Couldn't Get the Anchor to Set Today

[Lagoon4us]

Our method is to circle around the anchor drop site slowly checking bottom shape/strata and depth, we drop chain to just put anchor on bottom then pay it out whilst moving slowly backwards either down current or downwind whichever we see as strongest then when sufficient chain is laid out to suit the agreed scope we cleat off and start to firm up on the pull.

Watching 2 fixed marks we judge our holding, if the anchor sets we bring up power for three or so minutes. If it doesn't we do another run..

Usually when it bites the admiral has to reach for the forestay to stop her falling forward...

We assess our final position relative to the other (if any) boats and don't usually leave the boat till totally confident.

We never change the routine tending to both go about the procedure with signals ie thumbs up or down as we go through the process...

Usually 90% success rate, then some charterer dumps on top and we re-anchor, hate them!!!

Works for us.... cheers

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

Works for us.... cheers

A very good description how everyone should anchor. It should be printed out and nailed to the forehead of all the charterers

The only thing I would add is sometimes in clear water it's helpful to drop the anchor in a weed free patch. Some of these patches are only small. So detailed communication between the helm and the bow person ( rather than just thumbs up or down) is helpful, sometimes. If you have a good communication system so the bow person can steer the boat precisely you can drop the anchor in small patches of clear sand avoiding the weed. This communication system needs to worked out beforehand. We use radio communication with some detailed hand signals as back up.

Assuming you can see the bottom, but for many good and popular crusing spots this is the case.

Finally diving or viewing the anchor is good insurance if possible and don't forget the anchor alarm.

[Lagoon4us]

Yes Viv has pre-agreed signals BUT a while ago we saw those Madonna headphone communicators, i think they were a simple setup not sure they had a radio attached i thought independent transmitters.

I'm sure they were waterproof to some extent.... Have you seen them?

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

Yes Viv has pre-agreed signals BUT a while ago we saw those Madonna headphone communicators, i think they were a simple setup not sure they had a radio attached i thought independent transmitters.

I'm sure they were waterproof to some extent.... Have you seen them?

Yes the feedback I get from other crusers is that they work well except when it's very windy, which is Unfortunatly when you need them most.
We started out using UHF walkie talkies but they proved a bit unreliable.

A nice fellow cruser gave me an old VHF handheld that was broken with no batteries. I repaired it , wired into 12v and bolted it to the back of anchor winch remote controls. Our normal ships radio is at the helm so this gives us very good communication.
Using this I need to mindfully of clogging up the VHF airwaves, but most of the places I cruise are out of the way with very little traffic on the VHF. It's used on low power on a working channel.
It is a good safety tool. There is no hand signal for " can you see the snorkeller in the water, directly ahead, near the blue boat"

[Lagoon4us]

I think a waddy of lambswool takes the wind annoyance away.
Another thought is attached to the back of the anchor remote.....

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

Our method is to circle around the anchor drop site slowly checking bottom shape/strata and depth, we drop chain to just put anchor on bottom then pay it out whilst moving slowly backwards either down current or downwind whichever we see as strongest then when sufficient chain is laid out to suit the agreed scope we cleat off and start to firm up on the pull.

Watching 2 fixed marks we judge our holding, if the anchor sets we bring up power for three or so minutes. If it doesn't we do another run..

Usually when it bites the admiral has to reach for the forestay to stop her falling forward...

We assess our final position relative to the other (if any) boats and don't usually leave the boat till totally confident.

We never change the routine tending to both go about the procedure with signals ie thumbs up or down as we go through the process...

Usually 90% success rate, then some charterer dumps on top and we re-anchor, hate them!!!

Works for us.... cheers

That's the way I do it, except that I don't set the anchor with all the chain out; I set it on a 3:1 or 4:1 scope, usually. Then when it is well set by very gentle backing down until the GPS says 0.0 knots and transits are stable, then progressively more and more until I get a full power pull for several minutes (blows out the carbon in the engine at the same time). Then I let out the necessary scope and tie on the snubber.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

That's the way I do it, except that I don't set the anchor with all the chain out; I set it on a 3:1 or 4:1 scope, usually. Then when it is well set by very gentle backing down until the GPS says 0.0 knots and transits are stable, then progressively more and more until I get a full power pull for several minutes (blows out the carbon in the engine at the same time). Then I let out the necessary scope and tie on the snubber.

This technique does help in some situations. It avoids the sudden snatch that can occur if you have a large scope and lots of chain laying on the ground, but most anchors will set deeper when the pull is more horizontal so I generally set at our full scope, but I do give the anchor some gentle tugs once the scope gets over 3:1 however to make sure the chain is really tight and strait.

The opposite technique can be usuful in very difficult holding ground. Setting the anchor at say 7 or 10:1, getting it to bury deep then shortening scope. This can be very helpful if you ever need to anchor on a short scope.

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

That's the way I do it, except that I don't set the anchor with all the chain out; I set it on a 3:1 or 4:1 scope, usually. Then when it is well set by very gentle backing down until the GPS says 0.0 knots and transits are stable, then progressively more and more until I get a full power pull for several minutes (blows out the carbon in the engine at the same time). Then I let out the necessary scope and tie on the snubber.

