I must admit the more I get out on my own the more I get into "different" situations. Coming into a deserted bay in the middle of the night heading for a sandbar to anchor out in- what technique do you guys use?
1. get on a reach on auto pilot, wait until the dept is right, throw the anchor, then cleat it at the right play out and hope the momentum sets the anchor.
2. Heave to, play out some line and take the rode back to the cockpit. Play out enough line, put it on a winch, then run downwind till the line draws tight, down go the sails and anchor through the bow....
Any other suggestions with sail power and solo?
A good technique is to drop the anchor from the stern after running the rode outside the stanchions and shrouds. You have to have the line fairly well flaked to do this, so that it doesn't get caught as the anchor is being lowered. You can then either set the anchor by going forward or letting the anchor turn the boat around and use the momentum of the boat to set the anchor.
What I did was have the line flaked out and cleated at the end- but do people ever loose a digit with the line flaked in front of them? And does the cleat take too much stress stopping a 2 ton boat and turning it on a dime? My anchor set pretty fast in the sand. (CQR type)
BTW- I did get it out under sail the next day, but it took about 45 minutes of working it.
Quote from: newt on July 02, 2008, 08:16:32 PM
What I did was have the line flaked out and cleated at the end- but do people ever loose a digit with the line flaked in front of them? And does the cleat take too much stress stopping a 2 ton boat and turning it on a dime? My anchor set pretty fast in the sand. (CQR type)
BTW- I did get it out under sail the next day, but it took about 45 minutes of working it.
Amazingly, at least if you use line (as opposed to chain), it is really anti climatic when the rode comes taught. Maybe it is the stretch in the line. It acts like a huge shock absorber.
I'll claim here that if that cleat CAN'T take stopping your boat, you need to rebuild the cleat. Cause any anchor cleat MUST be able to take that kind of strain without even blinking. If it can't you are in trouble before you start.
Now, we usually anchor with all chain, but we flake chain along the side deck or across the fore deck and cleat it. Then enter the anchorage, come head to wind and drop, then veer chain as we fall off, snubbing as we go.
But there are almost always two of us aboard.
I just asked Laura how she did it when she single handed our boat. Same thing- flaked the chain across the foredeck, cleated it off. sailed in, came head to wind, dropped the anchor and fed it scope, snubbing as she deemed necessary. Set the chain hook and snubber and was anchored.
Probably because that's how I taught her to anchor ;D
It does appears that this is a "Light" set. When the winds picks up or changes direction, you should have on an anchor watch incase of drag. Either you or ?????
I have been in too many poor holding situtations.
When the wind picks up or changes direction I always get paranoid, regardless of how I set my anchor.
I used to set my anchor from the stern (much smaller boat, 16 feet 500-600 lbs). I'd sail (usually downwind, but if the current was the largest factor affecting boat set, in whatever point of sail was appropriate to be the same as everyone else), usually under just jib unless the wind was really light, up to my anchoring spot, tie the anchor to a stern cleat and feed it off the stern when I was over my chosen spot. Once it grabbed with an appropriate amount of scope I'd just keep sailing in place for five or six minutes, putting a more or less constant pull on the anchor. Drop jib, move rode to the bow, and set in for the night. I was pretty much always single handed and I had no self steering, and for awhile no motor. With my small Fortress anchor in the muddy bottom of Narragansett Bay (and surrounding waters) I never dragged.
The boat was a Stevenson Weekender. Very small. Very light. I think the technique would work with larger boats and I will try it on my Seafarer this year.
Quote from: CharlieJ on July 03, 2008, 12:38:02 AM
enter the anchorage, come head to wind and drop, then veer chain as we fall off, snubbing as we go.
I anchor just as Charlie does, and have done on boats from 22' to 52', monos and cats, under sail and power, and with and without windlass.
Under sail in light air I sheet the jib to one side and push the main boom out the other way in increase drift back.
sail fast, dave
You guys are describing something very different than I am doing. I am maintaining speed and direction on auto, throwing the anchor out and setting it while going 3-4 knots. I figured my boat had to be going that fast to set it under sail. I noticed you are going to the wind, then setting it as it back sails. Does this work as well?(apparently so duhh!) What is your way of setting it deeper should you want to sleep at night? I guess you could let a lot of line out, then stretch it on a close reach.
Quote from: newt on July 03, 2008, 04:29:44 PM
I noticed you are going to the wind, then setting it as it back sails. Does this work as well?(apparently so duhh!)
