Dragging the Chain

[zeehag]

first is rig whistling, then comes THUMP THUMP THUMP...BUMP

followed by loud cursing and rapid movements from sleep riddled souls.

[mikereed100]

My favorite anchor alarm is to toss my lead-line over the transom, then fasten the bitter end to a pot and set it on a table. I may not hear the cheefull chirping of a GPS alarm, but a pot slamming around the cockpit will have me out of my bunk before my eyes are open. The downside is that it works just as well for wind shifts.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Factor

Dunno what to say - get a decent anchor and learn to use it.

Okay - another way to instil confidence is to use the TRACK function on a plotter. Start the track once you think you are anchored and bring the magnification right up and watch over the next few hours how you describe a nice little zig zag back and forth, you can really get confident in your set even though you and other boats around you are moving side to side with wind and tide.

Indeed here are some ways to satisfy yourself you are holding

1. bearings on two or more shore based/fixed locations, eg a structure on shore and a nav light
2. use waypoint function on gps, i.e. pick a fixed location e.g. nav light and set waypoint to it and you should see little change in your distance to it (there will be some change - the boat swinging with tide etc)
3. Use TRack method above
4. Note the the lat long on your written log and check it periodically
5. Watch your depth - i.e. if you anchor in 4 metres and you are in mid tide of a two metre tidal range you shouldn't see below 3 or above 5 and you should see these extremes at a predictable time using rule of twelfths.

Does that help.

PS full reverse power on my boat is equivalent to about 40 knots of wind, not sure if other boats are similar but suspect it wouldn't be too far different (how do I know this - friend who has same boat did a load cell test on the anchor system at full reverse and also did load cell testing in varying wind strengths he has experienced.)

[dirkdig]

Most of the apps will call and email you when they go off.

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by Gasman

I long to "drop the hook" anywhere I please, but I'm still afraid of dragging?

You can never drop the anchor anywhere you please but if you set the anchor in good holding in good weather you should be able to sleep well, though some folks claim never let their guard down. I sleep like a baby under those conditions and have learned to wake up and go back to sleep under windy conditions.

I have dragged in 20-25 knots of wind when I wasn't on good holding. I was uncomfortable with my set and rightfully so. I moved to better holding and everything was fine.

There is no magic bullet.

[barnakiel]

Big anchor plenty of chain anchor drag alarm on GPS and depth alarm on sounder as applicable.

Sleep well.

b.

[AiniA]

Originally Posted by STG

That is interesting. While it is my intention to eventually go all chain (when I add a windlass) I am curious about the chafing. From what I have read, I was under the impression that about a foot of chain per length of boat is sufficient to keep the scope low enough at anchor, and reduce chafing at that end.

If you are chafing for 150 ft of chain, could that perhaps be due to the weight and the fact the chain lays on the bottom? I would think a rope rode would tend to stay off the bottom in an angle from the end of the chain to the boat? I can't imagine it dragging on the bottom a lot? Just curious.

My reasoning for going all chain is more for the light wind/current days so the boat doesn't drift as much as well as the comfort of knowing it is less likely to get cut or worn through than rope.

We have been cruising full-time for a couple of years and off-hand I cannot remember a cruising boat that did not have all chain. One reality of cruising is that you end up anchoring in places that you would have imagined in normal sailing conditions. Our worst was at Easter Island. There is a small patch of sand in the midst of volanic rock with waters around 40' deep and no protection from about 200° of the compass. Swells in the 2 to 3 foot range are the norm and boats that were there a couple of weeks after us were anchored with 12' swells. I can't imagine it. We went to Pitcairn and were not able to anchor at all (my wife went ashore while I laid off the day). You need to anchor very close to shore in Bounty Bay to find even 35' of water and there were swells from both the NE and NW, plus the swells were bouncing off the cliffs of the islands. It was chaotic, even though there was no wind at all. I was going to circumnavigate the island but I could not even manage one knot of boat speed. Before I started long distance cruising I could not have imagined anchoring in such spots.

