Anchoring Single Handed

Tomsk

Tomsk

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I'm starting to single hand more and more - and love the peace and tranqulity of being alone.

I'm getting to the point now where I would perhaps like to consider anchoring single handed which begs the question "How to recover anchor and chain"?

I don't currently have a windlass, but naturally would be happy to install one should this be necessary - however boat is only 26 foot.

What worries me is getting snagged up with anchor chain etc and not getting back to cockpit before boat drifts away on the tide!

Any advice welcomed.

Tomsk
 
I have never found the recovery the problem, in my youth I would try to sail it out, then haul in the chain (with helm lashed), now I motor and use "george".

I now seem to have more concern on my own setting up to drop the hook, I think it is an age thing, and I just seem to fret more now than I did then.

I have still not got down to fitting the windlass, as I do not find a problem handing over the chain.
 
It worries me too, not least because there's no winch (so not a yottie then!). I always use a trip line - not short so that you're chasing round trying to pick it up, but long enough (30m) for normal depths and brought back on board. It guarantees getting the Bruce out, and if t'were a bit hairy and I found myself blowing round the anchorage before getting back to the helm then at least I have a loop of chain swinging under the forefoot NOT an anchor. But it's all rather theoretical to date. Any improvements come to mind?
 
Like you I agonised over this before getting accustomed to doing it for real (on a 27-footer). My current boat doesn't help by having a pronounced sheer, so the bow blows away at the drop of a hat. But unless it's really draughty, it's not a huge problem unless someone else has parked too close. Usually the boat gathers way surprisingly slowly once the hook is up (mind you, she is pretty heavy), although from the sound of it you're expecting to be in strong tidal streams which might be more of a problem. Suggest you make special point of practicing in more benign waters, if poss.

On a 26-footer your gear is probaby light enough not to need a windlass. Of course one of the problems a single-hander has is the difficulty of motoring up the scope to make recovery easier, although it can be done up to a point. I would suggest that you have a. the means to ditch your gear quickly if it does foul, and a fender to hand to lash to your rode (or aleady lashed to it) so you can recover it later; and b. back-up anchoring gear (not buried at the bottom of a locker).

Like most things boaty, if it can go wrong, sooner or later it will. The knack is to anticipate all the ways it might mess up and have measures in place for each. Much easier said than done.
 
Sorry, a PS. I have mixed feelings about trip lines, having been tangled up with them more often than having a fouled hook. There's certainly an argument for single-handers to keep their anchoring as simple as possible (but, equally, arguments in favour of tripping lines). One of the prices you pay with any anchoring is the possibility of losing your gear. I'd sggest that single-handers need to be even more prepared to pay this price.
 
I manage OK with a 26 footer. The key to everything single handed is to prepare everything in advance and take your time. Dropping the hook is easy. Lifting is what can take a little time.

I generally motor forward as normal but of course there's no crew to pull up as you go. So I motor forward, then go forward and pull up what I can. Then go back and repeat. The boat is unlikely to start to drift if the hook is holding as it should. If it does start to drag then the boat won't go too fast. Pick your place so you have good shelter, holding & current and you won't have a problem. Don't make it difficult for yourself. If there's any chance of getting stuck use a trip line. If you still can't trip it manually, use the trip line to take the tension off the chain and then motor back or just use the windage to pull the hook out.
 
Never had any probs in the past, either main up and helm lashed midships (if plenty of space) or engine running in neutral or ahead at tickover if it's a bit windy with autopilot.

However, we've recently fitted a power windlass, and once I've fitted a second switch in the cockpit I don't see any probs at all.......
 
Don't know if this is of interest, but we have a tripping line (sinking) about 15m long that we tie to the anchor and about 13/14m up the chain. As we normally anchor in 10m or less (usually 4-7), recovery is not a problem if the hook has caught on a something. As our sailing is basically on the west coast of Scotland and Ireland, the tidal differences are not great.

In theory, it could tangle with a change of wind/current, but never has. Same consideration could apply to the tripping line and fender method.

Never tried it singlehanded, but see no reason why it shouldn't work. Better than tripping line/fender/buoy IMHO.
 
Been doing it for years.... very rarely had any problems. I arrange things so that the chain self stows as it comes aboard. I always have the engine running just in case, even if I am planning to sail off. If space is a bit tight round the anchorage, once the anchor breaks out, I pull the last bit in at the run, and dont bother with stowing anything properly until the boat is under way and under control. I then nip back and tidy things up properly as soon as it is safe to do so.

