The Offshore Voyaging Reference Site

Colin on Anchoring

It’s easy to get carried away with the idea that anchoring is simply about equipment. Sure, new generation anchors have changed a lot of things, most definitely for the better, but there’s far more to it than just the choice of anchor and ancillary gear.

There are many little (and not so little) things about the practice of anchoring that we should all consider to cruise safely wherever we sail. This summer’s cruise to Newfoundland reminded me on several occasions of things that I had for one reason or another set aside. When that happens, it tends to be a sign of complacency creeping in, so here’s what we have reviewed as a result.


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Marc Dacey

A great write-up, Colin, and a good reminder that the farther off the beaten (and sometimes ill-charted) track one goes, the greater the need for a comprehensive bag of tricks and techniques.

Rob Gill

Hi Colin, I always enjoy reading about sailing challenges on the other side of the world on this site, so thanks. Down-under, there seems to be a high correlation between owners that get into trouble (“joining the coral club” in the Pacific) and those determined to use every feature of their electronic navigation set-up – like connecting their auto-pilot with a “follow-route” function.

But if you only have few data points, say a depth contour and no distinguishing features to take reliable bearings, as with many low lying coral reefs and entrances or in your case being in fog, we do like the radar overlay feature on the chart plotter (pretty much the only time it is useful). If the radar image overlays 100% with the chart-plotter (you have a depth correlation and the channel appears visually to make sense) or you can see the whole image “shifted” by say 50 m, but otherwise is completely aligned, it gives you much greater confidence in your charting and your position.
Other cruisers have reported good experiences using Ovital with Google Earth images overlaid with GPS boat position on their iPads. The only issue here is you have to download the images that you will need, in advance, and when you are in good internet coverage.
Rob

Pascal Cuttat

Particularly like your comment “there seems to be a high correlation between owners that get into trouble (“joining the coral club” in the Pacific) and those determined to use every feature of their electronic navigation set-up – like connecting their auto-pilot with a “follow-route” function”. One of the reasons why I follow AAC avidly is the philosophy of using electronics as help where it makes sense, rather than blindly relying on it.

John Harries

Hi Pascal,

I agree. In fact of all the things I see in modern electronics set ups that scare me, and there are a lot, connecting the plotter to the autopilot is probably the one that scares me the most. https://www.morganscloud.com/2010/12/17/chart-plotters-and-autopilots-never-the-twain-should-meet/

Ernest

Actually there’s already a term for it – EAC, or Electronically Aided Collisions. Found this doing a quick scan on Googol: http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/electroniccollisions/default.asp

Colin Speedie

Hi Guys
for good or ill I grew up in an age where we simply didn’t have anything even remotely sophisticated in terms of what I call ‘electrickery’. Radar sets were the size of old TV’s, echo sounders were the height of sophistication and GPS was the sort of thing that James Bond had in his watch. Would I want to go back to that? No, I’m a huge fan of using whatever modern technology when I can – but within reason.
Even so, I and thousand like me safely navigated out way around the challenging shores of the UK, without all of the undeniable benefits we have today. And I’m glad that I had that education, because when the electrics fail I can rummage within the dark recesses of my mind and bring those rusty old skills into play. And I trust my eyes first and the plotter second…
Blind faith in anything is a risky business, not least in terms of trusting technology. Trusting your own snap judgment implicitly isn’t without its risks either. But we humans are amazingly sophisticated creatures with extraordinary senses and powers of reasoning. So I use all of the electronic wonder stuff, but trust my eyes first and treat all other inputs as they always used to be described ‘aids to navigation’.
The facility to overlay radar information on the plotter screen is a really useful way to navigate in tight approaches and we use it when we must – Louise and I are not Luddites. A great example of a way that technology can be of real value. But we still want to make sure that it matches what our eyes tell us, and if we’re not entirely sure – we go around again.
Best wishes
Colin

Jhildy

I have a quick question on snubbers. I’ve read on Practical Sailor that the ideal snubber length is about 1.3x boat length. Now, let’s assume we have a 40′ boat anchoring in 15′ water. At 4:1 scope, that would be 60′ of anchor chain. But if a snubber length is 40×1.3 = 52′ snubber, would that mean tying the snubber line 8′ from the anchor?? Doesn’t seem right? Wouldn’t that risk pulling the anchor out and ruining catenary effect too?

