Heavy weather anchoring,

[goingsoon]

That last artical was great, it answered a few questions on snubber lines. For this boat, a CT41, a 3/8 all chain rode is my first choise with a plan of useing a chain to rope snubber line with the chain going from the cleat to just out side the hauser hole then rope. Meany years ago I read some were on deploying a sea anchor or drouge that if a bridel is used off the bow or stearn, that sailing from side to side would be eliminated. Has anyone tried this at anchor?

[delmarrey]

I just spent the last two weeks cruising the North Puget Sound and San Juan Is's. I anchored in 10 differant places in that time. And I can tell you it becomes an art reading the shoreline, watching the tides and currents, knowing what the night winds will do and bottom textures.

Anchoring exposed to an open sea is real miserable. You might as well sail all night to a better destination. We're talking PNW not the tropics now.

I have found over the years that finding some sort of breakwater from the sea, even the lee of a small island is best. Having a good plow anchor like the Delta or Bruce with lots of chain and never less then 4:1 scope at high tide. Try to find some good sticky mud or hard sand to anchor in. Avoid rocky bottoms if you have a choice. As well, carry 1 or 2 spare smaller anchors (plow) that you can deploy in a short amount of time if need be.

Just last Wednesday I anchored in a small cove thinking I was protected. Just after dark the wave action rolled in, bouncing off a cliff and causing waves on abeam. Then the wind was comming over a hill and swirling in differant directions. It was if I were adrift in an open sea. I ended up getting out of bed and taking the small anchor and tackle astern and lee of the waves so that the vessel was pointing into the waves. That made it bareable the rest of the night. I slept good the rest of the night! In the morning the water was like glass.

You'll need to carry gear for ALL situations and use what ever it takes to keep safe even if it's cranking up the motor and moving to a better spot.
Carry at least one 1000 candle power light fully charged. You'll need it. I have three! And wear a life jacket with a light attached at night when up on deck or about.

Just another $.02 to add to the pot!


................................................_/)

[sv_makai]

As cruisers we have a heavy primary chain with a rope bridal on an oversized spade anchor. Our secondary is a oversized delta with 45' of chain and several hundred feet of anchor line.

We carry a third 45 pound West Marine performace 39 fluke for storm conditions.

We try to carry 7:1 scope even though most of the time is overkill. Sleeping soundly at night is important. We anhcor many times with our backs to open ocean and anything that helps keep the boat in place we are for.

Confidence and safety, don't anchor marginal even if the weather is good. It can change.

[GordMay]

bump ...

[Alan Wheeler]

Hey Delmarrey, what a stunning photo. Is that the Moon in the clouds or Sun. Is it taken with a filter or....

[Alain d'HYLAS]

All you wanted to know is on:

http://alain.fraysse.free.fr/sail/rode/rode_b.htm

[GordMay]

bump

[delmarrey]

Just caught your question on the photo.

It just turned out that way. One of those lucky shots, I guess. The sun was setting and I wanted to get a shot of the boat from the beach. I used a cheap Nikon Colorpix 2500 set on the Landscape mode.

Some my best pictures were unplanned.

Here's one taken down in your area back in the ole Navy days.



Now back to anchoring.............................._/)

[ssullivan]

delmarrey once whispered in the wind:

Anchoring exposed to an open sea is real miserable. You might as well sail all night to a better destination. We're talking PNW not the tropics now.

................................................_/)

Isn't that the truth? I don't know how many times I have done that. You wake up in the middle of the night to a rolling boat... try to get back to sleep, get a little angry and say "forget it"... I'll just keep going!

I am trying a new technique this year to help me sleep a little better at anchor. Have you ever anchored properly for the conditions, and awoke to a sizeable thunderstorm or something that keeps you up as you worry about dragging... even though you are securely anchored? Aside from anchoring properly for the conditions, this summer I'm spending a little more of the rest of our money ( ha ha ha) on a handheld GPS. I'm going to set an anchor drag / radius alarm each night and sleep with it by the bedside. It should help me sleep more soundly, since I'll be living at anchor.

If the alarm sounds, we will have a pre-set drill to follow... helm, windlass, reposition, etc....

