Weighing anchor single handed

[SimonFa]

I did my first anchoring single handed yesterday. I did it in Weymouth Bay so plenty of room and nobody else around to get tangled with or offend and find myself the subject of a ridiculing post on here

Setting the anchor was ok as I have a control in the cockpit and as soon as I had about 10m down I wandered down to the bow to finish the operation and the back to the cockpit to give it a bit of astern.

Weighing anchor was a bit different. There was a gusty F4/5 wind over tide and the boat was all over the place. I didn't want to just use the electric windlass as it's brand new and I don't think the Great Wise One will take kindly to a massive repair bill. In the end I was backwards and forwards raising a bit, then a bit of tick over forward and back to raise a bit more when the chain looked slack.

I suppose I could have used a trip with a float but they could get me in to trouble in tight anchorages like Lulworth Cove on a busy day.

Any suggestions and advice greatly appreciated.

Also a supplementary - which should I do first, take down the anchor ball or weigh the anchor?

Thanks in advance,

Simon

 

[Kelpie]

Why not use the electric windlass? Surely that's a godsend when weighing anchor singlehanded?

Oh and I would say get rid of the day shape first, no question. After all, once you commence the operation you are, at least partially, under power rather than swinging to the wind and tide...

 

[jimi]

I've got a manual windlass however I haul in by hand, I use a pair of leather work gloves and haul in when chain slacks a bit then hold while its taut and wait for a bit of slack again then repeat. If need be I put it on tickover ahead on autopilot but rarely need to

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Why not use the electric windlass? Surely that's a godsend when weighing anchor singlehanded?

Oh and I would say get rid of the day shape first, no question. After all, once you commence the operation you are, at least partially, under power rather than swinging to the wind and tide...

I agree with both these points. If the windlass isn't up to it, then it's too small! Sure, you don't want to just hold the up, button and put it under strain for too long, but with the control in the cockpit it should be possible to work the windlass and engine as best possible.

 

[mainsail1]

The correct use of the anchor ball is that it should be lowered when your anchor is 'aweigh' which means it has left the seabed. I know it can be easier to drop the ball before lifting the anchor but it could mean you are the give way vessel when you still cannot give way as your anchor is firmly in the seabed.

 

[Searush]

You don't mention the size of your boat, anchor or your own state of health. For a boat over 30', a heavy cast steel anchor and a reasonably fit person then F5 wind over tide is probably close to the max possible manually. Don't stress about anchor balls, very few use them and not many more know what they mean, but always deal with everything you can while still safely anchored.

Be patient when raising the chain manually, have some way of resting with the chain secured as the boat shears off or lifts to a wave then bring in the slack as she drops or moves forward. Use your thigh muscles by bending your legs & keeping your back straight. Once it breaks free you have the choice of gathering it in quickly & making secure, or if very short of room, you can belay it off securely, motor slowly into open water & then stow it properly while drifting or hove to.

 

[Searush]

The correct use of the anchor ball is that it should be lowered when your anchor is 'aweigh' which means it has left the seabed. I know it can be easier to drop the ball before lifting the anchor but it could mean you are the give way vessel when you still cannot give way as your anchor is firmly in the seabed.

Fine if fully crewed, but solo guy can't do both - personally I don't even carry an anchor ball & no-one has ever hit me anchored or not & few of us anchor in the fairway, or even in deep water anyway.

 

[westernman]

Also a supplementary - which should I do first, take down the anchor ball or weigh the anchor?

Ideally you should take down the anchor ball only once you are manoeverable and could get out of the way of someone. I.e. after the anchor has left the sea bed.

In reality, even when fully crewed, we take down the anchor ball and light and stow it before raising anchor. It is just one less thing to faff around with once the anchor is raised when you are trying to stow it properly, set a proper course, raise a few more sails, put the tea on, put on the sun screen, arrange the deck chairs etc etc.

 

[Neil]

I only have a 25' boat, but in a strong current, I put the engine on forward and move towards the anchor. Once near, adjusting revs to stay still and set the autopilot, go forward and haul it in by hand. Only needed to do this on a couple of occasions, but it seemed to work

 

[SimonFa]

Thanks for all the prompt responses and great suggestions. Something for me to work on.

I should have said that Venezia is 33'. I have hauled in manually with someone on the helm and though I think I'm fairly fit for my age, 57, I'm don't think I could do it against in those conditions and don't want to risk it.

 

[jimi]

I'm also 57 and my boat is 38ft. I don't find it a major issue.

 

[Tranona]

Use the windlass, that is why you bought it. Motor forward to get the chain slack, use the windlass to take the slack in. You may have to stop if the boat drifts back and motor forward again to create slack. If your windlass is a decent size you won't do it any harm even if for short periods you are pulling the boat up to the anchor.

