Showing posts with label How to. Show all posts
Showing posts with label How to. Show all posts
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Single Handed Anchoring
single handed anchoring?
Here''s my method. I usually know where I am going to anchor and in what depth. Before I arrive on the spot I pull out the scope I need and cleat it. I then motor to the spot I want and then stop the boat, go to the bow and drop the anchor. I then return to the helm. Whenever possible I let the wind straighten out the rode and initially set the anchor. I''ve seen counless people try to power their anchors into the bottom unsuccessfully. After the rode has straightend and the anchor has begun to bite I then set it in reverse. First slowly and then with increasing power.
I single-handedly anchor with out running the engine quite frequently. My technique is anything but textbook. Typically I will get rid of the jib and prepare the anchor rode so that it will feed out easily while I have sea room. My boat sails quite well under mainsail alone. Then I pick out a spot where I want to anchor and will make a couple passes through the general area where I want to drop the hook trying to get a sense of the water depth and any sharp changes in the bottom contour. Once I have picked the spot where I want to drop my anchor I sail across that spot on a close reach turning up into the wind roughly where I want to drop my anchor and as soon as I turn head to wind I go to the mast and I pull down my mainsail quickly as I can. I then walk back to the helm an put it hard over dead down wind and over the spot that I want to put my anchor. The boat will be moving quite slowly dead down wind by this point. I then walk to the bow and when I get maybe 10 feet from where I want my anchor to set I lower it to the bottom and slowly feed out the rode being careful not to snub it until I have maybe 8:1 to 10:1 scope out and then I slowly snub the rode against the momentum of the boat. At first you will feel the rode and chain stretch out along the bottom but as you start to feel the rode snug up put more an more pressure against the rode. As you do the boat will start to veer. Before you snub hard you want to make sure that the rode is not caught on your keel or rudder and that is streaming clear to one side or the other. It is at that point that you sunb up with increasing tension which should set the hook. You will feel the boat round up sharply when the anchor grabs. I usually wait until the boat swings head to wind an then using the inertia of the boat set the anchor by pulling the boat forward fast enough to get a little speed on then letting the line feed out as the boat veers off. I then snub the line against the momentum as the wind carries the boat down wind again. When all of that is done, and the boat is settled bow to wind, if you have any doubts about how well the anchor has set, you can back down the engine to set it a bit more. Regards
Jeff
More to the original question of setting the anchor single-handed using the engine:
It has been mentioned that flaking out your estimated scope on the foredeck and cleating it off will eliminate the need for a bowman.
An alternative is to run the rode through (by this I mean under the horns and between the legs of a cleat, employing it as a fairlead, rather like a footballer running between the goalposts in the endzone) or fairlead on the bow, then carry the line back to the cockpit and throw a couple of turns around a jib winch. Now you''re both bowman and helmsman, but can stay in the cockpit where the engine controls are.
Using the "pre-cleated" technique, it''s all automatic, as long as the rode runs off the deck freely and doesn''t foul on anything; using the "bowman/helmsman" technique is a bit messier, but you can let the rode run right out of your hand and snub as you choose as you back down.
Hope this is helpful,
Jeff
I single hand quite a bit in the Chesapeake. What I do, though not elegant, works very well... I put my #8 Danforth in a plastic bin and keep it in the cockpit with me. When I''m ready to anchor, I drop it off the stern and cleat it at the coaming. I set it manually (the bay is full of primordial mud), then walk it to the bow and let out the desired scope.
If I feel the need to set two anchors, I use a similar procedure, but set the first from the stern, then motor near to the spot where I wanna put the #13 down, chop power and move forward to set the second anchor - knowing I won''t drift farther than the rode I have out at the stern already.
Having the anchor line flaked down on deck while motoring seems like pretty risky business to me. I''ve heard of more than one boat ending as a total loss after the engine was stopped by line in the prop.
If you don''t have a chain locker or a deck locker near the bow that the line can run from, I recommend stowing the line in a cockpit locker or the lazarette. Shackle it to the anchor on the bow just before entering the anchorage, making sure it is stopped in the cockpit and don''t let the stopper go until the last minute. As a last resort dump the line in the cockpit well (neatly) and let it run from there. And watch your feet!
