Anchoring nightmare this week

[Rohan]

This week, I was anchored overnight on the Potomac, in a familiar spot I have anchored out dozens of times before. I woke up in middle of the night, was freaking out that I was a lot closer to shore than I intended. Wind was blowing 13 kts. Thinking my anchor probably slipped or something, I got up to move to a safer spot.

Started the engine on idle, tried to lift the anchor, and it wouldn't retract at all. The rode was hugging the side of the boat and going toward the back. That part isn't unusual - about every 12 hours the current on the river flips the other direction and so I usually flip around sometime during the night, and sometimes the current is pulling me one way, and the wind is pushing me the other way. So the rode can get twisted around. But what was unusual is the windlass couldn't pull it in. Even if it wrapped around my keel or something I can usually slowly pull it up and sort it out. But this time - nothing. I wasn't sure what was going on, thought maybe my motor was failing or something. Tried pulling it by hand with no luck.

So next step was a mistake - I tried using the engine to back away from shore and quickly the engine seized and stalled. It turned out the anchor chain had tightly wrapped around the propeller. But I didn't know that, I thought my transmission failed or something. I could restart the engine and run it in neutral, but putting it in gear immediately stalled it.

This situation really terrified me - I had no control at all. No propulsion, so I can't move and no anchor, so I can't stay. So I was pushed toward shore, grounded on the mud, and waited a nerve wracking hour for the towboat to arrive while I'm tilted and being buffeted by the waves. Thank heaven the Potomac is mostly soft mud. Sails were not really an option, I'm in the dark by myself, heavy wind, bow was pointing toward shore, and I thought that my anchor was still in the mud (turns out it was actually twisted and destroyed).

Long story short, later finally got the anchor chain off the propeller with the help of a buddy in dive gear - but now my prop is damaged, and engine vibrates severely. So this is going to be a major hassle to fix.

So how can I prevent this from happening in the future?? Obviously I shouldn't have put the engine in gear. But what else should I have done in this situation to sort it out? Or what could I have done to prevent it?


For reference, I had a Fortress fx-16 danforth type anchor, 15' of chain connected to 3/4" rode, which was original equipment (now destroyed and looking for replacement). Since it was windy that night I gave it a fair bit more than 7:1 ratio. Maybe I put out too much rode? I don't like the idea of a second anchor, because I'm worried about the two getting intertwined as the boat flips around during the night.

[Montanan]

Sorry to hear of the damage to the propeller and anchor and perhaps the propeller shaft.

If utilizing a rope rode one can utilize a propeller shaft mounted line cutter which is intended to cut through any and all lines that foul the propeller.

Your rode laying alongside your hull was visual indication that your rode was NOT clear of the propeller and is a warning to not put the boat into gear. Next time heed that warning indication. The rode should be assessed to be visually taught and directed away from your vessel bow.

Vessels drift and drag from their point of anchor. It happens.

Fortunately yours drifted on to the mud, no harm, just an inconvenience requiring a tow assist.

I suspect you will need to have the vessel hauled from the water to evaluate and make repairs.

Good luck.

[Renegde_Sailor]

This is why I don't anchor with rode, I have seen too many problems like this, the boat swings around too easily, and as you discovered the rode can wind up in your prop.

The other thing is when anchored in current like that, your prop will still spin if the current is strong enough, it is possible that your rode fouled even before you put her in gear and doing so just made it exponentially worse.

Chain sinks, chain has mass and will drag across the bottom, meaning better holding, and more controlled swings as the current shifts.

Right now I have 340' of 5/16" chain on my boat, once I swap to lithium batteries and get some of the weight out from under my V-berth, I am going to stuff 400' of chain in her as she is due for replacement.

I will not anchor anywhere near a boat that has rode going in the water as I have been hit by them in the past as they swing so unpredictably.

With my Bruce Claw anchor, I sleep amazing at night as it bites hard fast and deep.

[aberglas]

I think you mean Rope, not Rode. "Rode" is the whole lot as I understand it, chain + rope.

But good point about avoiding Rope. I have 65m chain, plus 50m rope for very deep anchorages.

[Rohan]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Sorry to hear of the damage to the propeller and anchor and perhaps the propeller shaft.

If utilizing a rope rode one can utilize a propeller shaft mounted line cutter which is intended to cut through any and all lines that foul the propeller.

Interesting solution, although I doubt it could cut chain.

Your rode laying alongside your hull was visual indication that your rode was NOT clear of the propeller and is a warning to not put the boat into gear. Next time heed that warning indication.

