Poey50
Well-known member
I know what you mean, but I'd prefer to rely on something a little more ... what's the word? - real.
Many riding out Storm Evert in the Scillies ?
- Thread starter Bathdave
- Start date
I know what you mean, but I'd prefer to rely on something a little more ... what's the word? - real.
zoidberg
Well-known member
Should that info emerge, I and others would be most interested to know what we might learn.....
dogleg
Member
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
Drink!
Resolution
Well-known member
I think this is the Swan that one of our club members was on. Apparently they had had engine problems, then all three mooring lines chafed through or snapped. Good news that no-one was injured and the harbour master managed to get the boat off the rocks this morning - unholed!
Blueboatman
Well-known member
As LongJS will remember, cos his magic mate swam down and freed mine, with John’s assist , it is all too easy caught in the Cove to get an anchor fouled on rock?
But perhaps the losing of an anchor is down to snatching on a short chain in swell or chaffing on line sawing over the rocks down there ??
But here’s the point I am really making:
Many years ago I rode out a bit of a blow (Norther) in the Bahamas using three anchors on rope , the holding was poor, I continued to reset one anchor at a time from the dinghy but a neighbour who was a competent free diver , had simply swam out earlier and wrapped chain around a big rock and moored on rope from that -no dragging whatsoever !
So simple, so secure
Next time..I will carry dive gear ?next time
But perhaps the losing of an anchor is down to snatching on a short chain in swell or chaffing on line sawing over the rocks down there ??
But here’s the point I am really making:
Many years ago I rode out a bit of a blow (Norther) in the Bahamas using three anchors on rope , the holding was poor, I continued to reset one anchor at a time from the dinghy but a neighbour who was a competent free diver , had simply swam out earlier and wrapped chain around a big rock and moored on rope from that -no dragging whatsoever !
So simple, so secure
Next time..I will carry dive gear ?next time
lustyd
Well-known member
That’s Dom from Cadoha so I’m sure there will be a video in a few weeks too
https://youtube.com/c/SailingCadoha
owen
Member
I wonder in retrospect where the best place would have been to anchor in the scillies?? St helens pool? or watermill cove or just accept a rough night and take a mooring in st marys?
lustyd
Well-known member
It makes very little difference where the best place is. The question is what’s the best available space, and the Scillies doesn’t have sufficient safe space for the number of boats, hence the smart ones scarpering when they saw the forecast
doug748
Well-known member
I think the accepted wisdom is that you clear out.
It was always said that the Admiralty Pilot suggested, in forecast storm conditions, you went to Cornwall of Southern Ireland ! Don't know if this is true but the idea of finding a safe spot, in all conditions, is a bit overrated down there.
Personally, I never like being on any mooring in 30 kts + so God Bless everyone there.
.
It was always said that the Admiralty Pilot suggested, in forecast storm conditions, you went to Cornwall of Southern Ireland ! Don't know if this is true but the idea of finding a safe spot, in all conditions, is a bit overrated down there.
Personally, I never like being on any mooring in 30 kts + so God Bless everyone there.
.
dunedin
Well-known member
Any forecast with an F9 poss F10 would tell me to get the heck put of there entirely. Even if 100% confident on own anchorS (probably need at least 2 out to be confident in a true F10), with other boats around you are not in control of your destiny
longjohnsilver
Well-known member
It was Jeff who lost his anchor there a few days ago. And no dive equipment on board so snorkeling will have to do. He had a very unpleasant night with a 2m swell in the cove.
Hes having a new anchor shipped out, hope it gets there before the next 4 days of forecast strong winds starting on Thursday. Very unsettled weather for this time of year.
My son and I were hoping to get down there this week, but that’s not going to happen now. He’s up the Fal and I’m sat at home. Useless summer
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DFL1010
Active member
Falmouth
Blueboatman
Well-known member
Sorry to hear that JohnIt was Jeff who lost his anchor there a few days ago. And no dive equipment on board so snorkeling will have to do. He had a very unpleasant night with a 2m swell in the cove.
Hes having a new anchor shipped out, hope it gets there before the next 4 days of forecast strong winds starting on Thursday. Very unsettled weather for this time of year.
