Sits like a duck at anchor

[wully1]

I like being at anchor And away from it all. Peaceful nights with only the birds to hear as the boat floats above her reflection...

Then the breeze picks up and the boat takes off shearing around the cable and coming up with a jerk like a bad puppy on a lead. No fun at all.

Cutters and ketch’s are alleged to be a bit more settled as are long keelers but what are others experiences of boats they own or have owned that behave well at anchor In the 35-40 ft range?

I am not at all interested in dropping all manner of devices overboard or hoisting some fancy drogue up the backstay or setting springs on the anchor cable... Just a nice settled boat that sits into the wind when at anchor.

Thanks.

 

[James_Calvert]

You picked the wrong night or the wrong place

 

[wully1]

You picked the wrong night or the wrong place

Thats really helpful. Thanks.

 

[johnalison]

A furled jib doesn't help.

 

[wully1]

A furled jib doesn't help.

OK, So I need to pick the perfect night in the perfect anchorage then leave the genoa unfurled in case breeze gets up.

This Place is a mine of information.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

All yachts yaw to an extent and I have sailed a lot of different types of yachts. I noticed a big change when roller reefing sails got added to yachts and fore foot got flatter, shallower. The older hull forms with deeper forefoot and which did not have flared bows, tended not to yaw so much e.g. Sigma’s tended to behave. Anything added forward like life rafts or dinghies, even staysails, baby stays all contribute.
I know it’s not a particular boat advice but it’s how I observed the changes over the years. Rivals have deep fore doors but higher flared bows and yaw when the wind gets up to a F4+.

 

[Deleted member 478]

Wully, in what depth were you anchored in and how much scope did you have out?

 

[Poignard]

OK, So I need to pick the perfect night in the perfect anchorage then leave the genoa unfurled in case breeze gets up.

This Place is a mine of information.

No. Take the jib off to reduce windage on the bow.

 

[ProMariner]

Try anchoring by the stern?

 

[LadyInBed]

Heavy boats sit well at anchor.

 

[Rappey]

I would love to see an anchored duck!
Sorry ? ...
Would it not be a case of light displacement yachts swing about, heavy more stable.

 

[Richard10002]

I am not at all interested in dropping all manner of devices overboard or hoisting some fancy drogue up the backstay or setting springs on the anchor cable... Just a nice settled boat that sits into the wind when at anchor.

Thanks.

If you're not interested in the possible solutions, (which you are already aware of), why bother asking the question.

I doubt there is a boat you could buy that would do it all on its own

 

[mainsail1]

I used to have boats with light keels and flat bottoms. They went off one way then back another when at anchor in a tide rip or in a wind. It was a pain. Now I have a heavy, long fin keel boat with a skeg and life at anchor is bliss. I think the answer is that simple.........

 

[Stemar]

A small sail on the backstay is alleged to help keep the boat straight if you don't happen to carry a spare mast like a ketch or yawl.

As for pulling up with a jerk, a good elastic snubber will reduce that, but not stop it completely. Jissel is pretty well behaved at anchor, but we still use a snubber to stop the graunching of chain in bow roller

 

[Praxinoscope]

My last boat a long keel Invicta 26 was usually great at anchor, but don't dismiss the 'wrong place' comments, one night several of us from the club anchored just off Llangranog rather than dropping back around the corner to Ynys Lochtyn, have yet to work out why but never had such an uncomfortable night on that boat before or after, everyone else said the same, so sometimes there just is the wrong place.
Haven't had enough overnights on my present boat to judge fully, but she doesn't sitquite as well at anchor, but I didn't really expect her to, a change from traditional long keel to bilge is bound to have considerable difference.

 

[RichardS]

You've picked a boat with one hull missing, I'm afraid.

Richard

 

[capnsensible]

OK, So I need to pick the perfect night in the perfect anchorage then leave the genoa unfurled in case breeze gets up.

This Place is a mine of information.

You cannae change the laws of physics.

 

[Poignard]

My Twister behaves very well at anchor.

Occasionally a bucket dropped over the stern on a line is necessary

 

[[70521]]

You may not be interested in stuff but check out Riding Sails.

Before they changed the site there was a fantastic article hidden away about them by a chap from Orkney, and they know about wind there.

 

[Zing]

OK, So I need to pick the perfect night in the perfect anchorage then leave the genoa unfurled in case breeze gets up.

This Place is a mine of information.

It’s not a stupid suggestion at all. Choosing a furling jib over a hanked on jib will make it worse.

The answer is it can’t be done, you can only reduce it with the various measures you don’t seem to like. The least yawing will come from anchoring from the stern.