Thanks for any feedback!
JHildy

Dick Stevenson

Hi JHildy,
I know in shallow water in up to moderate conditions, I will only use about 5-10 feet of my snubber (say, rolling hitch to waterline). My snubber is 7/16” 3 strand nylon, so there is stretch in that 5-10 feet. In this way, if things get boisterous, I can just veer more chain without changing snubbers.
In practice, I put the snubber’s rolling hitch on the chain at about the 5-1 scope I plan for the night, then veer the full length (or so) of the snubber and back down hard. Then I pull in the chain till the rolling hitch is near the waterline (or so): about 5-1 scope. This is for average conditions: the more chance I think for an unsettled night, the longer I leave the snubber.
The above is for times when I will be on the boat, not for leaving for a day hike or something.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

John Harries

Hi Jhildy,

Good question and good point. In that sort of situation Phyllis and I would (and do):

  • Pretty much always use more than 60′ of chain. The very minimum we like to anchor with is 100′
  • Shorten the snubber up to about 20-25 feet, so the attachment point would not be rubbing on the bottom (taking into account bow hight.)

As to this ideal length, while I get PS’s reasoning, we have never felt the need to use a snubber that long. With our 55′ boat we find that 35′ is just fine and that includes allowances for cleating off and tying a double rolling hitch on the chain, so actual length is about 26 feet. This has worked well for us for over 20 years including being anchored on several occasions in storm force winds, and hurricane force on a couple of memorable occasions.

I’m guessing that the difference between PS’s ideal and our experience is that we don’t need ideal to be safe. Also, I’m not in at all sure that once past a certain point adding more spring to the system is even a good idea. More on that in a future post.

Jhildy

Thanks all! If i may continue on this issue:
1a. What would you do if you find yourself dragging at night and you need to lengthen scope—but you only have an extra 4′ or so of snubber!! Motor forward to retrieve the rolling hitches and then reset?
1b. would you do anything different if singlehanded and without a person at the helm?
2. On tieing the double rolling hitch, is the 2nd knot inboard or outboard of the first knot?—i’m thinking outboard?
I appreciate y’all making me a better and safer sailor!
Jhildy

Dick Stevenson

Hi Jhildy,
I actually rarely drag: and I (knock on wood) do not believe I have dragged since I bought my first Spade in 2007/8 or so. I am careful and my gear is (what most would consider) oversize.
If dragging, I generally would raise anchor and re-anchor rather than add scope. Adding scope might work (see next para), but if dragging, I would figure there is a good chance the anchor was foul: paint can on the tip or something, that demands raising the anchor and clearing the foul.
If the wind picks up, I usually have 15-20 or more feet of extra snubber most nights to let out. If not too deep, this might bump me to 7-1 from the 5-1 I start out with.
If a sudden squall or steady gale force winds and the anchor is stuck but I want more scope for insurance, I just veer more chain throwing off the first snubber and bend on a dock line (5/8-inch 3 strand nylon) to be the new snubber. The first snubber stays attached because of the rolling hitch and is just retrieved later when we up anchor.
All of the above is easily accomplished single-handed (except maybe the re-anchoring after dragging if the wind is up and, of course, it is night). I am loath to start the engine to futz around in anchorages dealing with ground tackle etc. at night in a blow: the bow is way too easily blown off and the very few times I have done so, I feel lucky to have not done damage to myself, my boat or other boats in the anchorage.
I tie a modified rolling hitch, (an extra round-turn below and above), that has worked for me.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Rick Gleason

I would probably anchor further inshore or further offshore if I thought it was due to kelp/seaweed. I would definitely increase scope on our boat, particularly if was caused by over used anchorages with a badly disturbed bottom. (certain areas of Block Island, Salt Pond, for example)

John Harries

Hi Jhildy,

As far as lengthening in the night, we have simply never dragged since we got our SPADE, so it has never come up. I have thought about it and our strategy is just to cast off the inboard end of the snubber and then use a dock line once resettled.

That said, as a general rule, if we started dragging I would be more inclined to retrieve the anchor and start again.

On the double rolling hitch, the second knot it outboard of the first. See this post: https://www.morganscloud.com/2015/03/05/the-only-five-knots-you-need-to-know/

Alastair Currie

Thanks for the article and information. I particularly agree with the anchor ready to deploy when approaching ports. I learned to sail as a trainee mate on a small sail training vessel, advancing to mate and then skipper and it was a pretty tough period. Preparing the anchor was always part of my routine, drummed into me. Once berthed it was always stowed again. This went on for years and in the flush of youth I questioned it (but internally), as we could always launch the anchor, so why prepare it. Fast forward some 30 years later and I have purchased my first yacht, a Rival 41C.

