Single handed anchoring - el. windlass required

[theway]

If the wind and/or current are preventing me from pulling in the anchor by hand I use the engine to idle forward as I pull in the chain. I lock the wheel straight and the boat steers toward the anchor by the pulling that I am doing.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Vasco

I have found that in a hard blow you haul in a few feet at a time as the boat goes from one tack to the other. It helps if you have someone on the helm but it is a slow process.

Yes, I agree.... once it breaks loose though, you better get it up real quick!

[Greg S]

This is very tongue in cheek.... The best thing to do is pull it up by hand while screaming at your wife over the howling wind/rain and slewing mud all over the deck. Lots of people do it, and it's always entertaining for the folks anchored around you.

In reality, I have NEVER regretted installing the windlass and deck wash-down. Push a button, aim the hose, go back to the cockpit for the second cup of coffee and enjoy the day.

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

The problem hauling chain by hand becomes really apparent and quite dangerous when swell/chop or waves have sprung up in your anchorage, crushed fingers, strained back they are all possible....
Lifting by hand is not for everyone.

Fit a chain pawl. Makes lifting my 45lb Mason plow with 3/8 chain by hand reasonably easy and safe on my 34 foot 8 tonne yacht.

It's a good backup for when the windlass dies and a very lightweight and cheap solution. Just make sure it's built real strong.

[John A]

Please repost your opinions about hauling the anchor up by hand once you've pasted the age of 65.

[Zonker]

Thanks a lot guys ... I guess I will mount an electrical one which can be manually operated too.

Always forgetting the safety factor ...

[simonmd]

I can tell you that from my experience, if you can afford one, get an electric one. I singlehand a 30ft cat, have 40 meters of chain on board and have a manual windlass.

Now, for day to day use, the manual windlass is fine. I drive over the anchor, get up front and crank away. It works and its good excercise!

BUT, no, thants not big enough,

BUT

if you are in a tight spot and start to drag while singlehanding, youre in trouble. I speak from experience with this, if you read the thread I started about anchoring and dragging, you'll know why. http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ing-84401.html

Suffice to say that pulling up a bit, then running back to the cockpit to thrust forward again as the wind has blown you back, then running to the foredeck and cranking in another 20ft before having to run back and thrust forward again, etc, etc, untill youve got it all up is NO FUN AT ALL!

For a singlehander, being able to press a button from the cockpit while controling your drive against the wind and direction is going to be a BIG help.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by John A

Please repost your opinions about hauling the anchor up by hand once you've pasted the age of 65.

I used to struggle when I was 25!
My tip is don't ever anchor in 20m if you are hauling the anchor up by hand.

[charliehows]

i have a manual winch for my 45lb CQR, all chain rode, dont find i have too much trouble with pulling it single handed, but i keep a danforth with a short chain and long rope so if its really windy and im on a lee shore i can run over the CQR, drop the danforth and take my time pulling the CQR up, then pull the danforth up quickly by hand. Only had to do this once but it definitely made it safer. I tend to use the danforth for short stops too, and deep anchoring when ive occasionally had engine problems and have had do running repairs.

[Tony B]

The issue is not whether you are strong enough to pull the anchor up or not. It is rather, are you quick enough to pull up the anchor and rode and fast enough to get back to the cockpit and steer your boat away from grounding or crashing in tight quarters while single handling.
I have anchored in some areas during a blow and had to stay a few days longer than planned because of this very reason. Not all of us are fortunate enough to have really large anchorages.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by John A

Please repost your opinions about hauling the anchor up by hand once you've pasted the age of 65.

I still pull up a 33# Bruce and 3/8 chain by hand, no windlass on my CS36M. My deepest anchorage up here is 20 feet so at worst I am hauling the combined weight of the anchor and about 25 feet of chain and a few pounds of mud. Getting a bit more difficult these days but I'm still doing it. Not too often, but a dozen times a season.

