Anchor dragging by night, 45 knots wind, 1.5 m waves, between 3 boats and the beach

[Lepke]

I was a commercial fisherman and anchored in all kinds of conditions, seas, bottoms. Besides a proper anchor, having a long rode will keep the shank from lifting and digging the anchor out. In really bad conditions, a weight can be added to the chain some distance from the shank to keep it from lifting. In the old days a small cannon was added to the chain. I use a 2nd anchor of 80 pounds fastened to the chain at the 10 fathom mark. I carry 600' of chain.
In the case of a plow anchor in high winds there is no rode long enough. Unless the anchor snags some rocks or coral it will continue to drag and plow.

[fatherchronica]

It should be, in my opinion, that only fools don't learn from their mistakes, etc, etc, etc. I hate to think I don't learn fron my own mistakes in addition to those of those other fools.

[Simi 60]

Heads up for those in the op's cruising grounds.
Its hot, its blowing 20 knots of northerly so look to the south.
There be clouds punching skyward.
Fun and games on the cards once again.

[Kerry1]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

While the severe storm warning from the weather bureau may only have given relatively short notice the signs are there for all to see.

In these parts a stinking hot day and building northerly winds is a precursor to storms being sucked up from the s/w.
Storms from that direction usually have some bite to them and the clouds were visible punching skyward on the horizon from about lunchtime onwards.

Always keep a weather eye and have an escape plan.

We had a guy sitting on his foredeck watching us in amusement as we rapidly pulled anchor and moved out several weeks back.

As we came along side I yelled out had he seen the storm coming and he said "what storm" while looking over the bow to the north.
Big rolling wall of greeny grey to the sw was impossible to miss if only he'd turned his head.

So true. This just reiterates how important local knowledge is, and situational awareness, not to mention anchoring on a lee shore. There is some sort of maritime ditty about systems building fast, short last, building long- last a long time- that has stuck with me (at least in part). Motoring on the anchor is not something to be doing for a long time and expect to get home free, I would think. Jim Cate's local knowledge may have been useful for the OP as well. Some anchorages are definitely fair weather stopovers.

[Quadrille in JB]

Originally Posted by peter57

Hi,

I have a Manson supreme 45lb for sale 3years old- $250, Stain less swivel- $100 Redland Bay.

Tangalooma it is easy to caught out there, behind the wrecks on the north side for SW and south side behind the wrecks for NW if you can fit as it is a popular place.

It can be also dangerous place to leave in a squall like the other night.

Where are you located?
I’m interested

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Quadrille in JB

Where are you located?
I’m interested

Says Redland bay in the post you quoted.
About 16 hour flight away at a guess

[Simi 60]

And here's a picture

[Gypsy23]

Originally Posted by kriskro

here are the pics of the nasty thing.

Where were you exactly? Were you anchored off the village or further Nth between the wrecks and the beach?

In either case 35+kts from anywhere other than East would be very tricky.

Given you didn't have a windlass and it would have been mighty difficult to get up to the bow, dump the rode/chain and get away, I think you did the most sensible thing by motoring into the wind, specially since you didn't have another anchor to use even if you could have dumped the hardware and found better shelter elsewhere.

[JakeBottom]

Basically, your problem is the choice of anchors. Over the past 30 years, I've owned several types of anchors, and CQRs are one of the very worst. They were popular for a while, but cruisers soon found out that trusting a CQR to hold you in a blow just did not happen. As for a choice of an anchor that holds, "period", I trust the MAX. During the 13 years I spent sailing the Bahamas, anchoring in darn near every condition, plus, hanging on the hook during a hurricane, my MAX NEVER DRAGGED. In fact, when I did use a CQR as a secondary anchor, I set it during the aforementioned hurricane, it dragged a "perfect" circle around the MAX. You could see the trench when the water cleared. (Note: I was anchored in the small bay at Royal Island.)
I don't toss the lines ashore with a MAX on board.
.

