Speaking of anchoring...

[Kerry13709]

Any suggestions on techniques to anchor single handed? I have been able to manage docking and sail handling, but anchoring in close quarters alone makes me extremly uptight. I have a 40 footer with a windlass that only retrieves electrically. I had about 200 feet of chain on a 45 lb CQR. I recently changed that to 55 ft chain and 300 ft 5/8 nylon.

 

[Don s/v Tellico]

Understand your anxiety

Yep, I single-hand my 37.5 a lot on the Ches Bay and anchor up/down can be a real challenge sometimes. Who needs coffee in the early am when you're trying to get it up and secured without hitting the mega yacht that achored WAY to close late last night? Gets your blood pumping early. A friend has a new big Bene with remote control windlass and self chocking (?) anchor. Very nice. He can raise it from the wheel, and it will set itself into the roller. Mine is not so user friendly and I have to flake the chain in the locker anyway, so there is no point in a remote for the windlass.We have a lot of mud, so once I bring it up with the windlass, either I get mud everywhere or try to hold the washdown hose, while I work the windlass, flake the chain, AND try to get back to the wheel before hitting anyone. I generally get the anchor up so that it clears the bottom good, but not up into the roller. I then take the wheel and motor out of the anchorage ~slowly~ effectively dragging the anchor through the water washing the chain and anchor off and getting me into more open water to finish off the raising, washing, etc.Peggy has made some interesting suggestions for raising it from the cockpit/wheel. When cruising, I keep a smaller anchor with rode on the stern, and sometimes set that for a lunch hook, or to make repairs, etc. But that approach doesn't work for a chain/windlass operation for an overnight/extended stay.And if it's really wind in the AM and you have to get going ... been there, done that too!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Practice, practice, practice

sure, conditions when anchoring are usually more challenging than docking, but how did you learn how to do that singlehanded?Go out for a day or two and do some practicing where there aren't close quarters. You might even have to take a day off from work!You're the only person who will know when you stop being uptight, and that is a rotten feeling for anyone, no less for a sailor.

 

[Moody Buccaneer]

Stu ...

Practice? Can't I just buy something that will make it easy? I'm the first to admit that my anchoring skills are a weak point. In 25 years in the SF Bay area I just never had the need to anchor out very often. Befana's manners at anchor are not fit for exposure to the public. She is an unruly child. I can remember spending a day anchored as the RC boat one summer. As long as the current and wind were moving the same direction, she wasn't to bad. When the current turned she decided to start dancing. She likes to turn broadside to the wind and sail on her rode. She actually managed to wrap her anchor rode around the keel and ride with her fat ass into the wind. I've since added a riding sail to improve her manners. But I still find anchoring to be a challenge. Up here in BC the bottom drops off very steeply and anchoring with a stern line to shore is common practice. No one uses 7:1 scope, 3:1 for lunch hooks and 5:1 for overnight is the norm. The combination of a 16-17 foot tidal range and deep water close to shore can be a challenge. 7:1 in 30 feet of water is 210 feet of rode, at low tide of 15 feet, 210 feet becomes 14:1 and a huge swinging circle. If you use 7:1 at low tide, it becomes 3.5:1 at high tide.I tend to plan overnights at public docks or marine parks that have stern ties.Setting the anchor from the cockpit is an option. Run the rode forward after the anchor is on the bottom and you start backing down.You can retrieve from the cocpit also. This allows you to use a primary winch until you get to the chain.One trick that I've used is to use the AP to hold course as I retrieve ground tackle. I run the remote to the foredeck so I can alter course as soon as the anchor is free.Like Don, I usually let the anchor hang to wash the mud off as I get out of the anchorage. Stowing the ground tackle can wait until I have sea room.Randy

 

[Benny]

With 55' of chain you should have no problems

in Florida where anchorages average depth is 10-14'. The advantage of chain is that you can go to a shorter scope which comes in handy in tight quarters. Pick a spot where you would like to be. Know your depth and anticipate desired scope according to type of bottom and conditions. Check for currents to make sure you will swing out in unison with the neighboring boats. Having determined slope calculate the desired anchor drop off point and approach upwind at slow speed. Put in reverse and slow down to about 2/10 of a knot, lock the wheel, place in neutral and go forward. Dangle the anchor until the boat looses momentum and release. You will know when it hits bottom and let loose of the rest of the intended scope. Now you wait for the boat to swing out to the desired location, give a pull on the chain to insure the anchor is digging in. Back at the cockpit if you want to insure a strong hold place the engine in reverse and give it a little pull. Don't know how much your boat will sail at anchor from port to starboard but take into account when choosing your spot and distance from other boats. The hard part would be bringing up the anchor in high winds but with the windlass you have that covered. Anticipate clear swinging room for 360 degrees (from boats and in depth), check the tackle of your nighboring boats to anticipate how they will swing. I find that a distance of at least two boat lengths from a neighboring boat will allow adequate swinging room. Once anchored look at the room behind you and if you feel a late arriving boat may get the urge to squezee in there let out some more scope and cover the space. It is not to be a hog but should the weather change during the night you will wish you had not given the space to let out additional scope. I have spent plenty of restless nights when anchoring on short scope. Like getting late to a distant anchorage and finding that the only space available is next to big sports fishermen and seeing that he has two anchors out at bow and stern or near the mouth of a river where currents had all boats pointing in different directions. In short study the anchorage situation (boats and conditions), formulate a plan (approach direction, distance, scope, drop off point) and execute.

 

[Terry Cox]

Our boat has a manual drop and electric hoist...

windlass with a 40 pound danforth. I solo most of the time and prefer to anchor out when cruising, so over the years I've done so hundreds of times. Normally, I will pick a spot that gives me enough water (20 feet) and swing room. I drop all 50 feet of chain plus 90 feet of rope. I then back down pretty hard to make sure of a good set. I then clip onto the rope a 20 pound lead cannon ball and let it ride down to the chain/rope shackle to improve catenary.When it is time to raise anchor I will pull the rope in by hand until all of the slack is in to the ball. I then use the windlass to bring the ball up to the bow roller, unclip the ball and bring the rest into the anchor locker flaking by hand. I set the anchor into the bow roller by hand and lock it in place with a roller pin.Once I get underway I will use my fancy wash down system (bucket with a rope) to clear off any mud that has collected on the deck, anchor and rode. I'm pretty happy with the process, which has worked well for me.If a blow is in the forecast I will set my Loran anchor watch just in case. I also keep my senses keen to any later arrivals. If someone appears to be getting too close I will come up on deck, stand watch and alert them where my anchor is and whether they need to leave more room. Terry

 

[Nice N Easy]

Something else

While there is no bad advice given in these answers, there is one little thing left out. One of the things you need to do always, is check the tide tables. A tidal range of 16 feet or so was mentioned in SF bay. Along the east coast, 8 feet is common in many places. You need to know the depth under your boat, the total tidal range in that spot, and whether you are at flood, ebb, or where in between. BEFORE you drop the anchor.

 

[Ross]

Anchoring in close quarters makes

nervous. So don't anchor there.