Abstract: An anchoring device for mounting on a boat, particularly a light boat used for sporting purposes. It has a pair of aligned winch drums with cables wound on them into rolls for winding and unwinding in opposite directions; the drums being mounted on a frame for rotation about parallel axes. A manually operable drive is mounted on the frame and on the drums, which drive allows them to be rotated and, in a neutral position, allows them to idle. A manually releasable stop member mounted on the frame cooperates with the drive to stop rotation of the drums so as to prevent the cable from unwinding.