I recently purchased a 2005 Hunter 38 and believe it had a 33lbs stainless steel Delta anchor. We were bringing her around from Havre de Grace to Sandy Hook. Made it to Reedy point on the Delaware and threw the hook with 25+ mph winds and opposing Delaware bay currents. Had 20 ft of chain and 90 ft of rode out. Of course at midnight we notice we were dragging towards land, went up to the deck to pull up the anchor and couldn't! The rode was snug up against the port side beam of the hull going towards the stern. Tried motoring her to come around and did not work, then put her in reverse and still the rode was seemly glued to the hull. Unfortunately we had to cut the line and lost the anchor. We used our Danforth back up and held well, but the same thing happened the next morning with the rode again glued to the port side beam of the hull and finally released once the current began to change. Anyone ever experience this and have any suggestions?
Opposing wind and current made it impossible to retrieve my anchor
- Thread starter SWagner
- Start date
The tides and current shift swung you around and the rode wrapped your keel. You need to find a more protected point to anchor if you are transiting the Delaware or learn to set a Bahamian moor. As a newbie go with the find a protected anchorage or get a slip.
Sometimes if you let a lot more rode out faster than the boat is drifting it will sink enough to get below the keel and allow the boat to swing around. Another option is to bring the rode to the stern but manhandling an anchor rode can be very dangerous on a boat your size. The idea being you take a bunch of extra rode tie it to a stern cleat than release the rode from the bow cleat. Then bring the rode to the opposite side bow cleat and release the stern cleat. The problem is getting enough slack on the rode to untie it from the cleats. You might be able to tie another line around the rode and use it on a winch to get some slack on the rode to untie it. Get a new generation anchor to replace the one you lost. They have Manson Supremes at Defender in the clearance section right now for very good prices.
Would this be less likely to occur with an all chain rode?
Next time you get an anchor stuck, tie a large fender to the end of the rode and then release it. When things settle down the next day you'll be able to find the anchor.
Next time you get an anchor stuck, tie a large fender to the end of the rode and then release it. When things settle down the next day you'll be able to find the anchor.
Gunni: I bahama tied in Tomales Bay ( behind Point Reyes just north of San Fran.) this past season. I tied off to a tree with the bow line (100') and stern anchored at about 100' out. The winds hit about 50 knots from the stern and did drag some but saved me. Have used the bahama tie for many years in that bay as winds can change from North to South at night. Chief
Much less likely, as in exceeding hard, unless you have one of those wing keel (rode-grabber) keels in which case all bets are off. Chain likes to stay down where your keel can't hook it when you swing.
Yes!
The rule of thumb is one foot of chain per each foot of boat so you were likely a little short on chain for the conditions. That will affect the angle of pull and can cause and anchor to release and fail to reset. Don't know if it was possible to tie a buoy or a floating fender to the rode before cutting for a latter retrieval of the anchor.
Chief; Glad it worked for you! A bahamian moor has two anchors set from the bow allowing the boat to swing from one to the other and always have an anchor in the proper direction to keep a set.
I have had this happen with an all chain rode. I was using a Bahamian moor, and overnight, the current swung the boat around, and we were hanging on the nylon rode, but the wind came up astern and drove the boat tight against the all chain rode which ended up tight against the port side. The chain rode was very difficult to retrieve under those conditions, so I ended up using two nylon rodes for the remainder of the cruise, and yes, the wind persisted, so that the stern anchor would come up tight at every tide shift. At times, I walked the stern anchor rode to a stern cleat and secured it there.
Gunni: I thought the anchors were set at opposite ends to hold her from either direction on a bahama tie. In my case I use one line to a tree and one a stern anchor. I have also set with tree tie and stern set with a 90 degree spread to 2 anchors. Wish I had used that on the 50 knot wind night! (Google shows the way you say for a bahama tie.) Chief
The bahamian moor can be difficult to master. Don't bring both rodes to the bow roller, instead tie or shackle your second rode to the first rode and let that first rode out so that the connection is well below your keel. That way you can swing over it. If both of your rodes are out of the water coming to the bow roller you can just about guarantee that you will be tangled in them and untwisting rodes to come off anchor.
