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Where do you tie off you Anchor on your Bennington

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Bugsbunnyboater

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I have a quick question. Where do you tie off your anchor line?


99.9% of the time I never have used an anchor on any of my boats. I,don't see cleats on front really.  I was thinking attach a line to my pontoon and toss the anchor and use to boat hook 


To grab the line.  So where do you attach.  
 
I use the cleats 
 
I have an electric anchor mounted to the bow deck. 


You don't see cleats on front? It has to have cleats? 
 
I just use either side front cleat, on occasion I loop thru the center toon if I need to stay "centered" on my anchor. If we're not confined I have one of those stretchy anchor lines and I just hook it in the center tube in real shallow water.
 
Jack M said:
I use the cleats 
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Same here.  Usually port-side cleat as I store the anchor and rode in the port-bow compartment when underway.
 
In addition to the front cleats I also use the rear cleats if that works better for shade orientation.  It's also easier to to deploy, pull up, or make adjustments if we have guests sitting up front.  There's rarely a lot of waves coming, which is the typical reason people anchor off the front.  I also monitor the line to make sure it's not causing issues with the motor.
 
We use a stern anchor in addition to the bow anchor for shade management, or in tight spaces where we need to ensure the boat doesn't swing into another boat.
 
I added a SS steel cleat specifically for anchoring in the front port side. It doesn't interfere w/the dock lines attached to the 4 corner cleats.


I use the starboard rear cleat if I use the 2nd anchor.....
 
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Port side cleat on the bow, starboard aft cleat if I throw the rear to stay in place.  99.9% of the time just the bow as noone else throws a aft, so I want to stay swinging with them instead of stationary and have them swing into me. 
 
If we are just anchoring up in a cove to have lunch or to visit with friends and play cards (where sway isn't an issue) just the danforth or navy anchor off the bow tied to either cleat does the job.  We normally tie off to a cleat on the bow (port or starboard depending on wind direction) and also will throw a small mushroom anchor off the stern to stop sway if in tighter situations.  If we are in shallow water (at the sandbar) where it can get pretty congested at times and really don't want to move I deploy the PVC sand anchor off the bow and stern and forget it.
 
If it's not too windy, I'll use one of my four cleats, depending on how I want the boat orientated. However, if it's blowing pretty good, I'll use the eye directly on the tip of the pontoons, figuring that they'll take the force a bit better than a cleat. 
 
I have just ordered a pop up cleat to mount in the center of the bow. When not in use, it will push down flat out of the way.
 
My bow cleats are pretty close to the edge of the plywood deck. I worry they might tear out. So, in windy water, I'll loop through the bow eye first then tie off to a cleat. That pulls the cleat at a much better angle toward the center of the boat. There's no way for a cleat to rip out that way.


I've had to tighten my cleat bolts once or twice over the years from the bottom of the boat. You want them sandwiched tight to the deck plywood for max holding power.  Something you should check once in a while.  My cleats have never been so loose that they wiggle, but the nuts were not snug.  Put a wrench on them once in a while, even if they seem tight.


I do like that idea of adding a pop up cleat on the bow. I may do that sometime.  Do you have a link to the one you bought?
 
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BigKahuna said:
Hate it when the nuts are not snug!!!
Click to expand...

Luckily Daril doesn't mind wrenching on his pretty frequently to make sure it doesn't fall off!! :)
 
Remember though, don't grab, wiggle or offer to tighten another mans nuts while at the sand bar.
 
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I use the Slide Anchor, and their Danik Hook.


Danik Hook goes through the center pontoon bow eye.  Rope goes through the Danik Hook to a backup wrap on a cleat.


Danik Hook allows quick adjustment of rode length.
 
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