T-H Marine Boat Docking and Anchoring

T-H Marine Boat Docking and Anchoring Resources and Information

PartsVu is pleased to offer a wide selection of T-H Marine boat docking and anchoring products to help keep your boat securely in place. Anchoring and docking are a routine part of operating a boat. When it comes to securing your vessel, don’t trust just any off-brand boating equipment. Go with one of the most well-regarded names in the boating industry– go with T-H Marine. 

Browse PartsVu’s broad selection of marine products and accessories, or shop T-H Marine Docking and Anchoring products by category, including:

• T-H Marine Boat Anchoring
• Docking
• Fenders & Fender Accessories

T-H Marine Boat Docking and Anchoring FAQs

How do I choose the best boat anchor type? 

For most boaters, a Bruce or Delta is the best balance between price and performance. Both perform similarly and are similarly priced (Narrowly, the Bruce/Claw is our favorite of the three). If you've used a Danforth in the past, and you have had luck with it, choose a Danforth. If you've never used one before and if your setup allows it, choose a Bruce or Delta instead. If you're a blue-water cruiser, choose a CQR, or consider one of the following new generation of anchors.

The Bruce, or Claw, remains one of the most popular anchors among recreational boaters in North America. This is our anchor of choice as well.

The Bruce was developed in the 70s by the Bruce Anchor Group. Once their patent expired in the early 2000s, they stopped production of this anchor but many imitations have come along since.

The Bruce is an excellent all-purpose anchor as it performs well in most sea bottoms including mud, sand, rock, and coral. It has a harder time penetrating harder surfaces, such as clay, and bottoms with heavy grass. The three-claw design sets more easily than other anchors. It also resets easily if it is ever broken loose. On the downside, the Bruce has a lower holding power per pound than other anchors, meaning you’ll usually need a larger anchor than say the Delta/Wing.

Both the CQR/Plow and the Delta/Wing are a plow style anchor. The most significant difference between these anchors is the fact that the CQR has a hinged design whereas the Delta is a one piece design.

The CQR is one of the oldest styles, dating back to the 30s and to this day, it remains one of the most popular anchors among blue water cruisers. Despite this, it has relatively low holding power and it consistently struggles in independent tests. It’s also rare to find a CQR under 25 lbs lending itself to the saying “There’s no such thing as a small CQR”. Despite these shortcomings, the hinged design makes it more responsive to wind and tide changes as compared to other anchors.

The Delta is arguably the most popular anchor on boats today, and is the standard anchor of choice used by most boat manufacturers. It has a good holding power per pound (about 50% more than the Bruce).

Both the Delta and the CQR perform well in most bottoms, struggling the most in rock.

The Danforth, or Fluke anchor, remains a very popular anchor choice. The Fortress is also a popular Fluke style anchor, different from the Danforth in that it comes apart and it constructed of light-weight, high-strength, aluminum.

The Fluke performs well in mud and sand, potentially the best of any anchor style. The downside is that outside of these bottoms, it is not a good performer. Therefore, it is a mud/sand only anchor, which fortunately is what most bottoms are comprised of.

Whether or not it is used as a primary anchor, a Fluke anchor makes an excellent choice as a secondary or stern anchor.

There are several anchors on the market today that are essentially plow anchors with roll bars. These include the Rocna, Manson Supreme, and Bugel.

Each of these anchors are essentially a variation on a plow style anchor. If you look at the plow portion of these anchors, you can see they are a lot sharper than traditional plows like the Delta/Wing and CQR. Analogous to a knife through butter, these anchors can penetrate the sea bottom a lot easier than the other anchor styles. The roll bar also helps them orient themselves upright when setting.

These anchors have performed extremely well in third party tests. The biggest downside to these anchors is that because they are still patented, they can be very expensive. The roll bar along with the elongated plow can also make storing these anchors on bow rollers difficult.

How do I maintain my boat anchor? 

Anchoring systems are an “out of sight, out of mind” component that can make or break a day on the water. Anchor rodes become worn from friction especially on boats equipped with windlasses. In addition, prolonged exposure to sunlight, salt residue, mildew, and other debris can weaken the nylon rope itself. Shackles should be inspected and replaced if they are heavily corroded and difficult to operate. Simply pulling the anchor line completely out from the locker for a good freshwater bath can do wonders. While the compartment is open, check on the end of the anchor line that should be connected to your boat. In an emergency situation where you had to release your anchor line quickly, could you? 

How do I successfully dock my boat?

For a newer boat owner, boat docking is an intimidating, looming task. There are so many factors to take into consideration (lines, fenders, current, wind, etc.). But the thought of docking should never distract you from having a relaxing cruise with family and friends. This article is here to help by providing step-by-step boat docking basics.

Keep your cool when it comes to the marina, especially if it’s crowded. You really need to be patient and take your time here. Coming in too fast is a recipe for disaster – you never want to approach the dock faster than you’re willing to hit it.

As you approach the dock or slip, make sure your crew is prepared and knows exactly what to do to help out. Your lines should be handy and your fenders should be out on the side of the boat where you’ll be tying up. This step will save you from potential damages and embarrassment.

Always remember that a boat steers from the rear, and it pivots on its axis. This means that when you turn the wheel to the left the back of the boat moves to the right. If you have a single-engine boat, always turn the wheel before applying the power.

You have to remember the docking mantra: “Slow and steady.” This means maintaining an even speed that provides just the right amount of power to get the job done. You may have heard the advice to use shorter bursts of power instead. We don’t recommend this method, as it comes with the danger of accidentally giving it too much power and easily losing control.

These two factors can ruin your docking unless you take them into consideration and adjust accordingly. You need to be aware of how the wind and current are pushing and pulling you, so you can take that into account when trying to position your craft just right.

If the wind is blowing with you, then let it help you. In this scenario, you should come in at a shallow angle. When you are still a yard or two away from the dock, get in a parallel position to it. Then let the wind blow you in effortlessly.

In this scenario, you need to come in at a steeper angle. This approach will cut down on wind resistance. Your momentum will carry you in close to the dock where you need to be. In this instance, try to secure the bow line first and use the engine to bring the stern of the boat into the dock. Always be ready with dock lines because this kind of wind can easily knock you out of place. 

If you didn’t get it just right the first time, no pressure. Even experienced boaters may need a couple of tries before doing it perfectly. If you want to get more docking practice in, take your boat out when there’s not a lot of people around.