Deep water anchorages

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Rltgold

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Mar 2, 2018
232
Catalina Wing Keel San Diego
After our last trip to Catalina Island we found out how many anchorages were in pretty deep water.
This is what 330' of anchor rode (50' of chain) looks like in the anchor locker of a Catalina 22. With the addition of 120' for a total of 330' of rode Minnie will have the upper hand for this next trip if need be.
I normally like to anchor in no more than 20' to 30' so if I I have to free dive to free my anchor thats possible . Adding the extra line will not help with that.
 

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Benny17441

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May 24, 2004
7,131
CC 30 South Florida
There is such a thing as too much chain which could hamper the ability of an anchor to set or reset. The weight of the extra chain may take away from the required force of the pull to bury the flukes. An anchor needs to be able to set in mild conditions to insure it will hold when conditions change. We can back up the boat and force an anchor to set but shifts in wind may cause it to release and if it fails to quickly reset on its own it will drag. Can't tell from the picture the gauge of the chain but seems to me 50' of chain for that Danforth is excesive.
 
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Rltgold

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Mar 2, 2018
232
Catalina Wing Keel San Diego
So far we have sailed and anchored last year in the Channel Islands off the California coast and had the rode set up work great. Almost always in about 10 to 30' off water. This summer we had one trip to Catalina where most of the anchorages are in 50 to 100" so we were quite limited in where we could anchor (And not get hassled ) so I added the extra line to the rode.
The nice thing so far has been in 20' we can just about put out all the chain with just enough line to get the chain in the water and cleat the line on the deck for a lunch hook.
 
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Kings Gambit

Kings Gambit

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Jul 27, 2011
5,002
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Rltgold said:
I normally like to anchor in no more than 20' to 30' so if I I have to free dive to free my anchor thats possible.
Click to expand
See the thread here @SBO on “Dangers of Breath-Hold Diving” from April of 2016.
 
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rpludwig

rpludwig

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May 23, 2016
1,024
Catalina 22 #12502 BSC
at least you have an anchor locker in your >85 model!....I'd have to stow all that in the laz on our '84...fortunately, we don't have much more than 20' of water in these parts...!
 
R

Rltgold

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Mar 2, 2018
232
Catalina Wing Keel San Diego
Thanks Kings, couldn't find the original post though. I've been free diving for along time without any negative effects.
I do know that people that are into staying down for long periods of time can suffer from many different issues though
I like to stay within 30 or so feet ,so being anchored in 20' is very easy to manage if I need to diving down and do most things. Last year in the Channel Island I did get my rode line stuck in a rock. After trying to free it for about an hour I gave up and went down to cut the line. It really helps to be able to do splicing on the fly when needed.
I am planning to get certified to diving and carry a very small dive set up on board one day. At the moment I'm still in recovery mode from investing in a new trailer.
 
Kings Gambit

Kings Gambit

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Jul 27, 2011
5,002
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Rltgold said:
Thanks Kings, couldn't find the original post though.
Click to expand
Here it is.
KG

Dangers of Breath-Hold Diving

In another thread there has been brief discussion of reports of the tragic death of a fellow boater who, according to one report, dove on his anchor to free it, as it evidently had become fouled on something. The depth of the water was not mentioned. But regardless of the full set of...
forums.sailboatowners.com
 
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R

Rltgold

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Mar 2, 2018
232
Catalina Wing Keel San Diego
Thanks for that link. After 64 years in the water, having had one friend who was a world record holder for the largest fish caught while free diving succumb to a brain deases that was attributed to lack of oxygen and lastly recovering 2 older surfers that had died while doing what they loved to do I can't help but think , If I passed out and died from free diving I would at least go out doing what I love.
 
shemandr

shemandr

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Jan 1, 2006
7,074
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
If I remember that article it didn't have so much to do with the depth of free diving. I think the danger was in hyperventilation prior to holding one's breath which purges CO2 from the blood more than it increases the amount of oxygen in the blood. You don't feel the urge to breathe with low CO2 as much and may pass out from lack of O2 in the blood. That is exactly what I used to do when cleaning my boat bottom. The article adjusted my technique.
 