Yes, that does work. That's the way I've always done, under sail or power.
Where possible, here's how I have done it: close reach in to a spot just ddw of your desired 'drop' point, head up, drift to a stop, drop the hook, drift back.
It was my understanding that in general you want the boat to be stationary when you drop the anchor, then pay out the rode while backing so that the rode/boat/anchor are all lying in the 'proper' direction.
If the anchorage is occupied, I motor in and check how things lay, observing which direction the boats already there are heading. I then come head to the wind and/or current and stop, drop the anchor and let her drift back paying out as necessary. When she starts to set, I give her a good shot of reverse to make sure I have a good set. If the anchorage is unoccupied I'll sail in and do basically the same thing. I do like to use the engine to insure I have a good set either way.
Quote from: newt on July 03, 2008, 04:29:44 PM
What is your way of setting it deeper should you want to sleep at night?
Time. Even when anchoring under power, I don't back down on the anchor until it has had a few minutes to settle on it's own.
In most cases (most, not all), wind comes up over time, even if only a few minutes, and the anchor will dig in deeper and deeper as the wind comes up.
Anchor type makes a difference. I sit up and fret on a CQR. I sleep restlessly on a Bruce. On a Rocna or Spade I sleep well. YMMV.
Auspicious-
What do you use as your primary anchor??
Quote from: AdriftAtSea on July 07, 2008, 05:25:33 PM
Auspicious-
What do you use as your primary anchor??
I currently have a Rocna 25 that I am very happy with. I had a 44# Delta on Auspicious before that was pretty good.
I'm shopping for a Spade for a secondary. I think the performance of Spade and Rocna are darn close and I like the idea of taking the Spade apart to stow.
I have a Breeze for a stern anchor (in a dedicated stern roller). The Breeze is a Bruce knock-off. I don't have much confidence in it, but a replacement is way down low on my priority list. In fact, I ran aground (real hard) a few weeks ago and took the Rocna out in my dink to kedge off rather than the Breeze. You ever dumped a 55# anchor out of a dinghy? Twice? Ugh. That's how much I distrust the Breeze. <grin>
How big a boat do you have??? A 55 lb. Rocna is a huge anchor, especially on a site like Sailfar. :) The Spade and Delta are both good choices. Sail magazine did a test a while back, and the Rocna was the top dog, and the Spade and Delta were second and third IIRC.
This is the graph from the article:
(http://www.adriftatsea.com/files/SMgraph.png)
The whole article can be found here (http://www.sailmag.com/features/SAIL_AnchorTest.pdf).
Quote from: AdriftAtSea on July 07, 2008, 08:05:41 PMSail magazine did a test a while back, and the Rocna was the top dog,...........
Yes, but the same magazine would have it's readers believe you ought not to leave the harbor with less then 50' of waterline under you... ::)
Many have taken issue with that test, Roca and their marketing engine love it, and use it in their aggressive marketing whenever they can. I personally prefer the Manson Supreme, of course that is probably because I just spent several months sleeping while anchored on one, and NEVER had it drag... not once.
I looked at both before I bought, and determined that I was not going to pay the overhead for the marketing, and went with the Manson (at the time the other was nearly $200 more.)
Realistically they are very similar, on all points but price. The Manson also has the rock slot, but I have not used that so really don't have a comment other then to say the added area probably makes the shank stronger.
Quote from: AdriftAtSea on July 07, 2008, 08:05:41 PM
How big a boat do you have???
Auspicious is 22000 lb and just over 40'. Yes, she is big for SailFar, but I have a special place in my heart for smaller boats, and still sail small boats with some regularity. I also like you guys. <grin>
I live aboard. When boat shopping with that in mind I just couldn't see squeezing myself into a smaller boat. I don't have the fortitude some of you guys do. <grin>
sail fast, dave
A 55 lb. Rocna would make a lot of the boats here very bow heavy. :)
Plowing the mud under sail I try not to do...
Makes for a challenging retrieval. I tried it near City Island in L.I. Sound. Not good....
Generally, I do a few circles around the spot I want to anchor, drop the jib and head into the wind with main, cleated in tight. That way there is less chance of boat going sailing with me at the bow, fiddling with the anchor.. Ariel would just kind swing from one tack to the other, not picking up much speed...