[Scout 30]

Some of the revisionist history in this thread amazes me. The CQR was the cruiser's anchor of choice for more than 50 years. All of the great cruisers, Hiscocks, Pardeys, etc used them successfully, as have I, for many decades. When well set the CQR will do it's job & it handles direction changes like a champ, something the next gen might not be great at. I will admit that the next gen anchors are easier & quicker to set which means they're much more tolerant of poor technique.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Some of the revisionist history in this thread amazes me. The CQR was the cruiser's anchor of choice for more than 50 years. All of the great cruisers, Hiscocks, Pardeys, etc used them successfully, as have I, for many decades. When well set the CQR will do it's job & it handles direction changes like a champ, something the next gen might not be great at. I will admit that the next gen anchors are easier & quicker to set which means they're much more tolerant of poor technique.

Always preferred the Bruce as my primary.. although happy enough with a CQR if that's all I have to work with and they are better with all chain.. tho' on my own boat it'd be the secondary.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Some of the revisionist history in this thread amazes me. The CQR was the cruiser's anchor of choice for more than 50 years. All of the great cruisers, Hiscocks, Pardeys, etc used them successfully, as have I, for many decades. When well set the CQR will do it's job & it handles direction changes like a champ, something the next gen might not be great at. I will admit that the next gen anchors are easier & quicker to set which means they're much more tolerant of poor technique.

Nothing revisionist here. CQRs were the anchor of choice. Now there are far superior anchors available. I'm always intrigued by CQR users who like to explain the careful anchor setting technique they use and blame a lack of technique on failures. Current generation anchors set so much faster and easier that this special CQR technique isn't required.

[james247]

Originally Posted by kriskro

I was staying at tangalooma resort on moreton island, 27°09'58.6"S 153°22'13.9"E



4 meter depth when i dropped the anchor. not sure about the distance from the beach, but would say between 50m and 100m. I know there is a strong tidal current when the tide goes down. It may have played. Bottom is all sandy.



There is a little sand bar that it formed by the wreck and that shelter a little bit the anchorage area. But at high tide, it may let pass quite a lot the swell. Anchor is a CQR type, 25 lbs and i must have had 60 metres of chain (8mm) out is think...



The boat is 30 ft, about 5000 lbs i believe.



But basically, once it is too late and that you are already dragging , seems the only remaining option available is to let the anchor go (attach a fender if possible), and go with the wind instead of fighting it. if possible reach the open waters and not stay so close from other boats and the shore..

I have been visiting Tangalooma for more than 60 years it's a perfect anchorage in anything from the east. A storm which usually blows up in the opposite direction is a westerly and the tell tale signs can be seen for many hours. Refuge behind the wrecks is the only safe anchorage in a westerly storm. The bottom is great holding however the unsuspecting have been washing up on the beach since Tangalooma was a whaling factory.
The combination of wind and tide can be most confusing. Giving the appearance of dragging the more rode a d the harder you run the engine the more confusing. The reason there was only 4 of you in the anchorage was because everyone else would have left and cruised to Horshoe on Peel. Or one of a dozen other westerly protected anchorages early in the day.
Had you dropped the anchor on a bouy and rode out the storm in the shipping channel where there is vast amounts of open water you may have been better off. Most storm pass over in an hour anyway.
It's a very pretty location but on the top of the tide offers little westerly protection.
Read Cruising the Coral Coast by Alan Lucas and heed his warning. Most beautiful things are dangerous if abused.

[peter57]

Originally Posted by Quadrille in JB

Where are you located?
I’m interested

Sorry, far away in the Land of AUS.

Cheers.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by peter57

Sorry, far away in the Land of AUS.

Cheers.

I believe the OP said here:
Originally Posted by kriskro View Post
I was staying at tangalooma resort on moreton island, 27°09'58.6"S 153°22'13.9"E



4 meter depth when i dropped the anchor. not sure about the distance from the beach, but would say between 50m and 100m. I know there is a strong tidal current when the tide goes down. It may have played. Bottom is all sandy.



There is a little sand bar that it formed by the wreck and that shelter a little bit the anchorage area. But at high tide, it may let pass quite a lot the swell. Anchor is a CQR type, 25 lbs and i must have had 60 metres of chain (8mm) out is think...



The boat is 30 ft, about 5000 lbs i believe.



But basically, once it is too late and that you are already dragging , seems the only remaining option available is to let the anchor go (attach a fender if possible), and go with the wind instead of fighting it. if possible reach the open waters and not stay so close from other boats and the shore..
Cheers
SV Cloud Duster