[CSY Man]

If the alarm sounds, we will have a pre-set drill to follow... helm, windlass, reposition, etc....

Yeah, good idea.
We set anchor alarms occasionally, both on the GPS and on the depth sounder.

Got more nuisance alerts than real alarms however:

As the boat swings with chances in tide and wind, the GPS alarm goes off.
A 200 feet "dead-band" may be appropriate to avoid the false alarm, but in a crowded anchorage, 200 feet of dragging may put ya up on the neighbors boat, or on the rocks.......

[delmarrey]

I use the anchor alarm on my GPS when ever I can hear the wind. It's kept me out of trouble a couple of times.

That swinging on a tide change has gotten me up several times but now I check the tide tables before hitting the sack and usually shut it off when it goes off now, knowing about what time it'll probably happen. I keep a portable GPS right at the head of the bunk.

Another problem we have here is that sometimes the anchorage maybe right next to a cliff. If you drag anchor just a little, it may go right off the edge, then your adrift. That happen to me one night. So now, if questionable, I use the depth sounder to survey the bottom a bit before dropping the hook.
I got sucked through a channel then out to sea in the middle of the night. I could hear this horn blasting a long way off. So I got up to see what it was and here I was almost out of the sight of land. Knock Knock hello Del. One of my first anchorages

I say it's better to be awaken by a false alarm then a real one................................_/)

[ssullivan]

Wow, Del. I can't believe that happened... right out a channel? Sounds like the time that Jentine's boat came loose from its mooriong and drifted all over Rhode Island.

Almost makes you wonder... how much is diligent seamanship and now much is chance!

I agree with you, CSYman about the 200 foot radius in a crowded anchorage or in a tidal/current swing. I haven't experimented with it yet, but as soon as I get it, I'm going to try some different settings. My main purpose will be to use it to inform me of gross dragging, rather than crowded anchorage draggings. I'm not even sure there is much that can be done if you are asleep dragging in a crowded anchorage, except dreaming happy dreams... It will mainly be used as a backup to help me sleep. I tend to sleep poorly when I hear wind and I'm anchored. Maybe this time next year, after a year of living on the hook, that will change. I do have CQRs, which seem to reset pretty well with directional changes and draggings.

[GordMay]

Sean hopes that ”... Maybe this time next year, after a year of living on the hook, that will change ...”

It will. Soon, you'll know (intuitively) when to stand anchor watch, which is 'not often'.

Boat noises & motions are like (perhaps cacophonous) music. You get so used to all the noises, shakes, rattles, & rolls, typical of your boat, that you don’t even notice the individual notes. Introduce a new noise, vibration (whatever) to the symphony, and it sticks out like a discordant note. So much so, that it’ll wake you from a sound sleep.

[delmarrey]

After awhile you'll be able to know exactly what each noise is. People will come aboard at night and they’ll say "What's that" and you'll say "Oh that's just the little creatures singing to the bottom of the boat. Even flushing the toilet and watching the light show will be a new experience for your guests.

Living aboard has been more pleasurable then any house I've ever been/lived in. Now if I can only get the first mate to agree....................._/)

[Joseph Brancato]

I used sea drogues many times when in running in steep following sea's and believe me they work . I have a preference
to car tires they are cheap and create fantastic drag . I rig a bridle of rope off the stern but a warning you better have stout deck hardware with backing or it can pull your cleats out .
Play out enough line so the tire or tires is pulling through a wave when your boat is falling off a wave add as little power as needed to have control . You need chafe gear for it ls going to really tighten the rope . you need safety harness and you are
going to get wet but it will save your boat and your butt .
I used to do a winter run to larks nest diving for lobster in the
winter often in a heavy north easter crossing the Gulf Stream
from the Keys in 20 - 25 ft sea's . I don't recommend that any one
try this crossing in these conditions but if you happen to get caught in large steep breaking sea's you can deploy a tire and mantain control and avoid pitchpole problems . I believe running before is safer providing your cockpit has good drains
well that is my 2 cents and experience proves it
well may you all have only fair winds and sunny days
Joseph Brancato S/V Free Spirit GS 39 Sailmaster