SailFar Boat Handling Tips

[Lynx]

There is some things that work better on small boats and in an effort to get them put in one place I would like to start a thread to share what has worked for you with some discussion on the plus and minus.

Deploying and reteriving the anchor from the stern. Nobody has to go to the bow. Reterving can be a bit of a problem with much wind as you will need more than enough rode to back to the stern and back again. Releasing the bow cleat in a blow can get way to interesting fast. You will also have all that stuff in the cockpit untill stowed.

Stern anchor. I use a PVC pipe and a black bucket with some holes drilled into for drainage. Quick and easy. You can also tie a yoke between the 2 stern cleats to help stop the sway or direct the boat more or less into the wind. Also helps more wind into the cockpit and if you put up the Bimini and have the stern end tilted up, will direct much more wind inside the cabin.

Auto pilot. When in open waters in bad weather, you can go below and check outside every 15 mins or less. Open the curtians of course.

Weather cloths are well worth it.

Builge pump to suck the drains free.

SS backpacking pans without handles.

Every time that you change your oil put in carb cleaner.

To clean the injector on an LPG stove just put some carb cleaner on it and waite a few mins.

[CapnK]

Good idea, good tips, good Grog! :)

[AdriftAtSea]

Lynx-

I'd also like to point out that anchoring by the stern isn't a bad idea on a lot of boats... since the boat will tend to swing less at anchor if anchored by the stern.  Don Jordan, of series drogue fame, wrote up a nice article on the idea of doing that, which you can read here.

I'd also point out, that on hot summer days, this can be a real help, since you're not trying to convince wind to find its way down tiny hatches, but through the much larger companionway... In buggy areas, a good cockpit companionway screen is a necessity. :) On rainy days a good dodger and bimini is a must. :)

[CharlieJ]

My only objection to anchoring by the stern is it can be extremely unsafe if the weather comes on. A friend of mine almost sank his boat by being anchored from the stern only- the current got really bad, the water started to flow INTO the cockpit drains and filled the cockpit, almost to the edge of the cabin sill. Unfortunately he had the line cleated backwards with the strain onto the top part. I came out from my boat to assist and we worked our tails off getting it undone.

If you are going to stern anchor, take the rode to the bow, outside everything and secure it there also. Then should something come up later, you can just cast off the line from the stern cleat and the boat will swing bow to the problem- wind or current.

I don't know about in other places, but here, I'd NEVER go to sleep with the boat riding on an anchor off the stern as my only anchor.

[Captain Smollett]

we worked our tails off getting it undone.

Sharp knife!!!   ;D

Rolling hitch on the rode led f'wrd and cut that sucker of the cleat.  Easier said than done from here in the warm, safe office....    ::)   But, I'd rather sacrifice an anchor rode than lose a finger or sink the boat.

Stern anchoring is a tool for the toolbox, but not one I'm fond of using except in very special circumstances.  If you need to limit swing, two from the bow is probably MUCH better/safer/easier on the boat.  She's designed to take seas on the bow, after all.

[AdriftAtSea]

Of course, a lot of it depends on the boat and the anchorage.  If you're in an open, exposed anchorage, where you may get some serious storm surge and waves, then anchoring bow forward or off a bridle may well be much safer, but in a fairly protected anchorage, anchoring by the stern may make sense.

As Capn Smollett has pointed out, it is only a tool and technique, and one to keep handy but needs to be used with common sense and only when appropriate.

[CharlieJ]

Sharp knife!!!   ;D

Believe me I thought of that. But it was the ONLY anchor rode he had. He was a new to salt water sailor, on a cruise we sponsored, so I felt a tad obligated to assist. I missed out on a GREAT seafood gumbo dinner while out there. I did get a plate later, but it wasn't hot anymore.

We did finally get a rolling hitch to stay put, long enough for us to get the cleat undone. We had already taken the bitter end up to the bow, so as soon as we cast the line off the stern, all was well

But the sharp knife quote brings up a question- I seem to be the ONLY sailor I see lately ( Other than Laura who I taught) who ALWAYS has a sharp knife on his person while sailing. I wonder why? Because I would not ever consider being on the boat, sailing out in the open waters, without a knife on my belt. Laura always has hers on also when we are out.

[CharlieJ]

I don't know about in other places, but here, I'd NEVER go to sleep with the boat riding on an anchor off the stern as my only anchor.

Adrift- that's why I said this in my post. We around here, don't HAVE any "fairly protected" anchorages.. We're ALWAYS exposed one direction or another and should it get up in the middle of the night, I don't wanna be hanging to a stern anchor.

Now we DID when we had the smaller boat, drop an anchor out away from shore, drift in and carry an anchor ashore, which we hooked on the stern cleat to keep us stern to the beach where we could step off the boat. But at night I always unhooked it, let the boat swing out and shortened the away anchor rode.

Of course,  we get breezes all night, unlike some anchorages I've been in on the east coast where any HINT of a breeze completely DIES at 2000.  ;D I know well how warm it can get over there in summer time. But then we just turn the fan on ;D

[KenR]

Anchoring from the stern also requires consideration of added stress on the rudder/rudder stock with rough weather and seas.

[Lynx]

I agree with your points, but I do not anchor by the stern in those places. Don't have to with 1 foot of draft. Always find someplace very much protected from waves, I find it hard to sleep with them in a light displacement canoe bottom boat that swings badly on the hook.

