Single handed anchoring

The hardest part is breaking the anchor out of east coast mud. Without a windlass if you can take up all the slack and get yourself set just before the anchor breaks out. If it's impossible to take up the slack motor or sail up to the anchor and get as much of the slack up and in the locker as possible. It will be very slimy so use gloves. When your ready for the breakout try to use the swell - shortening the cable when in a trough and use the uplift and the natural bouyancy of the boat to break the anchor out. Then sail (or motor) into deeper water, heave to and get the rest on board. If you need to get all the chain in immediately flake it and use bungees to quickly secure the anchor and chain to the the boat. Then when in safer, deeper water sort it out (and clean it otherwise it'll stink).
 
don't worry..

I did it thousands of times during my 13 years of liveabord navigation without any problem..

But, yes, I'm an anchor designer.. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Silkie & Bilbo have it about right. KEEP IT SIMPLE.

Flake out what you need on approach in open water, it will not go overboard. Set up the anchor on the bow roller & secure it with a simple lashing (I tie it with a loop knot - or what you missus would call a bow) Pick your spot & head into wind/tide whichever is stronger. Stop engine, or slow astern if no current/ wind. Go forward, lower anchor by hand to seabed. As you gather stern way pay out chain to required depth then snub & bed in. If at any point you are unhappy lift anchor off seabed & snub. You can then have another approach run with the anchor dangling.

On leaving, set main (& mizzen) or start engine get chain "up & down", check for safe departure then several swift pulls to get anchor aboard. If drifting in wrong direction at any time snub anchor get underway with anchor dangling in the sea, & when in open water, complete recovery.

As others have said - plan ahead, keep your options open, be prepared to stop & try again if unhappy - oh, & practise in LOADSA space the first few times! You will soon work out your own routine, one that exactly meets your needs. Been doing it for years, occasional problems usually due to being over ambitous (crowded anchorages) or misjudging relative tide/ wind power when in empty anchorages. Easy enough to have another shot at it & get it right.
 
It's not difficult at all, much easier than mooring or pontoons single-handed. Dropping the anchor, you will obviously be upwind/uptide of there the boat is going to come to rest, so if you bring her to a complete stop at that point, you have plenty of time to walk up forward and let the anchor out as she starts to drift back. If its a tight anchorage then you can always point her stern into the wind and use gentle revs astern to keep her in exactly the same spot while you take as much time as you want to sort her out. When ready, put the engine in neutral and she'll gently drift down to her resting place and bows will turn to and and snub to the anchor, then dig in as usual. The thing is to use techniques like these to make sure you here plenty of time.

When leaving, you generally have plenty of time again as the anchor will be upwind uptide of where she was lying, so once the anchor banks out she will only drift back to her original position. If the anchorage is tight you can again tum her stern to and and use gentle astern to keep her in the same spot while you take your time to sort the anchor out.
 
Got just about everything above. Breaking out in a blow or lots of current may need several trips back & forth. Motor up, saunter up to the bow & pull in as much as you can. Make it off and saunter back. Sip beer. Repeat until you get it vertical and then pull out. If you have any waves, breaking out is easier. As the bow drops, pull some in and hold. As the bow rises it'll help to break out. A turn around a cleat will help you to hold it.

Be as prepared as possible & don't rush anything.

I have a hawse pipe facing backwards so end up with a pile of chain & rope on the deck. I sort it out once I'm clear of any other boats.
 
I can't really see the difficulty under power. You can set it slow ahead, or astern, and then nip forward and let go or pull up as required.
Under sail is another matter, especially lifting, because at the moment of losing contact with the bottom you are likely to be in irons and start drifting backwards.
 
Your challenge when weighing anchor will be the tide - on the East Coast the anchor will dig deep into the mud and give you great holding... when you come to get it up you'll be lying to the tide and I usually get the missus to motor against the tide so I'm just lifting the anchor - not pulling the boat up to it against the tide. Be prepared for a good workout and be ready to take a turn round something for a breather...
 
That worked perfectly.

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Are you using a CQR, or perhaps a Spade or a Rocna?

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Well done, anchoring and fishing in one post.

Alistair
 
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retreival still seems a bit of a challenge but like everything else, practice in quiet conditions will help.

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Can I assume you do not have enough power to use an Alderney Ring?
 
A lot of very useful advice her, for which I thank you all. What I was most worried about was motoring off with anchor swinging below the boat but on reflection anchoring in just a few meters of water means that between anchor breaking out and being aboard is only a few good pulls so no problem.

You just don't want to be around while I practice!

Cheers
Duncan
 
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