Anchoring in tidal stream

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Snowangel.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Snowangel

I've wondered if using a kellet on each of the two rodes of a Bahamian moor set up would allow boat to pivot without rubbing on hull. More complicated, but effective?

I think you would just end up with braided rodes including to kellets to add to the mess.

Some sort of swivel at the bow of the boat might work, but Ive never tried it.

[Stu Jackson]

In those kinds of conditions, I agree with Dockhead. However, I found that when the tide turned, unless I had a kellet down there was the chance of the rode wrapping around the keel. I use a rope rode with 50 feet of chain. Those with all chain would have little use of a kellet.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I would just use as is. Being in the PNW I have had that occur many times. Using a stern anchor can be big trouble. It may make the boat sit broadside to the force, then make your primary anchor drag. Before you know it, everything is a tangle and you are drifting toward the rocks trying to retrieve the bow anchor while the stern let's you swing onto the beach. One time I had to just let the stern anchor and rode go. I bouyed it and came back the next day after moving anchorage in total blackness. (thanks radar!) Another time I managed to tie the boat to an abandoned piling before hitting the beach. In the Bahamas I tried a Bahamian moor, next morning, both rodes were "braided" so badly it took an hour to get it undone.
One anchor lets you get the hell out if you need to.

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

I have spent half a day untangling a Bahamian Mooring.

If you have strong winds against a strong tide, that is the ultimate test of an anchor, as it can be jerked back and forth with every gust and swing of the boat. All of mine failed that test.

Yes, multiple anchor techniques come with their own complexities, but they also allow you to anchor in places where one hook off the bow just wont work. Example: narrow tidal streams with inadequate swing room.

Ive also spent a fair amount of time untangling multiple anchors. A couple of tricks Ive used on Bahamian moors. Power: jam the helm hard over in the correct direction, power up, and unspin the braid under power. Rode only retrieval: Disconnect rode from boat and pull it thru the braid then resecure. Alternatively you can disconnect from the anchor, pull the rode thru, reattach to still set anchor. SCUBA or good free diving skills required.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by matty47

We were anchored in a tidal creek. With the tide ebbing boat behaved and wind was in nearly same direction as the flow. However when the tide was incoming the boat turned to face downstream however the wind was strong enough to more than counteract the current flow so we ended up facing into the current but with the anchor either to the side or behind the boat. This caused the snubber to rub across the stem as the boat swung. Bit disconcerting until I figured what was happening. We have all chain rode so fin keel must have cleared the chain.
Have not had this happen before.

Any advice on what we should/could have done?

Thanks
Matthew

Hi, Matty,

There are some places in Qld. where wind against the tide can be really bad. For instance, near the Jumpinpin Bar. However, once the tide has come in, you can move and get to better wind protection. Some places, changing anchorage will work a treat. We are fond of open roadstead anchorages, for ease of departure, but there aren't any mud crabs there.

Like some others above, we usually just accept the inconvenience, because the wind drops out at night (w/o the wind, the quarter springing method quits working), and really, having just one hook down makes it far easier to leave, if you decide you want to do that in the middle of the night. The line ashore is okay if you are the first boat there, but don't do it if the other guys are swinging to a single hook...and most of them will be.

We had a friend in Mexico, with a trimaran, who wanted to anchor among the keel boats, who used a small parachute sea anchor on a giant swivel off his stern to help him lie to the current. It must have been a bit of a nuisance, but it did work. I would think a 12 ft. or so, small series drogue would do the same thing, for you, and you could keep it in a Breezeway bag, hung on the pushpit, where it could drain without being too much of a nuisance. It would drag on the bottom at slack water, in many places.

Ann

[Djarraluda]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

I've read discussions of that as a possibility, but have never tried it, nor know anyone who has.

Unless the current is very strong, I suspect it would not have much effect. And when the current is weak its a loose line fluttering around waiting to be fouled.

Anyone ever actually try this?

