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29-05-2023, 09:35
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#106
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Caribbean live aboard
Boat: Camper & Nicholson58 Ketch - ROXY Traverse City, Michigan No.668283
Posts: 6,367
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
Quote:
Originally Posted by rslifkin
We normally anchor with me on the bow, admiral at the helm. So I walk forward and hand off control just before we get to our intended spot and then signal the admiral as necessary to get the boat positioned. Then start dropping and let the boat blow downwind (which does happen sideways) with control inputs as needed depending on how fast we're blowing vs rode deployment speed. Once the desired scope is deployed, then it's time to get the bow pointed to the wind and back down for a power set.
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I agree. No need to start above the intended spot. Your drift speed and location will be too uncontrollable. Put the bow where you want it, stop forward motion and let it fly. We don’t have reverse on the windlass, just a clutch. Our ROCNA flies forward under water like a bass plug so the chain piles behind the set. I let out 3:1 and play the clutch to coax the bow upwind a bit. Letting out 4:1 usually hooks the bottom so we can settle bow upwind. Continue letting back to 7:1 or whatever works for you. For us, high wind means we hit the end of the slack chain hard. We are 40 tons. No backing down.
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29-05-2023, 19:46
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#107
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Maryland
Boat: Hunter 460
Posts: 21
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
In any condition, and I single hand and anchor single hand. I go to the anchor point. Set my anchor alarm and drop my anchor and all my chain. I don’t try and drop anchor and pay out anchor chain while backing. That never works well to set anchors. Ships don’t do that so don’t do that on a yacht. Just drop anchor and all the chain. Typically I do between 7:1 to 10:1. So in 10 feet it’s 70 to 100 foot of chain. After I drop my chain then I back the boat slowly or let it drift back in the wind. After the boat lines up and you feel the anchor grab, I then back the vessel. After the boat is pulling in the chain then I back down hard and use a fix on the boat that I use to watch fixed land objects to help decide if the boat is dragging. The heavy backing is to simulate heavy wind to test the anchor for dragging. Once I’m confident the boat is not dragging, I put the throttle in neutral and let the engine run for 4 minutes to cool down, before shutting the propulsion motor down. After that you’re in. If you plan to be on anchor for days at a time or weeks, get a swivel for you anchor. That will keep the chain from binding up as the boat spins around the anchor. I believe you will have good luck doing this.
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30-05-2023, 04:23
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#108
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Maryland, USA
Boat: 58' Sedan Bridge
Posts: 5,430
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
I apparently need to learn more about this clutch thing.
We usually anchor in 10' of water or less, with bow roller 5' off the waterline, usually calm... and I normally use the windlass to power the anchor down and then pay out rode.
New Vulcan, bigger chain, different windlass from what we've had before... this thread... so I tried the clutch dump the other day... and it seemed like about 50' of chain dropped all at once. And it was still running until I retightened the clutch. I was expecting the chain to stop when the anchor hit the mud, but... au contraire.
We got it sorted easily enough, but I suspect there's something I'm missing...
-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA.
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30-05-2023, 04:54
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#109
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: At the intersection of here & there
Boat: 47' Olympic Adventure
Posts: 4,856
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bugoutboat
Ships don’t do that so don’t do that on a yacht.
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Where did you get that idea?
In big ships, our procedure was let go; briefly snub at water depth; then pay out under control as we back away; on brake and let momentum set the anchor. Pay out remaining scope. Then blake, brake and bottle-screw, 30 min NFP, set the anchor watch.
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30-05-2023, 05:29
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#110
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always in motion is the future
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: in paradise
Boat: Sundeer 64
Posts: 18,956
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
Quote:
Originally Posted by ranger58sb
I apparently need to learn more about this clutch thing.
We usually anchor in 10' of water or less, with bow roller 5' off the waterline, usually calm... and I normally use the windlass to power the anchor down and then pay out rode.
New Vulcan, bigger chain, different windlass from what we've had before... this thread... so I tried the clutch dump the other day... and it seemed like about 50' of chain dropped all at once. And it was still running until I retightened the clutch. I was expecting the chain to stop when the anchor hit the mud, but... au contraire.
We got it sorted easily enough, but I suspect there's something I'm missing...
-Chris
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Your mistake is that you probably always had a car with automatic transmission and never a handshift with clutch pedal? A clutch isn’t like an on/off switch, it has an unlimited number of intermediate settings.
For new users: loosen the clutch until the anchor starts going down, then immediately tighten it until you feel you start to slow down the ascend and keep it there. Now it will stop running out. If it starts going too fast, give the clutch a tad more friction. It’s exactly as sensitive as the clutch pedal in a car.
__________________
“It’s a trap!” - Admiral Ackbar.
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30-05-2023, 09:28
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#111
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2016
Boat: Beneteau OCEANIS 46.1
Posts: 107
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
My steps of anchoring:
1. Look at anything that gives me an idea of what is below. Grass, rocks, seaweed, obstructions and sea floor slope. I use the charts, Navily & Google Earth to look at these.
2. After making an approximate anchor drop position, I usually do a circle at a distance exceeding the amount of chain I expect to drop. I’m uncomfortable with less than 4:1 & if room is available I’ll do 5:1. As I circle and am happy I’ll often make waypoints to mark the limits of my anchor radius and that I’m happy with the depth.
3.if all is well I’ll use the initial drop point or adjust it.
