Anchoring technique for monohulls

[Bill_Giles]

We just use a single snubber with a chain hook and up to a mooring cleat. Overnight we typically use about 5x depth scope or more if strong winds are expected. I set an electronic anchor alarm and like a tripping line.

[vic008]

3 strand nylon used to make so much noise on the roller in the middle of the night- octoplait ensured a quiet night. And no antichafe as the heat cant escape.

[CarinaPDX]

I fundamentally disagree with the concept of a "lunch hook": you never know when conditions will go to hell so every anchor on a boat should be equal to a main anchor (although the main anchor itself might actually then be up-sized to a storm anchor). It is a very bad idea to go ashore with an undersized anchor holding the boat.

For a rope rode the best line is 8-plait nylon, which has more stretch than double-braid nylon without the issues of 3-strand. It is also the best for snubbers. I have tried various devil's claws for attaching the snubber to chain but find a good knot to be the best. I know there are better choices but I have had good experiences with a rolling hitch provided that the tail is secured by a couple of half-hitches.

Carina has a long bowsprit with bobstay so a bridle is best, run through hawseholes on each side of the bow. (Cleats are mounted beside the hawseholes - running the lines to the center bow cleat results in too much chafe at the hawseholes due to stretching.) When using a single snubber I run it to one side, which would normally be just for short stays - the boat will "hunt" with the assymetrical pull so not ideal. Of course leaving the rode pulling on the windlass is not correct, and leaving rope rode on the bow roller may be less than ideal if the roller is made for chain.

Greg

[Bluechart]

There’s been lots of great comments posted here, and I agree….

For typical lunch anchoring, a snubber is not needed, the windless is a strong piece of equipment.

However, it’s important to keep surging and high loads off the windless.

We use a bridle to the bow cleats, this keeps our boat headed into the wind & seas, very solid, the boat just doesn’t sail around.

We have two - 3 strand nylon snubbers with spliced eyes for the bow cleats, one 15’ we use most of the time, and one 50’ with chafe gear. Both have hooks with locks, so I can choose where to attach it to the chain.
(All the cleats have G10 backing plates.)

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

I fundamentally disagree with the concept of a "lunch hook": you never know when conditions will go to hell so every anchor on a boat should be equal to a main anchor (although the main anchor itself might actually then be up-sized to a storm anchor). It is a very bad idea to go ashore with an undersized anchor holding the boat.

First, I agree with everything else after this paragraph. But this one I don't completely agree with.

I would not go to effort to take our 55 lb Rocna off the bow in order to set a lunch hook. But on many occasions, I have set that anchor with barely two to one scope. Light air, a little swimming, some snacks, maybe a glass of wine -- and anchor up in an hour. Similarly, if I had a boat and set up where setting the anchor required digging it out of an anchor locker and putting it over the side (not a robust cruising boat for sure, but these arrangements do exist), I would be very much in favor of using a 15 lb Danforth in those conditions. These aren't conditions for when people are asleep, or have been having too many drinks, or going ashore. These are conditions where the crew is able to respond quickly. Either to raise the anchor and leave the spot, or to shift to another anchor. Fundamentally very little different than sailing through the same waters. If I had full sail up on a sunny day with 10 knots of wind, and a 60 knot thunderstorm came through, it would be even worse than sitting on a 15 lb Danforth when that thunderstorm came through.

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

First, I agree with everything else after this paragraph. But this one I don't completely agree with.

I would not go to effort to take our 55 lb Rocna off the bow in order to set a lunch hook. But on many occasions, I have set that anchor with barely two to one scope. Light air, a little swimming, some snacks, maybe a glass of wine -- and anchor up in an hour. Similarly, if I had a boat and set up where setting the anchor required digging it out of an anchor locker and putting it over the side (not a robust cruising boat for sure, but these arrangements do exist), I would be very much in favor of using a 15 lb Danforth in those conditions. These aren't conditions for when people are asleep, or have been having too many drinks, or going ashore. These are conditions where the crew is able to respond quickly. Either to raise the anchor and leave the spot, or to shift to another anchor. Fundamentally very little different than sailing through the same waters. If I had full sail up on a sunny day with 10 knots of wind, and a 60 knot thunderstorm came through, it would be even worse than sitting on a 15 lb Danforth when that thunderstorm came through.

Yes, one can imagine that in very specific circumstances an undersized anchor would not be a significant risk. The problem is a lunch hook on the bow next to the main anchor, or perhaps in an anchor locker, is just too convenient and will inevitably be used when caution would argue for the main anchor. Of course if it weren't that convenient then what is the point? One of the lessons of cruising is that the main anchor should be used almost always, and thus it must be arranged to be as convenient as possible, in which case the lunch hook doesn't have much to offer. And if the need arises to set a second anchor an undersized one is not what you want.

I started out with a beautiful polished bronze R.C. Plath manual windlass and learned the hard way that it was too inconvenient, which in turn lead to not moving when caution dictated that the effort be done. My world changed the day I first anchored with an electric windlass, It is so convenient that there is never a question about cutting corners on the length of the rode, or not moving when the first attempt didn't end up working out. Making the safe decision a convenient one means safety will be a higher priority.

Greg

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

I started out with a beautiful polished bronze R.C. Plath manual windlass and learned the hard way that it was too inconvenient, which in turn lead to not moving when caution dictated that the effort be done. My world changed the day I first anchored with an electric windlass, It is so convenient ...

