidding over the seabed. Usually that happens when the shank of the anchor is lifted up by the anchor chain, which in turn is pulled up by the forces that push the boat backwards. As long as your holding power is more than the environmental forces you will be fine.

[@barryholiday8998]

👏👍🏻

[@seanhayes1965]

Chris, hows your solar system holding up?

[@chrisknapp5468]

No issues at all since I secured the outside panels.

[@iangardner2145]

Please get your facts correct a knot is approx 1.1 mile per hour I.e a knot is more than mph

[@cassadeescollon9227]

what do you do if a boat is going to hit you??

[@muskokaknotscruising6471]

Brace For Impact!!!

[@TLee-kt5ff]

I don't understand why people don't go to a marina for a night or two when they know a bad blow is coming.

[@StephenJPayne]

There's not enough room.

[@WanderingKnapps]

Truth. That is the whole reason we have been on Anchor in Islamorada. There are no available slips in the whole city.

[@halfwaymo9075]

If they can, that's an option