I try to get the hook dropped as quickly as I can, so I can watch the boat drift back and let out the rode. If I feel that I need to set the anchor, I bear off, with most of the rope out and let the anchor bring the bow back into the wind. Usually, works quite well. Once, I had to set two anchors, but that's another story...
Happy anchoring!
I know this is an old thread, but did anyone see the article P. Sailor did on extreme anchoring? It seems we have some new anchors that are pretty good.
The PS article that features the Manson Claw, Manson Supreme and Rocna, is pretty bogus. The anchors weren't set properly, since they used really short scope, and the results are very misleading. The article was talking about near 100 lb. anchors, and yet they were talking about dragging with less than 1000 lbs. of force. Contrast that with the 33 lb. Rocna in the Sail magazine test, which held consistently with over 4500 lbs. of force against it. Something doesn't make sense... a bigger anchor should hold better, not worse by a factor of four.
Quote from: newt on November 26, 2008, 01:00:41 PM
I know this is an old thread, but did anyone see the article P. Sailor did on extreme anchoring? It seems we have some new anchors that are pretty good.
I bet that test is not too popular with the marketing folks. The more expensive anchor finished behind both of the manson's. :o
I think all 3 are good anchors.
Quote from: s/v Faith on November 26, 2008, 08:34:00 PMI bet that test is not too popular with the marketing folks. The more expensive anchor finished behind both of the manson's. :o
I think all 3 are good anchors.
s/v Faith—
The test was terribly biased and run under short scope rather than recommended scopes. Virtually worthless IMHO unless you are looking for a short scope anchor that can hold in unusual bottom condition. Also, the test was done in bottom conditions most of us would try to avoid anchoring in. :)
Adrift,
I would agree that sometimes PS has some unusable "tests" but their anchoring segments haven't been too out of line in my opinion. This current segment on extreme anchoring took place by a couple of sailors down in Chile, and while it may not hold dirt underneath water here, I find their corespondents out in the field often give useful information. Did you see the little article about a float above the anchor to keep it upright while anchoring? I wonder how useful that really is.
I try to look for trends in anchoring force, not necessary identical conditions in which I drop a hook. They clued me into a cheap Bruce a while back, and that was a good thing. But then again, maybe I use the slip in the marina too much to really know for sure. ???
Newt—
The problem I have with the most recent PS anchoring test, featuring "extreme" anchoring.... is the scope was very short, the anchors far heavier than would typically be used by most smaller sailboats, and the results very misleading—especially when compared to using the same design anchors properly. The fact that they couldn't get an anchor to resist more than 1000 lbs. of load, when they were using 100 lb. anchors... says a lot about the poor technique, lack of scope, poor bottom conditions/makeup used in the test.
In Sail Magazine's much more comprehensive test, using much more reasonable and typical rode scope and bottom conditions, some anchors a third the size of the ones used in PS magazine's test held to over 4500 lbs.
I recently saw a bow roller that had a hinge and the most forward part of it was hinged. It appeared that you could unlock this hinged section and it would drop, thereby dropping the anchor. Was I seeing things? Has anyone used something similar?
I was thinking your could rig a line, like your furling line, to pull the pin and drop your anchor. Any thoughts? I'll go looking again to see if I can find where I saw it.
Todd
Todd-
I think you're talking about a pivoting bow roller...I have one on my boat, and there's no pin to pull. In fact, I think a design with a pin to pull would be a problem, since the pin would be a weak point. This is a photo of the ground tackle setup on the Pretty Gee. You can see the bow roller fairly well. It is a Lewmar pivoting bow roller, but they're made by several other companies as well.
(http://dankim.com/assets/tackle.jpg)
Ahh, I found one online and the description says "used with a windlass to self launch." That makes sense. I'll have to work on something for us windlass-less.
Thanks for the picture and the response!
Todd
Glad to help.... basically, it will self-launch the anchor whenever the rode is released. It would work in a no-windlass installation just as well.
Single handing can have its challenges and you definitely want/need a good nights sleep which comes from trusting your anchor and technique. On small boats, a mix of chain and line for your rode will give you bottom hugging with the chain, less risk of cutting the line on corals or rocks and lighter weight in the bow with the line for additional rode. It is also easier to weigh anchor since lots of chain can be a "load" (pun intended) to drag in if you are personally the windlass. I have 30' of chain with lots of line attached. I could probably get by with only 15' of chain. I have been very pleased with my Delta as my standard with a heavier Bruce to use if I need 2 anchors set.
