How/Where to Anchor in a Hurricane/Typhoon

[Gone2long]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Silly question, but a Tri, would it make sense to partially flood one to increase its weight? Or am I making too much of this wind getting under it thing?


Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Interesting question. I have no idea; but I will say that my boat looks more like a Corsair, than it does a Lagoon 50. So, the suggestion might not be completely out of line.

My thought however, is that, the more weight I add, the more drag on the anchor.

A little lift might not be a bad thing.

G2L

[Gone2long]

Originally Posted by zeehag

i endured the strongest furycame on record--yes even stronger than winston-- thank gods it was small center--- but it was still vile. there are places on west coast safe from storms. you experience the storm but ye donot get the damages as the location has been designed for the job of hidey hole.
if we knew where you are located, info could be made more specific for ye.

I'm supposed to be in one now, but what I have experienced so far, is not at all comforting.

I will PM you wlth more info.

Thanks,

G2L

[Gone2long]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

G2L,

One problem that hasn't been mentioned yet are the tourist boats, that go up the mangrove creek when planned, and spiderweb. You have to get tucked way back in there, where there is little flow, before they do, or go somewhere else.

What State are you located in? or, even, what country? In Cairns, Qld., Australia, the Harbourmaster assigns the places for all the boats to go--the docks are emptied.

Ann

Will pm you w. details.

Thanks,

G2L

[Gone2long]

Originally Posted by velella15

Just a warning about the advice to tie up in a mangrove creek. I was in a ketch hiding from a cyclone in the Bay of Islands, Fiji. Two yacht were anchored up a nearby creek where they escaped most of the wind that I experienced. However, it is common to get torrential rain with a cyclone - water built up behind debris in the creek until it burst through sending a wall of water out to the sea. The two yachts still attached to mangroves dragged out into the bay and caused havoc amongst the other sheltering vessels (the event is described in "Beneath the Surface; tales of a sailing marine biologist" by Michael King)

Worthy comment. I have seen it happen, but thankfully, without boats in the way.

Guess one's best option is always the same: "Take all factors into consideration". For instance, if there were too many boats in the bay, frightfully close to each other, the creek option might be the best.

On Okinawa, the creek did not go far inland before it got very shallow. There was a dam and a bridge above where the boats lay, and the area was mostly populated, with concrete homes, not wood land. What came down the creek was runoff, old sandals, beer bottles, and, thankfully, not much more.

Seems like all such stuff should be cpnsidered when trying to make the smartest decision.

Thanks for your reply,

G2L

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Gone2long

Got it. In this neck of the woods, I have heard at least a couple of stories which would validate your primary worry.

Expecting a 180 also makes sense, but I am worried about the 2 anchor solution. If they got tangled when it was blowing 250 kmh, I'd be risking my life trying to free one. What's your take on that?

Thanks,

G2L

If it was blowing that hard you'd be risking your neck just being on the boat.. and untangling two rodes would be the least of your worries..

[Gone2long]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

A few years ago a cat 4 or 5 went through a place called Cardwell in the Hinchenbrook Passage and all the boats and pontoons ended up in a massive windrow to one side of the marina. One boat went down the Passage and anchored/tied off in a mangrove creek and although declared missing turned up a few days later undamaged.


About two years ago there was a series of posts herein of a cat which had sheltered in Island Head Creek fairly close to the mouth but back in the mangroves. It flipped and rolled three sixty into the mangroves but was salvaged.


You do not have to be very far inland before the wind speed starts to drop, if one is available I am going as far up the nearest river and up a side stream if one is available otherwise as near to the bank as possible on the inside just down stream of a bend. Be mindful that trees can lose limbs or blow over so avoid the big ones. Google Earth is a good tool to help find these places.


A small axe and a trenching tool are handy things to have aboard if you need to cut small logs and bury them in trenches as deadmen in the absence of decent sized trees to tie off to or to bury an anchor ashore.


I have found that taking a fairly long bow line ashore and setting for and aft breast lines allows one to set the rudder to hold the boat off the bank in a fast flowing river.

Good tip on the stream positioning and on the logs if one has the time. An odd sized boulder might work even better. Dig under it and tie up. Replace the earth and add a few more boulders on top for peace of mind.

