Anchoring When You Have Engine Failure

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Andrew Troup

- One-lever linkage failure (x2: on two occasions, the throttle stayed connected but the gear linkage cotter pin fell out: on one of those, a 52' boat on which I was employed (happily not as mechanic or skipper) had this happen entering a marina slot. When the skipper engaged reverse and put the hammer down to stop the boat, it accelerated forward, the bow climbing about 8' as it rode over the spine connecting the marina finger piers. Then the keel contacted the spine, the boat stopped, the spine broke, and the boat crashed back down into the water.

When I first got my 100 ton and had a more experienced skipper watching me, he told me to always verify reverse and forward strain on the docklines a few times before splitting from a mooring, with all engines.

Ditto once you clear the breakwater. Just pop it in real quick and feel the propwalk and drop in speed before going back into forward.

I've never needed it, and it's not 100% fool proof, but I feel a little better know that when I toss it into reverse two minutes later I just did it recently enough.

[Wallabycreek]

I cannot see how having your anchor ready is anything special. Surely any of us can simply walk forward and "let her go" at any time on a minutes notice. The decision to "drop her" in unusual circumstances requires a pause to think thru the consequences.
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[Jammer Six]

The more I think about it, the less certain I am it's a good answer in a marina.

Seems like there's other choices.

One thing I have noticed since this discussion started is that here in Puget Sound, there's not much anchoring to be had-- you go from too deep to anchor to grounded pretty quickly.

[RabidRabbit]

If you're so worried about power failure maybe an old school hand lever operated winch? Or get the nice power winch and when the power fails that 0.001% time, pull it up the old way with your arms.

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by Jammer Six

The more I think about it, the less certain I am it's a good answer in a marina.

Seems like there's other choices.

One thing I have noticed since this discussion started is that here in Puget Sound, there's not much anchoring to be had-- you go from too deep to anchor to grounded pretty quickly.

There are plenty of places around here where you'd hit your bow before your keel, and even with 300' or rode, you may not be able to prevent hitting shore. There are also plenty of places where you'll hook on before you hit, though.

I think the original example was making sure you can anchor quickly coming into an anchorage, not a marina. Still, I'd say it should be pretty quick to let out your anchor any time you're in coastal areas, and I sure like having a windlass with an easy freefall for quick release of the anchor.

Not enough people realise that anchoring is a fundamental safety tactic in all sorts of situations where power is lost and sails aren't a good option.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Jammer Six

To drop the anchor by hand, I assume I'd have to take the chain off this thingie, and have a crew member standing there holding it, ready to let go if we lose power.
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That assumption is incorrect. On any electric windlass, whether it's vertical or horizontal, you can unloosen the clutch--usually by using a winch handle--and the anchor will free-fall.

[wolfenzee]

I ran into a guy up in BC with a Choy Lee 34, he had a "flat spot" on his starter (and didn't know how to fix it or didn't find it worth the effort)so anchored all over the world under sail, he sailed into Silva Bay, BC (a tight little anchorage) by a route I did not feel comfortable going under power, but he sailed in...he always anchored under sail and raised anchor under sail.
I grew up sailing a Pearson Triton in the summer and my father would raise anchor and get under sail while we were asleep (he'd rattle the chain on the fore-deck to wake us).
Dropping anchor under sail is pretty easy, first you run the anchor outside the shrouds and back to the cockpit and when you are ready to anchor, you head up into the wind and casually drop the anchor over from the helm.

[Kettlewell]

The first cruising boat I bought came with a non-working outboard and I didn't have enough money to fix or replace it so I sailed out of Newport, RI, and back for a couple of years engineless, out to the Vineyard and such. Picking up a mooring under sail is a lot harder than anchoring. Taught us a lot about boat handling, and after that losing our engine has never been a real worry. It's actually a pretty good idea to practice sailing off and on your anchor once in awhile so you know you can do it when you need to. And yes, I still sail with an anchor ready to go at a moment's notice, and I have had to use it in emergencies more than once.

[Jammer Six]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

I think the original example was making sure you can anchor quickly coming into an anchorage, not a marina.

I think you're right. My first question, though, specified a marina. I see your point-- marinas are different from anchorages.

Originally Posted by cwyckham

Not enough people realise that anchoring is a fundamental safety tactic in all sorts of situations where power is lost and sails aren't a good option.

One of my first times sailing in Puget Sound, years ago, back before I joined the club I'm in now, we were listening to our new radio and we actually heard a mayday call. I learned a lot, and that one call is why I started following this thread, because it's been rattling around my brain ever since as a last-ditch option.

The guy, with panic in his voice, told Coast Guard Seattle that he was drifting "onto the rocks" and that his engine wouldn't start. The Coast Guard got him to tell them where he was, what kind of boat and how many folks were on board, and then they said "captain, do you have an anchor?"

And the guy answered yes, so they "suggested" that he put it out. End of emergency.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by wolfenzee

I
Dropping anchor under sail is pretty easy, first you run the anchor outside the shrouds and back to the cockpit and when you are ready to anchor, you head up into the wind and casually drop the anchor over from the helm.

Wolf, that might not be so easy with say our 60 lb anchor and 10 mm chain or any other serious gear.

But really, folks, all you must do is walk forward, disengage the clutch on the windlass (at least on all the ones that I've ever seen) and (depending on the anchor design) give it a shove and down it goes. If you have left the main sheet uncleated and are head to wind, no worries. After you have dumped something like the scope you need whilst drifting downwind, snub it off, walk back and drop the main. Then you have the rest of the day to deal with the details. It isn't a big deal

There is another technique that some use: drop the anchor whilst sailing near ddw, veer out appropriate scope and then snub off. The boat will fetch up briskly, setting the anchor, and then come about head to wind. This actually works well, but can be hard on the topsides with all chain. I prefer the upwind technique myself.

Cheers,

Jim

[Jammer Six]

I'm not sure these are answers for a marina-- I've been convinced for some time that is something bad happens, it's going to happen behind the breakwater, at the marina. So I was hoping you guys had a magic anti-bad wand I could use.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Jammer Six

I'm not sure these are answers for a marina-- I've been convinced for some time that is something bad happens, it's going to happen behind the breakwater, at the marina. So I was hoping you guys had a magic anti-bad wand I could use.

Yeah, Jammer, it is called maintenance!

Cheers,

Jim

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by Jammer Six

I'm not sure these are answers for a marina-- I've been convinced for some time that is something bad happens, it's going to happen behind the breakwater, at the marina. So I was hoping you guys had a magic anti-bad wand I could use.

once you're I'm the tight spaces in a Marina, you're generally moving very slowly and can fend off and grab other boats to minimize damage. I always like to have at least one "roving fender"close at hand for when I screw up.

[forsailbyowner]

I'm curious, so much emphasis is placed on digging the anchor in. Every time there is a wind or tide change the anchor must reset. Do you "diggers" stress this? I try not to pile up the chain but trying to dig in an anchor under sail seems kinda silly to me.

[wolfenzee]

There is a 60'+ 1903 piolot cutter here in town and the owner sails it in and out of the marina. A sailboat with an engine used to be called an auxiliary....to many people out there consider their auxilary to be there primary. Engines are part of a list of modern day inventions (like chart plotters, water makers and other gizmos) that people are convinced they cannot do with out even though they have been done with out for centuries. That said I consider an engine on a sailboat an important piece of safety equipment.