My smaller Hunter did not have a windlass and so we just tossed out our anchor and hauled it back in when done. Now that we have a larger boat we also have a remote controlled windlass. Are we supposed to use the windlass to lower the anchor as well as raise it or do we toss out the anchor to get it out quickly and use the windlass to haul it in???? Thanks for any suggestions! Kathy B331 August Winds II
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Ah, Kathy,
Can you hear the keyboards from your house? Here come the replys. Tossing an anchor is an abomination. Many of us consider lowering an anchor, to insure the safety of the vessel, an art form.
Can you hear the keyboards from your house? Here come the replys. Tossing an anchor is an abomination. Many of us consider lowering an anchor, to insure the safety of the vessel, an art form.
Windless
Depends on what type of windless you have. Most allow for the anchor to free-fall to the bottom. Some however, use the windless not only to "raise" the anchor, but also lower it.
Depends on what type of windless you have. Most allow for the anchor to free-fall to the bottom. Some however, use the windless not only to "raise" the anchor, but also lower it.
Up Down buttons
Kathy, Do you have an up and down button? If so, you would prefer to lower with the windlass. Free falling the windlass is usually an option, but not the safest strategy. Try the buttons at the dock, just don't let it fall on someone's feet. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)
Kathy, Do you have an up and down button? If so, you would prefer to lower with the windlass. Free falling the windlass is usually an option, but not the safest strategy. Try the buttons at the dock, just don't let it fall on someone's feet. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)
Check Owners Manual
The Owners Manual should say if the windlass has up and down capability. If you don't have a manual then check the manufacturers web site because most of them have the manuals available for free download.
The Owners Manual should say if the windlass has up and down capability. If you don't have a manual then check the manufacturers web site because most of them have the manuals available for free download.
Cathy
and having read all the previous good advice, re-read Fred's post. Remember, the person writing the windlass instructions was a mechanical engineering type, primarily concerned with the equipment, and not neccesarily knowledgeable in it's use in practice. Gord
and having read all the previous good advice, re-read Fred's post. Remember, the person writing the windlass instructions was a mechanical engineering type, primarily concerned with the equipment, and not neccesarily knowledgeable in it's use in practice. Gord
Fred's right on, but...
John Rousmaniere, in one of his sailing instruction vidios, tosses the anchor. Perhaps Rousmaniere is always cruising and sailing and never anchors? Consider what happens to your foot/ankle if a rope or chain is wraped around it and a 30# wieght dropped. Or consider what happens to a handle on the anchor locker latch or the open hatch over the v-berth. Lower the anchor. Don't drop it. Geoff
John Rousmaniere, in one of his sailing instruction vidios, tosses the anchor. Perhaps Rousmaniere is always cruising and sailing and never anchors? Consider what happens to your foot/ankle if a rope or chain is wraped around it and a 30# wieght dropped. Or consider what happens to a handle on the anchor locker latch or the open hatch over the v-berth. Lower the anchor. Don't drop it. Geoff
Thanks!!
Thanks so much - guess I 'll lower with the windlass as well... it has both up and down control. I was just thinking that using the windlass to lower takes quite a bit longer and time may be short sometimes. And... "toss" was obviously not a good word - but it got some intersting responses! I never actually tossed, I just lowered by hand!! Thanks!!!
Thanks so much - guess I 'll lower with the windlass as well... it has both up and down control. I was just thinking that using the windlass to lower takes quite a bit longer and time may be short sometimes. And... "toss" was obviously not a good word - but it got some intersting responses! I never actually tossed, I just lowered by hand!! Thanks!!!
I saw that happen once...
A buddy and me were fishing back in the cove when a guy with a runabout came in and stopped about 200' away from us. He went to the aft locker and pulled out a fairly large anchor and a bunch of rode that was all tangled up. He stood up on the seat and heaved the anchor away from the boat. By the way he was moving, it appeared that he'd had a few too many, and just as the anchor hit the water, he flipped backwards and went straight in the water! Apparently, he'd been standing in the tangle of rode and it caught his foot and drug him down! By the sound of things, it seemed like he'd hit the windshield frame or something as he went in. His friends seemed to take a second to realize what had happened and they started pulling the line back in. A few seconds later he surfaced and it was clear that he was bleeding pretty bad so I tied a fender to my anchor line, cast it off and fired the motor to go and see if they needed any help. When we got along side them, the guy was cussing a blue streak and trying to stop the bleeding with a towel. I told him I was an EMT and offered to come aboard and assess his injuries, but he told me to 'f&#k off' in no uncertain terms and his friends were of the same opinion so we just started the motor again and went back to our mooring. They sat the guy down, fired up their engine and headed for the dock, leaving the anchor behind! About a week later, we were back in that part of the cove and it was getting kind of hot so we decided to take a swim. I thought I saw something on the bottom but couldn't make out what it was, so I went and got my mask and fins so I could dive down and see what it was. (the water in this part of the cove is only about 15' deep) Sure enough, an anchor! Dug around in the mud a bit and got a hold of the rode, swam it to my boat and winched aboard a nice 25 lb fluke type anchor to add to the collection!