I always head into the wind, let the boat stop advancing, head to the bow, drop about 3-1 scope and just let it snug a little by hand or cleat, then let out anywhere from 5-1 to 10-1 depending on conditions, forecast, gut feeling and room available in the anchorage. I let the boat settle down a little, then back down on the line. So far so good. I still have spent many a night awake in bad blows, but Pixie never moved. Take your time, listen to your instincts. If you do not feel good about your anchor setting, there is nothing wrong with a repeat performance for the anchorage. :D
I was reading last night in "The seaworthy Offshore Sailboat" by Vigor how he sets the anchor from the stern while sailing, digs in the anchor using the sails. Once the boat is stopped he secures the anchor rode to the front of the boat. The wind then turns around the boat. Sounds like what I do, only your not up monkeying around at the pulpit solo with your autopilot on (could be dangerous) esp. at midnight. (no dear, I really didn't do that ::))
I think I will give it a try next time.
The method for setting an anchor which has pretty much worked drag free for twenty five years of full time cruising and living aboard is simply to let the prevailing breeze do the work...The secret is simply not to be in a hurry!
When we sail into an anchorage (we almost always anchor under sail) we simply sail to where we want to be and then drop the jib (leaving the main up) and simply walk forward while the boat is dead in the water (no need to run!) and slowly let out the anchor and chain slowly till we have a 5/1 scope.
The next part of the drill is simply to put on the coffee and while the coffee is brewing that gives us an unhurried space to drop and furl the main. Throw on the sail cover and keep an eye out to make sure we are not going walkies...
By the time we have had our cup of coffee its then time to don the mask and snorkel and take an up close and personal look at the anchor which by this time ( all of a half hour) will be more or less dug in.Room permitting we then let out so more chain as its not doing us any good in the chain locker...
Having spent hundreds of hours observing anchors underwater while diving it is our experience that most people who try and set their anchors are not really setting them and in a lot of cases keeping the anchors from setting properly. We find that the gentle action of the boat, water and wind are uch more effective at setting the anchor than however many HP you have.
But the real trick is simply not being in a hurry and doing everything in the process SLOW ...and let the boat do the work.
It always amazes us watching people ( especially bare boaters) come into an anchorage at speed dropping the anchor while doing 3-4 knots while doing all sorts of crazed deck work with much yelling and panic then see them back down on their anchor at full throttle and drag ...
Bob
http://boatbits.blogspot.com/
http://fishingundersail.blogspot.com/
There are some of us that sail in water where the temperature is such that if one was to "don the mask and snorkel" and "observing anchors underwater" would mean you become the anchor ;)
LooseMoose has made one point that so far has, in my interpretation of posts, not been made yet.
When we sail into an anchorage (we almost always anchor under sail) we simply sail to where we want to be and then drop the jib (leaving the main up) and simply walk forward while the boat is dead in the water (no need to run!) and slowly let out the anchor and chain slowly till we have a 5/1 scope.
Throwing anchors is one part of the receipt to a fowled anchor.
As far as the magazine articles appeared to me that in want of material to fill a page or two between ads the editors go for anything the writer writes so long as it is: 1 complicates a simple procedure and: 2 puts the need for their advertises item in the need to have list.
As in all things practice is essential. Take time to drop a lunch hook now and then. Use old fashion techniques to check if you are drifting, take two or three sights on stationary objects then check later. At night I check gps coordinates along with depth sounding and check a few times for what should be no change, taking tide and wind direction into account.
and the grateful man just enjoys what he is given
Well, I haven't set anchor often under sail only. The times I have I didn't drop the hook while flying; my hardware can take the strain, but it's unnecessary work hardening and isn't any more likely to work than coming to a stop and letting the gear out more slowly.
The last time I did this I'd run out of fuel and towed the boat a few miles by rowing the dinghy because it was dead calm. I was fried crispy, so when we got into the bay I got the anchor into the dinghy, rowed the full length of the rode out to where I wanted it, and dropped it over the side. Went back aboard and shortened up only a little bit - probably 10:1. With no current or breeze all night to speak of I wasn't too surprised that it came up pretty easy the next morning.
The engine was out of the boat when I wanted to go off for a weekend. So I sailed out of the marina (specifically a no-no) and spent a few nights on the hook, doing the shoot up into wind or current, drop the hook and lay it out drifting back, then using the sails to somehow put a little strain on the line. I got yelled at sailing back into the marina, but I said I was having motor problems...
