I like to single-hand my Catalina 30. One thing I haven't done yet when single-handing is anchoring - not sure how I can do it and still maintain control of the boat - especially retrieving the anchor. Any suggestions based upon experience on setting, and on retrieving the anchor? Thanks
Anchoring when single-handing
- Thread starter Alex20529
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No Problem
I find that it is harder to deploy the anchor alone then to retrieve it because my C30 has a windlass. To retrieve, I start the motor and leave it in neutral so I can maneuver as needed. I also lock the rudder a little off center to make a slow turn in the direction I want to leave the anchorage. You don’t need to worry about making the turn as you pull in the anchor because the pull on the rode will counteract the rudder. I pull in the anchor as quickly as I can which gets the boat moving and lets the weight of the boat help pull the anchor out as it goes over the anchor. This also lets the rudder turn the boat after the hook breaks free. I then pull the anchor up until the chain comes onto the roller. My chain is about 20 foot and my anchorages are all about 30 foot. this gets the hook hanging above the bottom. I then cleat the rode, go back to the helm and slowly motor clear of other boats before pulling the anchor the rest of the way up. This way I don’t have to worry about running into someone while I am messing around trying to secure the anchor. It also has the added benefit of washing a lot of the mud off the chain before I pull it on board. Good luck. Hayden Watson S/V Papillon 1988 C30 tr/bs Spokane, WA
I find that it is harder to deploy the anchor alone then to retrieve it because my C30 has a windlass. To retrieve, I start the motor and leave it in neutral so I can maneuver as needed. I also lock the rudder a little off center to make a slow turn in the direction I want to leave the anchorage. You don’t need to worry about making the turn as you pull in the anchor because the pull on the rode will counteract the rudder. I pull in the anchor as quickly as I can which gets the boat moving and lets the weight of the boat help pull the anchor out as it goes over the anchor. This also lets the rudder turn the boat after the hook breaks free. I then pull the anchor up until the chain comes onto the roller. My chain is about 20 foot and my anchorages are all about 30 foot. this gets the hook hanging above the bottom. I then cleat the rode, go back to the helm and slowly motor clear of other boats before pulling the anchor the rest of the way up. This way I don’t have to worry about running into someone while I am messing around trying to secure the anchor. It also has the added benefit of washing a lot of the mud off the chain before I pull it on board. Good luck. Hayden Watson S/V Papillon 1988 C30 tr/bs Spokane, WA
Can be done
I have done this on occasion (when the Admiral was sleeping/napping, about half the time...) Deploying - rule #1 is preperation. Get the anchor free & rode prepared well before arriving at the site. let the boat stall out right where you want to drop the hook (the hard part), go fwd & drop it. usually the wind or current pulls you back until you feed out the desired amount of rode, cleat off & go back to the cockpit to back down on the anchor. Make sure it doesn't drag. To retreive - hand pull in ALL the rode you can & cleat the anchor off. Now hope for the inevitable, some inconsiderate powerboater makes a large wake. The bouncing of the bow will break the anchor free. If you don't have the patience for that, simply motor fwd to free the anchor. Then go fwd & finish retreiving (with appropriate urgency so you don't drift into shore or other boats). Then you're off!
I have done this on occasion (when the Admiral was sleeping/napping, about half the time...) Deploying - rule #1 is preperation. Get the anchor free & rode prepared well before arriving at the site. let the boat stall out right where you want to drop the hook (the hard part), go fwd & drop it. usually the wind or current pulls you back until you feed out the desired amount of rode, cleat off & go back to the cockpit to back down on the anchor. Make sure it doesn't drag. To retreive - hand pull in ALL the rode you can & cleat the anchor off. Now hope for the inevitable, some inconsiderate powerboater makes a large wake. The bouncing of the bow will break the anchor free. If you don't have the patience for that, simply motor fwd to free the anchor. Then go fwd & finish retreiving (with appropriate urgency so you don't drift into shore or other boats). Then you're off!
Do it from the stern
I assume you have the anchor in the bow anchor locker, and go thru the anchor rollers on teh bow. If not, and anchor is stored in a cokpit locker, then this is even easier. As you approach the anchorage take the anchor back to the cockpit near the helm, leading the rode out so it leads outside all the lifelines and shrouds. Come up to your chosen spot dead slow and drop the hook off the stern. Pay out the rode, cleat it to a stern cleat and set the hook. (And it's a lot easier to control the set by powering forward than trying to do it powering in reverse the normal way.) Once you're satisfied with the set, remove the rode from the stern cleat, and let the boat swing around so it's anchored by the bow. Or, if not enough room to swing the boat around 180 degrees, uncleat it from the stern and walk it forward, then take in the extra scope from the bow. You may even want to leave it anchored by the stern if you want the companionway to act as a ventilator to get more air below. I do this every time I anchor alone.
