O'day 25 anchored : 2 questions

[Coty137]

Good day fellow sailors, I have a few questions for you 25 O'day CB owners.

1- How do you deal,when anchored out, with the constant movement (stern swinging from left to right) of your sailboat (especially in stronger winds). Do you have one of these stabilizing sails? Do you put you CB down (find it does not help much)? Do you drop a stern anchor?

2- How much chain (feet) do you have on your anchor before rode?

Looking forward to hear from you!

 

[RECESS]

1. I just let it swing. The movement gives me a great night's sleep. I have tried the CB down, it bumps to much and I have read it puts a strain on the CB bolt with the side to side motion. I do not think it does anything to stop the boat from swinging. I have never attached an anchor sail. If I pulled in a cove with other boats that had stern anchors out, I would so I was in the same situation as the other boats. I do put out a stern achor if I am pulling up close to shore and only staying an hour. It is just so the boat does not move as other boats will be coming close to shore as well. Anchoring for the night on my own, I like the boat to be free to move with the tides through the night. I would not want a cross wind hitting me while the stern anchor was holding the boat.

2. 15 feet for me.

 

[Coty137]

Good day

I understand and also am in the same frame of mind however I suspect that my dragging incident this week end was a combination of both.

I had a scope of 7 to 1 with 15 knot winds this week end with my situation being well anchored. Then at 6 am the wind suddenly shifted (unexpectedly and not in forecast) my boat started swinging a lot as the wind speed increased with gust up to 25 knots. I will admit that my chain was only ten feet long. I think that the harsh swinging motion with short length of chain made the boat drag. I also need to mention that I had a Bruce anchor in a weed bottom. I could feel the anchor re-hooking but with the swinging motion, the anchor would let up again and again. All three boats in the bay dragged that morning. Rude awakening.

I now installed 25 feet of chain to help resolve issue.

Thanks for your comments

Have a good rest of summer.

Cheers

 

[RAD]

My 32 does the side to side dance in high wind (+15) while at anchor and what works the best is an anchor sail

 

[RAD]

Here's a great article on the subject and coincidently my sail is the very same sail from the author's boat that I bought on EBay

http://www.goodoldboat.com/reader_services/articles/horsing.php

 

[Joe11688]

Good day

I understand and also am in the same frame of mind however I suspect that my dragging incident this week end was a combination of both.

I had a scope of 7 to 1 with 15 knot winds this week end with my situation being well anchored. Then at 6 am the wind suddenly shifted (unexpectedly and not in forecast) my boat started swinging a lot as the wind speed increased with gust up to 25 knots. I will admit that my chain was only ten feet long. I think that the harsh swinging motion with short length of chain made the boat drag. I also need to mention that I had a Bruce anchor in a weed bottom. I could feel the anchor re-hooking but with the swinging motion, the anchor would let up again and again. All three boats in the bay dragged that morning. Rude awakening.

I now installed 25 feet of chain to help resolve issue.

Thanks for your comments

Have a good rest of summer.

Cheers

I think the riding sail will solve part of your problem with the exception of radical wind or current changes during the night. In this case, I would put out two anchors Bahamian moor style.
Years ago when we sailed over to Martha's Vineyard we would always stop in at Vineyard Haven and spend a few days anchored inside the jetty over near the beach between the ferry dock and the town dock. The harbormaster Don Simmonds at that time would always let us anchor our boat in this area provided that we use two anchors Bahamian Moor style as the wind in the harbor changes quite often in there.
I think that the riding sail is an excellent idea because if your boat should slip the anchor at night, I think that you're going to know it pretty quick. The boat will drift sideways with the water banging up against the hull making a racket. You'll not only hear it but you'll feel it, but with the second anchor out, the boat will now be secure and held in place by that anchor.