Anchoring & leaving the boat

[sailingelana]

I do most of my sailing on Lake Windermere (No tidal current) and find that I feel quite comfortable at anchor in light conditions using 4 times the length of anchor chain than the depth of water. A burst of reverse to check your holding is also a good idea. Hope this helps.

 

[SAWDOC]

The length of cable out can be considered to fulfil two main functions:

- the "sag" in in it helps deaden the snatches on both anchor and boat. The boat will move back and forwards even if pointing the same way - a gust of wind from ahead will cause her to drop back. After the gust has gone, the weight of cable will cause her to move forward
- the length lying on the bottom makes sure that the pull on the anchor is horzontal - so that the anchor stays well dug in. This is the most important factor and is why you need to make sure enough cable's out to prevent the anchor being pulled upwards to any degree(cable's better on the bottom than in the locker my captain used to say!)

As the boat swings around the anchor (lets say that the wind gradually changes from S through E to N) the boat will pull the cable towards her. She will move around the anchor - hence more cable that's out, the bigger the radius of the swing. Of course, if there's not a lot of pull, the cable can be dragged around the bottom in a big bight or loop (but I've never known my own cable foul my own anchor (or touch wood, anyone else's)

By the way - cable should be laid out when you anchor - ie let the anchor onto the bottom, and as the boat moves astern, let the cable out gradually. Don't "drop" it, or you could end up with a big pile on top of the anchor

All this makes it sound much more complicated than it really is

Phil

Glad you responded!
Well done on providing a much clearer response than any I could write!

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Another remedy ..... to reduce fishtailing to acceptable levels .... causes a lot of questions from others in the anchorage.

Anchor by the stern. Manoeuvre the chain to the stern (pay out or you will shorten the scope by a boat length) using rope (chain hook or hitch and make off evenly between the quarter cleats.

Sloops that are prone to slewing sit nice and straight with no veering. I picked this tip up from the Jordan Series Drogue Web Site. I have now tried it and found the difference remarkable. My own boat has a high bow, low stern, skeg hung rudder, hence good lateral resistance well aft; designed for slewing.

I would recommend that if you have an issue with slewing you should try this tactic.

 

[prv]

Anchor by the stern. Manoeuvre the chain to the stern (pay out or you will shorten the scope by a boat length) using rope (chain hook or hitch and make off evenly between the quarter cleats.

Sloops that are prone to slewing sit nice and straight with no veering.

You will get a nice breeze right down the companionway though - good in the Med (and I've done it purely for this reason) but less good in the UK in March

Pete

 

[TradewindSailor]

Anchor by the stern. Manoeuvre the chain to the stern (pay out or you will shorten the scope by a boat length) using rope (chain hook or hitch and make off evenly between the quarter cleats.

Sloops that are prone to slewing sit nice and straight with no veering. I picked this tip up from the Jordan Series Drogue Web Site. I have now tried it and found the difference remarkable. My own boat has a high bow, low stern, skeg hung rudder, hence good lateral resistance well aft; designed for slewing.

I would recommend that if you have an issue with slewing you should try this tactic.

Another solution, especially for those with rope rodes, is to bridle the rode. Attach the bridle about one boat length down the rode from the bow roller. You lead the bridle to an aft cleat so that the boat lays at an angle to the rode. You wouldn't want too much angle or the boat would roll in any swell ..... but I've seen it work well.