Mine is a 26 footer, and fairly hefty, so my main bower is a fairly substantial bit of gear with all chain, so when I first bought the boat I fitted a windlass. I very rarely use it unless it is blowing hard or there is a strong current - or am feeling lazy! I can only remember one occasio when I had to use it in anger. But I also carry a light kedge with a couple of fathoms of chain, and around 40m warp, which I use as a 'lunch' anchor - i.e in quiet conditions or just stopping for an hour or two. In calm sheltered water I use it over night too, as warp is quieter. Its much easier to get it back! This is kept stowed on the foredeck, and the warp has its own stowage, so it is all ready for immediate use.

That I reckon is the key to succesful single handling - having everything set up so that gear is immediately to hand and ready for use without having to spend 10 minutes rummaging a cockpit locker for the right shackle, or line.

And I agree - single handing is the best!
 
This is an interesting topic, especially as I have recently joined the ranks of single-handers. I should think some means of quickly holding the chain would help, in case you need to nip back to the cockpit whilst weighing anchor. Some kind of pawl arrangement so that if you let go the chain, it won't run out.
 
After years lugging chain up by hand on the foredeck (with autopilot set, as someone else suggested) I bought some octoplait, so I now anchor my 26 ft 4 ton boat to a bloody great Spade anchor, ten meters of chain and as much rope as I can put out. It is so much easier, I wish I'd done it years ago.
 
What you need is a chain pawl; invented by Claud Worth around 1888

Very simple gadget, which no doubt is why no swindlery will sell you one and the RYA zero to heroes know nothing of it.

A pawl fitted at the stemhead holds the chain from running out when in the "on" position and lets it run out freely when flicked over to the "off" position.

To anchor, flick it over to "off"; to recover the chain by hand flick it to "on" so that it grips a link of the chain against the stemhead roller; you can pull the chain in a length at a time. If you time your pulls for the moment when the bow dips, if you are in a swell of any sort, its even easier.

Borrow a copy of "Yacht Cruising" and you will see the whole thing illustrated.
 
Like you I frequently singlehand, and up until last year scorned the thought of a windlass. When anchored for the fleet review, I had a major problem which has made me change my mind. Those who were there will be aware that there was a fair old wind blowing, and when I tried to recover my anchor , there was also a 2 knot tide. I had been anchored all day and also had a couple of big ribs alongside so the anchor was well buried.

Long story short. I normally give a quick burst of ahead to get up over the anchor and then leap on to the focsle to retrieve as much chain as possible, then give another burst, etc. On this occasion, by the time I got to the focsle, the wind and tide had already moved us back so that the strain was on the cable. It was only the kindness of the boat ahead of me, who saw my predicament and floated a line back to me. I was able to motor up to ontop of my anchor and he then secured the line and so I was able to bring up the slack in the chain. I was not even able to break the anchor out of the mud, but had to motor fwds to break it out.

I have now fitted a windlass!
 
Re: What you need is a chain pawl; invented by Claud Worth around 1888

Modern chandlers dont have the faintest idea when you ask for proper sailing gear. I have used a chain pawl and recomend it, also a chain hook on a length of rope.
You can use it to take the strain and cleat off the anchor chain, and if you make the piece of rope long enough to reach your sheet winches then you can haul in the chain from the cockpit.
 
Re: What you need is a chain pawl; invented by Claud Worth around 1888

Coming from a big ship back ground and also someone interested in the tips and tricks of single handing, this chain pawl, is it something similar to a devils claw;
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or more like this?
CS2.jpg
 
My last boat was a 42 ft sloop which was frequently sailed single handed and regularly anchored. After trying various methods I settled on lashing the helm to one side then winding the chain in (by hand) on the windlass. Once the anchor broke out boat would fall back and lie across the wind more or less hove to and drifting down wind. Once chain sorted set jib and sail clear before rounding up and setting mainsail.
This worked because I generally had fairly clear water astern having dropped the hook in deeper water to leeward of the smaller boats.

Under power and strong winds I often leave the engine in gear at tick over to take some of the load off the chain. This can be a bit more exciting if the wind drops and boat starts making headway.

Same methods with my current lightweight high windage boat but I do have an anchor windlass to control the chain. For short stops in light conitions I just use a small Bruce on all rope and bring it in hand over hand, then get underway.

Go for it, you will soon find a method that suits you and your boat.

Have fun
 
Re: What you need is a chain pawl; invented by Claud Worth around 1888

The latter, but located, not on the deck adjacent to a windlass, but combined with the bow roller so that the pawl axle is above the roller axle. That way, you can pull on the chain by hand without dislodging the pawl.

One of these, in fact:

lgstop.jpg
 
Re: What you need is a chain pawl; invented by Claud Worth around 1888

What you need is . . . a hawse pipe. The leverage you get when you can stand and lift vertically is so much greater. I can retrieve my 35kg anchor, on 10mm chain, by hand. When I used to haul it in over the bows, no chance.
 
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