Tidal versus non-tidal waters.

I guess the choice between anchoring from the bow or the stern should depend on where you are. In my almost non-tidal waters, one can safely anchor from the stern. In fact, my boat (Marieholm IF) has no bow roller or anchor well at the bow, so handling the anchor from the cockpit is a lot more convenient.

However, if one lives in a river or in tidal waters with currents running at over one or two(?) knots, my armchair guess is that a boat like mine would start kiting about if anchored from the stern: A boat that is directionally stable, will be very unstable in reverse.

Arne

I thought about how you could be able to center the anchor, adjust the rode under load and store the setup while sailing.  

Certainly it works for a drogue, but I wonder how confusing it may make an anchorage.  We have grown up passing astern of anchored boats.  I would be concerned of someone inadvertently cutting my rode

I hope this drawing is legible 

After reading that article, I wonder now if I have been anchoring ass backward all these years.  When you add the relative ease of deploying and retrieving an anchor at the stern, I am impressed.   The only wrinkle is you would need some sort of bridle so the stern centers on the anchor.  

A very interesting thread developing here

Jonathan,

maybe you could use this idea. It's just a flat triangle with a little hollow cut in the luff and foot, and with a stout boltrope around it.

Arne