Stone in Danforth

[Mike Thompson]

After the boat was launched this spring, I took it on various shake-out runs. On Memorial Day I decide to test my spare anchor. I have the boat at Mount Desert in Maine where spring has only(maybe) just arrived.
I anchored in a place I often go to in the summer. No other boats in sight. It was windy and gusty and I dropped the spare anchor and let out about 160 feet. It is a Danforth D1150 with 12' of chain and 200' of 5/8' rode.
I sat there all afternoon with a S wind until a wind shift from the NW swung the boat around. Later when the sun was setting (of course)
I noticed the proximity to a rock which had been previously covered. I knew about that rock but it was unexpectedly close. The GPS told me I had moved 500' which was surprising for a 150' rode. The next half hour was filled with frantic activity but I got to a mooring safely.

The next morning I found the Danforth had a stone in it, see the attached photo. It is a lovely green stone with pink encrustations and is now on my desk as a paperweight.
Mike

[chase]

Nice work staying off the rocks, cap'n. That could have been bad-

Chase

[Mitch F]

You just never know what your danforth is going to bring up. I once hauled up a long abandoned lobster trap, which is not an unusual find in Maine. On another occasion I hauled up another danforth with 30 feet of chain and about 40' of rode leading to a chafed end. Most surprising, however, was the day I hauled in the anchor and discovered a sea cucumber wedged between the flukes. I had never seen one before and my squeamishness when it started peeing on me was quite amusing to my mate.

[Mike Thompson]

Mitch, your Danforth has actually made a profit!
One thing I did not mention was that when I got the anchor almost up there was an enormous plume of kelp at the bow of the boat which considerably increased the weight of the anchor.

[Neil Gordon]

One thing I did not mention was that when I got the anchor almost up there was an enormous plume of kelp at the bow of the boat which considerably increased the weight of the anchor.

No doubt harvested during the 500 foot or so dragging along the bottom.

[mahalocd36]

It is a Danforth D1150 with 12' of chain and 200' of 5/8' rode.

I know it's your "spare" anchor but the rule of thumb is at least a foot of chain per foot length of boat.
More chain might help in the future.

[Neil Gordon]

I know it's your "spare" anchor but the rule of thumb is at least a foot of chain per foot length of boat.

Maybe he can cut a deal for the chain that Mitch salvaged.

[Matt Cawthorne]

A few years ago I pulled up a single clam with my danforth in Duck Harbor that could have fed 4 people. Given that I was on a boat with vegetarians I decided to throw it back. My brother, who has always had good salvage luck, pulled up a 4 or 5 HP Nissan outboard with his danforth in St. Michales harbor. He pulled the spark plug, drained it, added fresh gas, put oil in the cylinder and pulled it over a few times. He took it to a mechanic who works on these engines and with almost no effort he got it running. My brother used that engine for years.

The down side is that your boat is worth more than a clam and Danforth anchors will not reset in this condition.