OK, just gotta say, I have this windlass. Have had it for more than a decade of cruising with this boat. I anchor almost all the time, sometimes in challenging areas. Hauling up when needed is just part of the life.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

I started out with a beautiful polished bronze R.C. Plath manual windlass and learned the hard way that it was too inconvenient, which in turn lead to not moving when caution dictated that the effort be done.
Greg

That is just not good seamanship to not do what you know you should for a safe vessel .

I have that same windlass just do what you have to it's called life

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by newhaul

That is just not good seamanship to not do what you know you should for a safe vessel .

I have that same windlass just do what you have to it's called life

Well, seems to me that the OP's response is also good seamanship: if the ship's equipment does not suit one's abilities or preferences, change the equipment to such that does suit.

I see nothing unseamanlike in what he has done.

Jim

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Well, seems to me that the OP's response is also good seamanship: if the ship's equipment does not suit one's abilities or preferences, change the equipment to such that does suit.

I see nothing unseamanlike in what he has done.

Jim

Yes eventually but 20 ft per minute is not exactly inconvenient. When the vessels safety is potentially in play

[sailingharry]

The problem is that decisions are very rarely black and white. If the anchor is well set and holding, but we're looking at a potential ten knot increase in wind, the difficulty of moving might lead one to stay, but if it were easy they might move. A 30 knot potential increase in wind might be a no-brainer and you would make the effort. The point is that the easier it is to adjust, the more likely you are to do it in when the need is not quite so clear.

Not safety related, but a sort of similar example. We were tied to a huge commercial mooring buoy. In the middle of the night, the wind died and the buoy was bouncing against the hull. A big plastic ball, so no damage was being done, but it was keeping us awake. In under 10 minutes, we got up, started the engine, dropped off the ball, moved 100 yards and set the anchor. If it would have been a half hour effort, we probably would have just tried to sleep through it. The easier things are, the more likely you are to do them.

[Shrew]

IMHO there is no difference between anchoring a mono-hull or a multi-hull. I also don't see the point in a 'Lunch Hook'. I can justify carrying 3 anchors.

A primary bower
A Stern Anchor
(optional) Storm anchor

Again IMHO, the primary bower should be able to handle all conditions, but I don't typically plan to be out in hurricane conditions.

As I see it, then gear is sized for the boat, the scope is calculated by depth and tide swing.

It should take no more time or effort to anchor with a small anchor short scoped as it would a properly sized anchor at adequate scope. Therefore, I see no reason to anchor differently.

My last thought on this is, severe thunderstorms can and do happen. I've sat on beautiful sunny afternoon, to get hit with a severe thunderstorms or microbursts with winds 40-50. While these only last maybe 20 min. that is no time to realize that my short scoped and undersized anchor is going to present a problem.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

The easier things are, the more likely you are to do them.

Of course, if this is the measure, then the easiest thing to do is to stay on land . (Almost) Everything is harder on a boat, so why would you do it if you want life to be easy?

A manual windlass is harder to use than an electric -- when everything is working right. Of course, electrics have more paths to failure, so that's also a consideration. But regardless, just like manual winches, I assume almost everyone here wouldn't hesitate to use them to do what needs to be done to keep the boat running well.


On the so-called "lunch stop", I've never understood the concept. When we anchor, we anchor properly, with our bower anchor. If we didn't, then the slightest breeze could get us moving. Unless there is no wind/current, an unset anchor isn't going to hold anything. And the difference between laying out 3:1 rode vs 5:1 (or more), really isn't that much. Just takes a little more time to lower and haul in.

I suppose if you're in well known waters, with good holding, and that are guaranteed to remain calm, then you can get away with less-than-correct anchoring. My travels rarely see me in these kinds of places.

[jimp1234]

I'd go at least one size up on the anchor size. Get a "modern" anchor, e.g. Rocna, Spade, Mantus. (I have a spade anchor). I have 200 ft. 3/8 G4 attached to a 75 ft. 8 plait rope road. My backup is a fortress with 25ft chain attached to 125ft 3 ply. I'd only use it if I had to cut away my primary bower anchor. If you're lucky your chain locker will be deep enough so you don't have a problem with castling or pyramiding. I had to redesign mine. I use a Crosby 219a shackle. I've been in Mexico the last 6 months so mostly sandy bottoms and I've had good success with 4 to 1 up to 6 to 1 scopes. I use a single 3 strand snubber using a double rolling hitch. Back down on your set in 100 rpm increments until you get to 1300 - 1500 rpm. Easy peasy. Oh, one other handy item is a good quality range finder (I went with one used for hunting) to tell distance from shore and other boats. Finally because I don't have a chain counter, one of us is at the bow counting marks on the chain using Eartec headsets. Like always this works for me in my current cruising grounds but YMMV.

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Yes eventually but 20 ft per minute is not exactly inconvenient. When the vessels safety is potentially in play

What you say is logically correct as we sit inside in comfy chairs and type on our computers, but all of us humans are sometimes susceptible to a temptation to accept the easy way out when we’re fatigued after a long day or some other task is calling to us. It’s very seamanlike for you to always be disciplined enough with yourself to ignore your fatigue or other distractions and make sure you’re anchored securely, but it’s equally seamanlike for another sailor to recognize his human weakness and do whatever it takes for him to also be anchored securely. It’s the end result that counts, not how you get there. I know I’ve occasionally talked myself into taking the easy way out when I was hot and tired and had other things that also needed my attention. The important thing is that you are both striving to do it right but just have a slightly different approach.