Abermenai Anchor / Inflatable Kayak

SgtColon

SgtColon

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Joined
18 Jun 2010
Messages
114
Location
Nr Manchester / boat at Cap D'Agde, France
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Of that last hot Saturday a tale I can tell
What started as fun nearly ended as hell

Little 25 foot ‘Tryben’ from Port Dinorwic was bound
Down the straight to Abermenai the plan seemed so sound

An inflatable kayak we wanted to test
Could we launch it? Could we board it? Would a dinghy be best?

At a charted anchorage there we would stop
And for the first time ever our hook we did drop

For 45 minutes whilst lunch was enjoyed,
Tryben remained steady, It’s anchor deployed

The anchors secure I’m happy at last
So into the sea the kayak was cast

It wasn’t an elegant entry to see
But into the kayak we got finally

In no time at all with a paddle each
Across the short distance the beach did we reach

Walking over the sand dunes a sight gave me an uneasy feeling
Towards the bow of Tryben a large motor boat was drifting

With a spin of its props she manoeuvred away
I felt some relief as it sped from the bay

At last I can relax and have a short walk
This anchorings a pleasure I’ve heard people talk

Over my shoulder a fine sight she did look
With a spectacular background laying there on the hook

But what was it? Whats strange,? Whats not as before?
Perhaps its just our location ashore

“Oh Heck” or words similar did I then shout
She’s drifting backwards, She’s on her way out

For reasons unknown the Anchor was free
And now she floated off towards the Irish Sea

We jogged and we scrambled, Back to the kayak we ran
“We’re not going to reach it” , “ Yes we can, Yes we can”

For a time tangled in buoyancy jacket straps were we
but at last launched and paddling frantically out to sea

In hot pursuit we raced, paddle harder, paddle faster
In no time at all we succeeded to catch her

That wasn’t the end we still had to board her
For Brigid that’s hard she is somewhat shorter

We clambered aboard, dragged the kayak up with us
The engine fired up. We’ve been lucky Bejesus’

………………………………………………………………..

The day ended fine for us. We were very lucky but I am mystified as to what went wrong and consequently this has knocked my confidence about ever leaving the boat at anchor. The vessel is a Sealine S23 with a plough anchor. The location chosen for our very first experience of anchoring was a charted anchorage point over sand at Abermenai Point at about one hour before High Tide. The plotter confirmed our exact spot as being at the top of the anchor on the chart where at lowest tide there would be at least 2.5m of water. I thought I had let out sufficient but not all the chain. For at least 45 minutes whilst we had lunch the boat did not stray an inch from its position causing me to falsely think it was well secure. Sods law that it was not until we were ashore that it started drifting. Another 100 yards we would have been out of sight unaware that the boat was trying to overtake us until presumably going aground at the Caernarforn Bar.
Might it be that the prop wash of the large motor boat that drifted towards our anchored bow disturbed the sand surrounding our anchor?
Should I have reversed more after dropping the anchor?
Later in the day a group of rafted speedboats started dragging there anchors causing some panic to disengage themselves and some large 40 footers arrived and seemed to spend quite some time reversing and then trying again after dropping anchor.
Does this area have a reputation for being a loose anchorage?
How do I know for sure my anchor is secure?

Graham
 
How much chain did you let out?

What sort of anchor, and how big?

Did you pull backwards on the chain at any point to pull the anchor into the seabed?

Pete
 
prv said:
How much chain did you let out?

What sort of anchor, and how big?

Did you pull backwards on the chain at any point to pull the anchor into the seabed?

Pete
Click to expand...

The chain seemed to be lowering for an eternity but there is no gauge to indicate how much. Guess I am going to have to unwind it whilst berthed, measure it and mark off different lengths.
It's a plough shaped anchor, standard fitting I think, about 2' long
Can't reach the anchor chain from the bow to pull at it but I should maybe have reversed more.
 
Great poem, enjoyed that.