As an aside, I''ve never found it necessary to flake or coil a synthetic anchor line. As long as it''s piled fairly carefully with the running end on top, it runs smoothly with rarely a hiccup. My experience has been (since 1970) that coiled line is more likely to tangle when let go. When in doubt experiment, before crunch time.
Have fun.
Frank
On my old boat I kept the anchors and rode in a cockpit locker since I didn''t have a bow locker. I would put it on a cleat in the cockpit and set it, then walk it up to the bow cleats then release the cockpit cleats.
On the current boat I try to be going slowly backwards downwind or the direction that I think will be downwind when the wind blows hardest. Then I go forward and drop the hook before the bow falls off. The key thing is to always be sure that the anchor line is clear of the boat before I take the motor out of neutral.
I have looked at two boats this summer that had electric windlass with a remote up/down switch in the cockpit. A nice thing if you had an electric windlass. They also had anchor washdowns which also looked nicer than my seeing how long I can dip the anchor before I have to go back to the cockpit and control the boat. If its really windy or crowded I throw the whole gloppy thing in the locker and try not to touch anything (mainsheet,steering wheel) until I can at least rinse my hands off.
Ken
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Anchoring under Sail
So here are techniques to ensure a good night swinging “on the hook” after anchoring under sail.
When heavy weather hits, anchoring in a protected harbor may be your best way to avoid the worst of the storm. When the weather is fair, a night in a serene anchorage may be part of your planned itinerary. When you are ready to anchor, several decisions come into play.
Look for sheltered, calm water where there is not much wind or current.
Never anchor in a channel.
Check the chart to make sure there will be enough water under your keel at low tide.
Choose a spot with enough room to swing without hitting other anchored boats, obstructions such as submerged rocks and shallow areas, or swinging too close to shore.
Your anchor is either kept in an anchor locker on the bow or stored in a lazarette in the cockpit. Bring it out on the foredeck, coil the anchor line so it will run free, and secure the end of the anchor line not attached to the anchor to a cleat on the boat. You may think this is a silly, unneeded directive, but many anchors are lost because someone forgot to tie it to the boat.
Since you will be sailing right up to the point where you want to anchor, your halyards should be ready to drop and crew members should know they will need to ease the main and the jib as soon as you head into the wind. It is actually preferable to roll up the jib completely or (if you don’t have roller furling) lower and clear it off the foredeck so you have a clear area to work with the anchor.
Look around and decide where you want the bow of the boat to be when you are finally anchored. Check the depth of the water in the vicinity of that spot to determine how much anchor rode (the amount of line attached to the anchor) you should use. You should eventually let out enough rode to equal seven times that depth of water. The ratio of anchor line length used to the depth of water where you are anchoring is called scope.
Head into the wind when you reach the spot where you want to anchor and allow the boat to coast to a complete stop before the anchor is lowered. It is always good practice to lower the anchor over the side, as opposed to throwing it overboard. Anchors have flukes that allow them to dig into the ground below; if the anchor line is tangled around these flukes, the anchor may not hold. Make sure the flukes are clear and the line can run freely.
When you head into the wind, release the mainsheet and the jibsheets. As the boat starts to drift backward, feed out your rode until you have let out five times as much line as the depth of the water. When you do this, your scope will be 5:1. For example, if the water is 20 feet deep, you should let out about 100 feet of line at first. In many cases, a scope of 5:1 is adequate for small boats when the bottom is good for holding, there isn’t much wind, or you are anchoring for a short time. For peace of mind, increase your scope to 7:1 in a lot of wind and anytime you want to ensure you won’t start dragging, or drifting backward.
As you let out more rode, the angle the rode makes with the bottom gets smaller; this in turn gives your anchor greater holding power. A smaller angle allows the line to pull the anchor against the bottom, which cause the flukes to dig in. With a larger angle, the rode will lift the anchor up, which can release the flukes.
