An old girlfriend just called.....

[Frank]

I love anchoring in the town harbour.
Where I anchor is a shallow area with a shoal, then road to one side, multiple docks on another and a shoal behind me.
I enjoy it here as extremely few other boats are capable of it with about 3ft at low tide so I have it to myself.
So easy to simply row the short distance to a dock and walk in to the stores, my favourite breakfast place or Sundowners etc.
The down side is there is minimal swing room and no room to drag anchor without getting in trouble.
Dragging anchor is a SOB with crew but chaotic when solo.
Simply can't be trying to pull in the anchor and motoring towards it at the same time to keep the boat off of whatever it's dragging towards.
With no drag room here I find windy nights far more stressful than in a large anchorage.
Last nights forecast was strong winds and stronger gusts.
One site said up to 40mph....
I woke up at 1am with driving rain and wind howling. My protected little spot had white caps! Multiple outside checks and plotter views later I relaxed enough to fall back to sleep.
I write this to share my thoughts on ground tackle...
Your "floating house" is at stake..... get the biggest anchor you can comfortably haul and on nights like last night you will be glad you did!
Use whatever type you have faith in but size up!
I'm using a 27 lb rocna Vulcan as a primary for my 4000lb boat.
Then a 22lb delta as a second.
Both excessive, but....
I managed to sleep last night.


 

[Frank]

After a beautiful day for hosting a fund raiser for Every Child Count's school, the weather turned nasty!
Headed up to Manjack and tucked in close here.
After 2 wet-windy-miserable days, it cleared enough last night for this amazing sunset!
Back to sunny and more moderate winds today.

Picture was late yesterday as things settled.. of note, the beautiful boat anchored beside me is a old Morgan 41, awesome lines! A poor man's Hinkley

[Frank]

Spending a few days in town as multiple friends are hauling out and flying or sailing off. It's the tail end of the season and the exodus has begun.
I haul out April 16th and hope for a mini cruise before thst.
In town harbour and Deja Vu looks framed at the end of the street.
Nice dinner get together on a Shucker

[Frank]

With 25 gusting 35 and a 180 wind shift with literally no drag and reset room, I was about to head out when a friend said "I'll be off the dock until Sunday, I think your boat is shallow enough draft to tie up.
Gotta say, no one has ever saw a sailboat at this dock.
Really love shallow draft!

[s/v necessity]

This makes for some high quality lurking.  Thanks Frank.

[Frank]

The exodus has begun.....
The winter season is winding down.
Several local cruisers have hauled out to storage or are sailing west back home.
Many boats that winter in Exumas or Eleuthera pass through this time of year on their way back as well.
I'll be hauling out the 16th and am taking a mini cruise first. Sailing with Polynya and Skylark, we did a light wind day yesterday up to Manjack. There was no rush so was happpy to drift along at either side of 2 knots on a beautiful day.
Treated to an awesome sunset with dinner on Polynya.
Beach walks today and a fast sail tomorrow up to Allan's Pensacola to tuck into the snug hurricane hole for a Wednesday-Thursday blow.
From there Polynya will continue west to haul out in Florida and trailer home to Nova Scotia Canada. Skylark and I will sail back to green Turtle to prep for haulout there and fly home.
I must say it's so very nice when you find "your tribe".... Like minded folks that you just seem to blend with...
Hopefully we all make it back next fall.

My blue cruising chute, Skylarks code zero. Sunset sky last night

[Frank]

Awesome sail from Manjack to Allan's-Pensacola! High 4s, 5s, touched 6s the odd time. Loved it!
Tucked into the hurricane hole as higher winds with strong gusts were forecast.
Nice night last night and awesome beach walk today as ocean side was in the Lee.
Making the best of winding down.....

[Frank]

Tucked nicely in the hurricane hole for a blow.
Then the last Allan's Pensacola beach walk this season.....
Always sad when it winds down..
More so when you've found "your tribe".....
Polynya and Skylark are fellow small boat folks. We get along extremely well.
Between walks, meals, happy hours, repairs and projects... just a fine bunch!
Skylark sailed off this morning.
Polynya will sail east to Florida soon to haul and trailer home.
I'll island hop back to Green Turtle and haul the 16th....

"The hole".... much like a small lake

Beach walk

Season final Dingy huddle happy hour last night
We seperate today..

[Frank]

Back at Green Turtle.
Grabbed a mooring for my final week here.
Passed by a Shucker that just did laundry...
Such a common sight when out

[CapnK]

..ahh. Thx for the 'fix'. :)

As a secondary to the 25# Manson Boss, I have the choice of a 22# Delta like yours, or a 33#/15KG Original Bruce.

I have not used a Delta other than my "donated" salvage 45#'er, which I call the "Oh Sh*t!" anchor and only deploy for named storms. How have you found yours to work, in general, and especially on hard or grassy bottoms?

[Frank]

Ohhh ohhh
The dreaded anchor talk..... 🤣

The Bruce is good on muddy bottoms.