My son and I were hoping to get down there this week, but that’s not going to happen now. He’s up the Fal and I’m sat at home. Useless summer
In hindsight maybe Jeff might think he got off perhaps lightly ?? 2m swells in a tight anchorage with current switching too, ugh , very scary ..
Same boat ?
When you are ready summer will reappear
I am sure ??
Fwiw I am rainwater harvesting ( digging in another tank ) so there will def be high pressure dry spell along shortly
Poey50
Well-known member
This is sometimes known as an 'illusion of false choices' question. For example, "when playing Russian roulette is it better to first spin the chambers fast or slow?"
longjohnsilver
Well-known member
No, he’s on about his 4th boat since we met, now a 26’ lifting keel.
Fortunately there were only 5 boats in the cove that night. Maybe that alone should have got him wondering why. I’ve just spoken to him again, and yes he and his wife both realise how close to disaster they came. He says the wind changed 90 degrees in an instant and picked up speed which he thinks then caused his anchor to drag and not reset. In an instant they were almost on the rocks with no control because of the anchor and chain hanging off the bow, hence the decision to ditch it all .
This morning there were only 2 boats in the Cove, the other one had a stuck anchor! Even without dive gear, Jeff managed to free it.
His son is now planning on taking his dive gear, bottle, weight belt etc, 20m of chain and spare anchor over on the Scillonian, all hand luggage. I reckon he should be in the Olympic weightlifting if he can carry that lot
Or the more sensible option would be to sail back to Newlyn to avoid the forecast nasty weather later in the week, replace the lost anchor and chain, and then sail back in more settled weather. Which means they will probably stay put!! Watch this space.
oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
The lot dried out in Green Bauy had a tense night until wind changed to NW. They dug in anchors at LW. Others in other places were less lucky. One boat wrecked, though I believe no one on board at time, and several crews lifted off boats by RNLI, presumably due to dragging anchor.
Navigator prudently insisted we set off on Tuesday and got east of The Lizard. F6 and lumpy with F7 gusts off Fowey on Wednesday but hardly terrifying, in fact quite a good sail.
I would never be in The Cove in such weather myself and understood some anchored in Crow Sound on good sand, but all in all it must have been desperate
Navigator prudently insisted we set off on Tuesday and got east of The Lizard. F6 and lumpy with F7 gusts off Fowey on Wednesday but hardly terrifying, in fact quite a good sail.
I would never be in The Cove in such weather myself and understood some anchored in Crow Sound on good sand, but all in all it must have been desperate
Scillypete
Well-known member
there is no perfect solution when the wind shifts and increases so suddenly especially during the night. This weather was forecast well in advance so the option to get to the mainland was there. Boats in watermill faired reasonably well, this time, having an anchor, or two, well dug in would help. Without starting an endless anchor thread someboats come here inadequately equipped for such an event and others maybe not so well versed in getting an anchor to set securely, not easy when there’s a sudden wind direction change. It never ceases to amaze me how many will use the moorings and tie on with what looks like old redundant jib sheets from a mirror dinghy and expect them to hold. There is a lot to be gained by having a boat that can dry out it increases the options for hiding from poor weather and you can really dig in anchors when the tide is out ready for such an event.
The lifeboats and coastguard crews did an excellent job on what was an exceptional night
longjohnsilver
Well-known member
Agreed the cove was not the best place to be, as evidenced by how few boats were, and are still there. Old Grimsby or better, St Helens pool, but better still, Newlyn, Helford or River Fal.
Best of all, at home. Or even better, where we were, on the beach in Spain☀☀☀
Iliade
Well-known member
Is there a travel hoist in the Islands?
I 'wreckon' with a few bits of saturated lumber and the windlass I could haul up the beach at Old Grimsby. Whether I could then dig the trench to refloat this side of Christmas is another story!
Full marks to the 4th emergency service and to the ones that actually do the rescuing (RNLI)
I 'wreckon' with a few bits of saturated lumber and the windlass I could haul up the beach at Old Grimsby. Whether I could then dig the trench to refloat this side of Christmas is another story!
Full marks to the 4th emergency service and to the ones that actually do the rescuing (RNLI)