Best Way Of Anchoring

[svtadpole]

Intersesting how the original post (an enquiry from a singlehander about leaving a boat unattended at anchor ) ...

Hi all you're solo sailer's

i would like to know Wat different ways you are using when dropping anchor so you can go onshore for few day with piece of mind

Lynger1

... quickly turns into a general discussion of anchoring policies & techniques ...

As a fellow singlehander I was the first to post a reply ... here is an extract :

As a solo sailor (mostly) I am always aware that there is no foolproof guarantee of leaving a boat unmanned at anchor ... I was informed by the harbourmaster in Newport, RI, that it is illegal to leave an anchored vessel unmanned in that harbour ... other harbours & locations probably have similar local laws ... my boat is 28ft & I carry anchors designated for 35/40ft boats ... I only ever leave Tadpole unmanned at anchor if I absolutely have no other option & then I make the trip as short as possible, never if the weather looks changeable, never longer than a single tide direction & never without hooking 2 anchors off the bow & checking for hold including diving for a look if possible ...

Then we got the numerous posts regarding tandem anchoring ... When I referred to "hooking 2 anchors off the bow" I was not talking about tandem anchoring but dual anchoring ie 2 seperate anchors (inc chain & rode) deployed ... one off the port bow & one off the starboard bow at an approximate angle of 45deg ... I also repeat my (personal) criteria of diving to verify anchor set ... if for any reason I cant dive or am in any way in doubt of the set of both anchors then I will not leave the boat ... IMHO tandem anchoring is flawed insomuch that the whole ergonomic pull is directed up a single anchor rode & that in the event of one anchor losing hold (usually the one nearest to the boat lets go first) then the weight & mass of that anchor (now swinging loose) will simply add it's inertia to easily pull the outer anchor free ...



Then we got the usual all-chain versus chain & nylon rode arguments ... then the sticky problems of joining chain & from there into problems with the gypsy/windlass ....



My personal preferance is for chain & nylon rode ... neither do I have a windlass or gypsy but bring the nylon rode back to one of my sheet winches in the cockpit ... when the anchor is fully up & snug in the bow roller then the chain stops just short of the sheet winch ... all done without leaving the cockpit

[Lighthouse]

Thank you for bringing us back to the purpose of the original post. Just shows how easily discussion drifts.

[Frank]

Originally Posted by Lighthouse

Thank you for bringing us back to the purpose of the original post. Just shows how easily discussion drifts.

Well it certainly drifted in that post....used the original as a start point and ended on how to bring the anchor home using a sheet winch

Rather than a foot switch on my windlass I have a wandering lead that I can use anywhere on the boat.

[lynger1]

Hi Guys this is a big topic i dint know this was on a lot of people minds

I have 27 foot sail sloop before that i had a Maurice Griffin steel 29 f

Dint not have to much problems anchoring as you know here in AU qld coast we have some big tides

Average anchoring is in 7-12M water and using 12Kg plough anchor roll our 30m chain and 10m nylon rope (adjusted to suit )

I keep my anchor sharpened on the point and flutes so anchor Will grab/cut in to seabed very good on hard sand

Ones i laid anchor and lash rope on both cleats run both through bowroler rubber rollers to stop frail ling

i put motor in reverse at 2800rp (15HP motor) for 30sec to lock in anchor with 90% success rate

Forces are distribute over both cleats this is better than securing to windlass

And i leave small bit of main sail (depends on wind situation)

Will give you proper night sleep if done this way

Just try this and let me know of you agree with anchoring this way

[Frank]

Originally Posted by lynger1

Average anchoring is in 7-12M water and using 12Kg plough anchor roll our 30m chain and 10m nylon rope (adjusted to suit )

I keep my anchor sharpened on the point and flutes so anchor Will grab/cut in to seabed very good on hard sand

Just try this and let me know of you agree with anchoring this way

Sounds good to me. I have heard that quite a few people in South Oz sharpen the flukes on their fisherman style anchors to help them set in hard sand.

Cheers

Frank

[redbopeep]

Lynger1,

You're doing a bridle type arrangement which is fine--assuming very fair lead, the only issue you may have is how those cleats are attached to your hull and if you're willing to have them rip out at some point due to unusual loading.

