How Do You Anchor In Deep Ocean?

[GoingWalkabout]

Originally Posted by weavis

I always forget to add to the list of volatile threads: Anchors, guns and politics.... the issue of solo sailing...

So what kind of anchor should our liberal solo sailor be using in the middle of the ocean. Mantis? And should he keep his gun topside or with him while he is sleeping?

[Patrigo]

Nicholastanguma, if you are not living in the Bronx already, move there, your knowledge could be dangerous. The sea is not for you!

[nicholastanguma]

Originally Posted by Patrigo

Nicholastanguma, if you are not living in the Bronx already, move there, your knowledge could be dangerous. The sea is not for you!

Pardon, what?

I'm inferring you don't think people should be sailing singlehanded because they present dangers to other ships?

[MAJICDAN]

When you become so exhausted that you can not stay awake any longer you can deploy a sea anchor. Mine looks like a parachute. Of course you have to put up your day or night signals that your boat is not captained. Two white lights, one above the other at night, or two black balls for day.

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by MAJICDAN

When you become so exhausted that you can not stay awake any longer you can deploy a sea anchor. Mine looks like a parachute. Of course you have to put up your day or night signals that your boat is not captained. Two white lights, one above the other at night, or two black balls for day.

Hope you deploy it before that sleep condition exists. Also, sea anchors, particularly parachutes, have been mentioned frequently in this topic, thus it seems useful to mention the need to learn and the warnings about the need to use a very lengthy rode (probably nylon for the "give" or stretch), maybe a weighted object to keep in below the surface, and the potential difficulties in deployment and recovery.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by MAJICDAN

When you become so exhausted that you can not stay awake any longer you can deploy a sea anchor. Mine looks like a parachute. Of course you have to put up your day or night signals that your boat is not captained. Two white red lights, one above the other at night, or two black balls for day.

If you deploy a sea anchor before retiring life is going to get quite 'interesting' when you are awoken at 02dark by the ' thump thump' thump of a big slow speed diesel resonating through your hull.......

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by MAJICDAN

Of course you have to put up your day or night signals that your boat is not captained. Two white lights, one above the other at night, or two black balls for day.

That is a violation of Colregs.

1) The term "vessel not under command" means a vessel which through some exceptional circumstance is unable to maneuver as required by these Rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel. A vessel not under command has usually suffered a disability, which is not easy to predict or classify. Examples would be a vessel with a disabled rudder or no means of propulsion.

It is the vessel that is disabled, not the skipper or crew.

2) At night a NUC vessel shows two RED lights in a vertical line, as well as sidelights and a stern light.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by jackdale

That is a violation of Colregs.

1) The term "vessel not under command" means a vessel which through some exceptional circumstance is unable to maneuver as required by these Rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel. A vessel not under command has usually suffered a disability, which is not easy to predict or classify. Examples would be a vessel with a disabled rudder or no means of propulsion.

It is the vessel that is disabled, not the skipper or crew.

2) At night a NUC vessel shows two RED lights in a vertical line, as well as sidelights and a stern light.

Violations, true, but pretty common these days for major ships (colliers and tankers in the main) to be "drifting" off the East coast of Australia for days on end whilst awaiting their berths in port. Some of them display proper NUC shapes and lights, but many do not. Some change their AIS info to show that they are not making way, but many do not (though their sog and cog info infers that they are drifting if you look). I have heard, but can not verify, that they shut down their main engines during these times. If true, this means that they can not take evasive action in a reasonable time frame should they encounter a sailing yacht.

This being common professional practice, it seems harsh to criticize a solo sailor in a small craft for doing something similar.

Jim

[El Pinguino]

Big marine diesels are essentially direct drive... so yes.. ship is stopped, engine is stopped... probably on 30 minutes notice.

NUC with engine stopped and ship drifting you just show the two red, not the sidelights and stern light.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Violations, true, but pretty common these days for major ships (colliers and tankers in the main) to be "drifting" off the East coast of Australia for days on end whilst awaiting their berths in port. Some of them display proper NUC shapes and lights, but many do not. Some change their AIS info to show that they are not making way, but many do not (though their sog and cog info infers that they are drifting if you look). I have heard, but can not verify, that they shut down their main engines during these times. If true, this means that they can not take evasive action in a reasonable time frame should they encounter a sailing yacht.

This being common professional practice, it seems harsh to criticize a solo sailor in a small craft for doing something similar.

Jim

Getting common in the W Med as well Jim.. out to around 50miles ENE of Gib

[SailingFan]

I have been reading the single-handed sailing book and Muse's adventures, and find that I thoroughly enjoyed it (the free PDF version), finishing it just moments ago. I figured that while I awaited Hurricane Matthew's approach and the power failure that would surely follow arrival, and fretting over whether I have done all possible to ensure that Equinox is secure on her hard stands in the now inaccessible yard (as I believe the bridge to the area has been closed or will soon be).

I am definitely intrigued that the chain of mini-drogues mentioned in the text has so much power, but understand that slowing of the vessel is the desire rather than full halting of it when those devices are deployed. I am considering whether it is possible or even advisable for me to make a set before heading out after the repairs to my boat are complete.

That said, I also find it interesting that there is so much confusion over which lights should be displayed in the sleeping process, and the variation of opinions over what constitutes a hazard to others, especially when comparing a tiny fiberglass or wood sailing vessel of 30 feet or less versus a steel container vessel within a large ocean. I would be amazed if one of those massive ships even slowed down from the impact forces of striking a sailing boat, let alone took real damage from the collision, so I am unsure that the lighting and ball flying really would be of much use, especially with a captain that is up and down for 20 minutes at a cycle or less. Still, I am no racer, not by a LONG shot, and am a newbie in sailing even, when it comes to off-shore activity (my experience is in power boats and military naval craft).

It would seem reasonable that a certain latitude is possible that would favor the small craft operator given that this person is most likely the recipient of all damage and risk...??

[akprb]

We've kind of gone far afield from the original question. Watch keeping interesting topic however. I recall weeks at sea in the Coast Guard and the watch keepers constantly being harangued by the duty officer to stay awake. A lot of shenanigans went on.

Today I rely heavily on guard zone and an egg timer :-) Have not had AIS yet but sounds terrific. All much safer than days gone by.

[Eleuthera 2014]

Geeez! I smell a troll in this. How could the most basic reasoning ever come up with this?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Eleuthera 2014

Geeez! I smell a troll in this. How could the most basic reasoning ever come up with this?

I don't know.. have had folks sitting on the boat asking.. "How do you know where the winds coming from..?"
"How do you stop with no brakes..?"
Basic reasoning is a scarce commodity these days..

[alctel]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I don't know.. have had folks sitting on the boat asking.. "How do you know where the winds coming from..?"
"How do you stop with no brakes..?"
Basic reasoning is a scarce commodity these days..

Before I got a boat i figured the sails were connected to the rudder somehow, so by moving the tiller/wheel the sails moved :\