Pulling Weight

In earlier columns, we looked at how ground tackle works, reviewed anchoring methods and discussed considerations when choosing an anchorage. But what if your anchor starts to drag? How would you know? What would you do?

Preparing for an anchor to drag actually begins long before it happens. The first thing to do upon settling into an anchorage is to establish your position. This is the baseline against which you will measure any change. The most venerable method is to take visual anchor bearings, usually three. Charted objects are not necessary; you are less interested in your latitude and longitude than you are in whether your position is changing.