Yes, I used to use this back I’m UK. Sailed a little 18ft centreboarder in Essex and found the bucket very effective, just had to haul it in for other uses at times as it also formed the galley sink. As a young lad I was too tight to buy a third bucket so needed to choose from the galley or the head.
Roger

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Djarraluda

Yes, I used to use this back I’m UK. Sailed a little 18ft centreboarder in Essex and found the bucket very effective, just had to haul it in for other uses at times as it also formed the galley sink. As a young lad I was too tight to buy a third bucket so needed to choose from the galley or the head.
Roger

Cool, I knew there was bound to be someone on here who had at least tried it!

Yet another reason to never leave the dock without a bucket or 3!

[Dirk01]

Sorry for not knowing, but what is a "kellet"?
(Can't find it in dicts.)

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Dirk01

Sorry for not knowing, but what is a "kellet"?
(Can't find it in dicts.)

Try that newfangle'd Google thang:

http://cruising.coastalboating.net/S...g/Kellets.html

[emoji6]

[Dsanduril]

A kellet is a weight you slide down your anchor rode, with the intent of keeping the pull on the anchor closer to horizontal.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Yes, multiple anchor techniques come with their own complexities, but they also allow you to anchor in places where one hook off the bow just wont work. Example: narrow tidal streams with inadequate swing room.

In theory, yes. But in the particular given example -- take the Beaulieu River, for example, where you're allowed to anchor in the outer reach beyond the moorings. There's hardly a boat length between the main channel and the bar. Strong changing tide. I used to anchor there all the time. In practice there is no problem with a single normal anchor -- the tidal stream does not move in the direction of the bar, so you are carried back and forth in parallel and never touch the bar nor impinge on the main channel -- it's fine. Now if a Norther were to blow up pushing you onto the bar, that would be a different story

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Ive also spent a fair amount of time untangling multiple anchors. A couple of tricks Ive used on Bahamian moors. Power: jam the helm hard over in the correct direction, power up, and unspin the braid under power. Rode only retrieval: Disconnect rode from boat and pull it thru the braid then resecure. Alternatively you can disconnect from the anchor, pull the rode thru, reattach to still set anchor. SCUBA or good free diving skills required.

Another testimony against multiple anchors. I use them very rarely, less than once a year, and only when there is really no other way to do it. 90% of multiple anchor situations, by the way, can be solved with an anchor spring line.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Ive also spent a fair amount of time untangling multiple anchors. A couple of tricks Ive used on Bahamian moors. Power: jam the helm hard over in the correct direction, power up, and unspin the braid under power. Rode only retrieval: Disconnect rode from boat and pull it thru the braid then resecure. Alternatively you can disconnect from the anchor, pull the rode thru, reattach to still set anchor. SCUBA or good free diving skills required.

Another trick is to push the boat w/an inflatable to untwist the mess. Much easier than using the main engine.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

In theory, yes. But in the particular given example -- take the Beaulieu River, for example, where you're allowed to anchor in the outer reach beyond the moorings. There's hardly a boat length between the main channel and the bar. Strong changing tide. I used to anchor there all the time. In practice there is no problem with a single normal anchor -- the tidal stream does not move in the direction of the bar, so you are carried back and forth in parallel and never touch the bar nor impinge on the main channel -- it's fine. Now if a Norther were to blow up pushing you onto the bar, that would be a different story








Another testimony against multiple anchors. I use them very rarely, less than once a year, and only when there is really no other way to do it. 90% of multiple anchor situations, by the way, can be solved with an anchor spring line.

I use them only rarely too, but cummulatively over decades have used them many times...in some of the most memorable anchorages...which to me makes it worthwhile.

[Suijin]

I've had this happen a fair amount in the waters I've cruised. I just let out about 30' of snubber line to keep the chain off hull. Sometimes the snubber line will have some evidence of rubbing on the bottom, but with hard paint I'm not worried about it really damaging anything under the waterline.

With wind and tide changing constantly, I'm not going to bother myself with running up and fiddling with the helm. A stern anchor is more trouble than it's worth for this particular issue, and a Bahamian moor is just asking for trouble in my opinion. But to each their own.

[RaymondR]

For various reasons I use the Bahamian moor fairly often and consequently suffer the wrap up of the rodes.

Since the second anchor rode ls fairly long I've taken to pulling lots of it out of the locker and wrapping it around the bowsprit in the approprlate dlrection then after retrieving the main anchor throw the loops over the stowed main anchor and retrieve the second anchor.