The 420 at anchor swings over a 100 degrees in moderate wind (15+ knots) while other boats in the anchorage swing little to none. Someone in the anchorage commented that "I put more miles on the boat at achnor than I do at sail". I've unfurled the main slightly to try to stop the swing to no avail. Any ideas???
Anchor Swing on a 420
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J
Jeff Bacon
A riding sail.....
..... is usually the best way to solve, or at least mitigate, the issue. Check the archives here, and maybe a search on the internet for "riding sails" as well Good luck..... Jeff
..... is usually the best way to solve, or at least mitigate, the issue. Check the archives here, and maybe a search on the internet for "riding sails" as well Good luck..... Jeff
It's the Keel
Our 420 and previous H37 like to sail at anchor. The full keel boats don't move as much. I've tried an anchor sail to no avail. All chain rode helps over a rope rode. I like to keep the scope low 3:1 to 5:1 depending on weather. Just don't anchor near other boats and warn those who anchor too close to you. Bill
Our 420 and previous H37 like to sail at anchor. The full keel boats don't move as much. I've tried an anchor sail to no avail. All chain rode helps over a rope rode. I like to keep the scope low 3:1 to 5:1 depending on weather. Just don't anchor near other boats and warn those who anchor too close to you. Bill
Lone Gone,
I, too, have a 420. Even w/ an all chain rode and 7:1 scope, mine still swings up to 60 degrees at anchorage in a good blow. To prevent this, i keep a small (18lb) danforth w/ 15' of chain on a bracket secured to the stern pulpit. After setting the bow anchor and making sure that it is secure, i let out 50-100' more (bow)rode (depending on water depth), then drop the small danforth off the stern. Bring in the extra 50-100' of bow rode, then bring the stern rode fairly taught securing it to the stern cleats w/ a bridle. No more swing. Oh, make sure that u mark the stern anchor w/ a boey or boeys so that people will (hopefully) not run over it.... Unfortunately, if you are expecting significent wind or tide shifts this technique won't work... in that case use Bill's technique....
I, too, have a 420. Even w/ an all chain rode and 7:1 scope, mine still swings up to 60 degrees at anchorage in a good blow. To prevent this, i keep a small (18lb) danforth w/ 15' of chain on a bracket secured to the stern pulpit. After setting the bow anchor and making sure that it is secure, i let out 50-100' more (bow)rode (depending on water depth), then drop the small danforth off the stern. Bring in the extra 50-100' of bow rode, then bring the stern rode fairly taught securing it to the stern cleats w/ a bridle. No more swing. Oh, make sure that u mark the stern anchor w/ a boey or boeys so that people will (hopefully) not run over it.... Unfortunately, if you are expecting significent wind or tide shifts this technique won't work... in that case use Bill's technique....
Swinging at anchor
I have noted that most fin keel boats will swing wildly to the point of acually poping the anchor out with even 7/1 scope. What I discovered over the winter ancoring out for the better part of 5 months moving about the Carribean this past winter was from a article that talked about a sential/ketgel. The technique is to weight the rhode which in my mind should be all chain for many reasons. The more weight the better it seamed in my winter trials. I place up to 40 lbs on a large shackel and slid it down the anchor chain to just touching the bottom mostly and at times on the bottom. This practically stopped the boat from hunting/sweeping at anchor. We weathered the return of the Christmas winds in St Martin with 10 days of wind gusts as high as 40 knots with only minimal swing. The sentinal acts as a huge dampener keeping the boat from running forward after each gust and effectively keeping is as though on a short anchor rhode. I would reccomend using 1 lb per ft of boat. We have used this technique often and rideout and dampen to a very comfortable level most all higher winds. Happy voyaging Jeff Chabot aboard sv daydream, crusing the New England coast presently
I have noted that most fin keel boats will swing wildly to the point of acually poping the anchor out with even 7/1 scope. What I discovered over the winter ancoring out for the better part of 5 months moving about the Carribean this past winter was from a article that talked about a sential/ketgel. The technique is to weight the rhode which in my mind should be all chain for many reasons. The more weight the better it seamed in my winter trials. I place up to 40 lbs on a large shackel and slid it down the anchor chain to just touching the bottom mostly and at times on the bottom. This practically stopped the boat from hunting/sweeping at anchor. We weathered the return of the Christmas winds in St Martin with 10 days of wind gusts as high as 40 knots with only minimal swing. The sentinal acts as a huge dampener keeping the boat from running forward after each gust and effectively keeping is as though on a short anchor rhode. I would reccomend using 1 lb per ft of boat. We have used this technique often and rideout and dampen to a very comfortable level most all higher winds. Happy voyaging Jeff Chabot aboard sv daydream, crusing the New England coast presently
Anchor riding sail
Have just made an anchor riding sail for our h410, and it seems to help a great deal. Bought the kit from Sailrite, about $80, and a very easy first sailmaking project (at least for my wife, who understands how to use a sewing machine). The boat swings noticeably less, both in terms of angle and speed, was actually measuring this at our mooring a few weekends ago with sail up and down. We have a roller furling (in mast) main, and there is no backstay or even topping lift, and not convenient to use main halyard, so the question was where to run the anchor riding sail. It needs to be as far aft as possible. So far we have grabbed the spinnaker halyard, brought it to the aft end of the boom, and clipped it on there. Works pretty well, but if others may have different mounting ideas I'd be interested in alternatives. This has got to be the cheapest upgrade I have ever made on our boat. S/V Breathless h410 US 51855
Have just made an anchor riding sail for our h410, and it seems to help a great deal. Bought the kit from Sailrite, about $80, and a very easy first sailmaking project (at least for my wife, who understands how to use a sewing machine). The boat swings noticeably less, both in terms of angle and speed, was actually measuring this at our mooring a few weekends ago with sail up and down. We have a roller furling (in mast) main, and there is no backstay or even topping lift, and not convenient to use main halyard, so the question was where to run the anchor riding sail. It needs to be as far aft as possible. So far we have grabbed the spinnaker halyard, brought it to the aft end of the boom, and clipped it on there. Works pretty well, but if others may have different mounting ideas I'd be interested in alternatives. This has got to be the cheapest upgrade I have ever made on our boat. S/V Breathless h410 US 51855
P
pete
motoring at anchor
The "sailing" back and forth in low wind conditions really doesn't bother me but I'm real concerned about the 50 kt thunderstorm winds at anchor. When a boat points into the wind during these conditions putting on a little power reduces strain on the anchor. Its not clear to me this makes sense when you have a boat turning broad side to the wind. Anyone with experience running the engine during a thunderstorm with a boat that likes to sail at anchor?
The "sailing" back and forth in low wind conditions really doesn't bother me but I'm real concerned about the 50 kt thunderstorm winds at anchor. When a boat points into the wind during these conditions putting on a little power reduces strain on the anchor. Its not clear to me this makes sense when you have a boat turning broad side to the wind. Anyone with experience running the engine during a thunderstorm with a boat that likes to sail at anchor?
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