A simple anchoring lesson - always make it easy for more chain / rode to be let out

[Sundowner Portofino]

Two weekends ago we were in Newtown Creek - which is notoriously bad holding in places, very slippy mud, strong tide and when combined with the wind it can be wicked.

Anyway - as a result of the above we always put out more chain than needed and use a bridal to allow us to dump more out to alter the angle of pull. So far so good.

But last weekend a 30 ish foot yacht about 100 meters up river from us slipped her anchor and was off a a surprisingly fast clip, maybe five knots with wind and tide combined. There was no one onboard, but the owner had left their anchor rode on deck with plenty of spare rope. I dingyed over and let out about 10 meters of rode until she snagged. (They had only put out 10 meters to start which was not enough.)

So moral to the story - always leave the ability for someone who does not know your boat to quickly and easily let out more chain or rode.

PS No drama, no one got hurt and nothing got damaged - but the owner not left the rode on deck it could have been worse

 

[noelex]

Well done.
It is even worth considering leaving the keys in the ignition.

I once had to sail a strange yacht that was dragging towards some rocks.
It was not a standard production yacht and figuring out the sail controls then sailing someone else's 45 foot yacht,solo, with the anchor still down and the sound of the breaking waves on the rocks is not something I want to repeat.

 

[epervier]

Well done.
It is even worth considering leaving the keys in the ignition

Yeah! the insurance co will be very understanding when you explain that you left the keys on board in the event that it might drag it's anchor, you left it unmanned while you went ashore on the piss to return to see your pride and joy slipping over the horizon on it's way to a new found foreign owner.

I understand the sentiment, but really?

 

[noelex]

Yachts and large displacement power boats are rarely stolen and theft of a vessel from an anchorage is even more unusual.

Boats are not cars.

Most yachts can be left locked up, but can retain the ability to be started if this is desired.

Rather than the very remote chance of theft, I think most owners would have a valid concern with someone unknown operating their vessel, even in an emergency situation, but they may feel different if they could see it dragging on to an exposed lee shore.

 

[henryf]

The issue is poorly marked chains so people don't know how much chain they've let out coupled with not knowing how much to let out.

You might also add forgetting to remember that we are a tidal nation to the list.

Last year I watched for 10 minutes as a chap tried to anchor in Newtown, he constantly let too little chain down then pulled back only to find the anchor dragged. He was quite close to us so I shouted out that he wasn't letting enough chain out. His response was that it was for his crew (a pleasant but clueless friend just enjoying a run out for the day) to decide how much chain to allow out. In 4 metres of water he was probably letting 5 or 6 metres of chain out !

Having a properly marked chain and allowing 4 times the depth out whilst slowly drifting backwards means we rarely fail to drop gently onto the anchor and have it dig in nicely.

Remember your charts will tell you what the seabed is mad up off at any given spot.

Most modern powerboats will have some form of deck switch or lead in the anchor locker to control an electric winch so no need to venture inside.

Henry

 

[benjenbav]

In 4 metres of water he was probably letting 5 or 6 metres of chain out !

Did it reach the seabed at all?

Actually, I am claiming an anchoring first from last Saturday. I dropped the hook in 6.5 metres of water in Alum Bay and let out 30m of chain as there was plenty of space and it was more or less at the bottom of the tide. When I left the anchor came up as clean as a whistle. Not a trace of mud.

 

[Thepipdoc]

So moral to the story - always leave the ability for someone who does not know your boat to quickly and easily let out more chain or rode.

Wouldn't it be better to let out far more than is needed rather than leave chain in the locker "just in case"?
In this instance you were nearby and alert to the situation but that will not normally be the case, and chain stored in the anchor locker is useless.

 

[Sundowner Portofino]

Well Yes - but not always feasable

Wouldn't it be better to let out far more than is needed rather than leave chain in the locker "just in case"?
In this instance you were nearby and alert to the situation but that will not normally be the case, and chain stored in the anchor locker is useless.

Newtown for example gets very busy so letting all you have hang out is not always doable. But putting out a sensible amount to start certainly helps, this is just a back up.

Newtown is our most used anchorage during the season as we are very close by and pop out of a weekday evening if the weather is nice. Since I started using a bridal and having a long loop of chain hanging between the bridal and the boat we have dramatically reduced our swing and also have held far better.

The main anchor is a delta, not perfect for mud, we also have a fortress as a spare on 10m chain and 30m rode which can be easily deployed by dinghy if the wind wips up

 

[Nick_H]

Since I started using a bridal and having a long loop of chain hanging between the bridal and the boat we have dramatically reduced our swing and also have held far better.

I don't get that, how can a loop of chain between boat and bridle improve your holding?

 

[Sundowner Portofino]

angles

I don't get that, how can a loop of chain between boat and bridle improve your holding?

I am not great at physics but it changes the angle of pull lowering it considerably from the anchor roller to the water line or below. It also creates a spring that reduces the snaging on the anchor.

Lastley for a mobo it helps with drag under the water making us sligtly less effected by wind. But only marginally as this is at the nose.

This may all be wrong and is my take on it, but it has worked well so far.