Blake’s Tech Talk: Anchoring

I want to start this with gratitude to Kelly “Boy” Waterhouse, who taught me the importance of having a well-designed, well-functioning approach to anchoring. His knowledge and experience on this matter has helped Diana and I to voyage safely and confidently. Kelly and, his wife, Kelly, circumnavigated the world aboard their 35-foot sailboat, Moorea, and have been our mentors since we started our journey in 2016. If curious, you can read about their adventures in Kelly Girl’s books, “Sailing the Waterhouse: Swapping Turf for Surf,” and “Sailing the Waterhouse: South Until the Butter Melts.”

After we bought Josephine in early 2016, I couldn’t wait to dive into all the boat projects. I was making plans for completely rewiring the boat’s electrical system, buying an expensive new electric autopilot, adding an extra freezer, new fancy chart plotters and radar units. I was looking at pricey wind generators and an expanded array of flexible solar panels. My list was getting bigger and bigger and my ideas were outgrowing our budget very quickly. After talking with Kelly Boy and laying out my grand scheme of adding expensive gadgets, I could tell he had his doubts. He suggested that I read some of the books written by Lin and Larry Pardey: “The Cost Conscious Cruiser” and “The Capable Cruiser” were two of his top suggestions. Kelly Boy shared his knowledge on anchor chain, windlass types and different anchor styles. He advised I needed to focus my attention on the second most used item on the boat, the anchor, before getting lost down a rabbit hole of expensive luxury upgrades.

It was late afternoon and Diana and I had Just completed a wonderful 160 nautical mile sail from Bimini to Highborne Cay in the Exumas. We had calm weather the whole way with following winds and seas so we were able to fly our large light wind spinnaker both days on the passage. We had calm weather the whole way with following winds and seas so we were able to fly our large, light wind spinnaker both days on the passage. Just about an hour before we arrived at Highborne Cay, the winds had quit almost completely and we ended up motoring the last few miles in flat seas and dropped the anchor just about 150 yards off the beautiful, rocky shoreline of Highborne Cay.

We were anchored in about 12 feet of water so I let out approximately 60 feet of chain, tied on the snubber and let out about another 10 feet. After the anchor was down, I jumped in with my mask and fins to check the anchor and make sure we didn’t snag a coral head or rock, and to verify it was dug in. I felt good about it, so I climbed back in the boat without a worry in the world. I cracked open a cold beer in celebration, set down to relax in the cockpit, and scrolled through my Facebook and Instagram feed. Never once did I think to check the weather. Why would I? The last 2 days had been glorious; sunny, calm winds and seas with beautiful bright blue skies.

I was awoken just after midnight from the sound of a light rain and coming down. I sprang to my feet to hurry and close up all the hatches and portlights. I noticed the wind was starting to pick up, gradually at first, and the next thing I know, I can feel Josephine riding up and down the waves inside the anchorage. The motion down below in our bunk is becoming nauseating. The bulkheads inside the boat are starting to creek and make noise as the boat bucks up and down with each wave. Diana and I are both awake at this point and I get out of bed and put on some clothes, shoes and strap on a headlamp. Up on deck I quickly realized the winds were coming out of the west and increasing. This was bad. Josephine was pinned on a lee shore, with no protection from the building wind and breaking waves.

A lee shore is a sailor’s worst nightmare. It refers to the boat’s position from land in relation to the wind or current (see professionally illustrated diagram).

A lee shore is dangerous because if your boat loses its maneuverability, it could drift onto shore and that shoreline may have another vessel or structure on or near it, like a pier or a home. In our case, it was sharp, jagged rock. A few things that will cause a boat to lose its ability to steer or maintain its position would be:

· Loss of steering: broken steering cables, broken rudder

· Loss of engine power or engine failure

· Loss of sailing momentum: sailing in the “no sail zone”

· Failure to recognize strong current

· Dragging anchor

Around 1:00am the winds increased to around 18-20 knots from the west. For all you land lubbers, that’s about 23 mph. I remembered that when we first dropped anchor, I had only let out about 60 feet of chain, and that was a problem. I knew I needed to let out more scope. I carefully made my way forward to the bow of the boat, opened the anchor lid and hauled in a few feet of chain to take the pressure off the snubber line. I un-cleated the snubber and then released the clutch of the windlass and started to let out more chain. The chain ran out so fast that I nearly lost a finger. I tried to slow down the chain by tightening up on the gypsy clutch but I didn’t do it fast enough and the snubber had become taught in my hand. I don’t know the exact amount of load that is on an anchor snubber line, but I can tell you it was a shit ton.

A lot is going on at the this point on the bow: The boat is riding up 3 to 4 feet and then crashing down sending waves over the bow, soaking me completely. My hands and fingers are getting burned from the friction on the anchor snubber. I somehow managed to get enough slack on the snubber and take a few turns around the strong bow cleat. The snubber was long enough to where I was able to let out another 20 feet of chain. During this mayhem at the bow, I accidently let the chafe guard slip down the anchor line and disappear into the water.

I headed back to the cockpit, and made my way down below and tried to go back to sleep. This turned out to be impossible. It was so uncomfortable in our bed that we decided to take some sleeping bags up to the cockpit. We laid there a while just watching the boat’s position on our GPS to make sure we weren’t dragging anchor. Although we hardly slept, we were fortunate that our anchor held strong.

The thought of our boat dragging onto a rocky shore or reef in the middle of the night is just terrifying. The subject of anchoring is the single most important skill every boater needs to learn, and learn well, to be a successful voyager. While this entire situation could have been avoided if we would have checked the weather, it could have been worse if we would have not prioritized anchoring in our preparation for this journey.

