Centerboard up or down at anchor

[takeabow40]

I allways leave one board halfway down and helm amidships on a bridle all chain rode no problems

[Symphony]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Do understand you correctly? It is stationary fore and aft. Not a sail but a fin in effect? I was going to suggest a well reefed main with tight sheets. Leaving a board down sounds like a disaster even with a heavy anchor sally.

You are right, not actually a sail. a triangular fin that is designed to point into the wind. the 2 legs attached to the stern holds the boat steady, the pressure pushes generally aft. On my boat it stopped all fore-aft sailing, swinging around, and most of the rolling. we have never dragged yet, and before that it was a regular event for the boat to break out the anchor due to sailing around and surging at the anchor or mooring. noisy too.

on my boat it works great: Tartan 4100, fin keel, fine entry, spade, the 13' beam carried all the way aft, with a big bimini. Ask the manufacturer about your boat and this Riding Sail effectiveness, he seems like a very honest guy.

[Nicholson58]

Our PO broke the CB we think by down at anchor. Boat drifted and found the bottom. We had to give up and build a new one. Original cast 1700 # bronze. Cracked and not fixable by any local artisans including my certified welder of specialty metals.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Try trailing a small drogue, once your anchor is set/you're connected to the mooring. The extra drag may keep you from bumping into things.

There are a couple of other tricks. Like running a piece of PVC pipe, through a single line, connected to a cleat or through a roller on your cross beam/center hull.

This wouldn't be the primary line holding you onto the ball, but it'll keep you from bumping the thing. Just make sure to use sufficient chafing gear, where the pipe would contact the line.

It worked great when I lived on my Searunner, plus it's cheap & easy to try.

[Sos]

A dog that welds - very impressive

[Cormorant]

I have a yawl, and setting the mizzen at anchor, even half rolled up, keeps the boat straight up into the wind all the time. (The mast rotates in its round step socket and partner, so you furl sail vertically.)

This is probably somewhere between "impossible" and "more trouble than it's worth," but. . . . depending on the layout of your boat, you could add a small removable mizzenmast and removable boomkin. The mizzen is sprit-rigged, and with the sprit removed, the sail can be rolled down to half-size or nothing at all. If you're on a long passage, you can pop the mast and boomkin out entirely and stow them.

Mine is off the centerline of the boat, a foot or two to starboard -- to keep it out of the way of the outboard -- and it functions just fine.

I know -- kinda off-the-wall boatbuilding/modification, but I figured I should throw it out there.

[Tri]

Thanks Symphony,

I just wrote an email to BannerBay to see what the have to say.

Will keep you posted. :-)

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by cruisersfarm

Boards up for peace and quiet.

Same here.

[Metalcat]

Up any time we are not sailing upwind. Wish we could raise the rudders because the strong long shore currents frequently hold us sideways to the offshore wind.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Metalcat

Up any time we are not sailing upwind. Wish we could raise the rudders because the strong long shore currents frequently hold us sideways to the offshore wind.

Yes, it's pretty handy at times.