Anchoring nightmare this week

[Rohan]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

I'm with @cr180 and the others who suggested all-chain rode.

What about absorbing shock? Plus isn't it extremely noisy? And doesn't it wear out the bow roller? Honestly, when lowering the anchor, the sound of chain going over the bow roller always stressed me out.

[Rohan]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Re prop turning while in strong currents: why on earth would you not put it in gear? This will stop the prop (unless it is an hydraulic tranny) and eliminate the chance of winding the rode around the prop and shaft.

I never even considered that before, thank you.

[barnab]

Originally Posted by Rohan

I may try that, but that's not easy in my situation. That would require pulling it out in a dinghy, and I don't have one.

Not really, just set the anchor as you normally would, pay out additional rope until the boat is where you want the stern anchor to be, haul in bow rope until you are where you want to be.

[Bill O]

The current in the Potomac isn't that strong, in fact relatively mild.

[cr180]

Originally Posted by Rohan

What about absorbing shock? Plus isn't it extremely noisy? And doesn't it wear out the bow roller? Honestly, when lowering the anchor, the sound of chain going over the bow roller always stressed me out.

Use a nylon rope snubber with chain hook to cleat. There will be a slack loop in chain so neither the bow roller or windlass are loaded.

Edit: Yeah the sound of chain rattling when deploying and retrieving is a very distinctive sound. I kinda like it. But if properly rig snubber, no noise at anchor.

[cr180]

Should also re-enforce what others have said. A second anchor is a very bad idea. In strong wind and alternating tidal current, the rodes will surely get twisted. Even bow and stern. Then can not retrieve in an emergency or when dragging.

Edit: And if wind shifts, Also likely to have beam into wind and waves instead of bow. A very rolly night.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Rohan

What about absorbing shock? Plus isn't it extremely noisy? And doesn't it wear out the bow roller? Honestly, when lowering the anchor, the sound of chain going over the bow roller always stressed me out.

I can feel your pain, I have a similar story from many years ago. But to answer the questions there, you can set up a snubber to absorb shock. I use chain and it is noisy when it goes out and then it's not, especially if you use a snubber. As for sound of chain going over the roller, once you know it is causing no damage, it will no longer stress you out.

I think Chotu and others are right who say it's best to go with chain and new anchor design that has proven itself to reset reliably in mud (check Panope's and Noelex's threads for that info.)

I have 100' of chain on the bow right now, and more to add on if needed, so sometimes I'll have the rope part of rode going out over the roller, but as long as the chain is up off the bottom it should hold the rope (mostly) vertical and avoid catching the prop. In your case you could put 150' of 5/16 G4 on there and be in very good shape for where you are.

I would disagree that 2 anchors is a bad idea. Where I am I am always setting two anchors and I never row one out on a dinghy. (I want to know I can retrieve anything from the boat itself if needed.) I have plenty of rode so I can let out double what I need on the bow (or stern) and fall back to where I want the stern (or bow) anchor to be and then I take up on the bow (or stern) and pull both anchors against each other. In some very rare cases the wind or current may come up in the night that is strong enough that it requires I let the boat turn bow-on to whatever is prevailing. In these cases I take a length of nylon line and hitch it to the stern rode (if it is chain that is showing) and walk it up to the bow. This requires laying the chain (or nylon line) on deck gently as you move forward with the line outside of stanchions and shrouds. That line can then be cleated on the bow. Granted this is not what I would do if I was leaving the boat for a while, but, though I have never needed to, I could detach the entire stern rode from the boat and move it around the boat if it ever became tangled by the boat spinning in a circle.

So far I have never tangled my anchors. Of course ANY rode should be easily detachable from the boat in an emergency IMO. I have had to jettison (and attach a buoy to) a rode when there was a problem and then went back to retrieve it later.

In your case you could also set up a Bahamian moor with two anchors which should preclude the need for a single anchor to reset itself. Since I am a fan of my real Danforth Hi-tensile anchors, that is what I would probably shoot for if I were in your area... but that is just me.

https://sailingtoday.telegraph.co.uk...bahamian-moor/

[JPA Cate]

Hello, Rohan, sorry for your woes.

The Fortress or as donradcliffe wrote, the Danforth-style anchor, is known to have difficulty resetting, and even a clam shell can keep it from doing so. The so called "new generation" anchors do a way better job of re-setting. However, Jim had a 20# Danforth HT anchor for his 30 footer, on about 30 ft. of chain, and the rest was rope rode.

