Retrieving the anchor alone in a gale.

[Storyline]

That is an interesting suggestion and it does sound like the boat should stay relatively on station unattended for longer with the stern to the wind. It would be worth practicing - I was going to suggest in open waters but the problem is that usually high winds produce rougher conditions than those found in anchorages where there is less fetch. So the best thing would be to try it in an anchorage where there is plenty of space (and no other boats) and see what happens. Am away in a few weeks time for our annual cruise so will give it a try.

 

[KellysEye]

>although we could hank it onto the back stay I have no idea what to do with the clew to hold it out.

The clew needs to be held pointing directly to the bows, tie a line to a stanchion on the port and starboard side. If it it's at an angle it will make the snatch loads even worse on one side.

 

[Roberto]

and REVERSE

So far I never had to retrieve anchor in very difficult conditions, but FWIW before I enter an unknown port in strong winds the thing I always care about is "where can I stop the boat by reversing the engine and keep her still", and indeed it is a very safe manoeuvre where there is almost nothing that can go wrong, the boat can remain almost still which also means that possible damages will be less important, at least those caused by our own boat.
After the bit of practice I had in ports, it would definitely be the first thing I'd try in case of problems with the anchor.

Also, it is useful to practice in advance as to know how much wind the engine in reverse can cope with.

In my boat, when in reverse in a chop the two stern cockpit scuppers spurt a lot of water inside the cockpit, so I need to close the companionway but it is a very minor inconvenience.

 

[Downsman]

I can add some thoughts to the 'going astern' comments having on one occasion been obliged to use the technique.
To start with I'd just say 'desperate' is the word to keep in mind when you read this..

I was anchored in a popular place when an increase and shift in the wind caused a number of us to drag. Good holding on sand normally but obviously very well ploughed up by the number of visitors ( Culatra for those that know it)
Astern of me was a catamaran swinging wildly on a rope and dragging down ahead was a big Dutch Ketch. I have a Simpson Lawrence hand windlass and 8mm chain and like the original poster the problem was dashing between the cockpit and foredeck trying to motor up to the anchor and put some slack in the chain.

A mooring rope (first thing handy) led out of a stern fairlead, carried foreward outside of everything and rolling hitched onto the anchor chain. Haul the rope taught from the cockpit and make it fast. Go ahead with the engine to get some slack in the chain then take the brake off the windlass and let the chain run. The boat will end up anchored by the stern on the rope ( about 30 feet from a catamaran.. ) Now you can work the engine control and hand haul the chain from the cockpit when you get some slack by motoring stern first towards the anchor.

Just haul sufficient chain aboard so that the anchor is well clear of the bottom and then make it fast and motor into deeper water, in my case the Fairway where I had sufficient room to let the rope go and with the anchor now hanging clear of the bottom and my boat blowing merrily down towards Faro, I had time to hand crank it up, go back and re-anchor when all the panic had subsided.. Desperate times..desperate measures..

PS I don't have a shiney white boat but, be aware that dragging 10 metres of chain into the cockpit over the nice wooden gunwale capping means a sandpaper exercise later..

 

[RAI]

Regarding the reversing idea, I think it will depend on the boat. I've tried anchoring from the stern to reduce dancing (mine really does dance at anchor) but with no success. Basically, the boat likes being broadside to the wind. Conversely, I've see a big Bene with 40 knots of wind and 4 knots of tide sitting as if aground with it's anchor rode falling straight down off the bow. At the time, I was doing a square dance in mine.

I always put a second anchor down when expecting a blow.

 

[fuss]

A question as much as a suggestion. I'd be pleased to hear comments on its merits and shortcomings. (And don't need shooting down in flames, thankyou!)

Quite a few posts have mentioned the difficulty, if not near impossibility, of holding the head to wind in a gale. I can't help thinking 'Then don't!'.

Why not motor forward enough to give manouevring scope without constraint by any residual holding of the anchor, then let the wind take the bow round and REVERSE up to the approximate position of the anchor? Then drop the revs to approximately hold the boat against the force of the wind, and centre the rudder, while the wind holds the bow vaguely downwind. The boat will, of course, range around plenty and likely crab to one side, but it would, I imagine, give much more time to deal with the chain between needing to attend the wheel/motor controls to hold position, and doesn't need speed through the water to keep the boat pointing roughly in the same direction.

I've certainly not done this in those conditions, so happy to accept this might not work or be desirable for some reason. (We do use a similar technique in more modest winds when trying to manouevre our long keeler in tricky situations: when both Plan A and Plan B have failed we can usually hang there, bow downwind and using the motor to hold her against the wind, to give us time to try to think of Plans C and D!)

Firstly I think that it helps the OP the most if she solves her dragging problem and not try to come up with solutions to moving the anchor at this stage.

However, here is my thoughts on this solution as I have tried it.

This is a good suggestion that should work in theory, but it does not work for someone singlehanded and I will tell you why.

The wind is blowing 35kts. You have 60 meters of chain out and you can go to the bow, see the direction the chain is lying and take a point on the land ahead as a guide. (more difficult if facing out to sea)

Ok, so at this point you know where the anchor is roughly.

This is the most accurate fix you will have on it and from now on, every second that passes, the location will become more unclear. (I know that someone might suggest putting the position in the plotter when you deployed it)

How do you want to get to it, motor straight at it and over it with the chain running directly under the boat? Or maybe motor in an arc until you arrive at the location, where was it again? Oh yes about there I thought, ok , here we go, nice arc so far, its a bit difficult dragging all that chain though.
Or alternatively...I'll just motor upwind a bit, spin around and go astern dragging the chain until I get to the anchor location and then go further.

Ok, I'm finally in position upwind of the anchor I think, strange, the chain seems to be over to port, Hmmm, maybe its in an arc and not directly up wind of the anchor.
I'll pull some in anyway, Oh dear its pulled the bow around and now we are motoring off astern with the wind on the beam.

I hope that gives some ideas why this is better in theory than practice.

I would be interested to know the OPs experience with putting out 5:1 or 6:1 and motoring astern at 75% power to set it. If this does generally not work then it would be clear that the anchor needs changing.

 

[Storyline]

>although we could hank it onto the back stay I have no idea what to do with the clew to hold it out.

The clew needs to be held pointing directly to the bows, tie a line to a stanchion on the port and starboard side. If it it's at an angle it will make the snatch loads even worse on one side.

Right, I understand, you fly it the 'wrong' way round - had not thought of that, thanks

Very interesting thread this - when I read the original post I thought thought there would be no solution but slowly some possibilities are emerging.