staysail at anchor

[lilianroyle]

We are currently in the med and doing quite a bit of anchoring, there is usually very little wind but we tend to roll with even the gentlest of swell, question one which is prompted by the PBO article on anchoring what is the best sail to rig as a staysail. We are a gaff cutter. Any other tricks, (I will try the bucket anchor) to reduce roll?

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[tony_brighton]

I've seen adverts for 'flopper stoppers' but always thought they were a practical joke - maybe someone else could comment on them? They're a bunch of cone shaped 'buckets' that you hang off the side on some string.

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[Jacket]

You can make much more effective 'flopper stoppers' yourself. Cut a triangle of plywood, say 40 cm along each side, depending on the size of boat. make a bridle with a rope from each corner, so that it hangs flat. Attach a weight to one corner, then hang it off the boom, with the boom squared out over the side of the boat and the triangle a couple of meters below the surface.

As the boat rollw towards the flopper stopper, the weight on one corner pulls that corner down, and the thing sinks quickly. As the boat rolls the other way, the bridle holds the wood horizontally, and it provides enough resistance to stop the roll.

Of course, the wood doesn't have to be triangular. I use a rectangular bunk board, with a four legged bridle supporting it. Works well in most conditions, except a short chop, when the board doesn't have time to sink between rolls.

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[tcm]

Not at all sure about a staysail on its own. In fact, it sounds a bit rubbish, unless it utterly works at holding you into wind, which it won't , so once side on it will roll you more, not less.

If you are anchoring, your main req is to point out directly into incoming waves, and for that you need a kedge. Get kedge ready at stern, dig in fwd anchor, and pull back, and let pretty much all the bow anchor go, reverse towards the wind , then lob kedge off windward side and pick up bow anchor to tighten stern. I admit i have elctric anchor.

For a long stay, two kedges is better, effectively a stern mooring from your two kedges one each side. You need to drop the kedges and pull up forward anchor reasonably smartly.

In france many sneakily "kedge" with a line around one of the seasonal marker buoys marking the inshore powerboat limit, but this ain't really allowed, so be prepared to let go in the morning.

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[Roberto]

Also

without a kedge, you can tie a rope to the main anchor chain, 10/15m from the bow, then bring the free end to the stern and fiddle until the boat is bow to the swell

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[Viking]

I thought the idea was to rig the 'staysail' off the back-stay, to act like a mizzen/ketch sail to keep the boat headed into wind.

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[colvic]

As TCM says, a kedge anchor is really what you need. In Majorca, especially Soller on the Northern coast line, virtually all the boats in the know have bow and stern anchors out so that they face into the swell and cope with the wind. The swell is far worse! Have seen Motor yachts hang there for almost the whole summer.


Phil

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[tcm]

Re: true BUT (in the med)

the med breezes are diurnal rather than prevailing as in uk so in the morning (or in just a few hours) there may be a right ole scraperising on the hull with the anchorfiddling method as the breeze turns and pushes boat onto the chain

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[tcm]

Re: intothe swell - not the wind

ah but that's the prob- the wind mayl be easterly say, so he'd hide behind something - but the wind still easterly, but swell now (say) southerly, coming round the headland. result - sitting side-on to swell, all rolly abouty.

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[tony_brighton]

Thanks - useful tip I hope to try out soon.

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[LadyInBed]

Re: sneaky kedge

What a good idea!

ps - Where did you get your electric anchor? /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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[oldsaltoz]

G'day Pete,

Please please avoid using a sail set at the stern, I have been hit twice by boats that started sailing during the night as the tide / wind changed; both on very long scopes, so, unless you are very well clear of all other craft please avoid this practice.

Flopper stoppers and 2nd anchors work fine and for most part don't cause other problems.

I hope this helps. . . . .



<hr width=100% size=1> Old Salt Oz /forums/images/icons/cool.gif Growing old is unavoidable. However, growing up is still optional.

 

[Jacket]

On a similar note, you should only use a kedge if either there aren't any other boats nearby, or else they've also got a kedge out. Otherwise, if the wind changes, they swing around, you don't, and there's an expensive crunching sound.

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