how to set the hook, no engine?

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

I agree with Smourt in general

Farm Sail specified LIGHT airs, so...

...procedure depends rather on how you're rigged. In a toy knock-about sloop with minimal equipment, like the "renta-boats" that once were my lot, say a Catalina 27, I like to take a turn 'round the anchorage under full sail for maximum maneuverability to get a grip on where other hooks might be, then, having selected the spot for mine, I drop the main and run before over that spot under headsl only, drop the hook in that spot and pay out adequate rode, then surge it by hand on any adequate cleat aft till I'm dead in the water, then belay the rode and bring in the heads'l.

That's it. Now it's tidy up time: If I know that the boat will lie head-to-wind without ranging, I'll slip the rode from the cleat aft and let her swing around with the rode made fast to the bit or the cleat forward. Check the set, take soundings where I am (lead line served for years), verify the scope, furl and stow.

If she won't lie quiet head-to-wind, I'm just as happy leaving her stern-to-wind.

Either way, it's time to take take bearings, and tell off the anchor watch(es)

This procedure works just fine when you are single-handing. Confusion only sets in if you've a buncha lubbers aboard and you've failed to teach them :-)

As always, BEFORE you enter the anchorage you MUST be absolutely confident that if you can't find a spot among the other boats you WILL be able to beat out of the anchorage again. If you can't be confident of that, you go elsewhere!

Also, by the way, when you select her spot to lie, ALWAYS make sure that you'll have enuff room to let her drift to leeward while coming to a beam reach and gathering enuff way so you can tack 'er under full control.

TrentePieds

That's basically my technique too, but I have added a twist or two depending on other boats/anchors, anchorage and wind direction. Your boat (Farallon 29) is very similar to mine. All this depends on having bow and stern rollers and rode that can pay out easily through the deck plates. First I usually sail through the anchorage to get my bearings and pick the spot for both the bow anchor and stern. (Where I am most of us anchor bow and stern due to crowding and changing winds and currents.) If there is a stronger breeze and I can rely on the boat being blown back to where I want the stern anchor then I'll sail in on the jib and round up to the spot. Of course I have already prepped the bow and stern anchors to go. Once I am coasting up on the spot I drop the jib and lower the bow anchor and watch. As soon as I am drifting back I pay out the rode so that it will lay flat and not pile up or snag the anchor. My Danforths actually fly themselves down too. Then you have to make sure you have a lot of anchor rode. If you plan on laying out 150 feet you should have 300 feet (or add on some extra line) so that when you drop the stern you will be able to pull up the bow and have the 150 laid out form the stern. Another nice thing about laying both the bow and stern is you can pull one against the other and you can tell right away if one is not setting. If you have a good stern anchor, equal to the bow. and the wind is fairly light you can drop the stern as you sail on the jib over the spot you want and drop it as you coast along. Now if you don't like being anchored with the stern to the breeze you can take it off the stern cleat and walk it up to the bow to pull the bow to the wind with your stern anchor and vice versa with the bow anchor, but locally we have a couple of anchorages where during the day you might anchor stern to the wind because at night there will be a much stronger wind on the bow. Now all this works for me in a small boat, like yours, with chain and nylon rode. If I had all chain I'd only consider the bow on method of course. It takes some time to sail in, check things, make a plan, and then sail back out to do whatever is necessary to prepare the anchors and rodes. Of course this all just takes practice, and I just learned by trial and error. Fortunately the errors weren't too bad! By the way, this always reminds me of "The Secret Sharer" by Joseph Conrad; anyone read that? But back to your original post, I realize you are talking about a dead calm anchorage and you are sculling or rowing, right? Then the only way to be sure in my book is to set anchors bow and stern and pull them against each other to be sure they are set.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by zengirl

zeehag and kenomac, he has no engine

That's why I suggested the OP feel confident with the wind alone setting his sails. Those folks who insist on powering back with a motor... it's just overkill.

I'm sorry you misunderstood us.

[Don C L]

Oops, forgot, it's a good idea to buoy the anchors too with stout line that can be used to pull the anchor out backwards when it come time to leave. On one occasion I was glad I had because the anchor was stuck. I dropped ALL the rode, sailed up to buoy and snagged it as I went by and cleated it off the stern as I continued upwind, luffing. The anchor popped right out and I reeled it all back in.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Oops, forgot, it's a good idea to buoy the anchors too with stout line that can be used to pull the anchor out backwards when it come time to leave. On one occasion I was glad I had because the anchor was stuck. I dropped ALL the rode, sailed up to buoy and snagged it as I went by and cleated it off the stern as I continued upwind, luffing. The anchor popped right out and I reeled it all back in.

You'll continue to think it's a good idea right up until a boat comes by and gets the buoy line snagged on its prop and shaft. Then you'll never do it again.

We use a small buoy with a 5ft cable attached to the backside of the anchor which remains well below the surface. If the anchor gets stuck, I free dive down and attach a surface line. Much better for everyone.

[TrentePieds]

Originally Posted by Ernest Skublics

It is amazing how lame we have become and how many problems we have developed with all our engines and gizmos.

Leave us never forget that what we sail, most of us, are AUXILIARY sailing vessels :-)

Bei mir it is every skipper's responsibility to be able to keep his ship and his people safe under sail ALONE. 1,500RPM is very nice a lot of times for mere convenience, but when the fit hits the Shan, you'd better be able to cope without the ironmongery.

TrentePieds

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

Leave us never forget that what we sail, most of us, are AUXILIARY sailing vessels :-)

Bei mir it is every skipper's responsibility to be able to keep his ship and his people safe under sail ALONE. 1,500RPM is very nice a lot of times for mere convenience, but when the fit hits the Shan, you'd better be able to cope without the ironmongery.