You say you anchored about an hour before high tide, so water would have been fairly slack but still on the flood. How long after that did it drag? If a couple of hours later, then the tide would be on the ebb and starting to pick up, so maybe you never had very good holding, but the slack water meant you didn't drag while you were on the boat, or maybe you were just about holding OK but the anchor didn't set again after the tide turned. If lots of boats were dragging then it sounds like poor ground, maybe thick weed or sand over rock, but I don't know the area at all. Don't let it put you off anchoring though, it's one of the real joys of boating, especially in weather like we're having at the moment. Get your chain marked up so you know you've let out plenty of scope, then give it another go. If you plan to do lots of anchoring, splash out on a Delta anchor which works well in nearly all conditions, or find out which works best in your area and get one of those. Ploughs are OK in mud and sand, but not very good at getting through weed.
 
Sorry you had problems.

You know how little our boat is. If we are anchoring in the recommended spot we usually let out at least 25meteres of chain at Abermenai. Always put it in reverse especially at slack water, give it a good pull in reverse to ensure you have at least straightened out the pile of chain!

Once down I put my foot on the chain to feel if it is dragging. You will find a light vibration if it skipping across the bottom! Abermenai has good holding once dug in the mud and sand.

Until the tide turns you through 180 degrees..

Sometimes you will find that this is sufficient to extract a plough anchor but always make sure you are on board for any reverse flush at Abermenai or until the full force of the tide has been taken by the anchor.

No chance any mobos would have disturbed your anchor unless they had drifted down onto your boat.

Abermenai is a great place to lift your keel and park out of the tide!

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/79352891/IMAG0258.jpg

Steve
 
Abermenai can be tricky as the tide runs quickly through there, there is also a mussell bed which your anchor will tend to skate across. You need loads of chain out there, I usually put 30-40 metres out irresepctive of the range of tide, obviously you need to be wary of your swing circle in relation to other boats. Don't let it put you off, get your anchor chain out and mark it up with paint, tie wraps, whatever, then perhaps pick an easier place next time to build confidence. We've seen many a boat drag it's anchor there, most being half way to Caernarfon Bar before the owners have realised!
 
SgtColon said:
Guess I am going to have to unwind it whilst berthed, measure it and mark off different lengths.
Click to expand...

Yes. Unless space prevents, you really want a minimum out of five times the depth of water at high tide. Without marks on the chain, you have no real way of checking that. Some people may be able to judge very approximately, but it sounds like you don't have the experience for that (and it's a rubbish way anyway).

SgtColon said:
It's a plough shaped anchor, standard fitting I think, about 2' long
Click to expand...

Knockoff CQR then, probably. Not sure what size "2 foot long" translates to - anchors are usually measured by weight :)

SgtColon said:
Can't reach the anchor chain from the bow to pull at it but I should maybe have reversed more.
Click to expand...

I didn't mean tweak it by hand!

I meant pull on it with the boat. You should be going backwards as you lay out your chain across the bottom - ideally drift back with the wind or tide as this ensures you're going in the right direction, but if everything's calm and slack then tickover astern. Stop the chain and keep going back, and you should feel the anchor dig in and the boat stop moving. If you were drifting with the wind you may have been going sideways (sailing boats certainly do, don't know about mobos) and as the anchor bites it snaps the bow round very reassuringly, proving that it's set. You can then apply a hefty dose of reverse (I use about half revs; that may be too much in a powerful motor boat) to check it's holding.

Pete
 
Philliz is right, he knows that anchorage well, there is indeed a strip of "non-stick" ground that cut out in a swathe from the beach near the end of the sandhills which will catch you out as the tide starts to run. It's worth reversing to make sure you are well dug in. The inlet is not tide free, it swirls around in a big eddy & will get up to 1-2 kts. much faster than you can swim, so take care swimming off the boat, I run a 200' floating line of the stern when swimming.

Don't worry, Abermenai is a bit of a special case, but lots of people stop there without problems & then some don't! I'm not convinced it's mussels - but maybe Phil has dived it, I thought it was pebbles or very hard clay. Go to Llandwyn Island next time, much better holding ground there & a nicer spot to unless it is strong SW'ly.
 
