Anchors are a Drag... Waking Up On a Beach in Our Boat

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by FSMike

A 45 kg Ultra? Just guessing.

Yes, 45kg Ultra with Ultra swivel and up to 300ft of 1/2 chain. Only 150ft deployed on that evening providing 7.3:1 scope

[a64pilot]

I use Drag Queen app on an Iphone, it's free but you do have to leave the phone on charge, but how much power can a cell phone not transmitting use?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I use Drag Queen app on an Iphone, it's free but you do have to leave the phone on charge, but how much power can a cell phone not transmitting use?

We now use the anchor alarm on INavx via our Ipad air. But the night of our adventure, we didn't have it turned on. I'd also looked at Drag Queen months ago, but the GPS on my android phone seems to be messed up.

[ontherocks83]

Glad to hear you two and the boat came out unscathed. Thank you for the story!!

[nautical62]

I've just dragged twice on my boat, also once someone hooked my anchor trying to drop theirs, and once on a friend's boat. All four times I woke up sensing something was wrong - I think I've done a fairly good job tuning myself to the boat's motion. Often when anchored in a current (Bahamas), the change of motion caused when the tide changes wakes me up.

Certainly an anchor alarm can be helpful in some situations, but often, I'm anchored in places where once I've dragged any notable distance outside my swing arc, I'm already in trouble.

Most helpful for me has been to snorkel on my anchor. Every once in a while it feels really well set when backing on it, but snorkeling on it shows it's not.

[MarkJ]

Its only a bloody Oyster. If you'd have rocked it up just go buy another one!

The great thing about cruising is no matter how good you do things it can all go to hell unexpectedly, anytime.

My iPad wont function with anchor alarms, something about background programs turning off. So I use my trusty old Garmin handheld 76CX.

Glad you got off so easily. It must be a sign from Neptune to beware.


Mark

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Its only a bloody Oyster. If you'd have rocked it up just go buy another one!



The great thing about cruising is no matter how good you do things it can all go to hell unexpectedly, anytime.



My iPad wont function with anchor alarms, something about background programs turning off. So I use my trusty old Garmin handheld 76CX.



Glad you got off so easily. It must be a sign from Neptune to beware.





Mark

On my Iphone that is why you have to leave Drag Queen open which keeps the screen lit and eats power, so you have to have it on charge, I assume thins is an Apple thing, or is it the app?

[Nicholson58]

Skill is great but I'll take luck any day.

[noelex 77]

Thanks for a great lesson Ken.

As many will know I am strong supporter of modern anchors. In my view they are vastly superior to the older designs. However, the danger of promoting their prowess is that it can create the expectation that these anchors are infallible. They are not.

Originally Posted by Kenomac

In hindsight, now we always set an anchor alarm..

+1
There seems to be a perception that setting an anchor alarm is somehow unseamanlike.

My anchor alarm is on 24 hours a day while anchored, whether the wind is 5 knots, or 50 knots. I have a low power draw plotter next to my bed. It is on all night.

[ontherocks83]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Thanks for a great lesson Ken.
+1
There seems to be a perception that setting an anchor alarm is somehow unseamanlike.

They've had anchor alarms for 100's of years. It's called the poor bastard on fire watch.

[dannc]

Originally Posted by HopCar

You broke the rule and used the "A" word!
Here comes the advise. Your anchor is too small, it's the wrong kind, and you don't have enough chain!

Now that is settled, shall we talk about your gun?

What kind of gun does one need to shoot floating bottles with messages inside, after said bottles had been cleaned in gallons of fresh water, and which anchor should I use to hold the boat in place?

Glad the OP got out of that little situation so cheaply.

Scary.

Later,
Dan

[a64pilot]

I use the same gun I use to shoot an azimuth with

[Stu Jackson]

kenomac, glad it all worked out for you. Thanks for sharing, most folks would not "want to admit...". A few weeks ago we backed down on the anchor, seemed OK, but then we drug. Raised it, dropped again, drug worse!!! Pulled up - BIG hairball on the anchor, went over to a dock, slimed the hairball off, dropped again and set fine. It's always something, and we've been in this particular anchorage, oh, let's say 100 times at least in the past 10 years!

[a64pilot]

Hairball?

[socaldmax]

Wow! I bet that was a scary way to wake up! So glad it just nestled in there without hitting anything, very lucky!