sitting at anchor

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Sep 23, 2006
6
- - Key largo, Fl.
My resently purchased 1979 O'day 30 wants to ride abeam to the wind at anchor in light air (less than 15 knots). Has anyone else had this problem. If so is there a solution. PS the anchor is well set and holding. we do not move at anchor.
 
D

Dave K.

Has this happened a bunch of times?

Off the top of my head, it sounds like wind and current are in opposite directions - current pushes the boat towards the wind and as it does so the exposed windage gets larger and larger. At some point it reaches equilibrium where they are exerting an equal force on the boat, and there you sit with your beam to the wind. The usual complaint about fin keeled boats at anchor (without current) is that they tend to "sail around" a bit and won't stay in one place.
 
R

Reasons Too

There is no current

Thanks for the imput. But there is little to no current. I just bought a new anchor. a delta. Could I have put too much chain on it so I can't set the anchor properly? I'm thinking although the boat isn't moving maybe it's dragging a little with each gust.
 
B

Bob K

Anchor Sail

You might try an anchor sail. This is a tiny sail say 3 feet high by 3 feet long. The sail is placed at the aft end of the boom when anchored. You would attach it to the boom and lift it with a halyard or the toping lift or some other line. The sail at the aft end of the boat prevents the tacking that you describe. It makes you boat act like a weather vain.
 
Mar 28, 2005
182
Oday 272 Baltimore
Is your rudder centered?

Forgive the stupid question, but if your rudder is not in a neutral position, it will make the boat squirm around its anchorage.
 
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