I have never had any water in the cockpit muchless in the cabin But I do have a high freeboard.

It is always best to run a line from the bow to the anchor incase you need to put the bow into the waves.

[Tim]

Sharp knife!!!   ;D

But the sharp knife quote brings up a question- I seem to be the ONLY sailor I see lately ( Other than Laura who I taught) who ALWAYS has a sharp knife on his person while sailing. I wonder why? Because I would not ever consider being on the boat, sailing out in the open waters, without a knife on my belt. Laura always has hers on also when we are out.

After 20 years of whitewater kayaking, I don't near water without a knife :)

[Auspicious]

I have a number of sailing/rigging knives. In honesty my main rigging knife only goes on when my PFD / harness goes on. Most of the time it is in a drawer at the nav station. I do have a dive knife that lives under the dodger.

Oh - I have a little weeny swiss army knife I always carry, but for any cutting of significance it would be faster to go get a real knife. <grin>

[CapnK]

Anchoring from the stern also requires consideration of added stress on the rudder/rudder stock with rough weather and seas.

Good point, Ken - Grog!

[rtbates]

I do this all the time. Simply run the rode down the sidedeck and secure to a sheet winch. Go forward and take the rode off the bow cleat. Now go back to the cockpit and start cranking on the sheet winch. I no time the the anchor is back snug in it's roller. Yup, for this to work you obviously must have a bow roller. I can also drop my anchor from the cockpit. I do let it out of the bow roller first with the rode secured to a sheet winch. get to spot and simply let the rode run off the sheet winch...

I don't really like doing this as the chain runs up/down the side deck...

[s/v Faith]

Anchoring from the stern also requires consideration of added stress on the rudder/rudder stock with rough weather and seas.

Last year I spend 6 weeks anchoring around the Turks and Cacos.  One night a ~ 40' or so boat comes into the anchorage and drops his hook from the stern!  While I was headed into shore (to purchase lobster for $5 a pound) I noticed he had a dedicated roller mounted to his swim platform!

I went over to ask him about it.  He said that boat came from the Med, and having the roller on the stern allowed him to Med moor more easily.  He said he only used it for general anchoring in very very settled weather..   Seems the rode fouled on his rudder very easily.

Funny, the guy was pretty cool, but seemed to acknowledge that what he was doing was wrong by being very sheepish about it.  ;D

I bet the arrangement is not entirely uncommon in the Med, but I have never noticed another boat which had an anchor roller mounted to the stern.

[w00dy]

We've got a total of four anchor rollers, two forward on the bowsprit and two aft on the boomkin.



The stern anchors share the boomkin with our windvane and backstays. It is somewhat cluttered back there and I would like to add a wide flat board to step on. Still, you can reach the anchors easily enough from the cockpit.
I haven't used the stern anchors very often, mostly due to habit and laziness. There isn't an electric windlass in our cockpit   ;)



Our boat ought to anchor astern just fine, though I agree the rudder might not like it as much that way. Also, the stern anchors are ready to deploy instantly, should I ever need to hit the brakes. Plus, on a small boat, it's always nice when your extra anchors have their own outboard storage location, not taking up space down in a locker somewhere.

[skylark]

<anchor envy!>

[w00dy]

I meant to add my small boat tips but got cut off last time:

-if you sail where there are soft, shallow bottoms, embrace running around and learn how to how to unground your boat. Carry an anchor to kedge yourself off with. Remember to set it to keep yourself from being driven further ashore. Learn how to motor, heel, winch, and wiggle yourself off. $100 might seem like a lot, but when faced with shelling out $800 for a tow boat, towing insurance can be worth it if you're not prepared to wait for the tide.

-practice warping and poling your boat around in tight spaces. Controlling a small boat with an engine in enclosed harbors/marinas can be tricky. Consider using long lines and a stout boat hook to push/pull yourself around at a slow, controllable speed.

-if you have a tiller on your boat, consider adding turning blocks on the gunwales on either side of it. These can be used for self steering applications, but you can also lead lines from your tiller forward and control the boat from anywhere on deck. This can be especially handy for motoring long distances while relaxing on the foredeck   ;)



-carry a sharp knife! I have a sheath knife sewn to my safety harness, so it will always be there.

-a good drink bottle/mug with a sealing lid will help keep you hydrated while not worrying about it spilling all over the cockpit/yourself when the boat heels

-if you're prone to seasickness, try not to go down below until your body acclimates to the motion somewhat. If you must go down below, take your glasses off, or unfocus your gaze and use your peripheral vision as much as you can. Avoid reading, or focusing on specific objects for too long. If you find yourself getting sick, be sure to keep drinking fluids and eating snacks as often as you are comfortable. Your body will need the nutrients and energy and this could make the difference between a quick recovery and being incapacitated for some time.

-earphone radio or audiobooks on an mp3 player can be a godsend on those long offshore night watches

-headlamps beat flashlights, "hands down" ;)

[Porter Wayfare]

Now, that is one good picture!

[Auspicious]

-headlamps beat flashlights, "hands down" ;)

I don't agree. I really don't like headlamps. The problem with them is that when crew are reading or looking at something using a headlamp they are going to look at the companionway when someone (me) comes up, killing the night vision I have carefully fostered. Red lights just don't help enough.

If I've been called up to look at something not identified why are you going to blind me before I can get a good look at the situation?

With crew on delivery I am very clear. The first time you blind me with a headlamp I take it away for the rest of the trip. It's just happened too many times.