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ANCHORING
ZUMA is equipped with two anchors, one forward and one in the aft starboard lazerette. The primary
WORKING ANCHOR is a ROCNA 15 Kg anchor and is attached to a 50ft chain and 200ft nylon rode
passed through the deck from the ANCHOR LOCKER. The locker can be accessed through the bow. The
anchor is secured for travel so the securing line will need to be released before lowering the anchor.
A secondary anchor is a 10 Kg anchor and is located in the starboard side lazerette.
The scope to use in the Islands is 4-to-1 measured from the deck to the bottom. Most coves are 15-30 feet
deep, so expect to payout about 60-120 feet of rode. After you have paid out the suitable amount of rode, a
couple of in and out reverse (
idle speed
) sets the anchor and tests its holding power.
For storm conditions, extend scope to 7 or 10-to-1 (200’ in 20’ of water), provided you have room to
leeward. Otherwise, set two bow anchors (using the secondary anchor, chain and rode) in a V-type pattern
for extra holding power.
Anchor Windlass
Power is received from the ENGINE START battery. Operate the windlass only while the engine is running!
Otherwise the windlass will drain the START battery. The breaker/fuse for the windlass circuit is located in
the starboard side electronics area forward of the steering station accessed from the forward stateroom. The
up-down controller for the windlass is located on the foot pedals at the bow adjacent to the anchor and very
conveniently, on the control panel to the right of the wheel.
Deploying the Anchor:
Come to a complete stop before releasing the anchor from the bow (remember to release the anchor
securing line). Open the covers on the FOOT PEDAL CONTROLS. Drop the anchor slowly off the
bow roller and into the water. At the bow, gently tap on the ‘down’ foot control to lower the anchor.
If necessary, guide the anchor over the anchor roller to prevent binding on the pulpit.
Determine the depth and let out enough chain to let the anchor hit the bottom. Inform the helmsman
to reverse the engine, in idle only, and payout the chain and rode until you reach the desired scope
(usually 4 to 1). Make sure to take into account the tide and how much the water will rise and fall.
Use the anchor snubber if all chain rode is deployed; the windlass is not designed to take the load of
an anchored boat. Using a combination of reverse and neutral, gently tug on the anchor until it is set.
Perform an anchor watch for about 30-minutes and you should sleep well.
Retrieving the Anchor:
When retrieving the anchor, NEVER use a windlass to pull the boat forward to where the anchor is
set. The windlass is not designed for this and there will be a large draw on the batteries and can
cause serious damage to the windlass base. Instead, head the boat under power toward the anchor
while using the windlass to take up the slack in the chain/rode. Take your time, otherwise the anchor
chain/rode will bunch up under the windlass and you will need to push it down to the bottom of the
chain locker to prevent the chain from jamming in the windlass. Give the windlass short rests as you
are pulling up the anchor.
Place yourself in position to guide the anchor onto the roller. As the
anchor rises, be careful to not allow the anchor to swing against the hull.
Securing the Anchor:
Once the anchor is on the bow roller be sure to secure the anchor with the “snubber” line. Slide the
hook over the front edge of the ROCNA anchor and secure the line to the cleat aft of the anchor
roller. The metal loop over the wildcat on the windlass should not be the only thing keeping the