How to Anchor a Beached Boat

You can beach a boat on a sandy beach, a muddy bank or anything in between. You can beach when the tide is in or out. If you want to anchor while you are beached, you will know your boat is going to be there when you return but you need to allow for the local change in the tide and the magnitude of the change. Too short an anchor line in a rising tide and the boat's bow is pulled under water. If the anchor line is too long in a falling tide, you may have to swim for it.

Instructions

1

Open the Tide Tables for your current location and determine if it is high tide, low tide or somewhere in between. Note the tidal range -- how much the water level changes with the tide -- whether the tide is high or low. The Tide Tables are regional and can be found at any local fisherman's supply.

2

Inspect the anchor and ensure it is secured to one end of the anchor line. Verify that the end of the anchor line without the anchor is secured to a cleat on the boat's deck.

3

Drop the anchor to the shore. Move out of the boat and pick the anchor up.

4

Walk inland. If the Tide Tables indicate the tide is low, lay the anchor down, flat on the beach or in the mud no more than 10 feet from the pointy end of the boat's bow, its front. Move the anchor so that the part of the anchor that digs into the seabed digs into the exposed sand or mud upon which you are standing. Pull the anchor line tight, then throw and additional five feet over the side before re-securing the loose end of the rope.

5

Walk inland 5 feet for every 4 feet of tidal range. If the tidal range is less than 4 feet, walk inland at least 10 feet. Deposit the anchor at that location so that the part of the anchor that digs into the seabed digs into the land at that point.

6

Return to the boat. Multiply the tidal range by five and throw that amount of rope over the side. Tie the free end of the anchor line around a second deck cleat.