LONG_KEELER
Well-Known Member
Any tips on getting it in.
Particularly when wind and tide are together + single handed.
Thanks in advance.
Particularly when wind and tide are together + single handed.
Thanks in advance.
Anchoring without a windlass
- Thread starter LONG_KEELER
- Start date
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Large biceps and a chain stopper - plus tough gloves.
chinita
Well-Known Member
Practice, patience and a sense of humour.
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
I mange a 60 lb CQR and 10mm of chain, its a sh it job and being asthmatic, its literally a killer.
My tips: -
Know the depth of water that the anchor is in, and hence the scope when the anchor becomes straight up and down.
Know where the deep water is and the rout to it that doesn't cross any shallows.
Know where the clear water is as you will need time to sort it all out.
If there is no, or a little wind and tide, I just haul it up using the vessels momentum. However with wind and tide: I just I motor forward on tick over until she is doing about 2 kts, go into neutral, walk forward and haul up on the slack until she falls back and I detect that the anchor chain will go tight. I then snub it on the cleat. Note that when hauling in and there is no tension I just haul up straight from the stem head, as soon as I sense tension (which could be due to overshooting) I hook the chain around one horn of the foredeck cleat and continue to pull with the chain running under the cleat horn. As soon as serious tension is apparent, I take a snub on the cleat, walk back and repeat.
On very heavy weather I have used a chain hook on a line all the way back to the primary sheet winch and wound in, walking the chain hook up to the foredeck each time it gets to the winch.
Once the anchor has broken free and the yacht is off with the wind and tide, I don't faff about on the foredeck. If I have drift room and the scope is light enough, I continue hauling until I know the deployed scope is less than the depth. If I don't have drift room, after snubbing, I go back to the cockpit, engage forward gear, and use a hurts of head to get her pointing back into wind and tide and drive her forward until just sufficient forward momentum is achieved. I then go forward and haul up until the scope is less than the depth.
I then motor to deep water and sea room and recover the remaining chain and anchor. Note that in my experience motoring forward at a minimum speed simply results in the dangling anchor and chain (about 10m in my worst case) being trailed near straight up and down, with only a slight drift aft. Hence there is little risk of an anchor chain getting round your propellor. However, beware of moorings and anchor chains of other vessels.
The point is plan your escape rout to clear water being aware of the dangling anchor!
I have also used a tripping line to haul the anchor up. One is only hauling the weight of anchor in the sea initially and not all the chain as well. At best you get the anchor plus half the weight of chain up. But you are adrift by that stage.
Keep an inhaler handy!
My tips: -
Know the depth of water that the anchor is in, and hence the scope when the anchor becomes straight up and down.
Know where the deep water is and the rout to it that doesn't cross any shallows.
Know where the clear water is as you will need time to sort it all out.
If there is no, or a little wind and tide, I just haul it up using the vessels momentum. However with wind and tide: I just I motor forward on tick over until she is doing about 2 kts, go into neutral, walk forward and haul up on the slack until she falls back and I detect that the anchor chain will go tight. I then snub it on the cleat. Note that when hauling in and there is no tension I just haul up straight from the stem head, as soon as I sense tension (which could be due to overshooting) I hook the chain around one horn of the foredeck cleat and continue to pull with the chain running under the cleat horn. As soon as serious tension is apparent, I take a snub on the cleat, walk back and repeat.
On very heavy weather I have used a chain hook on a line all the way back to the primary sheet winch and wound in, walking the chain hook up to the foredeck each time it gets to the winch.
Once the anchor has broken free and the yacht is off with the wind and tide, I don't faff about on the foredeck. If I have drift room and the scope is light enough, I continue hauling until I know the deployed scope is less than the depth. If I don't have drift room, after snubbing, I go back to the cockpit, engage forward gear, and use a hurts of head to get her pointing back into wind and tide and drive her forward until just sufficient forward momentum is achieved. I then go forward and haul up until the scope is less than the depth.
I then motor to deep water and sea room and recover the remaining chain and anchor. Note that in my experience motoring forward at a minimum speed simply results in the dangling anchor and chain (about 10m in my worst case) being trailed near straight up and down, with only a slight drift aft. Hence there is little risk of an anchor chain getting round your propellor. However, beware of moorings and anchor chains of other vessels.
The point is plan your escape rout to clear water being aware of the dangling anchor!