This sailing lesson is excerpted from Fast Track to Cruising: How to Go From Novice to Cruise Ready in Seven Days written by Offshore Sailing School owners, Steve and Doris Colgate. No one is more dedicated to sailing education than Steve and Doris Colgate, and our books are an extensions of that dedication. Published by McGraw-Hill in 2005, Fast Track to Cruising is available in bookstores, on line and in e-book format. To order a copy of this book and others written by the Colgates, visit amazon.com or bn.com, call 800-221-4326, or emailsail@offshoresailing.com.
See you on the water!
Doris Colgate, President and CEO
Offshore Sailing School
Find a safe anchorage in heavy weather
Look for sheltered, calm water where there is not much wind or current.
Never anchor in a channel.
Check the chart to make sure there will be enough water under your keel at low tide.
Choose a spot with enough room to swing without hitting other anchored boats, obstructions such as submerged rocks and shallow areas, or swinging too close to shore.
Your anchor is either kept in an anchor locker on the bow or stored in a lazarette in the cockpit. Bring it out on the foredeck, coil the anchor line so it will run free, and secure the end of the anchor line not attached to the anchor to a cleat on the boat. You may think this is a silly, unneeded directive, but many anchors are lost because someone forgot to tie it to the boat.
Since you will be sailing right up to the point where you want to anchor, your halyards should be ready to drop and crew members should know they will need to ease the main and the jib as soon as you head into the wind. It is actually preferable to roll up the jib completely or (if you don’t have roller furling) lower and clear it off the foredeck so you have a clear area to work with the anchor.
Look around and decide where you want the bow of the boat to be when you are finally anchored. Check the depth of the water in the vicinity of that spot to determine how much anchor rode (the amount of line attached to the anchor) you should use. You should eventually let out enough rode to equal seven times that depth of water. The ratio of anchor line length used to the depth of water where you are anchoring is called scope.
The ratio of anchor line to depth is called "scope"
When you head into the wind, release the mainsheet and the jibsheets. As the boat starts to drift backward, feed out your rode until you have let out five times as much line as the depth of the water. When you do this, your scope will be 5:1. For example, if the water is 20 feet deep, you should let out about 100 feet of line at first. In many cases, a scope of 5:1 is adequate for small boats when the bottom is good for holding, there isn’t much wind, or you are anchoring for a short time. For peace of mind, increase your scope to 7:1 in a lot of wind and anytime you want to ensure you won’t start dragging, or drifting backward.
As you let out more rode, the angle the rode makes with the bottom gets smaller; this in turn gives your anchor greater holding power. A smaller angle allows the line to pull the anchor against the bottom, which cause the flukes to dig in. With a larger angle, the rode will lift the anchor up, which can release the flukes.
This sailing lesson is excerpted from Fast Track to Cruising: How to Go From Novice to Cruise Ready in Seven Days written by Offshore Sailing School owners, Steve and Doris Colgate. No one is more dedicated to sailing education than Steve and Doris Colgate, and our books are an extensions of that dedication. Published by McGraw-Hill in 2005, Fast Track to Cruising is available in bookstores, on line and in e-book format. To order a copy of this book and others written by the Colgates, visit amazon.com or bn.com, call 800-221-4326, or emailsail@offshoresailing.com.
See you on the water!
Doris Colgate, President and CEO
Offshore Sailing School
Friday, August 19, 2011
The Groove
In a close hauled point of sail the sailboat is trying to sail into the wind.
It is a contest between the boat and the wind and the boat tries to beat the wind.
This point of sail is also called beating.
If the sailboat heels too much from a strong gust of wind, the boat can go slightly into the no-go zone, reducing heel and changing the course a little closer to the desired destination.
This is called feathering.
As the wind dies the boat bears away ( turns away from the wind ) and resumes sailing in a close hauled point of sail.
Sailing efficiently close hauled is also called sailing in the groove.
Trimming the Sails on a Close Reach
When sailing on a reach, the experienced sailor, trims the sails based upon the apparent-wind. This is important because sails cannot be efficiently positioned based upon the point-of-sail or the direction of the true-wind. An extreme example is ice-sailing on a broad reach, a sudden strong gust of wind can cause the craft to reach high speeds and cause apparent-wind conditions similar to a close reach.
