Do you ever anchor, backwards!?

[Atcowboy]

Do you ever stern anchor?

If the water is calm, I often stern anchor so my dodger now becomes a lovely wind scoop stuffing my salon with cool air. Or, my sun sails become more effective (cast more useful shade). Eventually it can get choppy enough I turn back around, as my overhang slaps a little like this.

I've only ever seen one other boat doing this purposefully, and it was a small weekender motorboat! Good for them, noticing the wind direction.

I've also set up a "swell" bridal to change the orientation of the boat to the sun, for more or less, to taste.

- AT

[rslifkin]

We've picked up moorings from the stern, but never overnight. And only in calm conditions for sun placement. I've occasionally used a spring line to the anchor for that purpose, but usually don't bother. And we never anchor from the stern, it's a lot more work for us than just dropping the primary off the bow.

[Tupaia]

Often used to anchor my small cat like this, easy to throw it over and tie off on stern cleat. Quite amusing watching other boats lining up in our direction and trying to anchor from the bow.

[Atcowboy]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

We've picked up moorings from the stern, but never overnight. And only in calm conditions for sun placement. I've occasionally used a spring line to the anchor for that purpose, but usually don't bother. And we never anchor from the stern, it's a lot more work for us than just dropping the primary off the bow.

I don't have a stern anchor rigged. I have done it with all anchor rode, but it's a pain. I usually I use a dock line
on a stern cleat tired to the anchor line with a rolling hitch. Keep letting out the rode and you'll flip around backwards.Toss the dock line over and you'll be back to bow into the waves.

- AT

[wingssail]

Bill Hansen of Seattle used to always anchor his Petersen 42 by the stern. Gave all the reasons you cited. I was always skeptical.

[noelex 77]

It can be useful, particularly when it improves the view or sun angle.

You can use your primary (bow anchor) utilising a snubber tied to the stern. In this way releasing the stern snubber, perhaps in the evening, will leave you anchored normally.

The main problem is that other anchoring boats want to know if you are in trouble. On the plus side they invariably anchor a long distance away .

[martin b]

Almost all the time on the inside passage to alaska you will "sternto"
The depths and rate of rate of descent will not let you get the scope of even 3 to one and big tidal variants 10 or 12 feet often tie to a tree or a boulder

[wrwakefield]

We will occasionally veer stern to wind, but our typical reason is to adjust the vessel orientation to prevailing swell/wind waves. We use a snubber on the main [bow] anchor rode led aft— sometimes to a primary winch.

This provides easy adjustability and it is quick to go back to the typical bow orientation- just releasing the snubber if rapid change is needed.

Cheers! Bill

[Oeanda]

Originally Posted by Atcowboy

a lovely wind scoop stuffing my salon with cool air.

A horrible wind scoop stuffing the salon with freezing cold wet air, and smoke when it backdrafts the woodstove.

[hugosalt]

Have done from time to time mostly before going to chain rode as boat would sail.
Also for ventilation, shade, never in weather.
Coincidently, I am playing with making a reel for my stern anchor rode as I'm not completely happy with it in a bucket in my stern locker.

[Atcowboy]

Originally Posted by martin b

Almost all the time on the inside passage to alaska you will "sternto"
The depths and rate of rate of descent will not let you get the scope of even 3 to one and big tidal variants 10 or 12 feet often tie to a tree or a boulder

I've heard of this for anchoring along the "Everests" of the ocean. "Med moored" with your pick in hundreds of feet of water. Sounds like stunning topography?

- AT

[Mike OReilly]

Have deployed a stern anchor in conjunction with my bower, but never just because I wanted to hang from the stern.

[Atcowboy]

Originally Posted by wrwakefield

We will occasionally veer stern to wind, but our typical reason is to adjust the vessel orientation to prevailing swell/wind waves. We use a snubber on the main [bow] anchor rode led aft— sometimes to a primary winch.

This provides easy adjustability and it is quick to go back to the typical bow orientation- just releasing the snubber if rapid change is needed.

Cheers! Bill

The winch can be a great way to micro adjust your swell bridal also.

Originally Posted by Oeanda

A horrible wind scoop stuffing the salon with freezing cold wet air, and smoke when it backdrafts the woodstove.

I've had this (without the stove) happen also. Cold wet fronts rolling through, anchored in a tidal stream. Great protection from chop, but 50% of the time the boat isn't facing the right way .

Originally Posted by hugosalt

Have done from time to time mostly before going to chain rode as boat would sail.
Also for ventilation, shade, never in weather.
Coincidently, I am playing with making a reel for my stern anchor rode as I'm not completely happy with it in a bucket in my stern locker.

Ultra anchor has a reel available for sale. Interesting inspiration, at the very least! It has me mulling over different storage methods myself.

- AT

[JebLostInSpace]

The most compelling reason to me to anchor off the stern is for the additional ventilation with the dodger acting as a scoop. So far though, I've never found my two hatch scoops to be insufficient... Maybe I'll try it one day if it's real hot and real calm.

[Atcowboy]

Originally Posted by JebLostInSpace

The most compelling reason to me to anchor off the stern is for the additional ventilation with the dodger acting as a scoop. So far though, I've never found my two hatch scoops to be insufficient... Maybe I'll try it one day if it's real hot and real calm.

It can dramatically change the cockpit conditions also, if you're out enjoying the veranda. Even with my dodger down (it collapses easily) the cabin top blocks a lot of the breeze. Not so stern-to.

Unfortunately my little sloop has just the one big hatch in the v berth. A cloth scoop helps a lot with that, but the bulkheads still make many dead spots in the cabin from that breeze, namely the salon berths. I also don't envy little boats with only deadlights, open portholes make a surprising difference inside.

- AT