When anchoring, which procedure describes how to deploy the anchor line?

• A. Let it out quickly from the stern
• B. Let it out slowly from the bow, seven times the depth of the water of line between the anchor and end of the line
• C. Tie the line to a cleat
• D. Use a floating anchor

Answer: (B)

When you anchor, you want the anchor to bite and the boat to settle with enough line out to handle wind and current. The best way to do that is to pay out the line slowly from the bow and use a long enough scope—about seven times the water depth. This gives the anchor time to reach the bottom, set properly, and for the pull to come from the right direction, while the boat moves back with the pull rather than pulling too hard straight away. Letting line out from the stern, or paying out quickly, can cause poor alignment, excessive shock loads, or drag because the rode isn’t on the bottom in the correct way. Securing the line to a cleat is done after deploying, and a floating anchor is not the standard method for a normal landing—so the bow, slow payout, and seven-to-one scope is the correct approach.