Anchoring technique

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fireball

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Ok - let me first start by saying that I have anchored for many years - but all with anchor, some chain and then warp - payed out by hand ...

My technique has always been to bring the boat to a standstill, lower the anchor till I can feel it hit the bottom, get a bit of reverse going (either tide, wind or engine assisted), pay out the rest of the chain (max has been 10m 8mm) then flake the warp out till I get to the amount required ... I'm pretty confident I then have a nice line from the anchor to the chain then warp so holding is pretty quick.

Now, we have all chain (50m x 8mm) on an electric windlass ... and I'm contemplating the technique - as the last 3 anchorings have been - pay out chain to approx depth, get reverse on and pay out to 3x depth (lunchstops) then wait a bit as I can feel rumblings through the chain .... not sure, pay out a bit more, feel rumblings etc etc ... till eventually I say sod it and go and have lunch .... not that we've dragged .... but not anchored where I initially intended. - rumblings were felt when pushing down on the chain just in front of the windlass...

So - how do you anchor with all chain and electric windlass?
 
Rumbling probably not dragging, but chain moving over sea bed as she yaws a bit.

If you drop back on the amount of chain you anticipate needing, give it fully welly astern, and check she's not going any further astern (and she's not) then you're hooked, can break out the scotch eggs and the Tizer, reach for your Harry Potter, and relax. Any rumblings will be coming from the crew, who were anticipating foie gras and chilled Gewurztraminer.

PS - consider putting a whatyamacallit on - length of nylon 3-strand with a chain hook - to take the weight of the chain and absorb rumbling/grumbling.
 
Ah - so perhaps I should lower the chain a bit slower then!!
I try not to be one of those that pulls up - dumps 30m of chain in a pile then disappears off to the nearest pub leaving everyone else to fend off my drifting boat!!

I'm looking for a chain hook - but the chain we've got is short link so you can only get a 6mm shackle pin through - so not sure what to do ... as I said - lunch stops only so far so not much bother, but I do want to get it sorted before hols!
 
You may want to consider letting the chain out using the clutch on the windlass as it is faster than reverse power.

You should be able to get a chain hook - the cast stainless type and splice a length of 12mm onto it with enough length so that the hook picks up on the fall of the chain below the roller. Neatly spliced loop on the other end to slip over the cleat on the starboard side. Let a bit of slack out of the chain and the boat is held by the cleat not the windlass. You can have a longer strop and use nylon if you want it to act as a snubber.
 
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yer - I did that the first time, then thought - can't be arsed with this!!

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I used to think that, so I got a chain hook. But a rolling hitch lets you use the first warp that comes to hand, instead of having to search
through the locker until you find the one with the hook on it /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Some of this already said but:-

Try to find a patch clear of weed to anchor on if the water is clear enough to see. You will need to drop the anchor quite a bit ahead of where you want the boat to lie when set.

Start with the boat stationary head to wind over your chosen anchor spot, the bow will just be starting to blow off sideways maybe, that is helpful. Lower the anchor (I prefer to power it down on the windlass) onto the bottom then let out more chain gradually as the boat falls back until you have reached your mark (you did mark the chain didn't you?), at least 3 x HW depth plus height of bow from water to start with. The boat will straighten to the anchor as it grips and lay head to wind or tide if no wind, (in between with wind against tide is a real) PITA, try to avoid. Now try to dig the anchor in, under sail by backing the main, under power with the engine. Under engine use reverse gently at first and don't jerk it's bad for the windlass if the chain is still there not tied off. Progressively lean on the anchor with more revs until you have really dug it in (watch marks to see if it drags doing this). Now ease back on reverse to neutral and the boat will move forward under the weight of the chain. Now set a snubber line if you are happy with the amount of chain out, use a proper cast chain hook (Jimmy Green sells them as do most chandlers) spliced into a nylon line preferably with a rubber mooring compensator (Gondolastik, Jimmy Green has them too as do most chandlers) wound into it and an anti chafe tube threaded on too. Now hook on the snubber (bit like a faiground catch the ducks game) outside the bow roller and keep a bit of tension on this whilst you let out more chain to get the snubber line in place with the load on it rather than the chain. Now lower a bit more chain so it hangs in a slack loopbelow the snubber line. We put the snubber line in the 2nd bow roller, if you only have one use a bow fairlead. Now turn off the windlass breaker switch and engine and relax. Easy!

Proper chain hooks fit between links not through the hole in the link, they come in sizes to match the chain. I prefer a dedicated snubber to using any old warp and a rolling hitch, you can release a chain hook easily once the load is back on the chain, a rolling hitch might have pulled too tight to release quickly in an emergency.
 
Rumbling should make you suspect that the anchor is dragging - it might not be, but you should make sure.

The true test of whether you are dug in or not is to let the chain out to its' desired length, then put the engine in reverse and gradually increase the revs. On mine, (Moody 44, 50hp Volvo MD22L engine), I increase gradually to about 1800 revs, (equivalent to about 5.5 knots in a calm sea). The chain stretches until taught, and remains so - quite frightening the first few times you do it. Check transits to ensure not dragging. Also, if the chain slackens, and possibly retensions, you are probably dragging.