When I wrapped the dinghy painter while trying to set the anchor I just rehoisted the jib for a little while, and it was well and truly set after I finally managed to finish cutting the rope away a couple days later. The water was just too cold to do more than a few minutes in the water at a shot, despite being mid-July.
Loose Moose, you do bring insight into this old thread. I would want to know how often you have to reposition your anchor after you dive on it- In other words, how often is the anchor not dug in correctly after you have gently allowed it to set. Your method certainly sounds alot safer. I was taught in the ASA courses that anchors needed a good strong pull to dig in- and when I went to not using the motor, I assumed that pull would have to come from the inertia of the moving sailboat.
But you say you can do it with the static pull of the main? Sounds great!
BTW- whats your displacement on your boat?
I don't think an anchor will generally set properly without the boat pulling on it some... either backwinding the sails or backing down using the engine. This is particularly true if the bottom is hard mud, hard sand or clay. Some anchors, like the CQR, will probably set better if they're allowed to settle on the bottom, especially if it is a softer bottom, than if you back down immediately on them—but most anchors will NOT set IMHO, unless you set them.
Anchoring under sail is on my to-learn list for this summer. So I am taking notes like crazy during this thread.
Thanks everyone for sharing you insight.
Cheers, Bill
Anchoring Under Sail Singlehanded
After checking the weather for prevailing wind direction and shifts, and the chart for hazards and bottom characteristics, assuming you have no local knowledge, sail around the anchorage under full sail---full sail because if you don't like what you see or run into a problem, you have maximum control for making an exit. Once back into open water, prepare for anchoring. Chain will rarely jam in the locker, but lines tangle and kink, so chain and line rodes should be flaked out on the side deck with enough free to run to meet your 5:1 scope or better. Leave the anchor secured or make off the rode until ready to set so there cannot be an accidental run-out of the ground tackle.
Beginners are taught to come dead into the eye of the wind to set the anchor, but that puts you in irons with no control. A better approach is to get downwind of your spot and return upwind on a fine close reach with the sheets run free. If at any time you don't feel things are as you like, simply trim and keep going for another approach. As to whether you carry the jib, it depends on three things---(1) your competence and confidence as a sailor, (2) how handy the boat is in tacks, and (3) how quickly she will accelerate and regain steerage. If you're not 100% confident with all three, carry the jib for maximum control. If you decide you need to lose headway more quickly, pull the weather jib sheet to back the jib as you turn a bit more into the wind. With the crossed controls, the boat will stall and quickly stop.
Walk forward and lower the anchor to the bottom as the boat begins to fall off or gather sternway, being careful not to dump the chain on top the anchor, which may foul it. Feed rode as the boat wants it until the rode enters the water at a 45% or less angle. Jig the line or drop the stopper on the chain. If the rode comes up taught and slowly droops from its own weight, the anchor has bit. If the rode alternately comes taught and falls slack, it is dragging. If it is, there are two options---pay out more scope or weigh anchor, sheet the sails and make a new approach while checking the anchor to make sure it hasn't fouled. It is thankfully not an every day occurrence, but an anchor that has picked up a beer can, stick, crab pot, or taken a length of chain between the shank and flukes will never set.
Once it has set, pay out the rest of the rode for the needed scope, and make fast. As the boat drifts back, watch things abeam of you for the best indication of motion. When the boat fetches up on the rode again, you'll have conformation of whether it's set or not.
If your boat tends to sail on its anchor, while waiting for the boat to drift back on its rode, slacken the halyard just a couple feet. That will take all drive out of the sails, and still have them ready for immediate use if needed. As this point, as LooseMoose suggested, put the coffee pot on and stow and cover the sails. As for diving on the anchor, I've only done that once in 50 years just to see what the fuss was about. Most of the time I sail in water I have no intention of swimming in unless a liferaft is involved. What you do want to do is set up at least two anchor bearings that will be visible at night. Write the bearings down so when the wind picks up at 0300, you don't have to try remembering what the numbers were.
There's no advantage to trying to set an anchor with power, contrary to popular opinion. I've done it both ways myself and with students, and if anything, found the use of power to complicate the process and induce other problems. The issue is scope. The more scope, the greater the holding power. Anchors are designed to bite and dig with a horizontal strain. The shorter the scope and more vertical the load, and more the anchors power has been compromised. Prove it for yourself. The next time you see someone having trouble setting an anchor, I guarantee they're trying to set it with power. An anchor is like a crab pot--- working best if given some soak time to do its own thing.
