Hi Bill,
I am so sorry to have missed your posting. As I read your post, it appeared that you were thinking about deploying the two anchors on two rodes rather than in tandem on a single rode. The problem with the technique you describe is that you run the risk of the two rodes becoming entangled and then you could have a real mess on your hands just when you least want it. Typically in setting two anchor with two rodes you would use the same method but set in a V-configuration by driving to one side to separate the two rodes. Of course if the wind shifts, that could be negated and you could end up with the two anchors in line.

Perhaps a better way to deploy two anchors is in tandem connected by a chain from the shank of one to the crown of the other. You need a retrieval line between the two as well. You drop the first anchor, then fall back to drop the second anchor, then set both together in a line. What that does is effectively gives you a 100:1 scope between the two anchors. US Navy tests have shown that it increases the holding power of your system by 30% over deploying two anchors separately. The limitation is that both are connected to a single point of deck hardware. We cover this in detail in our book (Happy Hooking: The Art of Anchoring -- reviewed in Flying Fish 2011/2)and webinars for SSCA by the same title. We are in process of writing a short article on the subject for our website (www.coastalboating.net) which I will post here when it 's ready.

Did you try your method in the past few months? Mind sharing the results?

Vice Commodore, OCC 

Forgive the inexperience, but to date in my short sailing career, I 've never set two anchors at once. I 've been fortunate that I have not needed to - but recently heard of an approach that seems considerably easier than any other two anchor deployment methods that I have previously heard of...

1. Deploy main anchor and set.
2. Motor ahead of the first anchor and deploy the second anchor and set it.
3. Release tension on the second anchor rode and fall back to lie on the first anchor again. Leave "some" slack in the second anchor rode.

As I understand it, the first anchor holds the boat, but if she should begin to break out, the boat will fall back to lie on the second anchor, with greater scope.
If the second anchor fails, in doing so, there is a good chance that the first anchor would be able to re-set - since it would have ceased dragging while the second anchor took up the load.

Wind change through 90 degrees would tend to convert this anchoring system into a more normal; one to starboard one to port type arrangement I guess - and when it goes through 180 degrees, I imagine the first anchor would be allowed to drag a long way before the second anchor took up the load...

So question to you all - have I got this all wrong? I plan to try it out sometime this season - so maybe you can tell me where I 've got it wrong in advance of making an idiot of myself! Thinking I 'd do it with short scope to try to encourage movement - thoughts?

Bill Balme