Horsing at anchor in a river

[macbeth]

While anchored in a river with a current of less than one knot the other night, I experienced horsing. That is the anchor rode disappeared underneath the boat. The theoretical answer to this is to throw a drogue over the stern. Not having a drogue, I threw a bucket over. Did not make any difference. ! How big a drogue would be needed for a 31' boat, and how far off the stern should it be ? 30', 60', .....?


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[deblen]

This is just an opinion tempered by experience in tidal currents.
It sounds like the keel is acting like a sail in the moving water which it should.
If you have crept ahead far enough to cross your anchor rode,I think I'm right.
My solution was to put the rudder across so that any fwd movement shears the vessel to one side & tries to hold it there. Sort of like heaving to.

Worth a try.

Cheers / Len

[JPA Cate]

Had a friend with a tri who wanted to lie like the monos in a tidal stream. Used a fairly large drogue immediately off the stern, and then he lay to the current.

Where we have trouble with this is when the wind is against the tide, and will blow us up over the anchor. Have not tried a drogue, do not really trust that it would be easily recoverable except at slack water.

Ann

[macbeth]

I put a kellet on the rode to hold it down on the mud. Was OK in the morning.

[Arthur Garfield]

Fore and aft anchoring in tidal esturary or tie off aft to bank.


All the Best

[macbeth]

No more responses ? Or does nobody else have this problem ?? Which I don't believe !

[macbeth]

Originally Posted by Arthur Garfield

Fore and aft anchoring in tidal esturary or tie off aft to bank.


All the Best

Too much work for an overnight stop and then a mess in the morning to sort out for a single handler. And my bank was 500' away !

[boatman61]

Never bothered me..

[wrwakefield]

Originally Posted by macbeth

While anchored in a river with a current of less than one knot the other night, I experienced horsing. That is the anchor rode disappeared underneath the boat. The theoretical answer to this is to throw a drogue over the stern. Not having a drogue, I threw a bucket over. Did not make any difference. ! How big a drogue would be needed for a 31' boat, and how far off the stern should it be ? 30', 60', .....?


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Hi Mabeth,

I'm guessing you are discussing a fin keeled monohull...? I'm also guessing you are using a rope rode?

If no wind, then you are 'sailing' with your keel in the current.

Yes a drogue might help, but would also put more load on your ground tackle...

Drogue design and size will also depend upon your boat's displacement and other intended uses...

Other things to try include: set a stern anchor, drop a second anchor off the bow straight down so it drags on the bottom [fouling potential] or a kellet?

We sometimes put our dinghy drogue (2ft diameter parachute style...) just below the waterline on our chain rode if sailing at anchor due to wind... it dampens the movements well. I haven't tried it if current is the only factor...

You will need to experiment to see what best suits you and your boat in various conditions, but hopefully some of these suggestions as useful and simple starting points...

Cheers!

[deblen]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Had a friend with a tri who wanted to lie like the monos in a tidal stream. Used a fairly large drogue immediately off the stern, and then he lay to the current.

Where we have trouble with this is when the wind is against the tide, and will blow us up over the anchor. Have not tried a drogue, do not really trust that it would be easily recoverable except at slack water.

Ann

Agree on drogue recovery in current-could be WORK!
You could use a bridle with short leg att'd @ stern for anchoring & slack long leg attd @ bow for pick up purposes,when leaving anchorage.When anchor breaks free,bow would swing towards drogue & you would catch up with it eventually.Never tried it but .....

With wind & current,I have used a riding sail along with hard over rudder. The boat will find a place at an angle to the current/wind combination where things balance. The riding sail is set diagonally across stern half of boat & rudder @ opposite(usually) direction. Not perfect,but usually helps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gFPltYrCrs

/ Len

[Vasco]

It's not a problem unless you're in a fin keeled boat and have to worry about being keel wrapped. To prevent this just use a 5 pound weight (get one that's plastic coated) tie it to your rode with a loop and run it down below the depth of your keel. No more worries about being keel wrapped.

[Hydra]

Horsing in a river can be a problem if the tidal river is deep and narrow, and you have to anchor on one side to avoid cluttering the fairway. At low tide, there is some risk to go aground or catch the mast in the trees on the bank.

In this case, a light kedge such as a Fortress on rope with some chain is a good solution.

Alain

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by macbeth

While anchored in a river with a current of less than one knot the other night, I experienced horsing. That is the anchor rode disappeared underneath the boat. The theoretical answer to this is to throw a drogue over the stern. Not having a drogue, I threw a bucket over. Did not make any difference. ! How big a drogue would be needed for a 31' boat, and how far off the stern should it be ? 30', 60', .....?


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Use an anchor sally. Per Vasco's post.

[boden36]

You could try tying your anchor rode off to the stern and see if that improves the situation..

Regards,
Richard.

[roygee]

cross control