Spent the first night on my O’Day 22 in Nantucket harbor after sailing over last Tuesday no problem coming over except for pea soup fog but thats part of life around here. It was great, I had started to miss the feeling of rocking my way to sleep and I’ll take the sound of water splashing against the hull over waves against the beach any day. The next night on the other hand, the wind picked up to the point that the rigging was screaming the waves weren’t that big but the strain on the anchor line was easily felt. My girlfriend saw that I was concerned but made the best of it and even started laughing when we would get knocked around a little. Needless to say, I didn’t get a wink of sleep since I was up making sure the anchor didn’t drag all night. The next morning we were fine and we checked into a B&B for the rest of the trip since all it did was rain and storm, it gets pretty soggy in a 22’ O’Day when you are in it for that long. I checked the anchor twice a day and when I went out Saturday morning, it was gone… Looked around and saw a boat up against a wall about a mile away. It was mine. It must have just broken free b/c it was undamaged and not a drop of water in it. I couldn’t have been better bad luck because it ended up between two rocks on sand, no damage at all. I was so lucky, I got it out of there and put it on the town dock for $25 a night. With my pride smashed I learned a lot of lessons. Here they are 1. don’t trust a launch driver who says it is a great anchorage and all muddy bottom. (there must have been some eel grass patch in there b/c when the wind shifted the danforth let go and when i got it back it was filled with it) 2. don’t use a danforth anchor, if the wind shifts, your f’d if it is anything but a sandy or muddy bottom 3. Don’t trust the weather forecast… ever always be prepared for the worst. 4. If you think you might be better off moving to the town dock, don’t be cheap… do it. Tomorrow I go get it and bring it home. Wish me luck!
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Good Luck!
Sounds like a reasonably successful outcome, given the circumstances! Twenty-five bucks is a bargain, too. I'd drop a hundred or so on an additional, non-Danforth anchor!
Sounds like a reasonably successful outcome, given the circumstances! Twenty-five bucks is a bargain, too. I'd drop a hundred or so on an additional, non-Danforth anchor!
Bad Bottom
You are right about the bottom in Nantucket Harbor. Nantucketers have a lucrative scallop harvest in the Fall. Scallops need eel grass to breed. That should answer the question about the bottom.
You are right about the bottom in Nantucket Harbor. Nantucketers have a lucrative scallop harvest in the Fall. Scallops need eel grass to breed. That should answer the question about the bottom.
Great story
Your story is wonderfully entertaining but the experience is one to be remembered not one to look forward to. You should perhaps consider carrying a second none Danforth anchor. But above enjoy.
Your story is wonderfully entertaining but the experience is one to be remembered not one to look forward to. You should perhaps consider carrying a second none Danforth anchor. But above enjoy.
We all need at least 2 anchors
I have a 74 ODay 22 and I learned early on that it is big enough to warrant having both a bow & stern anchor because wind shifts are unpredictable here and when she swings on 1 hook I am never comfortable but with 2 I can relaxe a little.
I have a 74 ODay 22 and I learned early on that it is big enough to warrant having both a bow & stern anchor because wind shifts are unpredictable here and when she swings on 1 hook I am never comfortable but with 2 I can relaxe a little.
Stern anchor?
Wouldn't you want to stagger stagger 2 anchors off the bow so you don't end up stern to the sea? I have never done that but I would still be woried about one anchor line fowling the other... I have a feeling Stu Jackson will have the right answer here.
Wouldn't you want to stagger stagger 2 anchors off the bow so you don't end up stern to the sea? I have never done that but I would still be woried about one anchor line fowling the other... I have a feeling Stu Jackson will have the right answer here.
Steve, at one time we had as many as six anchors.
The smallest was the grappling hook for the dingy. The largest was the Fortress FX55. Its' working load was four times what the storm-load would have been from Hurricane Hugo on our Hunter 34. That said, the point is that you can't have too many anchors or too many types. And you can never learn too much about the process of securing your boat with an anchor. In fact, that's an oxymoron. No boat is secure when anchored. That's why there's such a thing as "Anchor Watch". You can't do what you did and expect your boat not to leave. But that's how we learn. Well, maybe a book is better. The 'hard-way' sucks.
The smallest was the grappling hook for the dingy. The largest was the Fortress FX55. Its' working load was four times what the storm-load would have been from Hurricane Hugo on our Hunter 34. That said, the point is that you can't have too many anchors or too many types. And you can never learn too much about the process of securing your boat with an anchor. In fact, that's an oxymoron. No boat is secure when anchored. That's why there's such a thing as "Anchor Watch". You can't do what you did and expect your boat not to leave. But that's how we learn. Well, maybe a book is better. The 'hard-way' sucks.
Bahamian anchor
Learn to set two anchors Bahamian style, an especially useful technique if you are in an area where you know the tides/winds will be reversing during the course of your stay. Find a picture of the technique, but in essence you set on anchor, then pay out enough line so you can set another anchor from the other direction. Both anchors are secured at the bow. When the tide/wind shifts, your new anchor is already properly set. No excuse not to have an anchor watch, but convenient nontheless.
Learn to set two anchors Bahamian style, an especially useful technique if you are in an area where you know the tides/winds will be reversing during the course of your stay. Find a picture of the technique, but in essence you set on anchor, then pay out enough line so you can set another anchor from the other direction. Both anchors are secured at the bow. When the tide/wind shifts, your new anchor is already properly set. No excuse not to have an anchor watch, but convenient nontheless.
BOTTOM EXPERT
Peggy, I thought you were the the bottom expert, so to speak. From the chickens in the holding tank guy. Fowl joke!
Peggy, I thought you were the the bottom expert, so to speak. From the chickens in the holding tank guy. Fowl joke!