Whilst in reverse, with a tight chain, you will also find that prop walk moves the boat in a circle, so you need to be aware of this when using transits.

If in doubt, haul the anchor and try again.

Best time to practice and learn how this works and feels is in a calm anchorage with plenty of room.

It's a good feeling when you know that you know what you are doing /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

If appropriate, snorkel out to the anchor and make sure it's dug in. I've also snorkelled over the anchor while SWMBO has been reversing to dig it in - quite enlightening.

If overnighting, use reverse before sundown to confirm that it is still dug in. A PIA if it's not, but better than waking at 3am to a dragging anchor.

A rolling hitch takes seconds/minutes, so not that big a deal. It's also a useful hitch in many difficult situations, so worth knowing how to do in your sleep /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Cheers

Richard
 
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I'm looking for a chain hook - but the chain we've got is short link so you can only get a 6mm shackle pin through - so not sure what to do ...

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Our hook doesn't go through the link, it goes in between links ...

Anchor_chain_grab_hook.jpg


1947Chain&ChainHook_comp.JPG
 
If the weight of your chain permits, there is a lot to be said for faking out the required length of chain on deck, then lowering the anchor by hand until you feel it reach the bottom, then paying out under control as wind or tide takes the boat. If no wind or tide, the drop while the boat still has a bit of way on. Foolproof even if anchoring single-handed without engine, as with the boat self-steering on a close reach one can drop the main, roll up headsail until there is just enough to take you into the anchorage, then put the rest away and go forward to drop anchor using the remaining way. Obviously not practicable if your ground tackle is very heavy, but at age 64 I find it easy enough with a 45lb anchor and chain to match. Apart from being able to tell when the hook has touched the bottom and laying the cable put properly, this approach has the advantage that there can be none of the hang-ups in the chain locker that can arise if it is paid out straight off the windlass. Why have a windlass? Because I'm not keen on pulling all that lot up again without some mechanical help.
 
Thanks for the responses so far - very helpful and I hadn't thought of the rumbling chain - just suspected the anchor (not used to so much chain!) so I wondered if I should've dropped out more chain than required then hauled back in ...

I'll have a look for a hook - but in the meantime it'll be rolling hitch if we're on hook for any more than a few hours...
 
The rumbling chain will also occur again when the tide changes, its guaranteed to get you up to check your transits in the middle of the night which will or course have changed, so then you stay up until the boat has settled down. Always good for a least a 45min interuption to your sleep at least.
 
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You may want to consider letting the chain out using the clutch on the windlass as it is faster than reverse power.

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OOOOOH ! I can feel the wallet trying to hide in the pocket depths with that !! In fair weather and no strain on windlass - ok, but in any wind / tide or where strain is coming on - I would suggest you do not load a windlass clutch .... it's ok if clutch fully disengaged or fully engaged ... but not to snub or control a chain.

Fastest way to destroy a windlass clutch .... Sorry but seen a few examples on boats ....

My windlass - a Royal is as old as the boat ~35yrs ... has never needed new parts and still works a dream. Chain is laid out on deck to required and then run from deck NOT from windlass or locker. My chain is painted so I can quickly gauge how much is flaked out ready. 1 white link per metre, 10's have a red link for each multiple of 10 ... simple - easy and even swmbo can work that one out ! Time to mark ? Spray can of each paint ... chain on ground ... minutes !
 
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My chain is painted so I can quickly gauge how much is flaked out ready.

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And the issue I have with utilising that on my boat is that it is exceedingly difficult to pull the chain through the tiny hole without it snagging on the windlass - the system seems designed to raise/lower with windlass (no clutch to release either I think!)
 
I have to say I don't like the idea of flaking chain on the foredeck because at best it scrapes the non slip and at worst could drop in a rush when not wanted, even with a foot in a bight as well. On most small boat electric windlass systems pulling chain through by hand risks twisting it so it could jump on retrieval on the gypsy too I think. Powering down is very fast and uses little amps anyway as there is no load much on the motor.

Our chain is marked with coloured thin shockcord at 10m then every 5m thereafter and the colour code written on the inside of anchor locker lid. The shockcord is passed through a link and seized to itself with a small cable tie then trimmed to leave either one or two tails visible that pass over the gypsy without a problem. Some people just use coloured cable ties. You can buy plastic markers that fit in the links but they are expensive compared to bits of shockcord.
 
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You can buy plastic markers that fit in the links but they are expensive compared to bits of shockcord.

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Yer - but we've done this this time .... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif ... 1 colour every meter for 10 meters - then change colour ... nothing for the first 10 meters though.
 
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Yer - but we've done this this time .... ... 1 colour every meter for 10 meters - then change colour ... nothing for the first 10 meters though.


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Every meter???? Did you win the lottery? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I concur with Robin - flaking is dangerous in some circumstances.

Re transits, they are so old hat. Once settled, note GPS position. I write it on a post it note and stick it to the display, so I just need to make a single glance to compare any drift or drag.
 
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