Anchoring singlehanded

jonathankent

jonathankent

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My usual problem.... I've got time off work to go sailing, yet others haven't, so... I'm thinking of going solo for a few days... not particularly far, just staying around Helford, Falmouth, Carrick Roads, Fal, etc. Now I know you can moor on to buoys singlehanded, and with a little caution/practice probably on to a pontoon, but, what about when it comes to anchoring? What is the easiest way to do this? Obviously dropping anchor shouldn't be too bad, but is it just as easy to get it up... ignore where the boat may swing/drift and off you go?

This will be the first time I will have been out singlehanded aswell... so I see a very daunting time ahead, yet one that should be very rewarding.

Experience/advice much appreciated.

P.S. any good reccomendations for anchorages/overnight stays in the Fal/Carrick Roads.... my first season sailing in the area, and although I know the area by land, I don't know it by water properly.
 
I'll let you know next week as I'm going to anchor single handed .

The only way that I've thought of raising the anchor single handed is this (at the expense of being shot down)
1. Turn on engine and leave in neutral.
2. Go forward and pull in anchor chain until the anchor breaks and the boat starts to drift backwrads.
3. Hook chain hook, attached to length of line, onto anchor chain.
4. Return to Cockpit pulling anchor chain behind me, thus lifting anchor a further, up to, 4/5 metres and tying off in cockpit

Then I can control the boat from the cockpit and start to get under way.

I know a lot can depend on the way the current affects the boat and how much room the boat has behind it. If there is clear water behind, then there is more time to sort oneself out.

If anyones got any other methodsthen I'll gladly accept any other suggestions.
 
I think there can be too much emphasis on controlling the boat... Given there is some 'sea room' and that there is not too much current or tide running you can actually just leave the boat to it's self... Will not go far - probably lay to the wind... You can work on the foredeck - with the engine ticking over in neutral and leave actually giving it any steerage way until it really is necessary... Don't forget that you can drive around with quite a lot of chain still out - so long as the anchor is clear of the bottom... slowly. then let the boat drift and go on the foredeck to continue stowing..

Actually laying the anchor single handed is more difficult I think. It has to be prepared and hanging over the bows as you bring the boat up slowly to where you intend to drop. Then come up to the wind and run forward and let go - hopefully the anchor will drop fast and you can 'dump' a load of chain on the bottom... Having let out more or less 3-1 you need to head back to the cockpit and put the boat in astern and 'drag' out the heap of chain that's laying on the bottom. Then dig the anchor in and perhaps let out a bit more chain - Make sure it is holding as you go astern then relax... put on the snubber and watch for a while to make sure it is all holding properly......

Michael
 
Dropping anchor is no problem, providing you wait till the boat stops!
Hoisting it isn't too much hassle either - When I had a sloop rig I put the main up first but not sheeted too tight, rudder locked midships.
Heave up anchor, then while you are securing it to bow, the boat will have started to bear away and start to sail off into the sunrise.
A quick look around to ensure that you are not about to run anyone down, finish tidying the anchor away, make your way aft, set course, set autohelm, unleash the genoa, then go and put the kettle on.

PS - when you get slick at it, you put the kettle on first so it will be near to boiling when you are on your way /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I do much the same, though I wouldn't like to drag the chain along my side decks. I pull in however much chain I can, tie of on the cleat and trot back to the tiller when necessary. Sometimes it may take two or three trips but it's rarely a problem.

As MichaelE says, getting the anchor down is more likely to be problematic particularly if it doesn't bite first time.
 
There an unreasonble prejudice for dropping an lifting anchors from the bow. It's actually quite easy to drop the anchor from the cockpit, then transfer it to the bow when it's on the bottom and the boat has - more or less - stopped. Then you can do the whole reverse to dig it in business if motoring ahead to dig it in seems too improbable.

Similarly, when it comes to lifting it, move the chain or warp back to the stern and start heaving it in. When it breaks out just carry on pulling. If the boat does start to get underway, then you're close to the controls to take corrective action, before resuming hauling. When it's all up, either set the autohelm on a safe course, or hoist the sails and heave to, before getting the hook and chain back forward.