Having trouble believing this story..
I'm sorry, but the story leaves out some important details, and has a few unbelievable points. First, where exactly where you anchored? Thoe only anchoage I am aware of is in the North end of the harbor. How did the boat break loose? Did the anchor line break? Did it drag? A whole mile? Did you lose the anchor? What wall was it up against? What beach? How did you get it off hte beach and floating again? How did you get it to the town dock? Also, $25 per night at the town dock sounds way too low. I've been in Nantucket Harbor twice in the past two years. A mooring this year is $60/night for boats under 40'. I honestly don't know what the town dock charges, but it's hard to believe its that much LESS than a mooring. I'm sure it's all true, but I'd really like to know the details about how the boat got loose and onto the beach, how you recovered it, and how the town dock is only $25/night. Cheers, jv
I'm sorry, but the story leaves out some important details, and has a few unbelievable points. First, where exactly where you anchored? Thoe only anchoage I am aware of is in the North end of the harbor. How did the boat break loose? Did the anchor line break? Did it drag? A whole mile? Did you lose the anchor? What wall was it up against? What beach? How did you get it off hte beach and floating again? How did you get it to the town dock? Also, $25 per night at the town dock sounds way too low. I've been in Nantucket Harbor twice in the past two years. A mooring this year is $60/night for boats under 40'. I honestly don't know what the town dock charges, but it's hard to believe its that much LESS than a mooring. I'm sure it's all true, but I'd really like to know the details about how the boat got loose and onto the beach, how you recovered it, and how the town dock is only $25/night. Cheers, jv
Steve
Don't mind JV. There are all kinds of people out there and some wouldn't believe their own mother telling them when their birthday is. Danforths are known for not working in grass, but great in other bottoms. If your anchor was full of grass I can see it being dragged for a mile easily. Great that no damage has occurred. I too learned the hardway not to trust the weather report or just one anchor. Nothing like waking up to find a storm with strong winds (could tell how fast it was coming that it was strong and it turned out it was 50+ kts) knocking on your door and your rode is wrapped around your keel. Collect all the advice you can but know your source too and weight the advice with that.
Don't mind JV. There are all kinds of people out there and some wouldn't believe their own mother telling them when their birthday is. Danforths are known for not working in grass, but great in other bottoms. If your anchor was full of grass I can see it being dragged for a mile easily. Great that no damage has occurred. I too learned the hardway not to trust the weather report or just one anchor. Nothing like waking up to find a storm with strong winds (could tell how fast it was coming that it was strong and it turned out it was 50+ kts) knocking on your door and your rode is wrapped around your keel. Collect all the advice you can but know your source too and weight the advice with that.
Franklin
Franklin, I live around here - I sail from my home port to Nantucket. I'm really interested in the details of what happened as I might learn something I don't already know about visiting this port. Among the things I know are that a mooring is $60/night and the Nantucket Boat Basin gets $4.75/foot per night, starting at 36' - which is $171 minimum. If there is good will from the harbormaster at $25/night I'd like to know about it. Since I prefer to anchor when I cruise, I'd like to know where in the harbor Steve anchored. The only anchorage I know of is in the North end of the harbor. To break loose and end up on a beach against a wall - I can't guess where. I'd also like to know how he got off, and floating again. Harbormaster, Sea Tow, something else? Let's hear the whole story, and perhaps learn from it. jv
Franklin, I live around here - I sail from my home port to Nantucket. I'm really interested in the details of what happened as I might learn something I don't already know about visiting this port. Among the things I know are that a mooring is $60/night and the Nantucket Boat Basin gets $4.75/foot per night, starting at 36' - which is $171 minimum. If there is good will from the harbormaster at $25/night I'd like to know about it. Since I prefer to anchor when I cruise, I'd like to know where in the harbor Steve anchored. The only anchorage I know of is in the North end of the harbor. To break loose and end up on a beach against a wall - I can't guess where. I'd also like to know how he got off, and floating again. Harbormaster, Sea Tow, something else? Let's hear the whole story, and perhaps learn from it. jv
Cory
Nope...not yet. I got a couple of things I need to get done first....mainly find a new job because I lost mine 3 weeks ago (didn't really like it anyway and my boss knew it so when we got into an arguement, he used that as the reason to fire me). If it stops raining this weekend, I plan to go up the mast and run a spin line (don't have a spin yet but want to use it for raising and lowering my dingy).
Nope...not yet. I got a couple of things I need to get done first....mainly find a new job because I lost mine 3 weeks ago (didn't really like it anyway and my boss knew it so when we got into an arguement, he used that as the reason to fire me). If it stops raining this weekend, I plan to go up the mast and run a spin line (don't have a spin yet but want to use it for raising and lowering my dingy).
JV
Then why didn't you just come out and say "I would like more details" instead of calling the guy a lier.
Then why didn't you just come out and say "I would like more details" instead of calling the guy a lier.
Somthing new every time
This was my very first boat a 1972 today 22. Man she was a great boat mine had a keel and I liked that for the stability. Don’t let this get you down I cant imagine what you felt when you walked out there and did not see your boat. When I go onto a trip and want to stay out I always stay where there are other boats out there and ask them what they are on keep that in mind. If you don’t see any boats it might be because the ground does not hold well than ask a dock master. Sounds like you had fun thats the point.
This was my very first boat a 1972 today 22. Man she was a great boat mine had a keel and I liked that for the stability. Don’t let this get you down I cant imagine what you felt when you walked out there and did not see your boat. When I go onto a trip and want to stay out I always stay where there are other boats out there and ask them what they are on keep that in mind. If you don’t see any boats it might be because the ground does not hold well than ask a dock master. Sounds like you had fun thats the point.
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