Anchoring in Storms & High Winds
A complete guide to setting and holding your ground tackle when the wind blows hard — including the two-anchor system for maximum security.
SCOPE · CHAFE · WATCH · ESCAPE
Storm anchoring fails for four reasons: too little scope, chafed-through rode, no one watching, and no escape plan. Address all four before the wind arrives.
Preparation Before the Storm
Check the Weather Forecast
Monitor forecasts (GRIB files, synoptic charts, VHF weather) for wind speed, direction shifts, and duration. Storm anchoring begins hours before the wind arrives — act early while conditions are manageable.
Inspect Your Ground Tackle
Verify your primary anchor, chain, swivel, and cleats are rated for storm loads. Check for wear, rust, or deformed shackles. In storm conditions, loads can be 5–10× those of a normal night at anchor.
Choose the Best Holding Ground
Seek sand or firm mud. Avoid weed, rock, coral, or hard pan. Deeper water with more scope is better than a shallow, crowded corner. Prioritise shelter from the forecast wind direction and any sea state.
Reduce Windage
Remove or stow bimini, dodger, sprayhood, and any canvas. Take down flags and furl sails tightly. Windage aloft dramatically increases anchor load and causes the boat to sail wildly at anchor.
Secure Everything On Deck & Below
Close and dog all hatches and portlights. Stow or lash loose gear on deck. Secure the dinghy (lift it or tow it on a long line astern). Check bilge pumps are working and cockpit drains are clear.
Deploy a Snubber or Bridle
Never ride on the windlass in a storm. Attach a nylon snubber (single) or bridle (two legs) to the chain to absorb shock loads. Use a rolling hitch or chain hook. The snubber should have stretch — 10–15 m of nylon is typical.
Set the Anchor Firmly
After laying scope, power-set the anchor in reverse at low RPM, then gradually increase to cruising revs. The boat must hold without dragging. If it drags, re-set it — a poorly set anchor will fail under storm load.
Brief the Crew & Set a Watch
Explain the drag alarm, escape plan, and duties. Set an anchor watch (use SAIL-OFF's Anchor Watch feature). Check bearings every 30 minutes, or continuously when wind exceeds 35 knots. Everyone wears lifejackets and harnesses on deck.
Storm Scope & Rode Guidance
In storm conditions, scope is your primary defence. More scope means a flatter rode angle and a deeper-set anchor. Always calculate scope on depth + height of bow above water, not depth alone. All-chain rode is strongly preferred — its weight keeps the pull horizontal and absorbs shock. If using rope/chain, pay out even more scope.
7:1
Strong wind (25–35 kn), chain rode
8:1–10:1
Storm conditions (>35 kn), all-chain rode
10:1+
Gale or cyclone, maximum holding
Storm Anchor Selection
Primary (Up-Sized)
One size larger than bower
Your storm anchor should be at least one size above your everyday anchor. A Rocna, Spade, or Vulcan of 2–3× your boat weight is common for a dedicated storm anchor.
Fortress / Danforth
Highest holding per kg in sand/mud
Fortress anchors set deeply in sand and mud and have exceptional holding-to-weight ratios. Ideal as a second (storm) anchor deployed from the bow or stern.
Heavy CQR / Plough
Resets well on wind shifts
A heavy plough is reliable when the wind shifts 180° (tidal reversal). It re-buries on the new heading. Less holding than a modern anchor per kg, but dependable in varied bottoms.
THE TWO-ANCHOR SYSTEM
When one anchor is not enough — storm winds, poor holding, reversing tides, or a crowded anchorage — deploying a second anchor multiplies your holding power and controls your swing. Choose the configuration that matches your threat.
Two-Anchor Configurations
Bahamian Moor
⭐ Best for: Reversing tides or wind shifts 180°
Two anchors set 180° apart on a single rode. The boat swings freely between them without the rode wrapping the chain. Best where tide or wind reverses direction — prevents the anchor from breaking out on the shift.
How to deploy
Set the first anchor up-current/upwind, pay out scope, then drop a second anchor off the stern as you drift back. Bring the stern rode to the bow. Join both rodes with a swivel ahead of the chain so the boat pivots without twisting the rode.
V / Hammerhead (Bow & Stern)
⭐ Best for: Tight anchorage, constrains swing
Two anchors set ~45° apart from the bow, or one bow + one stern, to limit swing. Holds the boat head-to-wind and reduces the sailing-from-side-to-side motion that fatigues the anchor.
How to deploy
Set the primary bow anchor, then motor abeam and set a second anchor at 45° off the bow. Connect both rodes at the bow. Keeps the bow into the wind and reduces yawing loads.
Tandem (In-Line)
⭐ Best for: Poor holding ground or extreme wind
Two anchors deployed in series on a single rode — the second anchor is shackled behind the primary. The primary sets first; the second digs in behind it and adds holding power. Use when one anchor alone won't hold.
How to deploy
Shackle a second (smaller) anchor 3–6 m behind the primary on the chain. Lower both together. When set, the primary leads and the tandem anchor trails and buries. Maximises holding on a single rode.
Two-Anchor Diagrams
Bahamian Moor
V / Hammerhead
Tandem (In-Line)
Chafe Protection — The #1 Cause of Anchor Loss
In a storm, the rode saws back and forth under enormous shock loads. Chafe — not anchor drag — is the most common cause of a boat coming ashore in a storm. Every point where the rode touches the boat is a failure point. Identify each, protect each, and inspect each during the storm.
Bow roller / chock
Cause: Chain or rope rubs against a sharp metal edge
Fix: Pad the chock, use a fairlead, and rig the snubber through a smooth chock
Chain hook / rolling hitch
Cause: The attachment point sees all the shock load
Fix: Use a proper chain hook with a retaining pin, or re-tie the rolling hitch every few hours
Cleat & deck edge
Cause: Rode chafes where it crosses the rail or toerail
Fix: Lead the line through a fairlead or chock; wrap chafing gear (fire hose, PVC tube) at contact points
Through-hawsepipe
Cause: Restricted motion concentrates friction at one spot
Fix: Rotate the rope periodically so wear spreads; use a snubber led outside the pipe
Drag Watch & When to Slip the Anchor
Take Bearings Continuously
Use two transit bearings on fixed shore objects ~90° apart. Check every 30 minutes in strong wind, every 10 minutes in storm conditions. Any change means you're dragging.
Watch the Rode Angle
If the chain goes bar-taut and lifts to the surface, the anchor is likely dragging. A snubber should have some catenary (sag); loss of sag = high load or dragging.
Use the GPS Anchor Alarm
Set SAIL-OFF's Anchor Watch alarm. Keep a handheld GPS at the nav station as backup. But GPS alone can't tell if you're dragging toward a leeshore — combine with visual bearings.
Start the Engine Early
If dragging, start the engine and motor ahead gently to take load off the anchor while you assess. Do not power over the anchor — you may pluck it out. Re-set only when ready.
Let Out More Scope
If dragging with adequate scope, pay out more chain (often the fastest fix). Extra scope increases the horizontal pull that sets the anchor. If still dragging, consider a second anchor.
When to Slip the Anchor
If dragging toward a lee shore, rocks, or another vessel and you cannot hold — cut or slip the rode. Your life and vessel are worth more than the anchor. Have a sharp knife or bolt cutters ready at the bow.