Helps to have a biggish bucket on the cockpit floor or the poop that you can load with chain before dropping, and fill with chain as you recover.
 
Both laying and retrieving are not too bad as long as you're prepared, don't try too much wind or tide and don't rush it.

To set the hook just lay everything out as normal. Come up to the point and stop the boat. You can then lower it down. Once it hits bottom it will drag until it's set but will start control the boat. As you pay out the chain as you drift back you get more control the longer the chain and once you have enough out you can make off and motor back to dig in. Dont dump a whole load of chain. You risk getting a tangle on the bottom that results in the anchor not digging in and dragging. Worse still you think it's in until it drags in the middle of the night when the tide changes.

To get it back, I just motor forward a bit and pull up a bit. If I drift back on the current or wind, I just motor forwards again. It may take a few repeats to get the hook clear. Once it's clear of the bottom you should be able to pull up fairly quickly as you will have picked a fairly shallow spot.

The trick with pontoons is to have a line rigged from the middle of the boat back to a winch or cleat in the cockpit. As you come alongside, just throw the loop over a cleat and pull tight. You can then leave the engine in gear with the rudder over pushing the stern out and bows in. Hop off and make off the lines ashore. I prefer a nice bow spring first just in case the loop slips. Throw all pre-prepared lines ashore and it's only a few secs to get everything secure if not perfect.

A trick for buoys although I've never tried this one is to have a line rigged from bow to the cockpit. Stop the boat with the buouuy alongside the cockpit and slip the line though whatever is on the buoy or mooring. You can then drift back & you'll remain attached to get the real lines sorted.

I normally just stop as if I had a crew, run foreward and pick up the chain. I have a nice loop in it and can generally can pick up in quite a bit of wind (took 6 times last time I had a F6 though - bow drifted off before I got to the front).

Prepare everything before hand, give yourself lots of room and don't rush.
 
Not struck on the idea of heaving chain up the side deck as that then becomes the pivot point for the boat, which puts you beam to wind.
OK for a strong lad like you, but I can only manage two Weetabix for breakfast /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Thanks for the advice. The only problem I have is that my side decks are very, very narrow (think narrow then halve it). So obviously it is an advantage to make the minimum number of trips along the side decks as are necessary.
 
Much good advice here already to which I will only add (as an experienced single-hander) that nothing is very difficult if you think each activity through carefully in advance and have all the kit you need ready and to hand. Whether you are talking about anchoring, reefing, mooring, or anything single-handed, preparation - mental and equipment - it the key factor for success. I single-hand our 42 footer with no problems and single-handed our 26 footer before. It isn't difficult if you prepare.
 
If you use rope and chain for an anchor rode the easiest way to recover the anchor is with a buoy or "fishing bubble"

You will require a plastic or foam bubble that will hold up your anchor and chain. On my fishing vessel I use 3 x 12 plastic bubbles. Attached to the bubble you need a short strop with either a snap hook made for just this purpose or a large shackle that will pass over the chain easily.

When it comes time to weigh anchor you will need some sea room for this. Attach the shackle and bubble to the anchor rode so it floats at the bow. Drive the boat forward at idle till you have the anchor rode and the buoy near the stern, just drive around the anchor a bit. As the buoy comes past the stern, gaff the anchor line and hook it over a stern cleat. At this stage you need to have the boat pointing straight up tide/wind. Put the throttle full forward. The buoy will slide down the anchor rope and probably go some distance underwater astern of the boat depending on how solid a hook up you had. Eventually the shackle will side right over the chain and to the shank of the anchor. At this stage you will be able to slow and pull the boat out of gear. The anchor and chain will be "floating" under the buoy. Just unhook the rope from the stern and wander forward and recover the lot at your leasure.

Particularly useful way to recover the anchor when you anchor in a couple of hundred feet of water.
 
I do this quite regularly

The key is fitting the correct handling gear.

An electric windlass of at least twice the anticipated maximum pull needed which should consider breaking out against a gale and a 5 knot current.
Then fit a Mizar radio control system (about £150). You can then fully operate the winlass from the cockpit .

As back up I have cargo hooks on the end of 12 metre warps that i can use on the chain and lead back to the cockpit main primary winches.

