Stop swinging while at anchor

[Akapeterc]

Hi have you got any suggestions to help stop my boat swinging so much when at anchor currently sitting in 20 kn of wind swinging from side to side.

 

[Scott B]

Best quick suggestion is to search on anchor riding sails or riding at anchor.

Drop and anchor from the stern, anchor riding sail, kellet on the rode etc.... lots of great ideas.

 

[Bill1565]

Hi have you got any suggestions to help stop my boat swinging so much when at anchor currently sitting in 20 kn of wind swinging from side to side.

Don't worry. Be happy. Everybody does it.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Just a thread on this a few days ago. See reply #8 and all the rest. Good luck.

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=1052913&highlight=riding sail

 

[Don12364]

If it is a short stay in tidal waters (but longer for lake sailors if no tide height variations) I just lower my kedge as a second anchor. I only pay out enough rode plus a bit so that it lays on the bottom. This acts as a drag, even though not actually set into the bottom. The effect is to stop the bow ranging around and it usually stops the movement - or at least dampens it so that it is not a problem.
Good luck.

 

[Paul F]

Very hard to stop swing with 20 kn blowing and large freeboard as on your boat. I too use a kellet to moderate the swing and keep the rode down out of the way. http://www.rocna.com/kb/Kellets_and_buoys

anchor sails will also help, but may be hard to deploy.

 

[rufus1138]

one of my best sailing buddies has a hunter 37.5 (shaman) and uses an anchor sail, even with our 27 cherubini tall rig tied up to his rail theres almost no swing.

 

[Andreas7699]

Anchor riding sail for me. Works super. Uses it always when anchored. Bought it at www.bannerbaymarine.com where you can se a small film.

Rgds
Andreas

 

[sailor5017]

banner bay riding sail

works well for us on DS41,.. reduces swing by 70%

 

[FastOlson]

Little 'sail' with big results

We sourced an "anchor sail" from a local sailmaker/canvas shop many years ago. Works like the fletching on an arrow -- boat points right into the wind with only a few degrees movement either way. It only cost us $75. to $100. (I forget which)

(Our boat Used to sail back n forth a lot on the anchor before we added that sail.)

I will append a picture - it "sheets" tight to the end part of the boom. We bring a spinn. halyard around the mast to put upward tension on it.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Loren

 

[jsmac]

Hi Loren, would you mind sharing the dimensions of your anchor sail? Yours looks much smaller than the bannerbaymarine one and is MUCH less expensive. Also what size is your boat and does anyone think sail size vs. boat size matters?

Thanks
Scott

 

[quadrille38]

There are probably half a dozen threads on the site about this subject. Do a search and you will find more information than you could imagine. Here are some for starters. http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=155573 http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=131194 http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=126801 http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=122631 http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=122245


http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=118199

 

[Brezzin]

My Hunter 49 with its high freeboard Lots of canvas and shoal draft keel swings like a crazy drunk. My boat neighbors always had these WTF faces. For a winter project I sewed up the riding sail from Sailrite and deployed that on the topping lift with traveler centered. The results were absolutely great. swing is down to 20 degrees side to side.

 

[FastOlson]

Hi Loren, would you mind sharing the dimensions of your anchor sail? Yours looks much smaller than the bannerbaymarine one and is MUCH less expensive. Also what size is your boat and does anyone think sail size vs. boat size matters?

Thanks
Scott

IIRC, the sizing was close to the one from the Sailrite kit folks. Given that it sets way back towards the stern, it might take less area than one might intuit.

Our boat is 34' long and weighs about 11.5K in cruise mode.

Loren

 

[dilligaf]

Anchor sails work great however they must be the correct size for the current wind speed. I choose to use a full chain anchor instead of rope/chain option. Still when the tides work against the wind I will deploy an additional anchor from the stern.

 

[vtsailguy]

Are you using a bridle with twin ropes at the Bow forming a triangle before it goes into one?

 

[Kestle]

Are you using a bridle with twin ropes at the Bow forming a triangle before it goes into one?

Can you explain this idea more? I haven't run a bridle. I just use a small stern anchor to drag slowly.

Jeff

 

[Hunter voyager]

The problem is the windage on the mast and forestay infront of the centre of resistance of the hull.

See http://www.jordanseriesdrogue.com/D_14.htm

So try anchoring from the stern or add windage aft such as a riding sail.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Best thing to do if it really bothers you is to trade for a heavy full-keel yawl or ketch, and hoist the mizzen a bit while at anchor. Shannon 38 (ketch) or Bermuda 40 (yawl) would be good choices!

 

[jsmac]

Bridge to Rode Attachment

Are you using a bridle with twin ropes at the Bow forming a triangle before it goes into one?

Hi, can you explain how you attach/secure the anchor rode/chain to the bridle? That connection point is critical and since I use a chain I am not sure how best to attach it to the bridle. I am also assuming the bridle should be long enough to allow the chain and bridge attachment point to be at water level.

Thanks