I have also used a tripping line to haul the anchor up. One is only hauling the weight of anchor in the sea initially and not all the chain as well. At best you get the anchor plus half the weight of chain up. But you are adrift by that stage.
Keep an inhaler handy!
njsail
Active Member
and don't forget the ibuprofen for your sore back. Of course you can substitute your choice of alcoholic beverage (after you re-anchor of course). On my last boat we didn't have windlass yet we managed (not always easily) for about 10 years. In NJ we have a regular 20+ knot breeze blowing and at times. When it really kicks up and the wind is blowing hard the pressure on the anchor line is too much. I would literally have to pull the boat in a 20kt wind with waves slapping against the bow all by hand. Here are a few ideas I've tried (or at least attempted). I've tried laying down on the bow and doing a hand over hand during those times but it wasn't easy. I also tried taking the anchor line (at that time I had mostly anchor rode and not that much chain) and dragging it down the side to the winch. That didn't work out exactly how I wanted it to because there was friction on the cabin side. The one that finally sort-of worked for me but has some drawbacks was putting the engine in forward (idle forward)...and the boat would at least take some of the strain off the line in high winds. The problem is you need to be real careful you get to the bow and start bringing in line assuming the boat is moving forward. You also need to be careful (as if you wouldn't figure it out yourself) - you have a boat moving without a captain...and when you finally break free the anchor but haven't yet stowed it the boat might not have enough forward momentum to keep a straight track and the wind could blow the bow off in a direction you might not want to go. In my novice years I drifted by a brand new 40 footer that was behind me...that would have been a very bad day but luck was on my side and i didn't clip it. Don't get caught up in trying to neatly stow the anchor until you get a little more power on....then you can go back to the bow and put everything away nice and neat. My last boat had the anchor rode going down a small hawse pipe and it was a pain in @#$@ to get it down nicely when the bow was hobbie horsing in the waves. translation....watch your dental work. Usually that situation was only limited to the fun times when the wind shifted and the anchorage became too uncomfortable to want to stick around till the wind died down.
I've rambled on a couple ideas. Good luck. I wish I was dealing right now with figuring out where I want to anchor.
I've rambled on a couple ideas. Good luck. I wish I was dealing right now with figuring out where I want to anchor.
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Captain Haddock
Well-Known Member
+1 to the gloves recommendation. I got myself a good quality pair of leather gardening gauntlets and they do quite nicely. I tried the builders ones but they had ripped in no time at all.
sarabande
Well-Known Member
chain hooks.
One on a long line going back to a winch.
One set up on a foredeck cleat.
modus operandi.
1 attach long chain hook, and wind in - you get 15 - 30 ft of the chain in, depending on the length of your boat.
2 attach short chain hook
3 ease long chain hook to pass the load to short chain hook
4 repeat long chain hook action,
5 ad lib
One on a long line going back to a winch.
One set up on a foredeck cleat.
modus operandi.
1 attach long chain hook, and wind in - you get 15 - 30 ft of the chain in, depending on the length of your boat.
2 attach short chain hook
3 ease long chain hook to pass the load to short chain hook
4 repeat long chain hook action,
5 ad lib
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
Well-Known Member
Thick leather gloves (not rubber as they slip). Motor slowly towards the anchor and pull in the slack rope/ chain, when you are above the anchor, then motor slowly to get it unstack and then pull it straight up.
If the anchor is up to 15kg then is not too bad pulling it up, if the weight is more, then you are in trouble, especially on the last 2 metres.
There is no easy way, especially when the waves are coming over the bow.
If the anchor is up to 15kg then is not too bad pulling it up, if the weight is more, then you are in trouble, especially on the last 2 metres.
There is no easy way, especially when the waves are coming over the bow.
jwilson
Well-Known Member
If you are clear to go slow ahead, setting the main and pinning the sheet hard in can keep you pointing more or less into wind with the engine in tickover forward. Saves running back and forward to the cockpit to give bursts of engine and steering. Certainly has worked for me a few times. No use if close to other boats though.
Poignard
Well-Known Member
Eric Hiscock, Claude Worth, Francis Cooke and others recommended having a pawl to hold the chain whilst you have breather or nip back to the cockpit. They had a pawl fitted at the stemhead but a modern version is available:-
http://www.jimmygreen.co.uk/item/28/chain-stopper
http://www.jimmygreen.co.uk/item/28/chain-stopper
nevis
Well-Known Member
I use a 25lb plough anchor and 50m of 8mm chain,but not anymore LOL. I have a weak back AND not enough muscles.