 

[Richard10002]

Thanks for all the prompt responses and great suggestions. Something for me to work on.

I should have said that Venezia is 33'. I have hauled in manually with someone on the helm and though I think I'm fairly fit for my age, 57, I'm don't think I could do it against in those conditions and don't want to risk it.

Reading your description, I think you did OK. Ball down before or after is chicken and egg. If its still,up when aweigh, people will think you are anchored. Better down before weighing anchor as per Searush.

Not sure why you're worried about the windlass. Motor ahead so the chain has some slack, then wind it in. Motor ahead again until slack, then wind it in. Once up and down,the anchor will break out, and you can wind it in and motor to safety before sorting stuff out. If you have a control in the cockpit, you should be able to feel the difference between slack and tight?

 

[Uricanejack]

I did my first anchoring single handed yesterday. I did it in Weymouth Bay so plenty of room and nobody else around to get tangled with or offend and find myself the subject of a ridiculing post on here

Setting the anchor was ok as I have a control in the cockpit and as soon as I had about 10m down I wandered down to the bow to finish the operation and the back to the cockpit to give it a bit of astern.

Weighing anchor was a bit different. There was a gusty F4/5 wind over tide and the boat was all over the place. I didn't want to just use the electric windlass as it's brand new and I don't think the Great Wise One will take kindly to a massive repair bill. In the end I was backwards and forwards raising a bit, then a bit of tick over forward and back to raise a bit more when the chain looked slack.

I suppose I could have used a trip with a float but they could get me in to trouble in tight anchorages like Lulworth Cove on a busy day.

Any suggestions and advice greatly appreciated.

Also a supplementary - which should I do first, take down the anchor ball or weigh the anchor?

Thanks in advance,

Simon

I don't understand not using the winch, I would have the engine going to provide power rather than drawing from the battery. unless you have doubst about the securing points or rating. If it won't pull the boat forward due to wind a bit of help from the engine should eas the strain rather than over heat the winch. would be a lot of wind if winch is right sise for boat.

I don't even have a ball. so get it out the way first your still ahead of me.
tecnicaly Ball comes down anchor light off and nav lights on. When anchor is aweigh. ( off the bottom) till then your anchored. Grey area till is sighted and clear. you think your underway until you find out youve picked up an old mooring or some one elses anchor.
so there a good case for leaving it until you see its clear.

Mine can be difficult to shorten up when its blowing. on me own if I put in gear and go forward the bow blows off and it gets more difficult.
I take extra rode back to my sheet winch before i take off the cleat and winch from there. It takes a while but easier on my old arms and back.
if doing it by hand. I grab it and walk back down the deck using my legs rather than arms,

one day I might get an anchor winch.

 

[SimonFa]

I think I may have misled people. I did use the winch but what I didn't want to do was use it to haul the boat to the anchor.

 

[Iliade]

I only have a 25' boat, but in a strong current, I put the engine on forward and move towards the anchor. Once near, adjusting revs to stay still and set the autopilot, go forward and haul it in by hand. Only needed to do this on a couple of occasions, but it seemed to work

+1 & definitely leave the ball up until the anchor is stowed and the boat is properly under way. Imaging explaining to St.Peter that you were faffing about on the bows when a tanker confined by it's draft ran you down as it thought you were under command.

 

[Sgeir]

Imaging explaining to St.Peter that you were faffing about on the bows when a tanker confined by it's draft ran you down as it thought you were under command.

Tanker? Anchorage? What sort of place do you normally anchor in?

 

[jimi]

for those (overly) concerned about the correct sequence of day signals when weighing anchor, may I humbly suggest they raise a second anchor ball underneath the first until they get themselves sorted out ;-)

 

[vyv_cox]

I think I may have misled people. I did use the winch but what I didn't want to do was use it to haul the boat to the anchor.

This depends very much on the windlass size and type. Berthed stern-to in the Med, motoring out while raising the anchor with the windlass is a recipe for dragging it across the chains of other boats, so we, and most others, haul the boat forward using the windlass. Even very large ferries and cargo ships in Greece do just the same. If the wind is astern of us I will sometimes select reverse while hauling in on the windlass. However, it is plenty powerful, relatively new and designed for purpose. Conversely, the old Seawolf windlass on Cecilia doesn't like this treatment at all and either seizes or blows a fuse when we use it.

 

[Storyline]

As long as there is not too much wind we use the windlass to gently put way on the boat and more frequently swing the bows round to line up with the cable, really does not take much effort. If very windy I will hold the boat against the wind using engine - another time for hand signals !