Anchor substitute

[Roberto]

Suppose you lose your anchor, or anchors, there are no chandlers around in hundreds of miles, the environment indicates no possibility of keeping on sailing: one is obliged to stop the boat somewhere.

How/what would you do?

(On an average boat, with average tools and materials on board -except an n-th spare anchor of course- )

 

[jordanbasset]

Okay, I will say the obvious to get it out the way, go alongside some where

 

[RichardS]

Just bob around until another boat came past and ask if I could borrow their spare anchor.

Let out all my 100m of chain with the heaviest metal thing I have on board tied to the end to see if that worked.

Richard

 

[Leighb]

Isn't that what British Seagull outboards are for?

 

[mainsail1]

Heave to?

 

[Iliade]

Remove the inboard and tie it to the chain, with cable ties to ensure that the chain can be recovered in the event of the 'anchor' getting caught up on rocks or similar.

Undo the keel bolts, thereby allowing the boat to invert and pin itself to the bottom with the mast.

Actually I'd run up the sheltered beach at some time before or after high water and await the moment that I could step off. Then I'd have to bury a deadman somewhere further offshore to ensure I could get off again later.

 

[duncan99210]

This is your chance to prove the theory that it's the chain that does the holding, not the anchor. Must let out all the chain and see if it holds you in position......

OK, I'll get my coat.....

 

[Neeves]

Its not such a stupid question

Find a really tight cove, crevice, narrow creek, the sort of place you normally would never consider - tie to rocks and trees. Its a common technique (even when you have anchors) but its not for the single handed. You need one ashore and one tossing the ropes but also keeping the yacht away from the hard places. People do something similar in the Baltic all the time - they do have a stern anchor but its usually 'lightweight' (not primary sized) and they use pretty wimpy rodes.

Fill buckets with rocks; cut top off fenders, fill with rocks (better - any spare chain).

People laugh - it would never happen to me etc we have lent anchors and we know of lots who sail with only one anchor (and anchors do get lost - that's one reason anchor makers stay in business!)

Sorry - But its why we carry 3 anchors and recommend everyone else do the same.

Jonathan

Edit

in the scenario presented - then the spare you should be carrying ought to be as good as the one you lose. If you think you need a 33kg Rocna then your spare should be 'as good'. If your spare is the old Delta originally on the yacht and you upgraded to the 33kg NG then its difficult to imagine your sleeping soundly using a 20kg Delta (especially if the conditions are in any way arduous). Alloy anchors make a good lightweight option

close edit.

 

[[70521]]

Suppose you lose your anchor, or anchors, there are no chandlers around in hundreds of miles, the environment indicates no possibility of keeping on sailing: one is obliged to stop the boat somewhere.

How/what would you do?

(On an average boat, with average tools and materials on board -except an n-th spare anchor of course- )

Ask a what is the context of your question? Sounds pretty daft to me.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Only 3 anchors I have 5 plus I have steel legs for my boat so we can beach her without tipping over or use them as a make shift anchor.

These 2

and 3 of these

All home made.

You could do as the sailors did before anchors just use a big rock tided to one of your mooting lines.

 

[macd]

Ask a what is the context of your question? Sounds pretty daft to me.

I think it may be something to do with losing your anchor(s) somewhere very remote, probaby nowhere near Devon.

 

[Minchsailor]

This actually happened to me last year. The (admittedly cheapish) unbranded shackle bought from local chandlers snapped as the anchor came aboard. 10mm chain, I guess 10mm shackle. 20Kg of newish Rocna fell 12m into a remote, dark, Scottish loch. NO chance of recovering it.

I have a kedge, a Darnforth, but with only 10m of chain (and about 150m of warp), but with some indifferent weather forecast I really did not want to trust that.

I decided I had to get to a place with a pontoon, moor up there and get a new anchor shipped to me ASAP. Took 4 days for it to arrive. The people who supplied it (Piplers, Poole) kindly included a 'green pin' Winchard shackle FOC.

 

[dom]

As I understand it the new generation retractable keel yachts don't need an anchor at all.

No need for any special keel shape either - great system IMHO.

 

[Poignard]

Assuming you still have the chain, get it on deck and make a bundle of it by tying it together. Attach the kedge warp or as many long lines as can be spared to act as a rode. Drop the bundle to the sea bed, pay out the rode and hope it will hold. Set an anchor watch if necessary. Make note to always carry a spare anchor.

 

[noelex]

I would get my Mermaid to go and "borrow" another anchor. This Ultra is an appealing candidate .

Make sure you mouse those shackles, as it will at least slow her down.

 

[Roberto]

Thanks all for ideas/jokes

Sandy, (hi macd!)
Indeed more explanations needed. We will spend a number of weeks in places -mainly tropical rivers/african islands- where anchoring is the only option (2m fin keel). No ports,no walls, etc, nothing at a safe distance anyway. We already spent a number of months in places like that, and qt the time I wondered what options might exist in case of losing the anchors.

We already moored in river secondary tributaries by tying ropes to trees and mangroves, as often they were so narrow a bahamian anchoring at slack water would have tangled the mast with the trees.
Another way I learnt from local fishermen is to tie the boat to something ashore, then put the rudder so thatthe boat stands at a sort of "standstill ferrygliding" keeping it away from the riverbank; quite effective until the tidal stream reversal.

Not sure about the bucket of rocks if the current runs at more than 1-2kt (?), anyone with a plan like "sharpen the edge of a casserole, fillthe bottom ha!f with lead from diving weights...or something like that

r.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Suppose you lose your anchor, or anchors, there are no chandlers around in hundreds of miles, the environment indicates no possibility of keeping on sailing: one is obliged to stop the boat somewhere.

How/what would you do?

It's what Seagull outboards were made for, and actually improves their performance as outboards. Otherwise use Kraft cheese slices to make a Rocna.

 

[RichardS]

Otherwise use Kraft cheese slices to make a Rocna.

A couple of minutes under the grill and you've got a Welsh Rocna.

Richard

 

[dunedin]

In the sort of location where only a single anchor is likely to be carried (eg. Solent), then picking up a mooring or asking to raft alongside another boat might be the solution.

Where the OP has now clarified he is thinking of going, surely it is essential to ensure having at least 3 anchors and spare chain - and ensure if lost one anchor then take great care not to lose a second!
Having a scenario to handle having carelessly lost three anchors, and unable to sail on, is bizarrely improbable.
Surely many more probable single point of failure risks - like lost rig, failed engine etc to worry about first

 

[[70521]]

Thanks all for ideas/jokes

Sandy, (hi macd!)
Indeed more explanations needed. We will spend a number of weeks in places -mainly tropical rivers/african islands- where anchoring is the only option (2m fin keel). No ports,no walls, etc, nothing at a safe distance anyway. We already spent a number of months in places like that, and qt the time I wondered what options might exist in case of losing the anchors.

We already moored in river secondary tributaries by tying ropes to trees and mangroves, as often they were so narrow a bahamian anchoring at slack water would have tangled the mast with the trees.
Another way I learnt from local fishermen is to tie the boat to something ashore, then put the rudder so thatthe boat stands at a sort of "standstill ferrygliding" keeping it away from the riverbank; quite effective until the tidal stream reversal.

Not sure about the bucket of rocks if the current runs at more than 1-2kt (?), anyone with a plan like "sharpen the edge of a casserole, fillthe bottom ha!f with lead from diving weights...or something like that

r.

Thanks Roberto that does put the question in context.