Yes we don't use all the chain and we always set 3 or 4 to 1 increasing if wind comes up OR is likely to, in 35 knots sheltered nothing moves. We have 80 metres 13mm with 35kg Kobra it works nicely... Ive put one of those rubber stretch donga's into the bridle it works well...

The charterers all watch wondering what the heck we do as most of them just dump and leave only to pick their boats up outside the bay...Big joke.

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

This technique does help in some situations. It avoids the sudden snatch that can occur if you have a large scope and lots of chain laying on the ground, but most anchors will set deeper when the pull is more horizontal so I generally set at our full scope, but I do give the anchor some gentle tugs once the scope gets over 3:1 however to make sure the chain is really tight and strait.

The opposite technique can be usuful in very difficult holding ground. Setting the anchor at say 7 or 10:1, getting it to bury deep then shortening scope. This can be very helpful if you ever need to anchor on a short scope.

It's amazing how much ride-up you get when taking the power off as the chain falls back down from straight.
Viv sees the chain lift from the roller and she knows that pick has set well...
As she witnesses the various sets we swap roles and her understanding is increased knowing both roles.

[Dockhead]

Well, pulled the anchor up this morning and sure enough -- fouled with old ropes and even some old rubber belts. Note to self -- no more letting it drag across the anchorage trying to get it to set.

We had a magnificent sail today. Motored into the teeth of the wind from Portland Harbor down to the infamous Portland Bill (the "English yachtsman's Cape Horn") with its swallows-container-ships-whole tidal race. Threaded the needle between the Race and the Bill - a narrow strip of safe water just a couple of boat lengths wide -- and raised sail. From there 42 miles hard on the wind across Lyme Bay to the ravishingly gorgeous Dartmouth, home of the Britannia Royal Naval Academy, the River Dart guarded by castles on either bank as you enter the harbor. And for the first time I have a berth on the town jetty, rather than on the big ship moorings they usually put us. Life is good . . .

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Well, pulled the anchor up this morning and sure enough -- fouled with old ropes and even some old rubber belts. Note to self -- no more letting it drag across the anchorage trying to get it to set.

We had a magnificent sail today. Motored into the teeth of the wind from Portland Harbor down to the infamous Portland Bill (the "English yachtsman's Cape Horn") with its swallows-container-ships-whole tidal race. Threaded the needle between the Race and the Bill - a narrow strip of safe water just a couple of boat lengths wide -- and raised sail. From there 42 miles hard on the wind across Lyme Bay to the ravishingly gorgeous Dartmouth, home of the Britannia Royal Naval Academy, the River Dart guarded by castles on either bank as you enter the harbor. And for the first time I have a berth on the town jetty, rather than on the big ship moorings they usually put us. Life is good . . .

LOL you should write travel guides!!!! Sounds fantastic .....Cheers

[Robin3]

We always anchored off Castle Cove just clear of the YC moorings, with a Delta and the holding was superb with the anchor setting immediately as it nearly always did.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Robin3

We always anchored off Castle Cove just clear of the YC moorings, with a Delta and the holding was superb with the anchor setting immediately as it nearly always did.

We were quite a bit South of there, near the last fairway buoy. A big open space -- maybe because it's a patch of slimy mud with poor holding? I stayed clear of Castle Cove because it looked very crowded -- moorings all the way to the fairway as far as I could tell. Besides that, the wind was S so I wanted to be closer to the S end of the harbor.

But next time I'll try it there. I was first time in Portland and liked it. Although it was blowing 20 and more, the water was as smooth as a millpond and we had an extremely comfortable night. And there's tons of room in there.

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

We were quite a bit South of there, near the last fairway buoy. A big open space -- maybe because it's a patch of slimy mud with poor holding? I stayed clear of Castle Cove because it looked very crowded -- moorings all the way to the fairway as far as I could tell. Besides that, the wind was S so I wanted to be closer to the S end of the harbor.

But next time I'll try it there. I was first time in Portland and liked it. Although it was blowing 20 and more, the water was as smooth as a millpond and we had an extremely comfortable night. And there's tons of room in there.

I believe the YC moorings are now farther west than before when we were regular visitors but I mean south of Castle Cove beach, not quite in the NE corner If you see the CCYC launch around doing pick ups, ask the boatman and he will tell you where is best but we never had a problem with old mooring tackle or with the holding using either a genuine CQR or on our last boat a Delta. This is a good spot because if you dinghy ashore on the beach it is a very nice walk around the edge of the harbour and into Weymouth. The only drawback now is that since the YC moved they no longer have a pier and dinghy park on CC beach itself and the local yoof can sometimes be a PITA messing with visiting dinghies left on the beach.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Robin3

I believe the YC moorings are now farther west than before when we were regular visitors but I mean south of Castle Cove beach, not quite in the NE corner If you see the CCYC launch around doing pick ups, ask the boatman and he will tell you where is best but we never had a problem with old mooring tackle or with the holding using either a genuine CQR or on our last boat a Delta. This is a good spot because if you dinghy ashore on the beach it is a very nice walk around the edge of the harbour and into Weymouth. The only drawback now is that since the YC moved they no longer have a pier and dinghy park on CC beach itself and the local yoof can sometimes be a PITA messing with visiting dinghies left on the beach.

Thanks for the tip!