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Kings Gambit

Kings Gambit

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Jul 27, 2011
5,002
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Shemandr, thanks. You have a post in that thread to that effect, you may remember.
 
R

Rltgold

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Mar 2, 2018
232
Catalina Wing Keel San Diego
I have only had to rescue my anchor once and that was enough. Normally it all works out great. When we've settled in at anchor and head out to go snorkeling I like to dive down and check the rode to see how it's doing.
 
Minnesail

Minnesail

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Oct 10, 2013
127
Catalina 22 Minneapolis
How's the sail to Catalina Island in a 22? Are the conditions OK for it often, and how much time do you allow?
 
Will Gilmore

Will Gilmore

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Oct 19, 2017
7,746
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Benny17441 said:
There is such a thing as too much chain which could hamper the ability of an anchor to set or reset. The weight if the extra chain may take away from the required force of the pull to bury the flukes. An anchor needs to be able to set in mild conditions to insure it will hold when conditions change.
Click to expand
This seems like such an odd thing to me. I don't recall hearing anyone complain that their all chain rode made it harder to set their anchor.
Can you please point to a link with more information on this concept? To me, if the anchor doesn't set when being dragged across the bottom, it's not the right anchor. If there's too much chain to drag the anchor across the bottom, you're not going anywhere, by construction.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
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R

Rltgold

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Mar 2, 2018
232
Catalina Wing Keel San Diego
Hi Minniesail ! Interesting name as my boat is named after my Great Grandmother Minnie. So far my only trip to Catalina started in Oceanside CA up to Dana Point then I left DP in the morning heading almost directly North for 4 hrs under power until the wind picked up at which time I turned to port and went on a beam reach for 2hrs. Later it picked up to about 18knts so I reefed everything and got there in about 9 hrs.
This time we are leaving from Long Beach and it looks like it's going to be very light wind. About 23 knmiles 4.5 hrs @ 5knts
 
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H

Hardhead

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Apr 11, 2017
571
Catalina C22 Solomon's Island, MD
It's a testament that the sturdy C22 can stow that kind of ground tackle load. Do you know what size chain you have? Much issue pulling it up by hand?
 
R

Rltgold

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Mar 2, 2018
232
Catalina Wing Keel San Diego
PS among my friends the common thing
king is more chain the better. Once the anchor is set it's the weight of the chain that keeps the anchor set and in it's original direction. I have been blown around in circles at night before only to dive down and find the anchor and most of the chain still in the same original direction.
 
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Minnesail

Minnesail

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Oct 10, 2013
127
Catalina 22 Minneapolis
Rltgold said:
Hi Minniesail ! Interesting name as my boat is named after my Great Grandmother Minnie. So far my only trip to Catalina started in Oceanside CA up to Dana Point then I left DP in the morning heading almost directly North for 4 hrs under power until the wind picked up at which time I turned to port and went on a beam reach for 2hrs. Later it picked up to about 18knts so I reefed everything and got there in about 9 hrs.
This time we are leaving from Long Beach and it looks like it's going to be very light wind. About 23 knmiles 4.5 hrs @ 5knts
Click to expand
So your boat is named Minnie? Cool! I live in the Minnehaha neighborhood of the city of Minneapolis in the state of Minnesota, so...

I chartered a Catalina 28 out of Long Beach and went over to Catalina. The trip over was all motor.

The trip back was a fast beam reach all the way. Right at the end as I got into the behind the breakwater the wind kicked up to 30 knots. That would have been a bit interesting in a Catalina 22.
 
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Rltgold

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Mar 2, 2018
232
Catalina Wing Keel San Diego
Minniesail, My GGM would have thought that was funny!. Yes it can howl it that area. My boat reefed would love it.
 
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