A buddy and me were fishing back in the cove when a guy with a runabout came in and stopped about 200' away from us. He went to the aft locker and pulled out a fairly large anchor and a bunch of rode that was all tangled up. He stood up on the seat and heaved the anchor away from the boat. By the way he was moving, it appeared that he'd had a few too many, and just as the anchor hit the water, he flipped backwards and went straight in the water! Apparently, he'd been standing in the tangle of rode and it caught his foot and drug him down! By the sound of things, it seemed like he'd hit the windshield frame or something as he went in. His friends seemed to take a second to realize what had happened and they started pulling the line back in. A few seconds later he surfaced and it was clear that he was bleeding pretty bad so I tied a fender to my anchor line, cast it off and fired the motor to go and see if they needed any help. When we got along side them, the guy was cussing a blue streak and trying to stop the bleeding with a towel. I told him I was an EMT and offered to come aboard and assess his injuries, but he told me to 'f&#k off' in no uncertain terms and his friends were of the same opinion so we just started the motor again and went back to our mooring. They sat the guy down, fired up their engine and headed for the dock, leaving the anchor behind! About a week later, we were back in that part of the cove and it was getting kind of hot so we decided to take a swim. I thought I saw something on the bottom but couldn't make out what it was, so I went and got my mask and fins so I could dive down and see what it was. (the water in this part of the cove is only about 15' deep) Sure enough, an anchor! Dug around in the mud a bit and got a hold of the rode, swam it to my boat and winched aboard a nice 25 lb fluke type anchor to add to the collection!
Jeff, good story,
That's why I don't have a guilt-trip about NOT wearing my pfd when I leave the dock. Drunks are the problem.
That's why I don't have a guilt-trip about NOT wearing my pfd when I leave the dock. Drunks are the problem.
Another Drunk Story
We had a captain whose wife would not let him off the boat at night without his PFD on. Good thing she never gave in as he wound up in the water on several occasions.
We had a captain whose wife would not let him off the boat at night without his PFD on. Good thing she never gave in as he wound up in the water on several occasions.
I LOVE my remote Up Down anchor switch
Most times I don't have to leave the cockpit, with my self launching and retrieving Anchor. Being able to drop & retrieve the anchor all from within the comforts of my cockpit is a beautiful thing. http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4289197805 -- The speed of the down switch is more than adequate, infact too fast and you chance the rode piling up on top of and fouling the anchor (typically on a danforth) I have read, in more than one place, that the way a boater anchors tells you a lot of the type of sailor he is. To watch a boat sail or motor quitely into an anchorage, effortless "drop anchor", fall back and set it it, without 'nary a fuss' is an envious and beautiful thing. I would keep the down switch & practice it if I were you.
Most times I don't have to leave the cockpit, with my self launching and retrieving Anchor. Being able to drop & retrieve the anchor all from within the comforts of my cockpit is a beautiful thing. http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4289197805 -- The speed of the down switch is more than adequate, infact too fast and you chance the rode piling up on top of and fouling the anchor (typically on a danforth) I have read, in more than one place, that the way a boater anchors tells you a lot of the type of sailor he is. To watch a boat sail or motor quitely into an anchorage, effortless "drop anchor", fall back and set it it, without 'nary a fuss' is an envious and beautiful thing. I would keep the down switch & practice it if I were you.
Geoffrey, Your 'anchor tosser' story reminds me
of when we had been in our yacht club for a couple of years. The old salt who was responsible for a complete rebuild of the floats (new concrete) and the 'MAN' to see about everything having to do with anything (can you tell where this is going?), was shooting the breeze with my wife and I one summer morning. The conversation was about cruising spots. Here is this guy who is never without his Greek fisherman cap and pipe. He looked at me and sheepishly said "Fred, how do you anchor"? He wasn't asking how I did it. He didn't know how! He was a stink-potter and did the YC social circle thing, from dock to dock. Never the less, we were stunned. Except for the club docks all we ever do is anchor out. Tom, what did you name that thing, Robo-anchor?
of when we had been in our yacht club for a couple of years. The old salt who was responsible for a complete rebuild of the floats (new concrete) and the 'MAN' to see about everything having to do with anything (can you tell where this is going?), was shooting the breeze with my wife and I one summer morning. The conversation was about cruising spots. Here is this guy who is never without his Greek fisherman cap and pipe. He looked at me and sheepishly said "Fred, how do you anchor"? He wasn't asking how I did it. He didn't know how! He was a stink-potter and did the YC social circle thing, from dock to dock. Never the less, we were stunned. Except for the club docks all we ever do is anchor out. Tom, what did you name that thing, Robo-anchor?
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