Retrieving the anchor alone in a gale.

[Aquarella]

I don't want to start a new thread about types of anchors but would appreciate any advice on how to get the anchor up alone in gale force winds. The situation is described on my blogpost here
http://yachtswoman.blogspot.gr/

 

[BrianH]

I don't want to start a new thread about types of anchors but would appreciate any advice on how to get the anchor up alone in gale force winds. The situation is described on my blogpost here
http://yachtswoman.blogspot.gr/

I read your blog and felt for you - all those little disasters have happened to me in the past.

For the anchor you need a remote control - if you have an electric winch - they are very inexpensive, I paid less than $20 on-line. With that you can stay on the helm and winch the anchor up while steering into the wind. Some might argue for a remote for the autopilot to stay on the bow monitoring when the anchor surfaces but I manage well enough alone with the remote anchor winch.

 

[ShinyShoe]

You've got an electric windlass. I always assumed people with such fancy things had the controls in the cockpit so they could just flick a switch?

On your blog you say you couldn't ask for help due to an ongoing mayday. I generally think this is a misconception. During the initial phase of a mayday when information is being gathered you absolutely would have wanted to stay quiet. But if there was a risk of a second mayday it seems logical to say you'll need to wait till it gets to that situation before you can shout... Afterall the resources you need may already be committed so assistance may need to come from further away.

I think a pan pan on 16 during anything but the acute phase of a mayday is legitimate and they can move you to another channel if that's what's needed. If it doesn't warrant a pan pan I think if there is no pre planned channel for routine traffic (67 Solent) a quick call on 16 with an indication of priority may be a necessary evil. E.g. CG this is yacht XYZ routine traffic over. Or CG this is Yacht XYZ lost anchor over.
I know that's not protocol. But it's giving enough info for them to decide to take your call and where to take it eg on 16 or a working channel.

Or a DSC call would allow you to make contact without using 16.

 

[fuss]

I don't want to start a new thread about types of anchors but would appreciate any advice on how to get the anchor up alone in gale force winds. The situation is described on my blogpost here
http://yachtswoman.blogspot.gr/

In gale force winds single handed, this is one of the hardest jobs to do.
For sure a remote would help but then you have to know the direction the chain is laying which can also be difficult. Probably helps some though.

In the situation you describe, I would have gone to 60 or 70 meters of chain out and I think this would have solved it. I normally would never try to pull it up. For me, at the time I might want to pull it up, it would not be possible as the wind would be too strong, dumping would be the only option.

I would suggest the following before replacing the anchor.

You should be confident that your anchor holds in 60 kts at least.

To do this in the med you need 80 meters of chain or 60 chain and maybe 60 of line. It would also be a good idea to have a good windlass with Manual backup and an anchor 2 sizes up.

Have a system where you can dump the chain and leave a small buoy floating on the surface so you can get it later.

Does you boat sail around at anchor in winds over 30kts, because if it does then reducing this is also a consideration.

If I get a storm forecast, I don't move unless waves are going to be present or there is high ground creating vertical winds.

Without knowing the size of anchor and chain and chain length and boat weight, thats about all I could suggest for the Moment.

 

[Aquarella]

I can't just "filck a switch" in the cockpit because if I don't flake the chain in the locker it gets stuck in the hawserpipe.
Sorry I might be misunderstood by writing "retrieving the anchor" It was still on the end of the chain but I couldn't leave the helm to go forward to get it up. There were boats anchored and at mooring bouys behind me.
If I had been forced to go on circling for many more hours I might have tried a Pan pan

 

[fuss]

I can't just "filck a switch" in the cockpit because if I don't flake the chain in the locker it gets stuck in the hawserpipe.
Sorry I might be misunderstood by writing "retrieving the anchor" It was still on the end of the chain but I couldn't leave the helm to go forward to get it up. There were boats anchored and at mooring bouys behind me.
If I had been forced to go on circling for many more hours I might have tried a Pan pan

Exactly, thats why a remote does not help a single hander with normal chain stacking problems.

