Anchor Snubber

[Robin]

Anchor sail. I have a ketch. My anchor sail is like two small mizzens with a common luff. It has slides which go into the track gate, above the stowed mizzen, and each clew is sheeted to the outer corners of the taffrail. There is a spreader (telescopic boathook with a spike) between the two clews. The double sail seems much more efficient than a reefed mizzen, as it is effective even when head to wind. Takes seconds to rig.

OK but no longer have a ketch, next boat who knows?

 

[jimbaerselman]

Anchor sail. I have a ketch. My anchor sail is like two small mizzens with a common luff. It has slides which go into the track gate, above the stowed mizzen, and each clew is sheeted to the outer corners of the taffrail. There is a spreader (telescopic boathook with a spike) between the two clews. The double sail seems much more efficient than a reefed mizzen, as it is effective even when head to wind. Takes seconds to rig.

A good answer for that yawing at anchor (once the wind gets up) if you don't want to do a forked moor.

If you don't have a ketch, make a quadrilateral sail, folded at opposite corners. One corner (the head) hauls up the backstay. The other (the tack) goes forward. Clews spread to the quarters. The result looks like two jibs with a common luff, one backed to port, one to starboard.

Doesn't flutter when head to wind!

 

[jimbaerselman]

Where do you folk get all this jerking and snatching? Are you anchoring out in the open sea? :disgust: Or are you allowing the boat to yaw excessively? If necessary, I rig an anchor sail to avoid that. :encouragement:
Still, what would I know, the most wind that I've ever been anchored in was 74 knots.

Most snatching and jerking occurs where ferry wash or wind induced surge affects pontoons or quays. That's also where I've seen most fractured snubbers and chafed through ropes on boats wintering afloat.

 

[geem]

My understanding of rubber snubbers is that they are particularly useful at shock absorption, i.e. the short sharp blows that might be expected in short lines attaching a boat to a pontoon or a wall. Their elasticity is not very high due to the formulation of the rubber compound, which makes them less suitable for anchoring, where the movement of the vessel is greater but the shock loading is less. Testing of rubber snubbers against nylon rope in anchor rodes suggests that the latter make for far more comfortable living aboard.

We use our large rubber snubber as a permanent feature in our long three strand snubber line. Best of both worlds??

 

[Robin]

We use our large rubber snubber as a permanent feature in our long three strand snubber line. Best of both worlds??

That is the method I have always used and recommend. If the rubber snubber breaks, the line wound around/through it is still taking the strain and if that gives out as well then the chain takes over. I would never consider a rubber snubber on it's own as any use whether mooring or anchoring.