[Rhodes22-list] Anchoring

Stephen Staum staum at earthlink.net
Sun Mar 6 16:07:20 EST 2005


Thanks for the ideas Bill.  I especially like your backing into shore 
system.  Ss
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Effros" <bill at effros.com>
To: "Peter Thorn" <pthorn at nc.rr.com>; "The Rhodes 22 mail list" 
<rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 3:56 PM
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Anchoring


> Peter,
>
> I intended to spend a lot of time last summer working on anchoring, but 
> didn't spend enough time on my boat to do any of it.
>
> My boat is on a mooring--which is another way of saying it is permanently 
> on anchor.  That anchor weighs 300 pounds, is mushroom shaped, and was 
> professionally set under the mud.  Were you on the list when I described 
> rowing out to my boat and finding the stern 5 feet above the water, 250 
> yards from where I last left it?  No harm done to my boat, but it let me 
> know that even the biggest imaginable anchor could drift under certain 
> circumstances that sometimes happen.
>
> On the other hand, I rarely take my boat out of the water before November 
> 15 (yes the water is still reasonably warm enough at that time) so my boat 
> has been on anchor through many hurricanes without any drifting or damage 
> at all.  I feel my boat is safer in the water pretty much by itself, than 
> lined up like dominoes on land with the rest of the boats.
>
> In addition to the standard issue R-22 anchor (which is still as pretty as 
> the day it left Stan's plant because it has never been in the water) I 
> have an 11 lb. Fortress which I keep assembled under the port seat.  A 7 
> lb. Fortress which I keep unassembled in the Lazarette.  A 15 lb. vinyl 
> covered mushroom sometimes called "bullet" anchor, inverted in the forward 
> cowling opening above the anchor rode drawer, attached to 300 feet of line 
> and 20 feet of chain with a snap fitting that can easily be moved from one 
> anchor to another.  Additional line and chain under the 11 lb. Fortress in 
> the cockpit.  Additional line and chain in a bucket in the lazarette. 
> Polypropylene line and a small float attached to a small vinyl covered 
> grapnel anchor in a nylon case in the lazarette.  A 1 1/2 lb.; 3 lb; and 5 
> lb folding grapnel anchor.  A corkscrew type "land anchor".  Another 15 
> lb. vinyl anchor--can be used as a paper weight, sentinel, or rail meat 
> when sailing light handed.  I know that's more than 7--I probably have 
> even more than that, but I can't keep track.
>
> The smallest anchor is sufficient much of the time.  I generally stern 
> anchor because that's the easiest.  If I start to drift I can see it, and 
> adjust, or not.  Most of the time I would just as soon heave to, which is 
> a very comfortable way to eat lunch or loaf if you can maintain a watch.
>
> I anchor from both the eyes and the cleats.  There is no chafe issue when 
> eye-anchoring.  I don't like anchor chocks.
>
> You can set anchors fore and aft to keep your boat from swinging or the 
> anchor from resetting.  In Long Island Sound the tide is going to shift 
> 180 degrees overnight.
>
> You can set anchors 180 degrees apart and attach both to the bow eye, 
> allowing your boat to swing with the tide, but not move from where you 
> left it.  You can do the same thing on your stern cleats.
>
> You can set an anchor off shore, and then back the boat to an island so 
> that you can almost stand on land with the ladder down.  Take the land 
> anchor auger and turn it into the beach sand.  Attach the auger to a line 
> attached to the stern.  Let the boat go back out to deeper water so you 
> won't be grounded when the tide goes out (we have a 9 foot tidal 
> variation) and can still pull the boat back in when you are ready to get 
> back on board.  Variation--tie a line to a tree.
>
> Everyone says you should have 7:1 scope, but when they start anchoring, 
> there isn't enough room for everyone so they all start short scoping, and 
> you can't do anything different or you're going to smack into someone.  I 
> like to sail late, so I come into anchorages late after all the good spots 
> are taken.  I know how to anchor both deeper and shallower than most 
> people.
>
> Now I'll add kedging to my bag of tricks.  Never thought I'd need it, and 
> of course, it's a lot less critical on a shoal draft boat, but there it 
> is.
>
> Let me know what you try, how it works, and any pointers.  It's getting 
> harder and harder to find people who really know how to anchor--everyone 
> just wants to pick up a mooring.  I'll let you know how I do.
>
> Bill Effros
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Peter Thorn wrote:
>
>>Bill,
>>
>>That's interesting and thoughtful.  Would you mind explaining in a little
>>more detail what anchors you carry and specifically what each is used for?
>>My knowledge of anchors ends pretty much at night hook and lunch hook.
>>
>>PT
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- 
>>From: "Bill Effros" <bill at effros.com>
>>To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>>Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 2:02 PM
>>Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Kedging
>>
>>
>>
>>>Brad,
>>>
>>>That had something to do with my "water temperature" question of last
>>>week.  I have stopped sailing in water so cold that it can kill me if I
>>>wind up in it.  It's just not worth the risk.  You can kedge with the
>>>proper anchor and a life vest if you can get into and out of the water
>>>without killing yourself.  I gather from last week's replies that your
>>>water is borderline for possibly killing you.  Remember, that if you
>>>start to suffer from hypothermia, you can die even if you can get back
>>>to your boat and get warm dry clothes.  Again, not worth the risk.
>>>
>>>If you can get into the water without risk of dying, you secure the
>>>kedging anchor to a life vest and swim it out.   Then you set it, and
>>>see if you can pull the boat toward the anchor.
>>>
>>>I don't think you were on the list when I mentioned that I am currently
>>>carrying 7 anchors and trying to learn to use them.  They are all
>>>different types and sizes, all smaller than the standard issue  R-22
>>>anchor.   Everyone sizes their anchor for a huge storm on a much larger
>>>boat--just to be on the safe side.  Then they never learn to set these
>>>anchors, or don't regularly carry them because they are simply too big
>>>to use on our little boats.
>>>
>>>I have found that tiny anchors are more than sufficient for most
>>>situations, and that they can be so small that a 10 year old can set and
>>>retrieve them without hurting the boat.  Used in combination, these
>>>small anchors can match the holding power of much larger anchors.  Set
>>>in different locations, they can obviate the risk of drifting, or the
>>>necessity for an anchor that can reliably reset.
>>>
>>>Small kedging anchors can be thrown far enough to start  the boat
>>>heeling, and if you have more than one, they can be "walked" from one to
>>>the next by throwing them further out as the boat heels more and more.