 

[ribrage]

I don't want to start a new thread about types of anchors but would appreciate any advice on how to get the anchor up alone in gale force winds. The situation is described on my blogpost here
http://yachtswoman.blogspot.gr/

Aquarella

A good quality windlass and a remote would suit your purpose, when im solo i have to run from helm position to the bow continually to raise the anchor , making the engine of the boat take up slack in the chain and not using the windlass to pull 25 tons of boat forward will make the windlass last longer...... I haul by hand mostly

Having read the blog post maybe the anchor wasnt suitable or insufficient length, sounds like dragging was a bigger problem than getting the anchor raised , plenty of experts on here and lots of threads on that subject

Nice blog.

Edit : stacking chain , can you modify the hawser arrangement better ?

Ian

 

[fuss]

Maybe we can give you some more help if you tell us the size of anchor and chain and chain length and boat weight,.

Is there much unused room in your anchor locker.
Is it possible to get some more deep space under the chain spillpipe.

 

[BrianH]

I can't just "filck a switch" in the cockpit because if I don't flake the chain in the locker it gets stuck in the hawserpipe.
Sorry I might be misunderstood by writing "retrieving the anchor" It was still on the end of the chain but I couldn't leave the helm to go forward to get it up. There were boats anchored and at mooring bouys behind me.
If I had been forced to go on circling for many more hours I might have tried a Pan pan

Of course I meant to winch up while slowly motoring forward - if your chain won't self-stow then you do not have that option and I would examine the possibility of changing the winch and locker constellation for it to do so. My chain does, at times, pyramid up but usually topples before it jams so my strategy is to remain aft on the wheel while retrieving the anchor with the remote. It does come over the roller, sometimes unexpectedly, with a bit of a bang though.

It does need some careful operation with pauses to allow the bow to revert head-to-wind after the inevitable sheering either side that happens in a full gale. all this pre-supposes an anchor that is still set, which yours was not. Once broken out the whole bearing of the boat changes and a course has to be set to clear other boats and obstructions, very slowly motoring to minimise the chance of the anchor snagging other chain and anchors or sea-bed debris while retrieving as quickly as possible.

I would never go back to my single-handed anchoring without my anchor winch remote.

 

[alant]

I don't want to start a new thread about types of anchors but would appreciate any advice on how to get the anchor up alone in gale force winds. The situation is described on my blogpost here
http://yachtswoman.blogspot.gr/

Haven't read your blog, but have you considered putting a buoy on the end & dumping it for later retrieval?
Seems silly, to risk injury & damage to boat, by struggling in 34 knts + wind strength (or even lower speeds).

 

[Aquarella]

I have a 35lb Brittany anchor with 80 m of 8mm chain. My boat is long keeled, 31 ft, 6 ton. I would have let more chain out but was limited be the boats behind me.

 

[alant]

I have a 35lb Brittany anchor with 80 m of 8mm chain. My boat is long keeled, 31 ft, 6 ton. I would have let more chain out but was limited be the boats behind me.

Its only the chain you have to buoy, the anchor will still be there for later.
I'm assuming that you are leaving the anchorage, rather than just adjusting position.

 

[Storyline]

Your story sounds like a nightmare and got me thinking what i would do if one of us was incapacitated. Agree that although an anchor winch remote may be useful (barnacle - is your new one wireless ?) in those conditions one would have most if not all chain deployed and there are not many boats that could retrieve that without some kind of intervention at the bow - in our case our top anchor locker only holds 40m of the 70 we may have out.

Some of the lessons you learnt we have also learnt in gales - the flying upturned dinghy with o/b attached being one. Now the o/b is always taken off in all but the calmest conditions - installing a dedicated crane to do this has taken all the hassle out and is something you may wish to consider.

Suppose the first obvious thing is to change your britany anchor for one of the new generation ones and whilst doing this maybe consider changing your stem head fitting so that it specifically designed for your new anchor - you can make this so the anchor self launches and also locks into position on retrieval. It also makes it easier to have a heavier anchor - you will have to look at other boats for ideas and then get one fabricated at a stainless steel workshop. This is something we did when we got Storyline and although not perfect has made anchoring so much easier. Get two bow rollers if you do not have them already - one can be used for moorings and for the anchor snubber which is another thing you will probably be advised to upgrade - they seem to be a vital part of the anchoring system and I suspect the best answer to your problem is to stop it happening in the first place !

Quite what to do in your situation I do not know and I look forward to one of the anchor gurus spotting this thread and telling us.