My brother and I went down to the marina where I purchased her, to deliver the boat to my marina, about a 4 hour sail. It was November in Scotland and there had been a series of gales from the west, all a lee-shore in this part of the world. One gale blew a yacht ashore, onto a rock island just off the departure marina and she had been high and dry for a week, sails flapping forlornly, lonely and lost. She was later towed back into the sea and recovered.

As we left between gales, we had a nice motor up the coast as the wind was right on the nose, gusting up to a F6. We turned the headland and got shelter from the islands as we approached the marina. The next gale had started to arrive and F8 gusts were now common, but still around the F5-6 mark. We entered the marina between the breakwaters and headed for the visitors pontoon which involved a 180 degree turn and head into wind approach, to berth starboard side onto the pontoon. The pontoon was just a weather shore with the wind blowing slightly off the centre line.

The Rival 41C has a flared bow, so carries a bit of windward well forward and will blow off when steerage is lost. As I made my first approach, I stopped the boat not quite close enough and she blew off rapidly. The wind was now up at F7/8 and gusting F9. I went round again, lots of room no big deal, and made a more powerful approach. My brother was ready to step ashore and drop the line around the cleat. As we approach with a bit more power, I went into neutral and then went into astern, increased the power and nothing happened. The bow blew away and it was obvious that I no longer had any propellor control.

Down wind was the marina wall and while we would have touched bottom first, she would have healed and probably got the rigging and mast entangled. I left the wheel, walked onto the foredeck and thanked my long deceased skipper that he made me prepare the anchor all these times as I pulled the dog off the gypsy and the anchor splashed into the sea. After running a bit, I snubbed on the chain and the 60lb CQR dug into the marina silt and pulled her head up.

I later found that the shaft coupling had sheared, the propellor had pulled out the back and the shaft bent, stopping the whole assembly from striking the skeg. In a way, it was fortuitous, as I replaced all the stern gear and added a Halyard Marine thrust bearing and new engine mounts all ready for the new season.

The moral of the story, is that we do these things for the unexpected, not the expected, but by their nature the unexpected can let complacency rule.

Colin Speedie

Hi Alastair
thanks for the excellent example, nerve-wracking indeed. Those of us who have been around a while have had something similar happen at one time or another – I know I have.
No matter how good the electronics or how reliable the engine (seems to be), complacency is the enemy and usually (happily) the problem that arises to jolt me out of my torpor isn’t so dramatic. But just enough to remind me to mend my ways….
Best wishes
Colin

John Harries

Hi Colin,

So true. I don’t think a sailing season goes by where I don’t think to myself, a few times, about a few different subjects: “hum, I’m getting a bit sloppy about that, time to smarten up”.

David B. Zaharik

Alastair, great closing comments. As a former airline captain I am reminded of our emergency reviews at the start of every series of flights, not that we expected anything to happen, but we refreshed the grey matter so we would react without scrambling trying to remember what to do when the stress peaked. Furthermore, your calm response, “walked to the foredeck,” is another valuable note. Certainly there could be times to react instantaneously, but more often then not, a calm approach to what could be a disaster is a prudent approach… men have shut down the wrong engines on aircraft because of haste!

Colin… great article… I’m looking forward to our adventure with you!

Colin Speedie

Hi David
your final comment is very pertinent – far too often in the heat of the moment, we rush to do the wrong thing….Calm is good.

Bill Balme

Hi Colin,

I remember when we entered Culotte Cove in 2016 (remains my most favorite anchorage ever), as we entered, our GPS track had us up on dry land! It was nice to see we ended up in a blue bit! We didn’t have any difficulties anchoring there – I think we were using a Manson Supreme at that point.

The guide says that Culotte Cove has some nice swimming holes up above the anchorage – I don’t think so! The water was so dark brown it was not palatable at all – so we went back to the boat. 20 minutes later, a bear came strolling along the beach we’d just walked across!!!

Colin Speedie

Hi Bill
yep – we had the same thing in Culotte Cove, so we should have been well prepared for such an eventuality at Doctor’s Harbour – which we were, in a way.
We didn’t get ashore, and have yet to see a bear, but we live in hope. At a distance, that is….