On a close reach, one method of testing mainsail and jib position is to let the sail out until it luffs (the leech starts flapping) then pull it in (or trim the sail) until the sail is steady. It is easier to tell if the mainsail and jib are let out too much, than if the sail is over trimmed (pulled in). Telltales may also be used as a guide. Telltales are small pieces of yarn attached to the sail. Although telltales are helpful when sailing on a reach, they are not useful when running (sailing directly downwind). In a run, the wind should be perpendicular to the sail.
Whenever the sails are trimmed using the sheets a change in sail shape occurs. Other lines and the "fair lead" may have to be adjusted to maintain sail shape.
Sailor's Tip: If the outside telltale flutters, let the sail out. If the inside telltale flutters, sheet the sail in.
When you are sailing in steadier winds it's more important to maintain maximum
boat speed, and individual spurts have less significance. In this case you must
search for an upwind groove. When you have found it the boat will nearly sail itself.
It should have a very slight weather helm, and be sailing nearly flat.
Small changes in wind velocity and heeling moment will hardly change this feel
at all. But remember this steering groove is only made possible by the shape and
position of the sails. You must continually try to flatten your sails more to the
high speed, high pointing sail shape.
And if you start to sail too fat off the wind, the boat will gyrate quickly
from the weather helm to a lee helm as the boat becomes level again from its
former heeling angle.
But if you try to sail to windward this way you will be sailing more by
observing the leading edge of the sails than by really feeling the groove.
Sailors talk about sailing the groove.
When you are Close Hauling sailing and get too high (i.e. boat to direct into the wind) the boat will stall - sailing too low (i.e. too directly downwind), the boat will catch too much wind and heel excessively.
In high winds the groove becomes smaller – constant vigilance is needed in order to prevent the boat from stalling.
Stalling means loss of control - you don't want to be lying broad side to big waves.
If you do stall, be prepared for excessive heeling forces as the wind initially catches the sails - be at the ready to let the sheets out.
If you fall out the groove by bearing away too much, (turning the boat too far down wind), the sails will catch more wind and the boat will heel excessively. This requires letting out the sheets quickly, to regain control and then heading up to find the groove again.
It is a contest between the boat and the wind and the boat tries to beat the wind.
This point of sail is also called beating.
If the sailboat heels too much from a strong gust of wind, the boat can go slightly into the no-go zone, reducing heel and changing the course a little closer to the desired destination.
This is called feathering.
As the wind dies the boat bears away ( turns away from the wind ) and resumes sailing in a close hauled point of sail.
Sailing efficiently close hauled is also called sailing in the groove.
Trimming the Sails on a Close Reach
When sailing on a reach, the experienced sailor, trims the sails based upon the apparent-wind. This is important because sails cannot be efficiently positioned based upon the point-of-sail or the direction of the true-wind. An extreme example is ice-sailing on a broad reach, a sudden strong gust of wind can cause the craft to reach high speeds and cause apparent-wind conditions similar to a close reach.
On a close reach, one method of testing mainsail and jib position is to let the sail out until it luffs (the leech starts flapping) then pull it in (or trim the sail) until the sail is steady. It is easier to tell if the mainsail and jib are let out too much, than if the sail is over trimmed (pulled in). Telltales may also be used as a guide. Telltales are small pieces of yarn attached to the sail. Although telltales are helpful when sailing on a reach, they are not useful when running (sailing directly downwind). In a run, the wind should be perpendicular to the sail.
Whenever the sails are trimmed using the sheets a change in sail shape occurs. Other lines and the "fair lead" may have to be adjusted to maintain sail shape.
Sailor's Tip: If the outside telltale flutters, let the sail out. If the inside telltale flutters, sheet the sail in.
When you are sailing in steadier winds it's more important to maintain maximum
boat speed, and individual spurts have less significance. In this case you must
search for an upwind groove. When you have found it the boat will nearly sail itself.
