Newbie Anchoring Question

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by Jerry Woodward

I would have loved to charter a cat but it didn't make sense for two people. However, after leaving a Leopard in my wake on a close reach to St Barths, I am re-thinking my original affinity toward cats.

I'll give you credit, you were doing the better job at sailing, but I'll suggest it had nothing to do with either boat.

A cat with only a luffing head sail out, and a mono with both sails up. I have to assume the cat was motoring also as I don't believe it could have been moving at all with that sail trim. I will suggest that you pull a little harder on the main halyard next time, your luff was too sloppy. Also, why did you have the headsail reefed with only 16kts of wind? Too much heel?

Touche!

[Kay Koudele]

As Capt.bobfm suggests, my husband is at the anchor and I am at the helm for anchoring. It worked well for us on our 4 year cruise, and afterwards. Since you are a newbie, besides noting the others' comments, I encourage you to develop hand signals for communication when anchoring. He makes the signals out to his side, so he does not need to turn to face me in order for me to hear, and I can see what he's indicating to do. It reduces a lot of stress for both of us. We've developed our own signals, and it's a rare instance when we need to augment that with verbal cues.
www.kaykoudele.blogspot.com

[Jerry Woodward]

Originally Posted by DotDun

I'll give you credit, you were doing the better job at sailing, but I'll suggest it had nothing to do with either boat.

A cat with only a luffing head sail out, and a mono with both sails up. I have to assume the cat was motoring also as I don't believe it could have been moving at all with that sail trim. I will suggest that you pull a little harder on the main halyard next time, your luff was too sloppy. Also, why did you have the headsail reefed with only 16kts of wind? Too much heel?

Touche!

I figured you'd notice my sloppy sail trim....have to work on that. But we were very close hauled and going about 61/2 knots, so I was content not to mess with the sail at that point. But I presume the cat didn't have sails up because they wouldn't have done any good that close to the wind.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by Jerry Woodward

But we were very close hauled and going about 61/2 knots, so I was content not to mess with the sail at that point. But I presume the cat didn't have sails up because they wouldn't have done any good that close to the wind.

If you were 50 or more off the wind, the cat should win. Between 40 & 50 off, it's down to skills. Less than 40, the cat would need to bear off and tack, which *could* beat you depending on skills. Now, if you were 30 off the wind, the cat should have been motoring, furled the genoa to in front of the mast such they could pull it in tight using both sheets giving them ~2 kts over motoring speed. You would have been jealous as you probably wouldn't have noticed their motors running.