Rudder Position While Anchoring

[Rob Hessenius]

What is the proper position that the rudder should be while under anchor. My boat has a real proplem with "hunting" while anchored. I know the main problem is due to tying off the cleat on oneside or the other. I have an older Ericson 25 that really is not anchor friendly to add a bow roller. Just wondering if lashing the rudder in a position could combat or minimize the movement. I know I can toss out a "swing" anchor or add a anchor sail, just wondering what might ease this by "living off the land"

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

swinging at anchor

Rob
If, like mine, your boat tends to excessively swing in the wind and there is no current, the rudder position is irrelevent. It depends almost completely on what's above the waterline. My expereince is that turning the rudder almost always excarbates the movement.

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

If you are in very light wind and current and feel it is strong enough,

try running the line through the bow eye and then to the cleat. It will be more on center and sometimes the lower point will make it track better.

 

[Patrick]

sailing at anchor

i have also had the same problem with the boat sailing at anchor. I biought a tiller tamer and locked the rudder amidship for more sidways drag. This helped alittle, was slower to tack from one side to the other. I also have used a second anchor from the stern. This quieted the motion down very well. But, i spent the night that way one time and was awakenned at 0100 by a terrible pounding on the transom. The wind and waves had done a 180! It was lightenning and thunder and rainning buckets. I did not want to go wadding in that nasty stuff to lift anchor, besides the bow anchor was on shore on the island. If i had removed the stern anchor the wind and waves would have deposited my boat on land in no time. I suppose i could have waded in 3 feet deep water to the bow anchor and pulled it and then walked it to the stern anchor, set the bow anchor antd then pulled the stern. Too much at 0100 in nasty weather. I will try an anchor sail for future problems. Patrick

 

[Paul F.]

recommend a kellet

Made a 40# kellet out of lawn sale lifting weights, less than $5. You could make one that weighs less. It makes a great lunch anchor by itself and stops boat swing when used with the main anchor. I place it on the other side of the bow opposite the anchor and keep it just on the bottom or a foot off. Easy to use and also makes the main anchor hold better.

 

[Ed]

Just a little offcenter

Same problem here. I found tying the tiller just off center to the same side as the rode (mine runs through a chock on the port side) helped. Sometimes with current and wind conditions the rope rode would be running aft along the topsides and the boat would be pointing opposite everyone else in the anchorage.

 

[Pete]

Make yourself a riding sail

Get out an old sail you don't use anymore. Cut a smallish triangle out of it. Maybe 3ft at most on the foot, 3 ft on its "luff." Hem the material either by hand or machine. Press in a couple of gromments at each corner. Bingo. Riding sail. Use your main halyard, topping lift or whatever hoist you have rear of the mast to hoist it up while connected with any handy shackle to the backstay. Tie it off at the outhaul and then tie a line from the forward gromment to anything handy on the boom. This whole thing takes less than an hour to make and works like a charm in keeping your boat headed into the wind and quiet at anchor.

 

[Dick of Sylvan]

Anchoring

Rob: Several years ago, I anchored my C22 and took a half day hike. Upon return in about a 25 mph onshore wind, found the craft racing madly from side to side. Approach with dingy was kind of frightening, and when we got it stablized after boaarding, found the rode rather chaffed and very hot where it crossed the gunnel cleat. Since then when I anchor in a similar situation, I use a riding sail and cleat the rode slackly at the bow, plus tie on with a rolling hitch a 15 ft line taut between anchor line and bow ring which is attached there with a heavy metal shackle. I also like to use a kellet which helps keep the rode deeper than the keel which otherwise can get entangled in very light winds. And isn't it interesting how well our boats keel can hunt out the shallowest rock in an anchorage during those near-windless nights? RK

 

[RAD]

Use a riding sail to steady your boat at anchor

I have the same problem with my 32 ODay and solved the problem with a riding sail

here's a link on the subject

 

[Rick I]

Makes no difference

what position the rudder is in. If your boat sails at anchor the only thing that will help is two anchors in a vee or a riding sail. I have a boat like that and when it honks I put out two anchors. My neighbours feel a lot better then. I don't like riding sails as they are a bit fiddly and a lot of work to tend.

 

[Bob F]

Have you considered a bridle?