Weighing Anchor Under Sail
The first question is what tack do you need to leave the anchorage on to avoid shoals or other vessels. Having a crewman on the foredeck helps, but doing this singlehanded is not an issue after you've done it a few times and worked out the kinks for yourself. This of course means you want to practice in an open anchorage the first few times.
Set both main and jib. The mainsheet generally has enough friction to not fully luff the sail and will cause it to start sailing. Pull full slack into the sheet and watch that it can't foul on anything. Secure the helm amidships so headway doesn't drive the boat off a heading upwind. In light air, simply winch or pull the boat to the anchor until you're on short stay (the rode is almost straight up and down), but the anchor hasn't been broken out. The bow will swing back and forth through the wind. When the wind is on the tack you want, break the anchor out and raise it the depth of the keel and make fast. If at any time the boat falls back on the wrong tack, simply lower the anchor and start again, but if the helm has been centered, once it's on one tack, it will usually stay there.
Walk back to the cockpit, pull the weather jib sheet to back the jib and drive the boat further onto the desired tack, slip the lanyard off the end of the tiller or unlock the wheel, sheet the jib first and then the main, and you're off. Trim not to the trim point, but just enough for headway and steerage, generally no more than a knot to a knot and a half. Gaining too much speed will drive the anchor up under the boat. Leaving the anchor deep enough to clear the forefoot of the boat does several things: it saves a lot of time needed to weigh and secure the anchor, it starts the process of washing the anchor, and it leaves it immediately available to reset if needed. However, you want the anchor no deeper than the draft of the boat so it doesn't set in the bottom accidentally or pick up the rode of a nearby vessel you're passing. When maneuvering in an anchorage, always cross an anchored vessel's stern. Never cross its bow unless you're really well clear. Once in open water, you can let the sheets run and clean the anchor and ship it at leisure.
If the wind has been blowing during the night, or I've been in a given location a couple days, my routine before getting underway is to come on deck and pull the boat up to the anchor and break it out. If it's set too deep to break out easily, just leave it on short stay. The motion of the boat will gradually work the anchor to the surface without all the anchorage antics of powering back and forth, over the anchor and around in circles. Let Mother Nature do the work. I continue on with my morning shave, dressing, breakfast and coffee as I keep a watch out the port. If I see the bow start to fall off, I know the work has been done for me. I increase scope enough to gently set the anchor, knowing when I'm ready to go, so is the anchor.
If the wind is too strong to pull the boat to the anchor, set sail. Lead the bitter end or a bight of the rode to the cockpit (again assuming we're single handing). Quickly dump a bunch of extra rode overboard. If we want to leave on the starboard tack, pull the starboard jib sheet to back the jib and push the tiller to leeward (port). The jib will swing the bow out of the wind, and the rudder will back the stern to starboard, putting us solidly on starboard tack. Center the helm and trim the main just enough for headway and steerage. You don't need to mess with winching at this point. Just grab the mainsheet purchase and pull the boom in enough to get some air in the sail. We sail until we see the rode start to pull the bow up into wind, and we tack. On the port tack, we begin to take slack in slowly as we sail upwind, but we continue past the anchor, even easing rode again if needed, and then tack again when we know we can approach the anchor on a close reach. Keeping our speed under control for bare steerage, we approach to sail over the anchor. When approaching short stay, we let the sheets run, secure the helm amidships, walk forward and haul the anchor to the depth of the keel and make fast. If the boat has come to the wind any, simple pull the jib to weather and drive the bow off. Walk back, slip the lanyard off the tiller, trim enough for steerage, and a new day has begun.
If anchored on all chain, there's no help but to winch the anchor up. Break it out on the proper tack and back the jib to weather. Everything else is the same.
Thistlecap,
Nice write up. We often will furl teh jib on the approach, so we can slow the surveying speed. But then again, if we decide to leave it is no problem to put it back out.
I like that you include this;
Quote from: thistlecap on April 26, 2009, 11:41:41 PM
Anchoring Under Sail Singlehanded......
There's no advantage to trying to set an anchor with power, contrary to popular opinion. I've done it both ways myself and with students, and if anything, found the use of power to complicate the process and induce other complications.
I only dive the anchor if visibility is good, in the Bahamas I was often looking to go for a swim anyway. I did not find the 'fall back' of the boats momentum ever failed to set my Manson Supreme. No need to start a motor just to set the anchor.... at least I have not found it to be so.