Absolutely! What I'm wondering though is how I would have cleared it. I just don't know. Diving in was not really an option. It was at night, in cloudy water, and rough conditions.

[TrentePieds]

Well, Rohan - no great harm done, but a great lesson in seamanship learned. Such lessons often cost a dollar or two.

You say: "So how can I prevent this from happening in the future??"

IMO step #1 must be that you sit down quietly and rethink your ground tackle. Step #2 must be that you purchase new tackle more appropriate for your boat than what, you say, came with it. Step #3 must be that you rethink your technique and routines for weighing anchor.

You say: Maybe I put out too much rode?

No you didn't. The problem stated with you ground tackle being intrinsically inadequate. The Fortress you have is the one specified for boats your boat size, but don't you believe it! It weighs only something like 15 lbs. Why would anyone think that is adequate? WEIGHT is what makes an anchor set. Once we accept that, there is a bunch of other considerations we must have.

One such consideration is how do we make the shank lie FLAT on the sea bottom so the anchor doesn't “wrench out" as the boat shifts? Part of the answer to that is to have a heavy shank, and another part is to have sufficient chain twixt the anchor shank and the rope part of the rode. So get yourself an anchor with some heft to it. Mine is a Bruce like Renegde's. It's a 15 KG (= 33lbs appr.). TrentePieds is 11K lbs laden in cruising trim, your boat is 15K lbs. The Bruce was designed for the sandy bottom of the North Sea (I know cos I knew Peter Bruce who designed it). It works jolly well in mud as well as in sand, so I dare say it would be a good anchor for the Cheasapeake. The Bruce CAN'T skate like a Fortress when you try to set it. The more you slew it around the deeper it digs.

My Bruce is on the end of 50 feet of 5/16” chanin and that is spliced to 300 feet of 1/2” three-strand nylon. The gypsy on the capstan is, of course, the proper one for the chain and because the rode takes a 180º turn around capstan the gypsy will also do a half-fast job of handling the 3-strand. Perhaps this is the place to say that even though I'm well and truly into my geezerhood, I handle my ground tackle without benefit of capstan. That thing, for various reasons to do with the scaling of objects and procedures, is no more than an ornament.

I have a Fortress 16 also. I pull it out now and then for a cheap laff. It came with the boat. It is useful now and then when stopping in a crowded anchorage over-night. We have some wonderful tides on this coast, so there are times when it is necessary to prevent swinging. But generally, because our shores are steep, I prefer to take a warp ashore and belay it to a flotsam log lying on the beach,

You are right to worry two rodes getting tangled. But the remedy against that possibility is not to use inadequate gear – it is to use the right gear and sharpen up your anchoring routines.

There are lots of people here who can help you with that.

All the best.

TrentePieds

[Rohan]

Originally Posted by Renegde_Sailor

Right now I have 340' of 5/16" chain on my boat, once I swap to lithium batteries and get some of the weight out from under my V-berth, I am going to stuff 400' of chain in her as she is due for replacement.

400' of chain on a 42' boat? Wouldn't that be like 400 pounds?? (182kg). Can your windlass even handle that? Could you manually handle it? Also, why do you need such a long chain? Do you regularly anchor in 60 ft of water?

[smj]

Originally Posted by Renegde_Sailor

This is why I don't anchor with rode, I have seen too many problems like this, the boat swings around too easily, and as you discovered the rode can wind up in your prop.

The other thing is when anchored in current like that, your prop will still spin if the current is strong enough, it is possible that your rode fouled even before you put her in gear and doing so just made it exponentially worse.

Chain sinks, chain has mass and will drag across the bottom, meaning better holding, and more controlled swings as the current shifts.

Right now I have 340' of 5/16" chain on my boat, once I swap to lithium batteries and get some of the weight out from under my V-berth, I am going to stuff 400' of chain in her as she is due for replacement.

I will not anchor anywhere near a boat that has rode going in the water as I have been hit by them in the past as they swing so unpredictably.

With my Bruce Claw anchor, I sleep amazing at night as it bites hard fast and deep.

I’d spend the money on a better new gen anchor.

[dfelsent]

I feel your pain. I haven’t made the same mistake you made but I have made plenty of other mistakes. As has everyone here I expect.
Don’t feel badly about it, take it as another lesson learned.
Over the years I’m now in the complete overkill in the anchoring department. 46’ heavy sailboat, 330’ 3/8” chain, S160 spade. Spare 250’ rope rode, spare anchor or two with their own chain and rode tucked away. All sized for a much bigger boat. In normal situations. But when shtf it’s all ok to have overkill gear.
And with a windlass or a backup winch it can be handled safely.
So as others have said before:
Maybe a bigger anchor and chain then rope.
Attention to setting it.