Thanks,

G2L

[Hudson Force]

I think that success comes with using the forecast time early and preparing for those events that might not even turn your way. I've defended against twice as many tropical storms as those that have struck my location. Preparation and finding the best location is key. Once the winds reach hurricane force it's just time to watch and wait. There is no functioning activity for you on deck,- 'no wisdom in trying to manage things then.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Gone2long

My thought however, is that, the more weight I add, the more drag on the anchor.
G2L

Wind drag no, you may even slightly lower it, but as your weight is increased, the inertia is too of course, so you would definitely "snatch" much harder.
Maybe not flood her, but maybe a bunch of sand bags?

[Gone2long]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

I think that success comes with using the forecast time early and preparing for those events that might not even turn your way. I've defended against twice as many tropical storms as those that have struck my location. Preparation and finding the best location is key. Once the winds reach hurricane force it's just time to watch and wait. There is no functioning activity for you on deck,- 'no wisdom in trying to manage things then.

Words of wisdom, seems to me. How does the old saying go ... "An ounce of prevention ...." Of course, a ton or so of prevention can't hurt either, right? : )

Thanks,

G2L

[Tbrad]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I have only one tactic..
GTF outa Dodge..
There's more boats that get wrecked doing 'All the Right Things' than survive..
I don't care what anyone says..

Couldn't agree more. Right again Boaty. If you do everything right but a half dozen others not so right not onlly do you have debris flying but you also have to contend with roaming boats.

[zeehag]

be in lee side of wtf you hide in, and secure with enough chain to accommodate the surge and swells. many anchors like a spideys web. best of good luck. you donot need a patricia or winston on ye.

BEST thing is to research hit zones and exit and avoid those... find a less busy place to anchor for the storms from hell.

[JPA Cate]

G2L: Your Message box is full!

Thanks for the fill, G2L. Sorry, we don't have any connections in your area.

Assuming you'll be staying in that bay with the sharply sloping bottom. For retrieving, you'll be able to use a line on the anchor chain to a primary winch. Some people use one port, one stbd. You can use a chain hook, or a rolling hitch. It is tedious, because you can only retrieve one deck length at a time. Using this method, you save your back. Remember you can easily get 3 or 4 meters of storm surge from a typhoon, and that your chain scope is your friend. My point being that the scope which is adequate today may not be, tomorrow. [Side question: is there any hope of getting a mooring down before the season starts?]

This is really a hard problem. You don't want to be able to thump the bottom, when the rope rode stretches and you're limited chain-wise, as well as room and geography.

Maybe you can do the "V" deal, if you can get another anchor. That can limit your swing, but isn't as suited to a 180 deg. wind shift as a Bahamian moor, which will really keep you in the middle.

The bow structure did not look really strong in the pic you posted. Have you considered adding backing plates at the bow cleats? I'm sure you know to strip the boat. Find somewhere to store the sails if they won't fit below.

Are there mangroves around the edges of the bay that you could spider-web to?

Keep on asking, maybe someone can come up with an idea for you to keep your boat safe. Offer the details of what you have available to work with.

Good luck.

Ann

[HopCar]

The State of Florida and in particular Miami-Dade County has a long history of dealing with hurricanes. The following link will take you to a publication developed by the University of Florida and Miami-Dade County on hurricane preparation for marine interests. It discusses various anchoring techniques.
http://monroe.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/commu...aneManual1.pdf

You can tell from the recommended anchors it is a few years old. Better anchors are available now but the techniques to use them haven't.

[Hudson Force]

HopCar's comment about the State of Florida and hurricane procedures reminds me of another reason to respond early with plans for the boat during a threat of a hurricane. Make your move early to position your vessel. Once there is a hurricane warning and land based people are evacuating, bridges will remain closed for the uninterrupted flow of traffic and there will not be openings of bridges to accommodate your boat.

[zeehag]

g2l---- make a V with angle greater than 90 degrees and you will not twist. i did this for a winter in sd anchorage 9, when it was named cruisers anchorage, before time limits. i knew the currents and i knew the winds in storms there, so i laid out my V with more than 90 degrees and leaned on one anchor then on the other, without ever twisting. one was set from northwest, the other from south. 75 ft rode each. we didnt have canes there.

i was the only boat there with less than 5 ft draft, so it was perfect. my water was 8 ft