How to Hold a Danforth Anchor

Here is a challenge for you.

How to Hold a Danforth Anchor on the front deck of a fiberglass center console boat.

There is a rope locker but the anchor will not fit in it
there is a bow roller but no pulpit.
Anchor can not be stowed on bow roller as it would inerfere with trailer winch.

1) Must be secure for trailering and underway

2) Must be instantly deployable

3) must keep Steel Anchor from damaging deck

4) must not present a tripping hazard to crew or charter customers.


Go For it.

Please post Pictures.

 

Buy a Danforth anchor set of chocks.

 

I assume your boat is about twenty five feet? For me with my 16' FG bay scallop boat, I might use a bucket for some chain, and an anchor stowed low under a hatch. If the anchor sits on some spare line, then no noise, and no wear on the glass. I like weight down low. In about half a minute you can grab the anchor and bucket, clip the chain and anchor to the pennant thimble, throw the anchor, which goes to the bow eye. I like the bow eye for ride-ability in rough weather, but it can slap, and it's ugly, as it needs to come back up to the deck. Also, to retrieve in rough weather is not good, alone, because you'll need a good boat hook to get the line up to haul it in. You could rig a helper line for that if you anchored up a lot. How often do you anchor up? Do you always have a crew? That's the real question. Your passengers may get hurt by an anchor up on the deck, if they try sitting near it or stepping around it. I assume this is the nub.
I assume for some reason you don't want to just buy a set of chocks. Yes?

 

Find a large plastic water can, similar to the jerry cans used to carry gasoline. Cut the top off and mount the bottom part to the inside of the gunwale, drop the anchor into it.

Another way would be to mount large EVA foam blocks, cut to fit the anchor, and tie the anchor down with bungee cords against the blocks.

 

looks handy those chocks, make a pulpit or saw anchor to fit locker

or use a chain stopper with small anchor fender under bow roller fixed (or not serving as anchorline bouy)

to lift and tighten the anchor to. consider an alu danfort, inexpensise, hooks just as good, less weight and looks better