The Voyage of the Swan
 
Outfitting: Anchors
I personally know of more cruising sailboats lost at anchor than lost at sea. I don’t know if the statistics have been compiled, but I would not be surprised if this were true in general. In any case, few would argue the need for superior ground tackle and anchoring technique when cruising.
The Yankee 26 I cruised to the South Pacific had 240 feet of 5/16” BBB chain attached to a 35 pound CQR. Many thought
 
            
 
 
 
 
 
the gear was too large for so small a vessel, but the anchor never dragged once in three years. Therefore, no, it was not too large.
Our current ground tackle on the Swan is,
  1. •A 45 pound CQR at the bow with 240 feet of 3/8” hi-test (G4) HDG chain with alloy steel shackles, moused with galvanized wire..
  2. •A 10 pound Fortress (FX-16) with 20 feet of 5/16” HDG chain and 200 feet of 1/2” 3S Nylon for kedging off or drudging.
  3. • Three 50 foot 1/2” Nylon snubbing lines for the bow anchor.
  4. • Spare alloy steel shackles, line, galvanized wire.
  5. • Plenty of heavy canvas for chafing gear.
If we ever lose or have to replace the CQR bow anchor, we will seriously consider one of the new spade type anchors, either the Manson Supreme or the Rocna. We have personally witnessed these hooks in action. They set very quickly and hold fast on short scope.
We originally began our cruising with a backup bow anchor and hundreds of feet of backup chain and line, but we never used any it. Since all of this extra stuff weighed a lot and was typically stowed in the ends of the boat, robbing us of performance (not to mention space), we got rid of it.
The Yankee 26 had no windlass, just a chain stopper. However, I am older now and the gear is heavier, so we use a vertical Muir manual windlass and a heavy chain stopper to take the riding load from the windlass, since it is only good for 500 pounds. We rarely use a snubber unless we are anchoring shallower than 20 feet or there’s a chance for a blow in an anchorage with significant fetch.
Below is a diagram demonstrating the value of a snubber. Not only does the nylon line absorb shocks, but extra chain can be lowered below the snubber/chain connection to create a chain “kellet,” flattening the catenary and creating a gravity spring.
 
“Nothing too strong ever broke” — Old Maine Proverb Next Outfitting Page