What we did do, that no one has mentioned so far, is never stay more than overnight in one place, or if you do, then up anchor and re-set before nightfall. If in a tidal stream, do that also, re-set the anchor and avoid tangling difficulties. What happened to you was that the chain or rope rode got caught around the shank of the anchor and the wind and tide conditions conspired to wrap you up like a Christmas present, and it is as if when you pulled the string to open the knot, you pulled it through the bow and made a serious knot.

If you intend to stay in the Chesapeake, I wouldn't think you MUST go to all chain rode. The bottom there is very sticky mud--good holding. People seem to be able to set even plow type anchors there and not drag very much. However, if you want to go farther afield, a new generation anchor will be better. The big strong point for the Fortress anchor is that it has very good holding power with its large fluke area, and easy handling because it is light weight. It is a superb storm anchor, until the wind shifts! The aforementioned Danforth HT has been used more than once, when we have wanted two anchors to keep from dragging.

Take a look at noelex's thread Photos of Anchors Setting (use the CF Custom Google Search in the menu under the Search button), and Panope's Videos of Anchors Setting.
You may want to re-think your plans if you plan to go to other places, and there's plenty of food for thought there.

When you have a fouled anchor, first force yourself to calm. Do not start the engine. Form the habit of always checking quickly before you start the engine, to be sure there are no lines in the water, every single time you want to start the engine. (This kind of habit can be a lifesaver.) Force yourself to calm, and then decide if you need to wait for daylight. Your best course of "action" might be to take a nap! or wait for sunlight.

Often, all you have to do is to deploy a 2nd anchor by dinghy [flake the chain and rope rode separately, so they leave the dinghy untangled], and lie to the 2nd anchor while you figure out what you need to do. You may have to dive down several times, and figure out which way the boat needs to turn by Braille, if the visibility is poor. Jim and I got dive tickets, and carried air tanks to address this sort of problem. It helps where there is good visibility, and not too much current running.

I agree with Montanan that you will want to get the boat out of the water and figure out what all damage was done. Things I would look for are ? bent shaft? condition of cutless bearing? ?rudder damage? in a worst case scenario, there could be damage to the transmission, too. This is going to be an expensive lesson, I'm afraid. Sorry....and good luck with it all. It is possible it won't be that bad. I hope so.

Ann

[smj]

I would rather have nylon rode rubbing on my hull than chain any day, so if you go all chain make sure you have a long nylon snubber.

[jim King]

Did you have a situation with current in one direction and wind the opposite? One thing you can do to get the anchor out front is to turn the rudder toward the side with the anchor rode to pull the bow out to face the anchor and hopefully clear the road away from the keel and prop. If there is noticeable current when you are at anchor, you will be surprised at how much direction you can create with your rudder even without the engine. Once you have the anchor in front of the bow it will be safe to bring the anchor up.

[jim King]

Sorry about your anchoring incident. It soundl like you have a bent prop shaft now. It will need to be hauld and removed to get it straightened.

[wholybee]

You asked about what else you could have done. Sometimes a quick bump into reverse (or forward as you had been reversing when this happened) will unwind something wound on the prop. If that doesn't work, you have to dive. You CAN dive at night, in cloudy water, it's just that is sucks to do so.

In that situation again, if you see the chain is going aft and you need to start the engine, pull the chain out of the water and attach it to the stern of the boat. In a pinch, you can put chain on a cleat.

With enough current to be turned around like that, you might have been able to use your rudder to swing the boat slightely.

[Renegde_Sailor]

Originally Posted by Rohan

What about absorbing shock? Plus isn't it extremely noisy? And doesn't it wear out the bow roller? Honestly, when lowering the anchor, the sound of chain going over the bow roller always stressed me out.

I use a snubber, so when the chain pulls it pulls against that, and all you hear is the short piece of rope groaning as it pulls through the chock, it works incredibly well.

I actually quite like it because when the wind picks up you can hear the snubber come under tension, and you know that when it is under tension you are not dragging, because it does not come under the same kind of tension when it is.



I have a bronze bow roller, it is who knows how many years old, probably installed in the 80's and yes it is showing wear, but still works just fine.

[Rohan]

For those recommending all chain - can I go to any hardware store and order a length of 5/16 steel chain and use that? Or is there anything different about chain specifically sold for anchoring?


And have any of you tried PVC coated chain?

[Don C L]

Get the good stuff, you'll never regret it. 5/16" G4 hot dip galvanized. Don't get the plastic coated chain.