>>>I've never tried this--I just read it.  I do try different anchoring
>>>techniques to try to learn about them when I'm not in trouble.  It's
>>>kind of fun, and I find it interesting.
>>>
>>>I saw the attached note recently and thought of you.
>>>
>>>Bill Effros
>>>
>>>brad haslett wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Bill,
>>>>
>>>>As we were passing the time whilst freezing our arses
>>>>off Friday night, we dug through the ships library for
>>>>ideas and that one was discussed.  One problem; we
>>>>didn't have the dink with us.  I tried throwing the
>>>>anchor over the side the next morning but couldn't get
>>>>the distance required for the leverage needed.  When
>>>>my friend showed up we started with brute force and
>>>>were "that close" several times.  Knowing what I know
>>>>now, I'll go for the kedging first thing, AND, I'm
>>>>taking the dink with me on our Spring trip in a few
>>>>weeks.
>>>>
>>>>Brad
>>>>--- Bill Effros <bill at effros.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Brad,
>>>>>
>>>>>The technique is called "kedging" and can be
>>>>>performed with a dinghy and
>>>>>an anchor.  It works better with an anchor built for
>>>>>kedging because the
>>>>>pull on the anchor line is in a direction that is
>>>>>designed to release
>>>>>most of the anchors we tend to carry.
>>>>>
>>>>>Bill
>>>>>
>>>>>brad haslett wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>The wind on Friday was awesome!  15-20 mph with
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>gusts
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>to 30.  I had the CoraShen indicating 9 knots when
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>the
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>max hull speed is supposed to be about 7.5.  My
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>older
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>brother was on his first sail and was as excited as
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>a
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>little kid.  We came up on a part of the river I'm
>>>>>>pretty familiar with and decided to swing wide
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>rather
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>than tack because we were going fast and having too
>>>>>>much fun.  THEN, I made the shortest landing in my
>>>>>>career.  We went from 9 knots to 0 knots in about
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>10
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>feet.  It wasn't a jolt, we just quit moving.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>About
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>two seconds later the depth alarm went off, real
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>good
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>timing.  What we had after that was a sailing
>>>>>>simulator.  You could do anything you wanted with
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>the
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>sails, engine, etc. because the boat wasn't going
>>>>>>anywhere.  As the sun started down we lost the wind
>>>>>>and the will to solve our prediciment.  I made some
>>>>>>calls on both the radio and cell-phone but couldn't
>>>>>>raise anyone for help.  So, we spent the night on
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>the
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>boat.  It got down to the low 40's and I didn't
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>find
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>the blanket I knew was on the boat until the next
>>>>>>morning.  Anyway, I was able to get ahold of a
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>friend
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>of mine that lives on the lake Saturday morning and
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>he
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>showed up with his pontoon boat with a 115hp
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>engine.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>We towed the bow, the stern, clockwise,
>>>>>>counter-clockwise, but didn't move the boat.  We
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>were
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>only 5 feet from deep water but couldn't get there.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Finally we tied the halyard to the side rail and
>>>>>>started towing from the top of the mast.  After the
>>>>>>boat was heeled about 45 degrees it started
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>floating
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>and we drug it sideways to deeper water.  Hopefully
>>>>>>this will be my only grounding for the season but
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>if
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>it happens again, I'll pull that solution out of
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>the
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>trick-bag first.  By 11 am Saturday we were free
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>and
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>sailed back to the dock.  I was so tired from the
>>>>>>experience I didn't feel like doing any work on the
>>>>>>boat.  Oh well, that's a good excuse to go back to
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>the
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>lake later in the week.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Brad Haslett
>>>>>>"CoraShen"
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>__________________________________
>>>>>>Celebrate Yahoo!'s 10th Birthday!
>>>>>>Yahoo! Netrospective: 100 Moments of the Web
>>>>>>http://birthday.yahoo.com/netrospective/
>>>>>>__________________________________________________
>>>>>>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>www.rhodes22.org/list
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>__________________________________________________
>>>>>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?
>>>>>www.rhodes22.org/list
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>__________________________________
>>>>Celebrate Yahoo!'s 10th Birthday!
>>>>Yahoo! Netrospective: 100 Moments of the Web
>>>>http://birthday.yahoo.com/netrospective/
>>>>__________________________________________________
>>>>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>
>>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>----
>>
>>
>>
>>>Name: Note for Brad.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 57815 bytes Desc: not
>>>
>>available
>>
>>>Url:
>>>
>>http://www.rhodes22.org/pipermail/rhodes22-list/attch/200503/06/NoteforBrad.jpg
>>
>>
>>
>>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>----
>>
>>
>>
>>>__________________________________________________
>>>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>>>
>>
>>__________________________________________________
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>>
>>
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