The image you show reminds me of something I read by a cruiser recently. They talked about the changes they made in anchoring technique after starting to cruise. They had been using two anchors off the bow or one from the bow, one from the stern--when concerned about holding. Well, they discovered the uncomfortable motion of being in an anchorage with wind from one direction and waves from another--you know, that whole wallow all over the place thing? They decided to use a bridle technique with a single anchor to combat the motion as the motion was not only uncomfortable but also leading to anchor(s) walking and dragging. With their newly discovered method, the anchor was attached to a cleat or Sampson post on the bow (sorry, don't recall their detail there) and they would attach another line to the anchor rode and running back to a primary sheet winch. Then, by adjusting this second line they could change the angle of the boat to the anchor so that it rode best for the combined wind and sea conditions. Of course, the line would be adjusted when conditions changed. After using this technique, they completely stopped using two anchors on two separate anchor rodes entirely as they found this method to be superior in terms of holding.

I have not employed this bridle method using bow cleat and a sheet winch on the stern, but is does seem to make sense and we plan to check it out once we've re-launched our boat.

Best of luck to you

[lynger1]

Hi yes you're right when you ue standard cleats

i re-installed cleats with large backing plates trough deck

So i increased holding square aria its 200% larger than windlass

[edsailing]

the anchor was attached to a cleat or Sampson post on the bow (sorry, don't recall their detail there) and they would attach another line to the anchor rode and running back to a primary sheet winch. Then, by adjusting this second line they could change the angle of the boat to the anchor so that it rode best for the combined wind and sea conditions.

I have used this technique in a number of locations where 'normal' anchoring gives an uncomfortable motion and it works very well.

The secondary rode is attached to the anchor rode about 20-30' from the bow and brought back to a stern fairlead and made up on a sheet winch. By tensioning it up you can set the boat to ride the waves in the most comfortable fashion and adjust it as required when wind or tide change.

Go on - try it!

[Aquaria]

the anchor was attached to a cleat or Sampson post on the bow (sorry, don't recall their detail there) and they would attach another line to the anchor rode and running back to a primary sheet winch. Then, by adjusting this second line they could change the angle of the boat to the anchor so that it rode best for the combined wind and sea conditions.

... but it works only as long as the (tidal) current and/or the wind in force and direction are very stable. If not, this method can be quite nervewrecking.

And think of the forces the anchor has to take care of under the situation of stronger current or increasing wind from (almost) abeam . The forces on the anchor can be tremendous.

Uwe

SY Aquaria

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by Aquaria

... but it works only as long as the (tidal) current and/or the wind in force and direction are very stable. If not, this method can be quite nervewrecking.

And think of the forces the anchor has to take care of under the situation of stronger current or increasing wind from (almost) abeam . The forces on the anchor can be tremendous.

Uwe

SY Aquaria

That's the point--you lengthen or shorten the line to sheet winch to place the boat in the best angle respective to all the forces--wind, current, seas--that you face.

I'll have to go searching for the cruiser's website where I found the information--as it was quite clearly presented, probably more so than I am doing now.

Fair winds,

Brenda

[lynger1]

Hi this is a hot topic sorry about this (but helpfull)

[Frank]

Originally Posted by redbopeep

That's the point--you lengthen or shorten the line to sheet winch to place the boat in the best angle respective to all the forces--wind, current, seas--that you face.

I'll have to go searching for the cruiser's website where I found the information--as it was quite clearly presented, probably more so than I am doing now.

Fair winds,

Brenda

Back when Noah was a deck boy it was in seamanship books as a means for big ships to make a lee when working cargo from barges etc.

I tried it once on the yacht for a few hours in a small ( maybe 1 foot) residual slop making the yacht roll horribly when she was lying to the new but light breeze. Worked OK. I don't think you would use it in a strong stream or wind etc.

Saludos,

Frank

[JeanneP]

Lots of anchorages in the Caribbean, particularly those exposed to the south, can have a very unpleasant roll due to the southern swell that rolls into the anchorage. *Although the winds in the Carib. are reliably brisk, in a good anchorage there's little fetch and so it's quite comfortable..... unless that blasted southern swell has found its way into the anchorage. *Then the arrangement that Brenda describes can be very useful, rather than putting out a stern anchor. *so many anchorages in the Carib are crowded that often it is not possible to put out a stern anchor.

When we tried it in Vieques Isl., the sand bottom was very soft with a current running, and the anchor kept dragging. *Peter gave it up in frustration, and we didn't try it again for a couple years until he forgot how annoyed he was. *Then the conditions were right and we were the only boat in the anchorage that didn't roll sickeningly.

[Frank]

One thing this setup doesn't need is a sheet winch. Just set up a chain hook on the rode... take the pennant aft and make it fast. Adjust the angle of attack by paying out the anchor rode.....