When the rode is along the hull, heads up. That might have been the clue you missed.

Oh, reminds me of wrapping the spinnaker sheet in the prop on the way back from a race and having to sail to the mooring. In a very tight harbor. And getting a spin sheet jammed between the rudder and hull at 1AM in the middle of a solo 110 mile overnight race.

As I said I’ve made plenty of mistakes. Every time I go out I make a new one. It’s all about learning from them.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by smj

I’d spend the money on a better new gen anchor.

Actually two anchors - the second one to be deployed in a similar circumstance if it happens again.

Was there no wind?

[Shanachie]

I sympathize. This is a common problem on sailboats such as mine with a wing keel. The tide changes, the chain/rope combination gets tangled up in the keel and you are screwed.


The solution, if you want to keep chain/rope, is a kellet.


Get a 10- or 12-pound mushroom anchor and attach a length of line equal to the greatest depth you normally anchor in. Hook the mushroom anchor onto your rode so that it slides to the bottom under your bow.


What this does is hold the rode down toward the bottom so it doesn't ride high enough to tangle in the keel or prop. Even if the rode temporarily goes high, the mushroom will pull it back down in most instances.


Personally, I don't trust Fortress/Danforth anchors due to their lack of weight and difficulty in resetting when winds and tides shift. Delta, Bruce, Rocna, Manson. Any would be better.


Also, I personally prefer at least 30 feet of chain, and I normally anchor in eight feet or less of water. That extra weight helps the anchor set better.

[Chotu]

Sorry to hear about this damage.

My theory, based on your ground tackle description is this:

You spun around in the current.
Your prop was spinning in the current.
You twisted in a way that brought the rope rode astern and the rope got caught in the spinning prop. (you could go your whole life and not have this happen.) A bit of a freak event.
Chain doesn't get caught in props. It's on the bottom. The rope did.
Then you put it in gear and wound up the anchor/chain on the prop.

You really should have a lot more chain than that if you want reliable anchoring A better anchor would have helped too.

[Nekton73]

In the moment that would have been difficult to solve without a second anchor ready to deploy. Not sure I have any good suggestions there.

To prepare for future I would second what has already been said:

1. Improve your primary ground tackle setup.

For what it's worth, I went the oversize route with a 15kg Rocna, 40' of 5/16" chain and 200' of 1/2" rope. Overkill for my little 8600lb boat but I sleep well. Endless info and opinion is available on this topic for you to make a sound decision for your boat.

2. Have a second anchor and rode ready to deploy in quick order.
It doesn't have to be as substantial as your best bower, but at least a minimum size and length for your boat.

My second anchor is a 5kg Danforth, 10' of 5/16" chain, and 150' of 1/2" rope. It all stows in a 5 gallon bucket and lives in a cockpit locker, easily brought out and deployed as a stern anchor, or carried to the bow in short order if needed.
Although not nearly substantial enough for a primary anchor it is good as a lunch hook if I don't feel like hauling up my main tackle, and is a marginal short-term backup if I ever lose that to fouling.


The truly prudent long distance cruiser may keep a 3rd anchor and rode aboard, and I can't say I blame them. If I ever lost my Rocna while out cruising I'm not sure I'd feel too happy relying on my little lunch hook in anything but a calm and protected anchorage.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Rohan

400' of chain on a 42' boat? Wouldn't that be like 400 pounds?? (182kg). Can your windlass even handle that?

You're kidding right?
It's 182kg not tonne - I'd hazard a guess that the smallest windlass in the world could handle that and more.
Edit: yep, smallest Maxwell pulls 350kg and holds 700kg

And you don't lift it up in one big lump unless actually hanging in 400 plus ft of water.

Could you manually handle it?

Manually handling anchor gear is only something smaller boat owners can contemplate.

Also, why do you need such a long chain? Do you regularly anchor in 60 ft of water?

Have anchored in that much and more, not regularly though.
But I have been known to chop a bad 10 metres out of one end and then I'm glad we have plenty more.

[SomeGuyInaShirt]

I agree with those who recommend better ground tackle. I use 25' of chain and the rest is 1/2" rode BUT my main anchor is a 35lb Mantus for a 7000lb 26' sloop. I never drag anchor. I also have a spare anchor and chain/rode ready to go in an emergency. When you're dragging into shore, $600 for a proper modern anchor probably seems cheap.