4. At the drop point i make a waypoint, as we drop stationary. As the anchor hits the bottom , I try to lay the chain back in the expected boat direction.
5. At my chosen chain length, I usually use low rpm to straighten the chain out. I’ve already made an anchor waypoint so I can match the distance to it sgainst my chain counter. If you don’t have one it’s just a matter of watching if your waypoint distance is increasing. In daylight lots of other options.
6. After a few minutes I’ll bring the rpm to 1500 rpm, then 1800 & finally 2000 rpm for 30 seconds. If I drag it’s an immediate lift. The anchor could be fouled on seaweed, oozy mud or other FOD & will never set safely.
7. I always have a snubber on overnight.
8. Find an Anchor Alarm App that you trust & put it on at night.
We’ve been anchoring out for 3 years & using this method has kept us safe (our biggest wind was 50knots, where our dinghy literally flew most of the night) It may all sound a bit anal & I’d certainly not do it all just for a day anchor.
PS Look at anchor review videos and certainly don’t undersized your anchor.
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30-05-2023, 09:43
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#112
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Maryland, USA
Boat: 58' Sedan Bridge
Posts: 5,430
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
Quote:
Originally Posted by s/v Jedi
Your mistake is that you probably always had a car with automatic transmission and never a handshift with clutch pedal?
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Heh... not hardly. Auto trannies existed when I started driving, but we didn't know anyone who had one.
Thanks for the rest of that, though. I interpreted earlier "free fall" descriptions as free fall, not controlled fall.
-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA.
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30-05-2023, 10:03
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#113
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Washington State
Boat: Colvin, Saugeen Witch (Aluminum), 34'
Posts: 2,275
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
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30-05-2023, 10:13
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#114
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,138
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
Quote:
Originally Posted by boatpoker
For those that like to anchor with the dump it all method ...
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I get the feeling that after all these years of slowly letting it down and letting it sit and slowly moving astern and slowly pulling with a little astern and gradually increasing the revs…
(methods that in my opinion cause most of the problems for newcomers) that we are moving towards dumping the anchor, dumping the required chain and setting it….
Skills absolutely required to stop you going on the rocks in an emergency.
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30-05-2023, 13:21
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#115
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: At the intersection of here & there
Boat: 47' Olympic Adventure
Posts: 4,856
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
Steve - thanks for doing the research. Your dedication to de-mythifying anchoring is commendable. I guess we can assume different size chain could possibly have an effect on the "flight profiles." Would have loved to see in-water video for a side-view.
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30-05-2023, 14:07
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#116
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Port Credit, Ontario or Bahamas
Boat: Benford 38 Fantail Cruiser
Posts: 7,101
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
For 30yrs we've been cruising between Duluth MN and the Bahamas.
Our anchor (55lb Rocna) on all chain has never "flown".
The only time we've seen an anchor fly was on a delivery trying to deploy an FX 37 (10' of chain and the rest three stand) which took off like a kite in a strong river current.
General statements on this issue are worth what they weigh.
__________________
If you're not laughing, you're not doin' it right.
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30-05-2023, 15:09
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#117
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Oregon to Alaska
Boat: Wheeler Shipyard 83' ex USCG
Posts: 3,509
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
I didn't read all the posts so sorry if I'm repeating.
I use to be a commercial fisherman and often anchored in swells, high wind or both. Sometimes in a tight anchorage with rocks or land behind.
The trick is to have your anchor hanging just above the bottom. When in position, drop the anchor and put the engine in neutral at the same time. I have done this solo, too. Usually with chain I use a 4:1 rode, but in swells and high winds I use 7:1. In really bad weather I attach a 2nd anchor about 1/3 up from the main anchor and more chain. The weight of the 2nd anchor keeps the shank from lifting. In the old days ships would attach a small cannon for weight.
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30-05-2023, 16:09
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#118
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Port Credit, Ontario or Bahamas
Boat: Benford 38 Fantail Cruiser
Posts: 7,101
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lepke
In really bad weather I attach a 2nd anchor about 1/3 up from the main anchor and more chain. The weight of the 2nd anchor keeps the shank from lifting. In the old days ships would attach a small cannon for weight.
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I've done that in one hurricane and two tropical storms, works great.
__________________
If you're not laughing, you're not doin' it right.
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30-05-2023, 20:53
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#119
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Australia
Boat: S&S 40
Posts: 945
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
Quote:
Originally Posted by Papawads
I've been struggling to set my spade anchor today in 17-20kts. So I Googled some advice, but it's not clear. They seem to say go upwind by 50-100 feet (15-30m) past your indented spot, drop 'some' anchor and drift back over you chosen anchor spot, then play out the chain.
Am I reading that right? What is 'some?
When I do stop, to start the reverse, the bow is blown 90° off to one-side ... I then struggle badly get near chosen spot.
The Admiral is kicking off big time so need to sort this....
Views welcome
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Just drop the anchor and drift back, doesn't matter if the bow sheers off to one side, when the anchor sets it will bring the bow back.
Obviously the boat will not be in the spot where you dropped the anchor..
Maybe you ought to practice anchoring?
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31-05-2023, 01:10
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#120
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always in motion is the future
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: in paradise
Boat: Sundeer 64
Posts: 18,956
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Re: Anchoring sea in high wind
Quote:
Originally Posted by Panope
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So now the secret of our fast sailing is out… we let our big Bruce tow us!
__________________
“It’s a trap!” - Admiral Ackbar.
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