I need it 'cos with a heart condition heaving up a 35lb cqr and 60 meters of chain means I'll have an even bigger heart condition if I just do it by hand.
 
You've had a shedload of good advice about anchoring singlehanded so I'll start on the second question - where?

Assuming that as you are singlehanded the close proximity to a hostelry would be reasonable -

off Custom house Quay; good holding, sheltered, try the Nepalese Ghurka on The Moor

Off St Mawes, again good holding, try the Victory

if it's settled W'ly ( which looks likely early this w/e) Porthallow (Five Pilchards)

or if you've a few tinnies on board

just up past Turnaware

off Tremayne Quay in the Helford

Looks as though it's going light N'ly on Sunday so how about Porthscatho or Portloe?

Have a good one
 
Deplying and raising the anchor from the cockpit really does it make the whole process a lot easier. About 80% of my anchoring is off the stern so my anchor lives in the cockpit, but it is easy to move the rode forward to the bow when needs be. It might be a bit more difficult with chain and a heavy anchor though.
 
Much excellent advice here as usual. I find single handed anchoring less of a worry than single handed mooring - bouy or pontoon. With anchoring it is really a matter of thinking out your moves ahead of time. Unless there is a really strong current in a confined anchorage you have far more time than you might think to get things sorted.

With docking alongside I've found that getting an amidships line ashore first is the best way. In many, if not most cases, there are helpful people around to take your lines anyway.

Picking up a mooring takes patience and is probably best done by coming alongside and picking it up from the cockpit.

Good Luck!
 
It would help a bit to know exactly what you are intending to anchor, and what gear you have.

Assuming we are talking about your Fantasie 19, with o/b motor and a lightish anchor, perhaps part chain, part rope.

Prob'ly first issue is whether you can get underway easily single handed. Do you have the means to motor reliably into the wind to hoist the main particularly, and also the foresail if not furling. This is the biggest challenge I find without an autopilot and a yacht that will go anywhere but in a straight line under power without someone on the helm.

In this case I always hoist and drop the main at anchor or on a mooring when single handed. I can unfurl the foresail but she will not quite sail close enough to the wind to get the main up easily. Therefore the anchoring technique I use is...

Sail around anchorage checking depth and sea room for escape, to pick my spot.

Furl headsail, usually fully, but sometimes leaving a scrap for balance and / or digging the anchor in. Heave to and deploy chain required on side deck, unpin anchor.

Sail into position stopping head to wind, dump all sheets and step forward to drop the hook, allowing yacht to fall back as I pay out chain to avoid it sitting in a heap.

Once chain deployed, manually haul foresail barn door style to help dig anchor in, check transits.

Furl / drop sails, last check of transits, open beer.

Departure.

Check sea room, hoist main, leave sheet slack. If sea room s critical I will unfurl a little headsail to assist pointing on escape, but not so much that it beats me around the head (same rule applies when anchoring). I usually put a bit of main on to sail towards the anchor, but you may be able to manhandle yours upwind.

Haul anchor. I feed into hawse pipe whilst still firmly attached, once free of the bottom, I lay along side deck unless unlimited sea room. If you need to steer out of harms way, do quick (but secure) stow of anchor, then back into cockpit to harden sheets, add more foresail if required, and sail into clear water.

Heave to, stow anchor and chain properly, sail away.

If you can hoist and drop sails under engine - p'raps with tiller pilot to assist, this makes it easier in a tight spot - to anchor under power - but I've never found the need, which is just as well.
 
Re: Anchoring singlehanded: where

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off Tremayne Quay in the Helford

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Certainly one of my favourite locations (although at bit tight for us at springs). Maybe too close to "home" for you.

How about the bay opposite (N. of) Turnaware Pt in front of Trelissick. Beautiful, especially if you can take the ground (which I presume you can).
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. Unfortunately its not this weekend, it will be the following week... 1st-9th July. Hopefully the weather will still be good that week.
 
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Assuming we are talking about your Fantasie 19, with o/b motor and a lightish anchor, perhaps part chain, part rope.


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Spot on.....

and thank you for a very elaborate explanation....
 
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