Moving anchors is one of the riskier activities you’ll do as an ocean farmer and a place you’ll want to take extra caution to follow safety protocols to protect your body and your boat. Anchors are heavy and awkward to move around, and especially when loading and unloading them, it’s easy to get hurt. (Remember to bend your knees!)

You’ll also want to make sure that your boat is big enough to handle the anchors you’re trying to set. If you’re planning to deploy your anchors off a small boat or skiff, ensure that the boat is well-balanced and stable enough to move the anchor from side to side without the risk of capsizing. Many farmers hire a barge or a larger boat to help them set their anchors. Depending on the size of your boat, you might want to consider this option.

If you have the space on your boat to install an overhead pick-point, such as a davit, this can greatly assist with moving and setting anchors. Investing in a davit is one of the most valuable boat modifications you can make as an ocean farmer. A davit allows you to lift something heavy either from the water (like your growline) or the deck of your boat (like your anchor,) and swing it overboard or vice versa. Having an overhead pick-point gives you a huge mechanical advantage to get the anchor up off the deck of your boat and over the side. 

To take full advantage of your davit, you’ll want to pair it with a block and tackle system. Small and inexpensive, block and tackle systems are a series of lines and pulleys that can be used to lift over a thousand pounds. You could also use a battery-powered winch or a line hauler to lift heavy loads with your davit.