TrentePieds

It's star date 2015 not 1520.

Most people reading this subscribe to tow services like Boat US. Otherwise, just drop the hook, take a short time out, sort out the mess.

I've sailed in to a marina essentially alone except for a drunken idiot onboard without the engine due to an electrical fire.... In hindsight, I should have tossed him overboard and called for a tow assist. Forget about trying to sail in alone, I was lucky to not have damaged the drunken fool, our boat or other boats.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

You'll continue to think it's a good idea right up until a boat comes by and gets the buoy line snagged on its prop and shaft. Then you'll never do it again.

We use a small buoy with a 5ft cable attached to the backside of the anchor which remains well below the surface. If the anchor gets stuck, I free dive down and attach a surface line. Much better for everyone.

Seriously?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Seriously?

Yes, "seriously."

[TrentePieds]

@Kennomac #21

Drop the hook... :-)??? When there is six hundred feet of water, close in?? Or when the tidal current is 8 knots???

It all depends on where you sail, it all depends on how you've got your ship rigged, it all depends on how you get your sailing jollies.

Thus the "bei mir". Personally I LOATHE engines. I tolerate mine cos there are places I go where I am simply FORBIDDEN to sail. That doesn't alter the fundamentals.

My heroes are: Vancouver, Fitzroy, Flinders, Bligh, and of course the great men who handled the wooden walls and most particularly the frigates of the RN of Nelson's day. Precious few engines around in their day.

Chacun a son gout :-)

TrentePieds

[hamburking]

I've done this many, many times. Prefer to anchor under sail, and sail off as well.

Even with a little wind, I can sail close to where I want the hook. When I get close, roll up the jib (no main set) and point head to wind. Whatever wind there is, be it small or big, will slow the boat. When the boat is stopped, I lower the hook, and pay out the rode as she starts to blow downwind. When I have some scope out, I snub the rode, and the anchor bites. If the wind is very light, I just pay out what I want, and make it down.

Yes, I usually dive on the anchor. But it more for fun than anything else, since it very rarely won't be nicely set, all on its own. Often where I anchor is too deep to dive.

Attached are a couple pics and a vid taken at Main Duck Island. Smooth rock bottom...very difficult to anchor. That night it blew 40 knots. We held tight. But I didn't sleep well.

[Cheechako]

I've used the sail downwind method to set the hook or the back the mainsail method. Neither is great but works in many conditions.
To me, setting the anchor is mostly to determine:
-if the bottom has good holding in general
-that the rode /anchor is not fouled.
-that the anchor starts to dig in, any additional wind conditions will continue to set it deeper later if the above are "good to go".

[rognvald]

I think Ernest has said it very well. Anchoring under sail should be a skill in which all sailors have competence. Whether its a CT56 at 60k pounds or a 25 foot Catalina under 5K pounds. It was, after all, the way it was done for thousands of years of maritime/military history. If winds are strong/light, prepare your anchor tackle in advance and drop/furl your headsail as you round up into the wind. With your mainsail flogging(even slightly), drop your hook 4 to 1 and fall off the wind with your main(not necessary if the winds are strong). Your boat will turn at an angle to the wind until the anchor bites and you round up. Allow the boat to settle in for a few minutes or until the anchor line becomes taut or at least forward off the bow. If it doesn't, you're either dragging(which can be easily seen) or haven't got a bite. Wait. If the wind's light, you'll have to be patient. Once you're set, let out more scope. That's it. I find it amazing how many sailors we've encountered in the last 25 years throughout the Great Lakes, Bahamas and the Caribbean who truly do not know how to sail their boats and rely entirely on their engines for everything. Remember the guy who lost his engine in Nassau and wanted a tow back to the States? There's a lot more like him out there than you'd believe. Good luck and good SAILING.

[Don C L]

It is possible to set buoys that don't snag too many props. I don't use polypro and I have a weight that pulls the line through an eye on the so the buoy can rise and fall with the tide yet stay over the anchor. I just have to adjust its length for the depth.

[Juho]

With no engine and too light winds to be of any use, I think you need another fixed point. That fixed point could be another anchor, a pier or maybe a tree. You don't need a dinghy for the second anchor if your anchor rode is long enough to cover the additional distance.

I often need a second anchor or a rope to the shore when I anchor in tight places. The quality of the bottom can vary a lot, so I need to make sure that the anchor is definitely well set. Motoring is one way to check the anchor, but also winch is ok, or sometimes just my own muscle power. Quite doable, also without a motor.

[EveningTide]

When I have time I anchor without the motor (just for fun). Once I arrived at San Simeon at dusk as the wind was dying. The wind read 0.0, the sails were hanging limp but the GPS said we were making 0.5 knots. When we reached 30 feet of water and seemed to be stopped (dark now) I measured out the anchor rode and lowered the anchor until I felt it hit bottom. Then I moved back five feet and lowered the chain so it wouldn't be piled on top of the anchor. There is 20 feet of chain and then nylon. Since there wasn't enough wind to move the boat I left the line on deck so that it would feed out if the boat moved.
The chart-plotter was on so I could see if the boat moved. I went in the cabin and fixed dinner. 20 minutes later I heard the sound of the anchor line pulling on the bow roller. That's a good sound. All the line (150 feet) had paid out. I went to the bow and pulled hard on the line to convince myself the anchor had taken a bite. I think the swells continued to help the anchor set deeper. I left the anchor alarm on but we did not drag and when I pulled the anchor the next day it was dug in like normal.
I wasn't worried because I had anchored here many times and knew that there was a good sand bottom. My anchor is a 22 pound Delta, the boat is 24 feet and 8000 pounds.