Down here with sand and grass, the joke is if you see a boat dragging in a blow:
"The Bruce..... is loose" ....

The Delta was/is my go to anchor.
Very good in sand, mud and moderate light grass.
Don't drop and back in.... Let it sit a while first...

In thicker grass it's hard to beat the newer style anchors.

Just my 1-1/2 cents

PS.. if you scroll back a few pictures, that was my first time on a dock since we crossed from Florida and spend the night at Old Bahama Bay marina, (West End,)  3 seasons before
déjà vu is at anchor a lot

[Jim_ME]

Always sad when it winds down..
More so when you've found "your tribe"...

Same here (and I expect for many of us readers and viewers of your great photos, too.)
Glad that you've found your tribe.
Thank you, Frank.

[CapnK]

I saw a phrase similar to the Bruce one, saying something to the effect of "Dragging on our Delta anchor around the world..." lol

Interestingly, with the Delta at 22# and the Bruce at ~35#, both are rated roughly for the same size boats (IOW a 'standard' anchor size recommendation) for my I-36. The Delta just makes it at that size o' boat, and the Bruce allows for a few more feet. Makes one think the Delta will hold better. The Delta is physically smaller and so easier to stow, an important consideration on wee vessels like an Ariel...

I've also got a 25# Manson Boss (hoopless, new gen), the scoop on that sucker is *'UGE* - 19" wide and 20" long, mas o menos. Manson rec's it for a 25'-35' boat, so it's borderline a storm anchor for Katie.

Besides those, I've got a Fortress FX11, and a regular steel Northhill folding anchor (IIRC 6 kilos, & not the airplane type). Those two both can stow flat, so they'll live belowdecks as backups/storm extras/mo' insurance. I have a nice spot below to fit either the giant Manson or the Delta, the other being the bower.

So yes - 4 anchors, 25' boat. Don't know if you ever heard Connie's story about when she and Croc got caught by  a 'cane in the southern Bahamas. Their boat was IIRC 40-50', and they put out 7 anchors for the storm.
Six of their rodes parted during the storm; they just made it through hanging on the last one.
She said that it was one of the most terrifying things she'd ever been through.
Thankfully they were able to recover all or all but one of the anchors post-storm.

[CapnK]

PS - Those Shuckers look like an "Ultimate Bahamas boat". :)

[Frank]

Yep... the Shuckers are an awesome shallow draft floating cottage and they actually sail better than you'd think. Awesome motor sailors for sure. I have 3 friends on Shuckers here. One was always a Shucker, the other 2 switched over from pure sail. They are a great seniors boat!

I went through several anchors before gaining confidence in the delta.
Drop, pay out chain and rode, let the wind and weight of the boat set it at first. Back in if desired later. Only drug about 3 times over the years and held in some crazy wind/waves...
I find that too often folks dump out chain and rode then back down right away without the chain even tightening first. When it does, that "snap" often starts the anchor dragging before it had a chance to even get the point started in.....

Now my primary is an oversized Rocna Vulcan. There are several other new style anchors that set quickly and are better in grass as well as the Vulcan.

Out west I use a Delta but a Bruce style would do well as it's often a mud bottom.

Again... my 1-1/2 cents
Your milage may vary

[Frank]

Spent the last couple of days on the mooring prepping to haul out.
So much nicer stripping the boat facing into the wind rather than roasting up on the hard in the lot.
Inside is washed,
Dodger, sunshade, life ring, side curtains, bbq, boat hook and whisker pole stored.
Entire boom with sail still attached removed and stored inside.
Genny taken off the furler and tied on deck. Will fold neatly once hauled.
Solar panel comes off and stores below easily later.
Will be minimal things to do once blocked.
Boat sure looks "naked"

[Frank]

Hauled
Bottom cleaned
Totally stripped for potential hurricanes
Geez she looks small in the yard!
The classic sloop beside has a waterline above my deck level.
Gotta love shallow draft. I don't even need a yard ladder, simply use my boarding ladder.
To make it look even smaller, they dropped a Morgan out island 41 right behind me.
Good wind protection I guess :)

[Frank]

Looking at a few pictures I took and thought I'd mention the bridge deck.
It is huge and works great when underway in the rain. I sit there, feet on inside steps and fully under the dodger with the autohelm steering. The cabin tops make great arm rests too. Relative luxury on a rain day.

[CapnK]

Build a hard dodger with a back wall and portal attached to it and voila, you have a mini-pilothouse there... :)

[Frank]

Does anyone have any experience with a spade anchor?
I came upon a 10lb aluminum spade which is sized properly for my boat.
Being aluminium, it is quite large for a 10lb anchor.
My current primary is a 27lb rocna Vulcan.
Great anchor, but I'm now 67 and my hands are increasingly arthritic.
I'm thinking 17lbs less to pull up would really be nice, but dont won't to drag ...
Anyone experienced them?