Anchor Riding Sail

[capta]

ARS in a hurricane?

NC-C320
Are you joking?
When we are expecting a hurricane we take all sail off the boat and store below. If it's a mid cat 2 or more, all booms are in the scuppers and all running rigging except one halyard is down.
If you want to have a boat after a hurricane, you'll need at least 2 anchors out and a whole lot of scope (as much as you've got, after all it does no good in the anchor locker) and forget the bridle. Chafe is your biggest enemy, not "sailing on the anchor", by far.
You may take several knock downs, serious ones at that, but by no means would I even worry about comfort in those conditions; survival is all you care about. I don't know any adult who can sleep in a cat 2 or above at anchor on a boat, though surprisingly, most children sleep right through them, IF the adults aren't freaking out.
If I have a choice I'll never go through another hurricane; it is not a fun time. Run, run, run, far, far away!

 

[zeehag]

inwinter storms in sd, i have seen the dinghy sails used by some yawls and ketches tear into shreds. big winds dont need steadying sails, they need lines from both sides of boat in a V from boat to anchor or mooring. bridles help the yawing "problem" diminish a lot.

 

[NC-C320]

NC-C320
Are you joking?
When we are expecting a hurricane we take all sail off the boat and store below. If it's a mid cat 2 or more, all booms are in the scuppers and all running rigging except one halyard is down.
If you want to have a boat after a hurricane, you'll need at least 2 anchors out and a whole lot of scope (as much as you've got, after all it does no good in the anchor locker) and forget the bridle. Chafe is your biggest enemy, not "sailing on the anchor", by far.
You may take several knock downs, serious ones at that, but by no means would I even worry about comfort in those conditions; survival is all you care about. I don't know any adult who can sleep in a cat 2 or above at anchor on a boat, though surprisingly, most children sleep right through them, IF the adults aren't freaking out.
If I have a choice I'll never go through another hurricane; it is not a fun time. Run, run, run, far, far away!

Actually, I'm serious. But I definitely will not be on the boat. I'll prepare it as well as I can, then leave. But the question is valid. If the boat sails on the anchor without a riding sail at moderate winds, it will do so worse at high winds, and the jerk and impact force that occur, when the end of the boat's travel comes, is going to be much higher. And loads are going to be imposed on anchor/rode and deck fittings that are already heavily loaded. And it is a well known principle in huricane preparation to remove all the canvas and high windage items that you can. And, we've all seen what happens to sails that come unfurled in these storms. So any such riding sail would have to be heavily constructed and supported. On a negative side, it adds to windage. On a possible positive side, it might help check boat motion during the storm. And I'm not advocating such use, just raising the question, would a riding sail help or hurt?......my own hurricane anchoring plan calls for minimizing canvas, overwrapping any that can't be removed, using big and multiple anchors. That is also my backup plan....primary plan is to stay at my dock as it is generally the most sheltered place that I have due to keel depth. Lots (26) of lines to multiple tie points on boat and dock to take loads and to keep boat centered so it doesn't get speared. I'm inshore a bit, so we usually get winds on order of 70kts, with occasional periods of higher wind...surge of 9-10 ft. up, 5 ft. down (on/in soft bottom).

 

[zeehag]

at high winds, you NEED to place extra lines on bow--i use a bridle configuration. with a bridle, yawing ceases. cannot get any easier than that. i know from experience.
also, rid boat of EVERYTHING on deck and whatever can fly or get ripped off boat by winds--you would be surprised what can be grabbed and flown by winds....tie your anchor down--and away from bow. i usually place mine near mast and secure it well.

 

[NC-C320]

at high winds, you NEED to place extra lines on bow--i use a bridle configuration. with a bridle, yawing ceases. cannot get any easier than that. i know from experience.
also, rid boat of EVERYTHING on deck and whatever can fly or get ripped off boat by winds--you would be surprised what can be grabbed and flown by winds....tie your anchor down--and away from bow. i usually place mine near mast and secure it well.

Tell us a bit more about the bridle. How do you attach it to rode, size of bridle line, and where it attaches to boat? Does the bridle present the bow directly into the wind, or is it offset a bit on one side so as to present the wind a bit more on one side of the boat? If offset, how much?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Tell us a bit more about the bridle. How do you attach it to rode, size of bridle line, and where it attaches to boat? Does the bridle present the bow directly into the wind, or is it offset a bit on one side so as to present the wind a bit more on one side of the boat? If offset, how much?

Rolling hitch if to a rode, any knot you'd like if to chain.

Attaches to boat at your jib sheet winch.

No, it cocks the boat to one side or the other, your choice based on winds and sometimes swells entering anchorages. Can be used for that, too.

Offset as much or as little as YOU need.

That's for the bridle I mentioned earlier.

I think zeehag's bridle is different: two lines from the bow to the anchor rode.

I wasn't talking about hurricanes.