Check Your Engine - Carry Many Anchors

[Rhosyn Mor]

A cautionary tale; ( a little long)
SO there I was ( as all good stories begin) working my part time job, when I get a call from the annapolis harbormaster - Someone has plowed into your boat- Gulp, I dash off, into the dinghy to find be boat about 100 meters from where I parked it on back creek. The transom is about 10 feet from the bow of the boat behind me. The 50 lb Delta is oviously not holding, there is a large paint scrape on the chain ( I had about 65 feet 3/8 BBB out) the bow light is broken, lifleline broken, and a large scrape down the port side. (I presume that the vessel that hit me pulled my chain) soo.. I put the 35lb plow in the dinghy on 100 feet of rode and row it out. THe plan being to at least stop the dragging while I sort everything out... Get back into Rhosyn Mor and start the engine so that I can back down on the plow and set it, go and pick up the delta, release the plow and re-anchor.... put the engine in gear... thump thump clunk clunk, oh S**t.. the plow is now dragging as well, and I am now 6 feet from the other boat and no engine, its now 7 at night. THinking that this was not a good time to lose the tranny I go down to the engine room and to my joy discover that the bolts on the drive saver ( which I have never checked ) have fallen out- an easy fix .. But I am still dragging! so into the sail locker I go and pull out the 40 lb danforth, row that out on 200 feet of rode, get my neighbor to pull back on it with his dink, and we finally set! also put out a 18 lb danforth at 90 degrees to counter the expected windshift.
The Gentleman who plowed into Rhosyn had reported it to the harbormaster, so I have to give him credit for that, an old person about 75 YO, I am not too worried about the scratch, he is going to replace the bow light, and I have spare lifelines aboard.
THe moral of this is to check ALL things regularly and carry lots of anchors and enough rode to deploy them.....

[James S]

Thanks Rhosyn Mor...I always appreciate these kind of stories.

[Christian Van H]

Jeez Nick! If I were you I wouldn't go to a casino this week. Your lucks a little weak right now! Hey, if you need help with any part of the repair, Marisa and I can help ya when we bring the plastic down. Probably next week...I owe you that. C

[Rhosyn Mor]

well I did not win the lottery this week either!
thanks for the offer but its all under control.

[speciald@ocens.]

I had all the bolts on my Drive saver shear off last Fall 700 miles from anywhere. The nuts had all backed out. I now check them before any long trip.

[Ancora Latina]

Originally Posted by Rhosyn Mor

The moral of this is to check ALL things regularly and carry lots of anchors and enough rode to deploy them.....

A good efficient anchor is better than a lot of poor ground tackles

João

[colemj]

Joao (I'm sorry, I can not figure out how to get my computer to spell your name correctly),

I agree with you about anchors, but need to point out that you are not familiar with the anchoring bottom in Back Creek, Annapolis (actually, I am making this assumption). This is very tough bottom as it has 1 meter of very loose silt on top of very soupy mud. It is mostly dead leaves from the surrounding trees. We have a 25kg "good efficient anchor", although it has a BSH. We have dragged anchor in Back Creek with it. I am willing to bet ALL anchors, even yours, will drag here. The best bet is the largest Fortress you can get and hope the wind doesn't switch 180*. The only good thing about Back Creek is that it is pretty protected from the wind from most directions.

A CQR would not stand a chance there, a Delta only a bit better.

Mark
(writing from the next creek over, because he has anchored in Back Creek before!)

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by colemj

The best bet is the largest Fortress you can get and hope the wind doesn't switch 180*.

A Danforth Hi Tensile Deepset would work very well too.

[redcobra]

In the chesapeake bay in general I have found the Danforth hi-tensile anchors work best. I carry two of them, one sized for the boat and one size up for a storm anchor. Knock on wood, but I have never had a problem if I set it correctly.

[camaraderie]

Fortress on the MUD setting for the flukes will be better than a Danforth in Chessie soup!

[Christian Van H]

Sounds like he's challenging us to a "Mud off"!