 

[Graham_Wright]

I love the pulpit in the video. Is that drop down front part for over-the-bow access?

How rigid is the whole affair athwartships?
I'm jealous!

 

[fuss]

I have a 35lb Brittany anchor with 80 m of 8mm chain. My boat is long keeled, 31 ft, 6 ton. I would have let more chain out but was limited be the boats behind me.

Thanks, then I would make the following suggestions/thinkings for the future. Without changing too much.
I won't comment on pulling up the anchor in a gale as the idea would be to not drag in the future. (I realise that might sound easy thing for me to say, but it is importand to generally not drag).

I try to generally anchor out further and not try to get close in to shore, this has saved me a few times, deeper water (7m+) is good sometimes.
80m of 8ml chain sounds perfect.
If worstening weather is forecast put out at least 70m before. If there are boats behind then either ask them to put out more chain or you have to move.
For your boat I would never put out less than 3.5 boat lengths (40meters). 5:1 scope, whatever is the most chain. (take the bow roller to water in the scope calculation.)
Maybe as the med can have these storms sometime, maybe go for a minimum of 50 meters every anchorage.
This anchor seems a Little light and I would at some convenient stage look at upping it to 25kgs and maybe another design. In the meantime compensate with more chain out.
When setting the anchor pull back on 75% engine revs everytime. If dragging then more scope. If your engine is small and you have a folding prop, then I would pull back on 100% power.

 

[Aquarella]

I love the pulpit in the video. Is that drop down front part for over-the-bow access?

How rigid is the whole affair athwartships?
I'm jealous!

Yes it is for over-the-bow access, being long keeled I always go bows to into a berth with a stern anchor on an ankarolina. The pulpit is very rigid, has taken some beating, collisions with solid walls etc.

 

[Aquarella]

Thanks for your valuable advice, I appreciate it very much.

 

[Aquarella]

Your story sounds like a nightmare and got me thinking what i would do if one of us was incapacitated. Agree that although an anchor winch remote may be useful (barnacle - is your new one wireless ?) in those conditions one would have most if not all chain deployed and there are not many boats that could retrieve that without some kind of intervention at the bow - in our case our top anchor locker only holds 40m of the 70 we may have out.

Some of the lessons you learnt we have also learnt in gales - the flying upturned dinghy with o/b attached being one. Now the o/b is always taken off in all but the calmest conditions - installing a dedicated crane to do this has taken all the hassle out and is something you may wish to consider.

Suppose the first obvious thing is to change your britany anchor for one of the new generation ones and whilst doing this maybe consider changing your stem head fitting so that it specifically designed for your new anchor - you can make this so the anchor self launches and also locks into position on retrieval. It also makes it easier to have a heavier anchor - you will have to look at other boats for ideas and then get one fabricated at a stainless steel workshop. This is something we did when we got Storyline and although not perfect has made anchoring so much easier. Get two bow rollers if you do not have them already - one can be used for moorings and for the anchor snubber which is another thing you will probably be advised to upgrade - they seem to be a vital part of the anchoring system and I suspect the best answer to your problem is to stop it happening in the first place !

Quite what to do in your situation I do not know and I look forward to one of the anchor gurus spotting this thread and telling us.

Thanks so much, I was considering a Rocna but have to see if it fits on my bowsprit. Two rollers is something I hadn't thought of.

 

[Storyline]

Thanks so much, I was considering a Rocna but have to see if it fits on my bowsprit. Two rollers is something I hadn't thought of.

You will have to careful and curate this thread before it turns into a which anchor is best conversation fwiw, we have a Rocna and are happy with it but to some extent it depends on the types of bottom you are mostly anchoring in. Have no idea about the Med but there is a guy on here called Vyv Cox who sails his boat there. He also happens to be one of the forum's anchoring gurus. If he does not spot this thread it may be worth sending him a personal message to ask for his advice.

 

[BrianH]

Agree that although an anchor winch remote may be useful (barnacle - is your new one wireless ?)

Yes, this one, cheap and cheerful and works every time.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WIRELESS-WINCH-REMOTE-CONTROL-SWITCH-Fits-Warn-recovery-12v-atv-utv-sxs-4x4-cj-5-/331227718090?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d1eb5e1ca