It should have a very slight weather helm, and be sailing nearly flat.
Small changes in wind velocity and heeling moment will hardly change this feel
at all. But remember this steering groove is only made possible by the shape and
position of the sails. You must continually try to flatten your sails more to the
high speed, high pointing sail shape.
And if you start to sail too fat off the wind, the boat will gyrate quickly
from the weather helm to a lee helm as the boat becomes level again from its
former heeling angle.
But if you try to sail to windward this way you will be sailing more by
observing the leading edge of the sails than by really feeling the groove.
Sailors talk about sailing the groove.
When you are Close Hauling sailing and get too high (i.e. boat to direct into the wind) the boat will stall - sailing too low (i.e. too directly downwind), the boat will catch too much wind and heel excessively.
In high winds the groove becomes smaller – constant vigilance is needed in order to prevent the boat from stalling.
Stalling means loss of control - you don't want to be lying broad side to big waves.
If you do stall, be prepared for excessive heeling forces as the wind initially catches the sails - be at the ready to let the sheets out.
If you fall out the groove by bearing away too much, (turning the boat too far down wind), the sails will catch more wind and the boat will heel excessively. This requires letting out the sheets quickly, to regain control and then heading up to find the groove again.
Sail Trim and Shape
 |
        | Wind: The wind is what powers a sailboat. Both the direction and strength of wind is important in setting the sails and maintaining control of the boat. True-wind direction is different from apparent-wind direction. The true-wind is the direction of the wind which makes the waves. The true-wind is perpendicular to the waves. The apparent-wind sails the boat. When the speed of the boat and the velocity of the wind are close, the difference between the apparent and true-wind is the greatest. The apparent wind is forward of the true-wind, except when sailing directly into or away from the true-wind. As one sails faster, the apparent-wind is drawn further forward. When sailing with the wind the apparent-wind has less of a force that the true-wind. When sailing against the wind, i.e., in a close reach, the apparent-wind has a greater force than the true wind. In general, the closer you sail to the wind, the closer the sails are pulled or trimmed to the midline of the boat. As you sail away from the wind, the sails are progressively let out. The exact position of the sails are based upon the direction and speed of the apparent-wind. (The direction of the apparent-wind is determined by the sailboat's tack [or relationship to the true-wind] and the relationship of the speed of the true-wind to the speed of the boat.) For the beginner sailor, it is easy to remember the five basic directions of sail (points-of-sail) each of which has its distinct characteristics of speed, heel and sail position. |
 Click to Enlarge !! | ||||||||||||||||
Go To National Geographic's Sail Trim Simulator:http://www.nationalgeographic.com/volvooceanrace/interactives/sailing/index.html It is easy to think of three basic sailing conditions
Finally one may turn the boat directly into the wind or In Irons: Since a sailboat cannot sail directly into the wind, this is usually done to stop the boat. In this position the wind cannot power the sails. A sailboat cannot sail directly into the true-wind. Most boats can only sail 40 degrees to the wind but some boats can sail as close as 30 degrees. Trimming the Sails on a Close Reach On a close reach, one method of testing mainsail and jib position is to let the sail out until it luffs (the leech starts flapping) then pull it in (or trim the sail) until the sail is steady. It is easier to tell if the mainsail and jib are let out too much, than if the sail is over trimmed (pulled in). Telltales may also be used as a guide. Telltales are small pieces of yarn attached to the sail. Although telltales are helpful when sailing on a reach, they are not useful when running (sailing directly downwind). In a run, the wind should be perpendicular to the sail. Whenever the sails are trimmed using the sheets a change in sail shape occurs. Other lines and the "fair lead" may have to be adjusted to maintain sail shape. See section on sail shape. | ||||||||||||||||||
Jib: The jib is let out and trimmed using a line called a sheet which is attached to the lower back corner or clew of the sail. As a general guide, the windward front jib telltale should stream aft (backwards) with an occasional lift, the leeward front telltale should stream aft. The picture to the right shows the shadow, through the sail, of the jib's leeward telltale and a slight lifting of the jib's windward telltale. (Often there is a plastic window in this position so one can easily see both telltales.) In some high wind conditions it may be desirable to have the the windward telltale fluttering. |  |