Well explained succinctly Thistlecap A grog for ya!
@thistlecap
That was very well explained and written. ;D
ever considered writing an 'learn to sail...' ABC book?? There's probably some dollars to make too...
Since you are teaching sailing, you do have tons of fun storieas from real life for the book as well. ;)
cheers
Quote from: thistlecap on April 26, 2009, 11:41:41 PM
Once back into open water, prepare for anchoring. Chain will rarely jam in the locker, but lines tangle and kink, so chain and line rodes should be flaked out on the side deck with enough free to run to meet your 5:1 scope or better.
Very nice writeup, but I'd like to add one thing to this line- once you have the rode flaked out on the side deck at approximately the right scope, CLEAT IT DOWN.
Should something untoward happen, a free running rode can be nearly impossible and quite dangerous to stop, particularly an all chain rode.
grog
You did not finish the description regarding when you pull the anchor in from hanging at keel level.
I assume you wait until the mud is cleaned off and you are on a longer tack in the open water using autopilot or other self steering?
Actrually he did cover that Skylark- in the third from last paragraph- see the last sentence of this quote.
Quote from: thistlecap on April 26, 2009, 11:50:49 PM
Leaving the anchor deep enough to clear the forefoot of the boat does several things: it saves a lot of time needed to weigh and secure the anchor, it starts the process of washing the anchor, and it leaves it immediately available to reset if needed. However, you want the anchor no deeper than the draft of the boat so it doesn't set in the bottom accidentally or pick up the rode of a nearby vessel you're passing. When maneuvering in an anchorage, always cross an anchored vessel's stern. Never cross its bow unless you're really well clear. Once in open water, you can let the sheets run and clean the anchor and ship it at leisure.
Got it, thanks very much for the description, I learned a lot. Old dog -> new trick.
Thistlecap,
Excellent articles!
Your description of anchoring under sail reminds me of the way I used to anchor and approach the mooring when I had my catboat; there was no room on the foredeck, so I did everything from the cockpit at a 45-degree angle with the main luffing. I wonder if that approach would work with a sloop. (Probably not.)
Anyway, your two articles have given me some good ideas--especially the on about running slowly with the anchor dangling at forefoot depth. What a great way to clean the hook.
Thanks and Grog!
--Joe
I think you have the idea, but to follow through, you are just concerned initially with clearing hazards, whether a lee shore, shoals, or other anchored boats. As soon as you're some place where the boat can drift a few minutes without mishap, get the anchor cleaned, aboard, stowed, and secured. Most boats will self-tend once you let the sheets run, but if you have a low displacement, fin keel or spade rudder that makes the boat a bit skittish, you can solve the problem for sure by heaving-to. The boat will then self-tend and give you all the time you need. Carry a bucket forward when you go with a 6-ft. lanyard on it. Dip some water to weight the bucket to keep it from blowing overboard while working on the anchor, or use a slippery clove hitch to make it off to the lifeline. Once the anchor is aboard, use the bucket to sluice the anchor, chain, or deck, and everything is done in one trip forward. Once you return to the cockpit, you're ready for the day ahead.
Oldrig, if you're referring to making the approach on a close reach rather than going into irons, yes, it works fine on a sloop. It's also the best approach for picking up a mooring or man overboard. You have positive control at all times rather than being totally out of control when in irons. Grab the mainsheet purchase and fill the sail just a bit if you need more momentum, luff when you can slow down, stall if you need to stop quicker. The added advantage of not being in irons in a man overboard situation is you don't know what tack the boat will fall off on. This leaves the chance that the victim may end up on the lee side of the boat with the chance of being pulled under the boat. Not to get too far off subject, but you should be proficient doing MOB retrievals under sail. Avoid switching from sail to power to pick a man up, but that's another subject.
Quote from: thistlecap on April 27, 2009, 06:17:24 PM
Not to get too far off subject, but you should be proficient doing MOB retrievals under sail. Avoid switching from sail to power to pick a man up, but that's another subject.
Indeed; it's MUCH harder to do than to TALK about doing.
We've done such drills under sail when either picking garbage from the water or retrieving gear lost overboard (GOB or SOB - 'stuff overboard'?).
Anchoring under sail or even picking up a mooring is a piece of cake compared to trying to retrieve something that is moving (ie subject to wind, wave and current). Such exercises have humbled me into learning how much I have to learn about handling under sail, and I have gone "engineless" for an entire season.