Rig a a bridle between the two bow cleats and snub the anchor rode off the bridle. It will move the center of effort forward and center. It way help. Its a simple inexpensive solution that might help. Combine the brible with a small anchor/riding sail as Pete suggests and your problem will be solved.

Good luck.

Bob

 

[Bob Reitz]

Tie a line

Take one of your dovk lines and tie it to the anchor rode just forward of the bow using a rolling hitch. Bring it to the opposite cleat and adjust it so the knot is just forward of the bow and centered. I used a riding sail on my c36 setting it almost every nite for 8 months. Once you learn how to use it you set it and forget till you are ready to weigh anchor. You want the sail to be made of very heavy fabric, mine was 12 oz top gun. It needs to be rigged so all sides are taut sheeted off to one side.

 

[Landsend]

Try the following:

Lock your rudder amidships. Add a anchor sail to the backstay. Or drag to feet of heavy chain on a line over the stern.

 

[Benny]

I'm afraid the rudder position or a briddle will

do nothing to improve the boat's behavior at anchor. Utilizing a riding sail may stabilize it. Sometimes trating the symptoms is as good as trating the disease; get a heavy quick setting anchor with plenty of chain to avoid being dragged.

 

[Rob Hessenius]

Thanks

Thanks for some great ideas. I have almost all of the materials to figure out which one will work best for my anchoring issues. I am hoping that a drag chain will do the trick, it seems to be the easiest to store and deploy. Next I will put a second anchor out. Hell, I will try them all to see what works the best.

I have no problems with my anchor holding on the bottom. I did not want to start a debate on anchor makes. I was just tired of "hunting" while on the hook.

 

[Stu Jackson]

the only thing that will help NOT

Just tie a bridle line to the anchor rode and bring it back to one of your winches. It will "cock" the boat off center and keep it from hunting. Old Pardey trick. Riding sails and other stuff becomes unnecessary.

 

[JungleJetJock]

fix

My H260 will also tend to sail at anchor. To fix this I bought a cheap 20# mushroom anchor from walmart. Throw that over the stern, on a line of course, and it limits the swing. If the wind pipes up and changes directions it will drag so that the bow stays into the wind. I would go for one a little lighter than I bought though as the 20# has some fins that stick out and with the soft clay bottom we have it actually will set pretty well and take quite a bit to make it drag. On a calm summer afternoon I will sometimes just drop that one if motoring out for a swim just so the boat doesn't wander around the lake.

 

[Dave from Mi.]

Anchor sail

Hi Rob;

Our Catalina 30 tends to hunt a bit at anchor here in Northern Lake Michigan, so we made an anchor sail following the plans on the "sailrite" site. Works like a charm, is very easy to deploy, and takes little storage space.

We raise it with the main halyard, up one side of the split backstay, (usually the starboard side) tie off a down haul on the rear cleat, and run a line from the luff to the back of the mast at the base, to make it taunt. No fuss, and NEVER needs messing with or adjusting. I can retrieve it from the locker, and have it deployed in less than 2 minutes after we drop the hook. I am a firm believer that any line deployed over the transome will eventually end up wrapped around the prop shaft.

fair winds
Dave.
PS. all materials available at WM

 

[caguy]

The traikerabes

habe the advantage of being able to raise the rudder at anchor. This stops the never ending thud at night that resonates though the whole hull.

 

[Ferg]

Also….

….one could add a snubber line from the anchor rode to a winch. Often, the problem is caused by wind and waves not going in EXACTLY the same direction. I find, by doing this, I can position the boat so it points slightly off the wind, and strait into the waves, or slightly off the wind if I’m sheltered enough so there isn’t any waves.

There are variations of this that work fairly well. On small to midsized boats, try tying a line at least double the length of the boat to the bow eye, and lower the anchor over the side from the cockpit, allowing the boat to drift sideways as you set the anchor. You’ll get a solid hook set for sure! After that, tie the bowline to the anchor rode, and pay out rode till the boat is pointed either into the wind, or into the waves. There’s the added benefit of setting the anchor from the safety on the cockpit, as well as the ability to point the boat slightly away from head-to-wind. Also, one can later use a winch to retrieve the anchor back to the cockpit if it’s a long haul up.

Ferg