The picture on the right shows a poorly trimmed jib with the telltales turning downward. If the windward telltale flutters, sheet in the jib or bear away (turn the boat away from the wind). If the leeward telltale flutters, let the jib out or head up (turn the boat into the wind). Sailor's Tip: If the outside telltale flutters, let the sail out. If the inside telltale flutters, sheet the sail in. |  |
Mainsail: Mainsail can be let out and trimmed using two different lines: The mainsail's sheet and the traveler. The telltales are on the leech (back edge of the sail) and should be streaming backwards. If they go in circles or flutter, the sail is not trimmed properly. The picture on the right shows a poorly trimmed mainsail with a "Luff Bubble" forming just behind the front edge or luff of the sail. |   |
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Web Page last updated 12/16/2007
Web Page last updated 12/16/2007Sailing the groove
The groove
The Upwind Groove
by Steven 
Jung
Jung
Ever wonder why the great sailors are always so much faster than the average middle of the pack guys like me and you? (I speak for myself on this one) I have asked myself this question. No matter how much you talk to talk to these guys and ask them questions, it seems that they always end up beating you on the race course. Why is that?
You can be the best technical sailor on the race course by reading all the most popular boatspeed books and rigging guides and tactical books but the great sailors have something extra. It's called "Practice". They've spent countless hours on the water and have competed in a ton of races.
Some call it "finding the groove" and others call it "feel". Whatever it is, the great sailors concentrate more on overall performance rather than technical things. I'm not saying that you forget about your boat rigging, sail trim, wind pattern, current, and waves. Instead you put ALL of this information into your memory bank and sail accordingly. Here are some excercises which might help you find the groove while sailing.
PART I
- The first step in attempting understand this concept is to sail on a course somewhere between close hauled and beam reach. At this heading it will be easy to achieve good boatspeed without having to excessively trim your sails. The best conditions for this exercise is in 12+ knots or where you will almost be trapezing. Trim your sails (telltails should flow without over or under trimming your sails) and feel the boatspeed.
- Sail Trim Drill - As you sail through puffs and lulls, do NOT alter your course but instead adjust your sail trim. When a puff hits, you'll have to ease your sails if you want avoid flying a hull. Likewise, when a you go through a lull, you'll have to sheet your sails back in. Concentrate on maintaining good boatspeed during this drill.
- Steering Drill - As you sail through the puffs and lulls, do NOT adjust sail trim but instead adjust your heading. When a puff hits, you'll have to head up if you want to avoid flying a hull. Likewise, when you go through a lull, you'll have to bear way in order to maintain good boatspeed. In sailing terms, you are never steering in a straight line but rather in an "S" pattern.
- Combination Drill - As you sail through the puffs and lulls, adjust both sail trim and heading. Only this time the sail trim and steering adjustments are more subtle because you are adjusting both controls. REMEMBER, when puffs hit, ease your sail slightly and head up slightly. When going through lulls, sheet in slightly and bear away slightly.
The general rule of thumb is both hands out in a puff (ie ease sails and head up) and both hands in in a lull (ie sheet in and bear away). You'll be amazed at how well you can maintain control and boatspeed without any drastic adjustments in your controls. This is the "groove" which everyone tries to find.
PART II
The purpose of doing the exercise described in Part I is so you'll appreciate the feel of the boatspeed while adjusting your controls.
- Sail from a reach to a close hauled course all the while trimming your sails properly. Try to maintain your maximum boatspeed while on your close hauled course.
- Repeat the Combination Drill - that is, ease your sails and head up in the puffs and sheet in and bear way in the lulls. Your adjustment should be very subtle and should be made BEFORE any significant loss of boatspeed. Try pinching (sailing on a high close hauled course) and then try footing (a low close hauled course - all the while maintaining good boatspeed and staying in the "groove". The moment you have slowed down, you have in fact stalled your sails. You may think that you're sailing high but you're sailing high and slow.