In 2012 i am buying 100m 12mm nylon coupled to 5m chain , a Fortress anchor which will weigh about 8lbs, problem solved.I will be keeping my CQR and chain on board together with a 20lb fisherman and 50m 12mm nylon as i intend to spend a few months sailing up the west coast of Scotland having decided to retire.
guernseyman
Well-Known Member
A few times when conditions have been bad I have not bothered stowing the rode down the hawsepipe and just piled it up on the foredeck while motoring slow ahead.
Then moved the boat to a more sheltered part of the anchorage, stowed the rode, then moved off.
Then moved the boat to a more sheltered part of the anchorage, stowed the rode, then moved off.
JimC
Well-Known Member
This is OK with all chain, I wonder if a cam type jamming cleat would do the same job with a rope rode?
SAMYL
Well-Known Member
Invest in an electric windlass...........
Poignard
Well-Known Member
I suppose so. Or a 'Clamcleat'
pagoda
Well-Known Member
You don't say whether you are hauling in over a bow roller, or through a fairlead??
We have an (old) SL Seawolf windlass , and while it was at home being serviced I did quite a few anchorings with it on my own. I have 40m of 8mm chain, most of which I tend to use.
I found the chain easy enough to turn round a normal foredeck cleat, so I could go to the cockpit and motor ahead a little. If it was windy - I simply spread the chain out on deck and sorted it out afterwards.
With a bit of tension on the chain, you can stand on it to give you a little inboard slack to go round a cleat -only takes a moment to do that. It does require care - but it works.
If I had any bother pulling the chain - I put a running hitch on the chain with a mooring warp and took that back to a nice chunky sheet winch, you can do quite reasonable lengths of chain that way, at the price of maybe some filthy chain on your deck
If my back was dodgy, I would not pull chain, however. Get a windlass...Ibuprofen is not the answer..
Graeme
We have an (old) SL Seawolf windlass , and while it was at home being serviced I did quite a few anchorings with it on my own. I have 40m of 8mm chain, most of which I tend to use.
I found the chain easy enough to turn round a normal foredeck cleat, so I could go to the cockpit and motor ahead a little. If it was windy - I simply spread the chain out on deck and sorted it out afterwards.
With a bit of tension on the chain, you can stand on it to give you a little inboard slack to go round a cleat -only takes a moment to do that. It does require care - but it works.
If I had any bother pulling the chain - I put a running hitch on the chain with a mooring warp and took that back to a nice chunky sheet winch, you can do quite reasonable lengths of chain that way, at the price of maybe some filthy chain on your deck
If my back was dodgy, I would not pull chain, however. Get a windlass...Ibuprofen is not the answer..
Graeme
andrewbartlett
Well-Known Member
I was very pleased to see this thread this morning. It is a subject that has been causing me concern. I shall be 70 next season and the boat I purchased last August is quite heavy . There is no room for a windless at the bow and although I have not experienced any undue problems to date I can forsee problems given circumstances as described at the head of this thread. There have been many useful suggestions made which will certainly assist me in my planning. Another problem I came across is freeing a genoa sheet from a jamming cleat when tacking in a blow ( I do not currently have winches) I'm thinking a short strong stick which I could wrap the sheet around would give better upward lift together perhaps with gloves as recommended for handling the anchor chain / rope rode. My boat is a Kingfisher 20 and I normally sail solo.
Andrew
guernseyman
Well-Known Member
Have you tried wrapping the sheet round your hand? You do not then have to grip the sheet and can concentrate your effort on pulling, just as if it was wrapped round a stick. Once you've done it, it will become second nature.
Poignard
Well-Known Member
I would not use a jamming cleat for genoa sheets, for the reason you have found, unless there was a winch or a block between it and the sail
When I had a small cruiser it had simple snubbing winches (no handles) like these and ordinary cleats.
http://www.toplicht.de/en/shop/winde-winch-und-spill/schotwinde/knarrpoller/knarrpoller-tufnol
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320769204131?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
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andrewbartlett
Well-Known Member
Thanks guernseyman & parisfal, very helpful comments.
Andrew
Andrew
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