Kukri
Well-Known Member
A chain pawl is your friend. Absent one, you must snatch a turn round something - a cleat is not ideal...
Single handed anchoring without windlass - advice for novice
- Thread starter richard77777
- Start date
Zing
Well-Known Member
It is obvious of course, but some people forget to do it and I know one such person very well. 
Tie on the bitter end somewhere before you drop the hook.
Tie on the bitter end somewhere before you drop the hook.
Kukri
Well-Known Member
See post 5:
Before starting, make sure that the bitter end of the chain is secured. Think of “We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea!”
Before starting, make sure that the bitter end of the chain is secured. Think of “We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea!”
TC Tuckton
Well-Known Member
I have a Centaur with a 10kg CQR. This often comes up with a lot of mud. I find a half full bucket of water secure to the pulpit enables me to rinse muddy hands before nipping back to the cockpit.
richard77777
Active Member
Thanks again to all.
You've provided loads of very helpful advice which I'm looking forward to following.
You've provided loads of very helpful advice which I'm looking forward to following.
JumbleDuck
Well-Known Member
Have a ball, and please remember that it's not nearly as difficult as many people think.
zoidberg
Well-Known Member
Once you've done that several times, and got to enjoy the peace and freedom anchoring gives, come back on here and tell everyone just how difficult and insecure and over-rated it is.....
Especially down in the West Country!
chrisclin
Well-Known Member
Once you've done that several times, and got to enjoy the peace and freedom anchoring gives, come back on here and tell everyone just how difficult and insecure and over-rated it is.....
Especially down in the West Country!
And could anyone suggest the best anchor to use!!!
richard77777
Active Member
I certainly will!
Poignard
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't dare!
I have no idea which is the best but I have always found the genuine CQRs I have owned to be perfectly adequate!
:encouragement:
mattonthesea
Well-Known Member
I can't add anything to the practical advice here; however, be warned that being calm and sailing in/out of an anchorage will upset some people. I think it's something to do with confidence or experience but it seems that some people can't accept that you can be in full control of a sailing vessel unless you have the engine on!
Tom Cunliffe has a rule that you should always have a plan b, get out of jail card
Tom Cunliffe has a rule that you should always have a plan b, get out of jail card
[70521]
Well-Known Member
I find the one on the front of the boat quite useful.
Seriously, I've successfully used a CQR and Bruce along the coast of Devon and Cornwall but have my eye on a Knox in the future.
Poignard
Well-Known Member
Anything you do will upset some people. Usually the people who can't do it themselves.
mattonthesea
Well-Known Member
Anything you do will upset some people. Usually the people who can't do it themselves.
much better put than I
Poignard
Well-Known Member
much better put than I
I remember an old thread where someone posted a photo of a yacht sailing, perfectly safely and under complete control, through some moorings. The poster was outraged by what he saw as reckless risk taking. I suppose if such people experienced an engine failure they would immediately reach for the VHF to seek assistance rather than using their sails. Perhaps this is one of the reasons we have so many requests for radio checks on the south coast; fear of being unable to summon assistance..
JumbleDuck
Well-Known Member
That's part of the fun of doing it.
I remember once tacking my wee Jouster singlehanded to the far (south) end of Puilladobhran anchorage; by the time I was halfway up there were worried heads popping out of every hatch in the place, swivelling to and fro like fretful meercats watching tennis.
Neil_Y
Well-Known Member
I sailed with a guy on a Santa Cruz 70, anchoring often in the Caribbean. He had no windlass but he did have electric genoa winches so we would run the chain down the side deck using a rolling hitch to pull it up and lock it off. On my own on a 40' I tended to use a tripping line so I could always get the anchor out easily.
zoidberg
Well-Known Member
Who? Why?
Ohlin Karcher
N/A
It's a parallel rule :encouragement:
Nobody has mentioned anchoring under sail in zero wind, I tried it for the first time recently and it seemed impossible to set the anchor. I really wanted to set it, because we had rocks all around, a fraggled crew, and it was getting dark.
Luckily there was a bit of current and that slowly drifted the boat away from the anchor, so it managed to grip of sorts.
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thinwater
Well-Known Member
Yup, you need to (an can) get rid of about half of the ground tackle. It is oversized for the boat. 10 kg and and 6-8 mm is more like it. This is way... and because it is not needed.