CONCLUSION
If done properly, you can go faster and point higher through all the puffs and lulls. In light winds it is probably not necessary to adjust both controls. However, in moderate to heavy winds, adjusting both controls is a must. Otherwise, your adjustments will be too drastic and you'll slow down by stalling your sails or rudders. I make it a habit in heavy winds not to cleat my mainsheet so that I can make any adjustment in an instant.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Single handed Bowline
Although not a boating video - the explanation is very precise and could be useful
Anchoring
No big deal. I have a 55lb delta with 100ft of 5/16" chain (odd combo, no?).
Deployment:
Sometime before, in open water, go forward and get things ready. Probably after dousing the headsail. The sail around to find a good spot. Watch the depth. Loop around to clear the area. Sail very slowly as you approach the chosen spot by keeping the main eased. Then turn into the wind and completely ease the mainsheet. Go forward and gently lower the anchor. Use gloves. Try to detect when it hits bottom then let out only a little more until you are sure the bow has drifted away from the anchor. Then slowly let out the rest of the rode. There is no need to hurry any of this. You can set the anchor, if needed, by backing the main, or sailing gently up to the anchor then drifting hard back, or by just quickly and firmly pulling in some rode.
It can be a bit stressful in a crowded anchorage or if the wind is up.
Retrieval:
Eat a good breakfast and wear gloves. You will shortly realize one benefit of anchoring in shallower water. If winds are light set the main. If stronger set a reefed main or plan to hoist later. Can you easily sail out of the anchorage? If not resign yourself to using the engine
.
Pull the anchor up. Do it slowly. I sit, brace my feet, and pull like I'm rowing. Wait for the boat to drift up. You can trim the main some and she might tack up to the anchor all on her own. It can take some time or a good pull to break out. Or maybe a wave or wake. Or maybe a little sailing around on no scope. Some kind of one-way chain snubber-ratchet-thing is very handy here. If it doesn't break out you need not worry about drifting away, obviously. After breaking out get the anchor aboard and secure without much delay. Make sure the piled chain won't go overboard, like with a sailtie. Don't fret the mud and weed - get the boat sailing away then deal with it later.
Tip on sailing around in an anchorage. Keep manoeuvring speed on at all times no matter what. Be ready to duck boats even if you're sure you can clear their anchor gear.
Patience.
Deployment:
Sometime before, in open water, go forward and get things ready. Probably after dousing the headsail. The sail around to find a good spot. Watch the depth. Loop around to clear the area. Sail very slowly as you approach the chosen spot by keeping the main eased. Then turn into the wind and completely ease the mainsheet. Go forward and gently lower the anchor. Use gloves. Try to detect when it hits bottom then let out only a little more until you are sure the bow has drifted away from the anchor. Then slowly let out the rest of the rode. There is no need to hurry any of this. You can set the anchor, if needed, by backing the main, or sailing gently up to the anchor then drifting hard back, or by just quickly and firmly pulling in some rode.
It can be a bit stressful in a crowded anchorage or if the wind is up.
Retrieval:
Eat a good breakfast and wear gloves. You will shortly realize one benefit of anchoring in shallower water. If winds are light set the main. If stronger set a reefed main or plan to hoist later. Can you easily sail out of the anchorage? If not resign yourself to using the engine
.Pull the anchor up. Do it slowly. I sit, brace my feet, and pull like I'm rowing. Wait for the boat to drift up. You can trim the main some and she might tack up to the anchor all on her own. It can take some time or a good pull to break out. Or maybe a wave or wake. Or maybe a little sailing around on no scope. Some kind of one-way chain snubber-ratchet-thing is very handy here. If it doesn't break out you need not worry about drifting away, obviously. After breaking out get the anchor aboard and secure without much delay. Make sure the piled chain won't go overboard, like with a sailtie. Don't fret the mud and weed - get the boat sailing away then deal with it later.
Tip on sailing around in an anchorage. Keep manoeuvring speed on at all times no matter what. Be ready to duck boats even if you're sure you can clear their anchor gear.
Patience.
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