OTOH I just love my electric windlass on my B393.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Tony B

The issue is not whether you are strong enough to pull the anchor up or not. It is rather, are you quick enough to pull up the anchor and rode and fast enough to get back to the cockpit and steer your boat away from grounding or crashing in tight quarters while single handling.
I have anchored in some areas during a blow and had to stay a few days longer than planned because of this very reason. Not all of us are fortunate enough to have really large anchorages.

Many good pieces of advice here. In many boating "issues" what we have is usually what we propose. In some cases, better actually is better.

We have 40 feet of 1/4" chain and 200 ft. of 1/2" rode with a 22# Rocna (New Zealand, not Chinese!!!).

I anchor weekly, BUT we have superb open anchorages with not much traffic. This is a Godsend when singlehanding, which is almost all of my anchoring.

I use the "coffee-in-the-morning" trick. Haul a bit at a time with coffee on the foredeck before the wind comes up. That, of course, assumes that I've been smart enough to not spend too much time listening to music and generally goofing off and staying up too late the night before. Heck, nautical sunrise is 0530 around here this time of year!

If I'm "late" and the wind has started, I use the engine. I also have sailed out, maybe 5% of the time. I like the idea of locking the wheel and idling forward, which I've tried a few times, but I find if the wind is over 10 knots, I need to really goose the throttle to get past the anchor and haul up as the boat settles back.

I added a chain hook on a short line from the port bow cleat to grab the chain if it's still down and the boat settles back. I used to use a centered big bow cleat, but the links kept fouling and not releasing.

I once tried 3/8" chain and found it way oversized for my anchoring practices. I used this handy table to size my anchoring SYSTEM: see Reply #6 Ground Tackle & Anchor System Sizing TABLES & Swivels

I figure that even a 35# anchor instead of my 22# would only be the difference in 35-22, since the chain size would still be 1/4", maybe 5/16", but 3/8" is overkill except for a storm anchor.

Good luck, it's fun. When I hit 70 I'll get a windlass. Shoot, gettin' too close to that...

[surfmachine]

Avast Zonker.

Forget all that b..s about pulling it up by hand cranking!!

Especially if you are single handed!! It's nice to watch your girlfriend bend over and pull the anchor in while you shout orders from the helm, but try doing it yourself when there is a 2' sea state and 20 knots of headwind!! And the anchorage has turned into a lee shore!!

Just you try it when things are going pear shaped?? It will nearly, or will kill you!!

It's all rosy and cheap when it is calm and no swell and she is not dragging??

Best dollars I ever spent was on a electric, vertical anchor windlass, for my 31' yacht. Use welding cable to run the power there from the battery and get a reversing one with a hand held remote control, on a lead, at the bow and one at the helm. You will find anchoring a cinch, relatively speaking, with this set up!

They say it is ok if you have a strong back and under 90, but your back wont be strong for long if you persist in a manual windlass? Those winch type ones are a killer, the horizontal, hand crank type, with a long lever are much better, but so sloooooooooooow!!

Cheers from Keith.

[Sandero]

My boat is 16K displacement and has a fair amount of freeboard and windage and getting the anchor up single handed is not happening. My Maxwell Nilson vertical VWC1000 IS another crew as is my Autopilot. Both are essential for ME singlehanding MY boat.

With some wind, you have to take it slow and let the catenary weight get the boat moving toward the anchor and then wind in some more chain ... and you usually have to do this with bow to wind and wait if the bow has blown off to leeward.

In light winds all you do is press the button, the windlass has enough force to get the boat moving and with the catenary you can simply haul in all the chain with on continuous press of the *up* bottom.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Fit a chain pawl. Makes lifting my 45lb Mason plow with 3/8 chain by hand reasonably easy and safe on my 34 foot 8 tonne yacht.

It's a good backup for when the windlass dies and a very lightweight and cheap solution. Just make sure it's built real strong.

Do you have to get on your knees to get the angle right to pull through the pawl?