Anchors - Bigger is Better ?

[bfloyd4445]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

sure . . . . but hopefully a solution with more resistance than a wheel

The best "theoretical" answer is easy, but you need two solutions on your bow . . . an auto winding helix screw (for penetrating bottoms - sand, mud) and an explosive expansion bolt (for non-penetrating bottoms - rock, solid coral base). Both need a small optional lawnmower attachment to reach the bottom thru kelp

Edit . . . hmmm perhaps you can combine them into one anchor by putting the explosive expansion bolt on the tip of the helix screw

hummm......great idea Estrzinger, you should tie up along side and we can work out the details over a keg of Christmas grog which must be used before it spoils. Really good stuff and fresh just made it last week.

[cheoah]

Double whiskey, I enjoyed your story very much on this winter's night! Great stuff....

Dropping an anchor and tying stern to quay is something I've never done. I can certainly visualize the technique, and I can also imagine the carnage in a B3 crosswind...

That's my favorite part about anchoring, is the swinging around without any hard stuff around. I mean, how often do people really get med mooring right? For bareboat Joe and Jane, it sounds like a lot to ask..., but I get the sense that plenty of people zip right in and nail it.

It would be very challenging for me in a crosswind, but a fast setting anchor would eliminate one worry. Still, I'd really rather be surrounded by lots of water, and dink to shore.

Stern to the quay, m'lady

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by DoubleWhisky

The beauty of Fortress for me is, that You can have a bunch of them on board if You wish, and change between them easily, how situation dictates.

Merry Christmas to all

This is starting to sound like the Golfers' Forum ... 'pass me my FX55 caddy..er.. bosun...'

Feliz Navidad a todos... and may all your anchors stay well set in the New Year

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

This is starting to sound like the Golfers' Forum ... 'pass me my FX55 caddy..er.. bosun...'

I just tried to imagine my dearest Admiral, with a caddy containing a handful of Fortresses, trolleying them to the bow...

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by cheoah

Double whiskey, I enjoyed your story very much on this winter's night! Great stuff....
Dropping an anchor and tying stern to quay is something I've never done. I can certainly visualize the technique, and I can also imagine the carnage in a B3 crosswind...
That's my favorite part about anchoring, is the swinging around without any hard stuff around. I mean, how often do people really get med mooring right? For bareboat Joe and Jane, it sounds like a lot to ask..., but I get the sense that plenty of people zip right in and nail it.
It would be very challenging for me in a crosswind, but a fast setting anchor would eliminate one worry. Still, I'd really rather be surrounded by lots of water, and dink to shore.
Stern to the quay, m'lady

It is not so difficult, if You set Your anchor properly at first. Some boats are not very steerable backwards, so better to practice a little for the beginning. Some time ago, when I was chartering, I used to try the technique, with unknown boat, on open anchorage first, backing the boat to the moored fender.

Bow thruster helps, if You have one.

It was not rare for us to moor such a way in crosswinds of twenty something knots, doublehanded, on 26 ton, 16 metres boat. Generally we did it in harbours offering at least some protection from the swell.
What You need in strong crosswind is really well setting and holding anchor, all chain rode (six boatlengths is reasonable) and good knowledge of the technique by the person operating the windlass).
First You must to check the placement of anchors of the boats moored on the sides of Your chosen slot. The rodes will show You direction, hopefully slightly to the windward. The best place to drop Your anchor is just in the line going 90˚ to the quay and passing the bow of the boat on windward side of the slot. If only possible it is best to drop an anchor at the distance from the quay even to the length of Your chain, because it is advisable to end the whole maneuver with at least four, better five boatlengths of chain between Your bow and the anchor.
You need to lower anchor to the seabed quickly, and immediately start Your approach backwards. If You have an anchor of Spade kind for example (snap holding) it will be good to stop a chain for an instant and catch the bottom, but the windlass operator must be quick as a light in order to stop not Your progress to backward. With gently setting anchors (Rocna, Supreme) it is the easiest. You just need to keep the chain running so to keep it straight but no tight. With older generation (Delta for example) which need to drag somewhat before setting it is most difficult – You need to have chain tight enough to make an anchor move, but this move must be not too fast, to let the anchor set. Once it held, You just keep the chain straight.
While You go backwards it is necessary to keep aiming for the bow of the boat moored to the windward of the slot (steering into the slot in very last moment). You must remember to put to the shore ONLY Your windward mooring line, tighten it quickly (almost everytime some other boaties are ready to pick up Your lines), and adjust the chain (if You have on the bottom something like Rocna it will take a minute or two, as You will be setting her properly by tightening the chain). In the meantime You keep the boat in place, held by WINDWARD mooring line by engaging Your engine forward and adjusting the revs accordingly to the wind. When the chain is adjusted, You can put on Your leeward mooring line out. Better never to do it earlier. Always somebody on the quay will tie it somewhere, and You will be not able to balance the crosswind by engine. It mean crushing to quay by stern and to leeward boat by bow. Nothing pretty really. At the last stage, if Your windlass is not powerful enough to finally power set the anchor it is advisable to loose both warps, taking up the resulting slack on the chain on windlass, move out about half a boatlength from the slot and then power set Your anchor by back revs. After You can back the boat into the slot again, and finally adjust the chain and warps.
As You can see it is maneuver difficult to execute singlehanded, even if You can operate the windlass from the cockpit.
On our boat we sail as a couple most of the time, and procedure is manageable, but we need the helpful hand from the shore to quickly put the warp through the eye or around the bollard and to tie it or to pass it back to the boat. I’m always coming near to the slot first, asking somebody for help. It also gives me the opportunity to inspect other boats rodes closely – good to get a picture what probably is underwater.
If there is not help from shore it means that the quay is empty of boats, and the outside help is not necessary. I can just back the boat to the place several meters to the windward from intended place of mooring, coming close enough for my wife to jump onto the quay safely and fix the windward line on quay somewhere to the leeward. The wind will put the boat into the intended place. I just need take up the slack quickly, and engage engine forward immediately after making warp fast.