Anchoring is sometimes a lot more difficult than expected. I've anchored there a few times, had problems twice. Once I couldn't get the anchor to bite a couple of times. Another time the current and wind were fairly strong and our yacht was spun round, the chain went round our tandem keel, the anchor bit and I had to let the warp run and drop the lot. I eventually managed to retrieve it at low tide by dragging a grapel fabricated from WW2 barbed wire posts retrieved from the nearby disused RAF base. It was a CQR with 10m chain, rest warp by the way.
 
You've picked a difficult place to anchor for the first time - we've been sailing around the N Wales area for a few years now but never anchored there. I had a look last October in windy conditions and thought it was then a bit too tidal to be comfortable or relaxing. It has a reputation for poor holding. Try anchoring at Cemaes Bay with the wind in the S half of the compass, or at Moelvre with SW wind, or Friars Bay, or Porth Dinllaen; these are all places where the holding is good (the anchor digs into a muddy bottom) and the tide is gentle. Also, anchors are like cameras and phones: old designs are just not so good as newer ones and generally you get what you pay for. If you anchor over night in any breeze or tide you want to know that the anchor keeping you attached to the bottom is reliable and of the type that digs in more and more the harder your boat pulls at it.
 
Oh Sarge I do like yer poem of ankerin
Now ankerin rhymes with you no what
But I aint goin there
But you were right to anker there
But not by over there
In Welsh we say 'you goin by there'? (English translation fer u lot)
'No, I,m goin by ere' we'd say
'By there' you'd say on any day
'By ere is best as of today, cos tide is runnin that away'
'And this away later in the day'
Yer lobs the ook, it disappears
Then countin links but not too fast
Cos too much chain will amass
And cover the ook and begger the olding
Tiss deep near in to said spot
Which sometimes gets a right hot spot!
'Richman's Bay' Me mates kid calls it
Now you've anchored there
Your for it!
A Local 'By Law' is on the Cards
'Mobos only parkin ere yachties feck off over there----- 'Rowan's Bay!'
Sarge, I like your Stealth Ve- Hickle
Jeez the sight of you made me Chuckle
Well done My Friend for attempting such
In a short time you have learned so much
But fek arf at knickin me Forum Status
As Poet Lauriate from the Latin 'daftuspostus'
I blame the Guy who did your basic training
Unless his information is waining
garvellachs don't start an anchor Thread
Yer gonna bend me ed
And as fer Little Ship
Enough Said!
;)
 
SgtColon said:
Of that last hot Saturday a tale I can tell
What started as fun nearly ended as hell

Little 25 foot ‘Tryben’ from Port Dinorwic was bound
Down the straight to Abermenai the plan seemed so sound

An inflatable kayak we wanted to test
Could we launch it? Could we board it? Would a dinghy be best?

At a charted anchorage there we would stop
And for the first time ever our hook we did drop

For 45 minutes whilst lunch was enjoyed,
Tryben remained steady, It’s anchor deployed

The anchors secure I’m happy at last
So into the sea the kayak was cast

It wasn’t an elegant entry to see
But into the kayak we got finally

In no time at all with a paddle each
Across the short distance the beach did we reach

Walking over the sand dunes a sight gave me an uneasy feeling
Towards the bow of Tryben a large motor boat was drifting

With a spin of its props she manoeuvred away
I felt some relief as it sped from the bay

At last I can relax and have a short walk
This anchorings a pleasure I’ve heard people talk

Over my shoulder a fine sight she did look
With a spectacular background laying there on the hook

But what was it? Whats strange,? Whats not as before?
Perhaps its just our location ashore

“Oh Heck” or words similar did I then shout
She’s drifting backwards, She’s on her way out

For reasons unknown the Anchor was free
And now she floated off towards the Irish Sea

We jogged and we scrambled, Back to the kayak we ran
“We’re not going to reach it” , “ Yes we can, Yes we can”

For a time tangled in buoyancy jacket straps were we
but at last launched and paddling frantically out to sea

In hot pursuit we raced, paddle harder, paddle faster
In no time at all we succeeded to catch her

That wasn’t the end we still had to board her
For Brigid that’s hard she is somewhat shorter

We clambered aboard, dragged the kayak up with us
The engine fired up. We’ve been lucky Bejesus’

………………………………………………………………..
Click to expand...

Very good, clever stuff :)
 
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