Kedge Anchor

A kedge anchor is a smaller, portable anchor carried in addition to a vessel’s main anchor. In sailing and boating, it is deployed from a dinghy, tender, or by hand to help move, hold, or turn a boat when engine power, sail power, or the main anchor is unsuitable.

Boaters use a kedge anchor to refloat a grounded vessel, pull the bow into a safer position, hold off a lee shore, or create a second point of restraint in a crowded anchorage. Its effectiveness depends on suitable holding ground, adequate Anchor Rode, correct Scope, and awareness of Tidal Current that may alter the boat’s load and angle.

Kedging is most useful when planned before conditions deteriorate. Check forecast wind shifts, gusts, wave exposure, and tide timing in PredictWind before anchoring or attempting to recover from grounding. A kedge should be accessible, correctly sized, and rigged for rapid deployment as part of reliable onboard ground tackle.