Anchoring advice

I also like to take the position off the GPS, write it on a Post It note and stick it in a prominent place as a quick reference point, for the time at anchor.

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Also put the GPS....Plotter... on largest scale and keep an eye on the plot if awake. Some do have an anchor alarm facility which is handy.
 
Back the mainsail?

Absolutely! Anchoring under sail is a bravura performance, hopefully displaying your control and teamwork. The last time I did it (some years ago) it received a round of applause, which it wouldn't had the spectators known we only did it 'cos I forgot to check the fuel level...

Lessons learnt? Check the fuel, roll the genoa away in good time, back the mainsail to set the anchor and be confident.

Rob.
 
also worth trying, especially in small or crowded anchorages where you want the anchor and chain to go exactly where you want it to go, is to go downwind, drop hook where you want it, and then pay out chain downwind, snub it, and let snub dig in anchor. sounds scary, but is the easiest and most reliable way i find.

when anchoring bow into wind, and the boat stops, you have no way, and hence no steering... which way does the bow fall off the wind etc? you can usually do it the way you want but then you still have to dig in anchor

about 5-10 years ago pbo checked load/strain at anchor when snubbing it. the only way to get a good load on it (from memory) was to motor forwards a bit until chain hanging vertically under bow, then full reverse. or do it forwards as above. simply reversing did not provide a sufficient load, although you can argue that anchors should bed in etc, but clearly sometimes they dont.

i do wonder if i will ever hit the chain off the hull or even the prop but not so far /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Richard, you might find that a Delta is fine, cheaper, easier to stow and more readily available. I exchanged our Bruce for a Delta and we are fine now. I agree about Fortress - type anchors getting through weed. I have Danforth as kedge and often used to use it with the Bruce....it was always the Danforth that cut through the Spanish Med weed on hard sand.
 
The last time we went into Studland with a CQR we anchored under sail, zoomed in dropped anchor used the speed of the boat to set the anchor. Much oohing and aahing from others in anchorage. It was only whilst drinking tea below decks that we noticed that we were dragging....

CQR now replaced with Spade and the trick now works.
 
By all means take the strain with a snubber, either a chain hook on a nylon strop, or similar device, but unless your boat is a small toy, do not ever make fast round a cleat. If you do, and if it becomes windy, how do you think you will get it off?
 
In normal conditions I use a chain hook but when there is a risk that the wind will really blow I use a stainless shackle through one link and take two good nylon lines back to the bow cleats, to share the load. You could run back to the midships cleats as well, I suppose, but I'd be out of there a long time before that was needed (I hope!)
 
"By all means take the strain with a snubber, either a chain hook on a nylon strop, or similar device, but unless your boat is a small toy, do not ever make fast round a cleat. If you do, and if it becomes windy, how do you think you will get it off?"

That is easy. You have your snubber on one cleat, and your chain on another, but the chain is not under strain - the snubber is taking it. So unwrap teh chain from the cleat and put it onto the windlass, haul in the slack until you can disentangle the snubber (which now has no load on it) and carry on hauling in till the anchor's up. I did it this summer in a F8/9 - hard work with a manual windlass, but quite possible!

It is more difficult if the wind is so high that your snubber has broken - in that case, tie a spare mooring line onto the chain, back to a winch, wind in to take the stress off the chain, sort out the chain on the windlass, and off you go as before.
 
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motor forwards a bit until chain hanging vertically under bow, then full reverse.

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The number of times I have seen, usually mobos (but also sailboats), motoring astern at high knots and wondering why their anchor won't stick always amazes me. Even modern anchors will skate over the bottom if they are not allowed to catch before power is applied. We usually let the tide/wind take us back onto the anchor, give it a couple of minutes then slowly apply power astern to fully set the anchor.
 
<<< We usually let the tide/wind take us back onto the anchor, give it a couple of minutes then slowly apply power astern to fully set the anchor. >>

That's what we used to do on Atlantic coasts on largely sand or mud. On Mediterranean eel grass it just doesn't happen, you will keep sliding backwards because the anchor won't bed. In the Med we find we often have to motor quite quickly astern on an initially slack chain to give it a powerful jerk, penetrating the weed and throwing the crew off their feet. I spoke to one owner who broke some glasses in a locker with the force of the jerk applied.
 
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By all means take the strain with a snubber, either a chain hook on a nylon strop, or similar device, but unless your boat is a small toy, do not ever make fast round a cleat. If you do, and if it becomes windy, how do you think you will get it off?

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If you then later take weight on chain - the snubber, bridle, or other line you use to set to is hen slack and can be released - assuming that you have done a proper cleating of instead of some abortions seen that only a knife will cure. !! But all good boats should have a knife capable of cutting lines.
 
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Richard, you might find that a Delta is fine, cheaper, easier to stow and more readily available.

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Hi David.... unfortunately I have been won over by the new gen anchors. It seems logical that the angle of the shank will tend to dig them in, and the scoop type blade makes more sense than a plough.

I can see how the Delta is better than a CQR with the hinge, but the new ones seem better again.

The true test would be to have a go on a boat with each type, and see how they set in weed like at Andraitx, but that's not going to happen.

I've had enough PMs and seen a few posts to the effect that a Manson or a Rocna stops a boat in its tracks, often with a jolt, to convince me that they work as described by the makers.

You can be sure I'll be letting you know how it goes when I get one and use it in anger.

Regds

Richard
 
Richard,

You are correct. I have used a Delta for years and been very pleased with it......until we experienced some holding problems in the Med. I bought a Rocna a year ago and find it a step up from the Delta. We very rarely fail to bed within a metre or so, even on eel grass. Holding in stronger winds has been excellent.

Vyv
 
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I have a short line of correct length all set up for this purpose with a loop in the end to drop over the cleat.
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I would really not recomend using a line with a loop in the end since this will be impossible to release under load (unless you cut it).

Bear in mind that if it blows up you may also want to pay out more chain, you need to be able to release the rope from the chain and then re-atach.

Finally to prevent chafe I have a length of plastic hose on the rope which sits in the spare bow roller, cheap but very effective.
 
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