Have a good anchor, lots of good chain (like our 3/8" because of its weight), lots of scope - all will help one sleep well. I sleep, but am able to respond to changes in the boat's motion or to sounds that seem odd. Comes with practice. I also agree with the comments about setting a track on the chartplotter after anchoring. Really gives you a good idea of where your anchor is what is happening. If you get a wind shift later you can turn the plotter back on and see how the boat and ground tackle have responded.

[barnakiel]

A warp will catch on something sharp and that's it. Go all chain if feasible. Otherwise try to keep the warp well off the bottom unless it is blowing like hell and the bottom is clean.

[tamicatana]

the OP was referring to a catamaran, and I've not seen it said yet:

Multihulls. must. lie. to. a. bridle.

Each arm of the bridle should be equal to boat beam.

There should be catenary on the anchor rode between the bridle and the main hull, or the bridle isn't working.

Reference "MULTIHULL SEAMANSHIP" by Gavin le Sueur

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

It just takes awhile to get come confidence in your anchor and self. I started like you, then my problem became I seldom woke up to check at all... unless the rig started whistling!

Same "problem" here. I'm at the point now where I'll sleep through anything this side of a squall.

No anchor alarms for me, because I don't want to be awakened just because the tide has shifted. Instead, I down a large glass of water right before bed just to make sure I get up at least once during the night to check on things.

Big anchor + all-chain rode + plenty of nights on the hook = great sleep.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by hummingway

There is no magic bullet.

Yep.

I used a handheld Garmin. Batteries died before I woke up.

I used the chart plotter. My wife hears it, not me. She woke me up but then she can't return to sleep easily once awakened. Draws power.

Chart plotter on and set to 60'. Wind went from 20s to 45 min of sustained 48k (found out next day). Glad I didn't go that extra 10 feet. Slept all night.
Leeward was sharp rusty steel.
That boat was not there this night.
Just the steel.

[Gasman]

Thank you everyone for some great tips and your knowledge. Will look forward to putting them into practice.
One thing though, does the extra chain, say 10:1 laying on the bottom actually hold you in all but light conditions or there another reason? I always thought it was for the allowance in tide.

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by Wotname

And if you are unsure, use full power (astern) for a minute or two. No anchor should should ever drag at full power.

Oh I don't agree with that. I have been the anchor route, 33 & 44# Bruces on my Hunter 30 years ago. They held well until our harbors filled with ell grass.

My 40 Silverton aft cabin started with my purchase of a 55# Delta.........it slipped; upgraded to an 88# Delta..........it slipped. Gave up on the Deltas which are now in my basement and purchased an 80# Maxwell Supreme that will not be tested until some time in July.

Each settings with the Delta anchors was with scopes in excess of 5-6, the best one can do in our crowed harbors. I have an all chain rode (5/16") along with a huge windlass. EACH TIME I SET THOSE ANCHORS, I PULLED BACK WITH TWO EACH CRUSADER 454 ENGINES UP TO THE POINT WHERE I FEARED I WOULD RIP OUT THE BOAT'S DECK CLEATS.

I find there is more to anchoring than just pulling on the rode.

Foggy

[canadianllama]

I didn't read them all. But I use a kellet. A weight I drop down the rode after I anchor to keep the scope lower and weight the rode down a bit when it's really tugging. My kellet line is about 30' long with about 20lbs of weight Never have dragged an anchor. But I have still had a lot of sleepless nights. It's getting better though. 26ft sailboat.

[foggysail]

ALL CHAIN RODES--- good, reliable but not necessarily better than a nylon rode. Many cases it depends on the bottom. Rocks, coral and similar bottoms put nylon at risk. Each has its own advantages.

Alarms are fine but having a reliable anchor I believe is the better way to go. A couple of years ago this was a hot topic. Maybe too hot.

Foggy