As You see it is not difficult, but You do need good orientation, good coordination and somebody qualified operating a windlass. In crosswind the person on the windlass has in the matter of fact much more difficult task than helmsman. I’m really happy, as my dearest Admiral really excels in anchor/windlass operation and has time of reaction just like fighter pilot. I can remember some situations when we moored safely much more thanks to her skills, than my own.

What is important for this thread: when Med mooring undersized anchor is straight dangerous.
The “Noelex Principle” works here well – the biggest anchor You can handle conveniently is the proper one. What is also important – for Med mooring the gently setting anchors (like Rocna, Supreme, probably Mantus) are the best choice as they allow for executing the maneuver in most straightforward manner.

Oh, and exercise on Med mooring, just on anchorage, backing to the buoy, fender moored by a piece of stone – can be enjoyable really. Changing helmsmen and winchmen. Any failure cost a beer…

[noelex 77]

Med mooring looks difficult, but in reality it is not hard.

It is much easier if your boat steers well in reverse. Having anchor controls at the helm helps with a small crew. An anchor that sets reliably is vital, otherwise you have to repeat the whole procedure.

It is also important the anchor holds well. Some anchors have a tendency to "creep" a little especially in a softer bottom. Moving backwards a few feet, but remaining set. This is not of any consequence when anchored normally, but does cause problems if your stern is only a few feet from concrete, or rocks.

Personally I am not great fan of being tied to quay wall, but tying your stern to rock is very pleasant and opens up a few anchorages that are unusable otherwise. With several crew the technique is the same as DoubleWhisky's great description. With only two on board tying to a rock can be a bit more difficult. It takes a surprisingly long time to get the stern line tied. The best technique with only two crew is to pre-tie a line to the rock with a fender tied to the end.

Happy Christmas to everyone. I hope Santa finds your boat even if you are anchored.

[JonJo]

Happy New Year,

I do not recall if this has appeared on this thread:

Wemar's Tandem Anchor

Tandem Anchor System by Weber Marine

It seemed vaguely appropriate to solicit comment.

Jonathan

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by JonJo

Happy New Year,

I do not recall if this has appeared on this thread:

Wemar's Tandem Anchor

Tandem Anchor System by Weber Marine

It seemed vaguely appropriate to solicit comment.

Jonathan

I found this also in Plastimo catalogue some time ago

Plastimo

Page 155

I didn't found any real life reports on this, and can not imagine nor the setting not retrieval procedure for this thing...

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by JonJo

Happy New Year,

I do not recall if this has appeared on this thread:

Wemar's Tandem Anchor

Tandem Anchor System by Weber Marine

It seemed vaguely appropriate to solicit comment.

Jonathan

The Tandem Anchor was talked aboat a while back.


Would be a geat way to make a chain nest.
Would be great only if the wind is blowing you off shore and not into the rocks.


Sweet anchor

Wemar Tandem Anchor System - YouTube

[Cotemar]

Talon shallow water anchor.
Good for upto 12 foot depth.
We anchor in 6 to 12 feet all the time.

Just imagine if they could scale this anchor up to hold a larger vessel. Its an interesting design.

Minn Kota Talon Shallow Water Anchor - Product Overview - YouTube

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

It is much easier if your boat steers well in reverse..

That reminds me of a saying I think I heard my grandfather say growing up as a kid all the time...something like:

"If your grandmother had wheels she would be a wagon"

I guess I'll have to trade in this full Keel backing Pig for some moden under belly reversing prop boat

[motion30]

I finally had the chance to use my new 105lb mantus . About pulled the windless out of the.deck. it set immediately even in the grassy bottom of the fl keys
I slept very well

[JonJo]

How to make friends and influence people?

After getting on for 2,000 posts and 50,000 visits it turns out that any advise given here is pretty useless.

There are not that many sailing Forum sites and only 1 or 2 that are really well used. The wll used sites I scan do have apparently leanred comment from people who do not know that much on the subject but each Forum has a goodly number of very reputable contributors and it is very easy to sort wheat from chaff - maybe MC are not so discerning My guess is CF is in their sight.

20 Tips For Anchoring Safely And Securely

Check Points 19 and 20.

Fortunately there is an alternative to advise from CF, as indicated in point 20.

I'll stick with CF which has a rather comfortable cross section from across the globe sailing different yachts etc etc.

Jonathan

[conachair]

Originally Posted by JonJo

How to make friends and influence people?

After getting on for 2,000 posts and 50,000 visits it turns out that any advise given here is pretty useless.

Any advise?

Seems to be quite a lot of common ground between the link and posts on here.

Sent from my SGP312 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Steve Pope]

Opinions are just that "the opinion of one poster", Sort out what works for you and go sailing. Life's to short to waste time argueing !!!