I assume you have the anchor in the bow anchor locker, and go thru the anchor rollers on teh bow. If not, and anchor is stored in a cokpit locker, then this is even easier. As you approach the anchorage take the anchor back to the cockpit near the helm, leading the rode out so it leads outside all the lifelines and shrouds. Come up to your chosen spot dead slow and drop the hook off the stern. Pay out the rode, cleat it to a stern cleat and set the hook. (And it's a lot easier to control the set by powering forward than trying to do it powering in reverse the normal way.) Once you're satisfied with the set, remove the rode from the stern cleat, and let the boat swing around so it's anchored by the bow. Or, if not enough room to swing the boat around 180 degrees, uncleat it from the stern and walk it forward, then take in the extra scope from the bow. You may even want to leave it anchored by the stern if you want the companionway to act as a ventilator to get more air below. I do this every time I anchor alone.
Consider the bottom
I think the ease of single-handing your anchor depends a lot on the bottom type and contour. I would seriously think twice about trying to anchor alone in a rocky bottom, especially with a rapid depth change. On the other hand, with a sand or mud/clay bottom that gently slopes, I find I can easily anchor by myself. I have a C400 and use a 40 lb CQR with an electric windlass. As the sailor from Anacortes said, get everything ready beforehand--know your depth, figure out your scope, and have the anchor line flaked or laid out nicely on deck. Just as the boat stalls, go up and drop the anchor and about half the rode you actually want to use. This way if everything goes wrong, there's less rode to get tangled and get back on deck. I cleat off at this point but then hold the rode in hand--you can really feel if the anchor is digging in or dragging even before you can tell visually. Once it's digging in, go ahead and let out the desired rode and then slowly back down under power as usual. However, as also pointed out, deploying from the stern can be helpful if the wind or traffic is such that you don't have time to get up to the bow when the boat stalls. I just feel a bit uncomfortable having a line in the water not very far from my prop. Maybe I've been lucky but I've not had a problem retrieving the anchor. I pull the rode in by hand until I get the boat moving, then take up the rest with the winch. However, I'm careful to winch only slack rode, not rode under tension. If the boat stops moving and the rode goes tight, I start again by hand. If you're careful not to bring in the rode too quickly, you'll have a little forward momentum to break out the anchor but not so much as to give you a jolt if the anchor is stuck. If stuck, pull on the trip line once the boat is downwind (or downcurrent) again from the anchor. As in everything else when alone, plan ahead and take it slowly and it'll work out.
I think the ease of single-handing your anchor depends a lot on the bottom type and contour. I would seriously think twice about trying to anchor alone in a rocky bottom, especially with a rapid depth change. On the other hand, with a sand or mud/clay bottom that gently slopes, I find I can easily anchor by myself. I have a C400 and use a 40 lb CQR with an electric windlass. As the sailor from Anacortes said, get everything ready beforehand--know your depth, figure out your scope, and have the anchor line flaked or laid out nicely on deck. Just as the boat stalls, go up and drop the anchor and about half the rode you actually want to use. This way if everything goes wrong, there's less rode to get tangled and get back on deck. I cleat off at this point but then hold the rode in hand--you can really feel if the anchor is digging in or dragging even before you can tell visually. Once it's digging in, go ahead and let out the desired rode and then slowly back down under power as usual. However, as also pointed out, deploying from the stern can be helpful if the wind or traffic is such that you don't have time to get up to the bow when the boat stalls. I just feel a bit uncomfortable having a line in the water not very far from my prop. Maybe I've been lucky but I've not had a problem retrieving the anchor. I pull the rode in by hand until I get the boat moving, then take up the rest with the winch. However, I'm careful to winch only slack rode, not rode under tension. If the boat stops moving and the rode goes tight, I start again by hand. If you're careful not to bring in the rode too quickly, you'll have a little forward momentum to break out the anchor but not so much as to give you a jolt if the anchor is stuck. If stuck, pull on the trip line once the boat is downwind (or downcurrent) again from the anchor. As in everything else when alone, plan ahead and take it slowly and it'll work out.
Singlehanded anchoring
If you have a non-resetting anchor (i.e, a Danforth) setting it by going forward when dropping it off the stern may not be a good idea, because the flukes are set heading the wrong direction. Danforths are not made to change direction and won't generally reset themselves. It will work with a Bruce or a CQR, but why bother setting it first in the wrong direction? Another way to do it is to run the anchor line back to the cockpit and drop the anchor from the bow by controlling the line from the cockpit. Stu
If you have a non-resetting anchor (i.e, a Danforth) setting it by going forward when dropping it off the stern may not be a good idea, because the flukes are set heading the wrong direction. Danforths are not made to change direction and won't generally reset themselves. It will work with a Bruce or a CQR, but why bother setting it first in the wrong direction? Another way to do it is to run the anchor line back to the cockpit and drop the anchor from the bow by controlling the line from the cockpit. Stu
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