I have anchored at Reedy point. Current against wind is never fun. But I have never had any problems in these situations. First, it sounds like not enough scope. did you have 7:1, including height to the bow? Doesnt sound like you had enough for high tide. I have never, in 6 years full time cruising bothered with the headache of a Bahamian moor. EVERY time, my anchor has held with no problems when set properly, even with strong currents. I have held in 4:1 with strong current and no problems with a well set modern anchor.
isn't this the perfect use for a kellet? As the boat moves toward the anchor, the kellet would keep the anchor line below the keel.
Rob: Yes a killet is really important if you have a wing keel like mine as well as when using nylon rode.
Even though I have been calling the bow and stern tie a bahama tie all of these years I still must comment on the quality of this anchorage method. It seems to be especially practical for a wing keel to help keep the rode off the keel. Chief
Even though I have been calling the bow and stern tie a bahama tie all of these years I still must comment on the quality of this anchorage method. It seems to be especially practical for a wing keel to help keep the rode off the keel. Chief
Did you try turning the wheel? This has happened to us with all chain so more scope would help. Reedy has 20 ft depths unless you're in the thin mud. I used 150 of all chain in there.
I'm a little confused, if you couldn't pull up the anchor, why did you think you were dragging? You might be able to drag the bottom with a grapple and hook the rode to get that anchor.
All U Get
I'm a little confused, if you couldn't pull up the anchor, why did you think you were dragging? You might be able to drag the bottom with a grapple and hook the rode to get that anchor.
All U Get
@All U Get, if the chain was wrapped around the keel, no amount of pulling was going to raise it, yet the anchor could still be dragging. That's what I gathered was happening.
Thanks for all the tips. Yeah Reedy point was no fun, but needed to anchor after a long journey with 30 knot head winds and rain the entire way from Havre de Grace. Likely did not have enough scope was probably more like 5:1.
This may be contributing factor to what you experienced.
We've found that our Hunter 38 will sail like a banshee on anchor, especially when the winds are strong. Will swing wildly back and forth and sometimes goes in circles. We've been anchored and found ourselves lying 180 degrees to all the other boats in the anchorage.
You will find a number of threads on sailing on anchor in the archives.
We've found that our Hunter 38 will sail like a banshee on anchor, especially when the winds are strong. Will swing wildly back and forth and sometimes goes in circles. We've been anchored and found ourselves lying 180 degrees to all the other boats in the anchorage.
You will find a number of threads on sailing on anchor in the archives.
In my opinion, the scope isn't the issue. You were in an area with 3 plus knot currents current opposed to the wind. You can wrap the anchor on keel or rudder (or in some case prop (if it's exposed).
It's easy to second guess the ability to get a line aft and remove the strain -- the forces can be considerable. I've found in the few times I've been on a boat and dealt with this that you can take a line from the bow which is "looped" below the boat and walk it back to the stern. You let it ride as far back as you can; and, then bring it up on one side to AVOID THE RUDDER or the prop. It is essential that you not wrap the prop or screw-up the rudder. Then the only issues are the abrasion on topsides; and MAKING SURE YOU DON'T GET YOUR HANDS CAUGHT. There are many conditions of what got hooked -- you need to be able to conceptualize what's happened. Then easing (as others have suggested) might do the trick in combination with re-cleating in a way that allows two clear out the "hook".
A Bahamian moor in that opposing current at Reedy Point isn't a bargain. (You have the wakes of freighters do deal with if you're close to the channel, too).
If you have a second anchor, another possibility (in the RIGHT CIRMSTANCES) is to deploy that one AWAY from the anchor line of the first. But that is not without risk.
That which you survive makes you grow :^)))
It's easy to second guess the ability to get a line aft and remove the strain -- the forces can be considerable. I've found in the few times I've been on a boat and dealt with this that you can take a line from the bow which is "looped" below the boat and walk it back to the stern. You let it ride as far back as you can; and, then bring it up on one side to AVOID THE RUDDER or the prop. It is essential that you not wrap the prop or screw-up the rudder. Then the only issues are the abrasion on topsides; and MAKING SURE YOU DON'T GET YOUR HANDS CAUGHT. There are many conditions of what got hooked -- you need to be able to conceptualize what's happened. Then easing (as others have suggested) might do the trick in combination with re-cleating in a way that allows two clear out the "hook".
A Bahamian moor in that opposing current at Reedy Point isn't a bargain. (You have the wakes of freighters do deal with if you're close to the channel, too).
If you have a second anchor, another possibility (in the RIGHT CIRMSTANCES) is to deploy that one AWAY from the anchor line of the first. But that is not without risk.
That which you survive makes you grow :^)))