Windlass

[Djeffrey]

Looking ahead a bit. What size of windlass would you think is best for this boat? Also what anchor weight?

[Brian.Dixon]

Looking ahead a bit. What size of windlass would you think is best for this boat? Also what anchor weight?

Not sure on a windlass.... I've never used one.

All anchors have different requirements, e.g. boat length or displacement versus anchor size or weight.  For Alaska and the Pacific Northwest (not counting the big rivers - they tend to have packed rock bottoms), I prefer a Bruce-style claw anchor.  The chart (below) says a 16# or 22# would work ... I highly recommend using the higher weight, the 22# Bruce Claw anchor.  You may also find that you want more than one kind of anchor on the boat at once ... just in case, or one that's specific to a known bottom type.  On the Columbia and Willamette rivers, for example, you need a heavy claw anchor (2nd link below), but in the sandy bays (or gravel) the Bruce Claw anchor is better.

Bruce Claw Anchor weight recommendations:
   https://www.anchoring.com/pages/bruce-claw-anchor-sizing-chart

Columbia (and Willamette) River Claw anchors:
   https://leelock.com/product-category/anchors/columbia-river-anchors/


Brian

[Djeffrey]

Do you typically just haul your anchor in by hand?

[Brian.Dixon]

Do you typically just haul your anchor in by hand?

It depends ... hand hauling can be difficult and anchors are always much heavier at the end of 100' of rode.  I prefer the buoy system ... the anchor rode runs through a 'loop' or one-way link (below) on a round ball buoy.  You motor fast and the drag of the buoy causes it to stay behind while while the rope slips by ...pulling the anchor up to the buoy.  Then you haul in the loose line while going back to the buoy and pick up both anchor and buoy. 

One-way Anchor Puller

A windlass would be nice, but I've never had the luxury.  Note that for heavy anchors such as the Columbia River Claw anchor, some type of anchor hauler is necessary - very tiring, very fast, if you pull those by hand (don't I know!)

Brian

[Jim_Hbar]

My opinion:

If you are just using the anchor as a safety device - no windlass or ball necessary.
If you will use it to fish in current - the ball retrieve works great.
If you are mooring out overnight, like you have to if you are doing the inside passage, you'll want a windlass.  Nothing would suck more than having to pull an anchor by hand before the first coffee has taken effect, or having to pull it a couple of times in a row when you are trying to get a good hook. 

Many of the secure anchorages on the west coast of BC are little "holes in the wall", and there isn't enough room for a ball retrieve to work.  Other anchorages may have another boat or three in there, so do you risk a ball retrieve then?

Also, my shoulders are kinda &%$#@ed up, and there's no way I would pull anything larger/heavier than a crab trap, from more than 50 ft of water.