The article I have written is just my opinion and may not be suitable for everyone and everyone’s boat, but it has worked for us. I encourage anyone who is planning on anchoring a boat or who is currently depending on their boat’s anchor for safety, to read all they can about the subject and familiarize yourself with all the tools at hand to be successful.

Anchor Type

We chose a 45 lb. Manson Supreme anchor. Our boat weighs about 20,000 lbs fully loaded, so a 45 lb anchor has worked well for us. We checked with the manufacture recommendations for size and then chose one size bigger. When it comes to anchors, there is no anchor too big, unless or course it doesn’t fit safely in your bow roller. The Manson Supreme is a solid welded unit, unlike other styles, which are assembled with bolts. I’ve seen too many bolts shear off or nuts back off and it’s something I would prefer not to worry about.

There are a ton of opinions on different types of anchors and you can drive yourself crazy listening to all of them. There has been extensive testing on many different models and John Harries at Attainable Adventure Cruising (AAC) has reviewed them and strongly recommends the SPADE anchor. If the budget allowed, that is the anchor we would have aboard Josephine. You can check out John’s reviews by visiting www.morganscloud.com. For a nominal fee, you can become member and have access to a huge archive of useful online articles on every subject you can think of. He doesn’t just talk the talk, he and his wife Phyllis have extensive knowledge with years of ocean passages and experience to back it up.

Rode/Chain Mix or All Chain?

This question is a no-brainer. Fill your anchor locker with at least 250 feet of all chain rode. We have 300 feet of USA made, G4 High Test anchor chain aboard Josephine. Yes, it is expensive and yes, it is heavy, but in my opinion, it is 100 percent worth it. We have 5/16” chain on Josephine which weighs 1 lb. per foot. When the wind pipes up, you’ll sleep much better knowing that you have a heavy amount of scope laid out on the ocean floor to keep the anchor dug in. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just the weight of the anchor that saves your boat, it’s the weight of the chain as well that keeps the anchor shank down and at the correct angle.

When buying chain, be sure that it is made in the U.S.A. with a stamp on the packaging, “Made in the U.S.A.” Don’t buy any chain made with the more affordable Chinese steel because there is a high probability of failure, in terms of breakage. This is no time to shop around for chain on the clearance rack, remember it’s your insurance policy.

At the end of our anchor chain, we have about 25-feet of 3- strand spliced onto the chain and then secured to the bulkhead of the boat. In the event that the windlass fails, the bitter end of the anchor rode is fastened securely to the boat. In case of emergency, this allows us the opportunity to cut the nylon line if we needed to “slip the anchor.”

Windlass Type

I don’t have much of an opinion on weather or not you should go with an electric or manual windlass, as long as you have one and it works. I would say stick with what your boat came with, if it has an electric windlass and its wired correctly, then use that or upgrade the existing windlass. If it’s a manual windlass then just get ready to put in the work when the anchor needs to be hauled in. Just think, you won’t need a gym membership with a manual windlass.

We have a Lofrans manual windlass aboard and it works well for us. Yes, there are times when I see our other cruising friends standing on the bow with their foot on a button, watching the anchor chain roll effortlessly up onto the bow roller, and feel a tweak of envy. Diana and I are both physically capable and the manual windlass has not failed us. I have to remind myself that cruising on sailboats is a compromise and I can’t eat my cake and have it too.

Snubber and Chafe Proof

Always, always, always rig up an anchor snubber. A If you don’t know, an anchor snubber is a length of line, preferably 3- strand nylon, about 30 to 40 feet in length, that is attached to the anchor chain and then secured to a strong attachment point at the bow of the boat, usually a capstan, a large cleat or the frame of the windlass itself. Its job is to act as a shock absorber for the anchor chain. When installed correctly, it takes the load off the windlass and also stops the chain from rattling and banging on the bow roller. Aboard Josephine, we use a 5/8” 3-strand line which matches closely to the breaking strength of our chain.

You can get really fancy with snubbers and buy pre-made bridals with chafe protection already installed and expensive metal hooks that attach the snubber to the chain. But I take a simple approach to the subject. Learn how to tie a rolling hitch or snubber knot and attach the 3-strand directly onto the anchor chain. We bought chafe gear that can Velcro over the snubber line where it makes contact with the bow roller at www.chafepro.com. The approximate cost for a simple snubber and chafe gear is about fifty bucks. The cost of replacing a damaged windlass could be twenty-five hundred dollars or even more.

Shackle and Swivel

When attaching the anchor chain to the anchor, we use a shackle only with no swivel. From my perspective, installing a swivel is just adding another potential failure point, and it’s just not worth it. I know what you’re thinking, “But what about when the anchor comes up and it’s turned around backwards?” When that happens, I just lower the anchor back into the water a few feet and then crank it back in. Nine times out of ten, the anchor orientation will correct itself. For the shackle, make sure it is the largest shackle that will fit in both the chain and the anchor slot. Orient the shackle so that the straight pin goes through the chain portion and the curved end, rests against the slot in the anchor shank.

This is also not a time to try and find a shackle on clearance. It doesn’t make sense to buy a $700 anchor, $1000 worth of chain and then connect it with a nine-dollar shackle from Home Depot. We invested in a Crosby brand, marine-grade shackle. It will have the brand, size and WLL (Working Load Limit) stamped onto the shackle body. Also don’t forget to use stainless steel seizing wire to lock the screw pin in place. Trust me, you’ll sleep much better knowing the anchor won’t break loose from the chain during the night.

Marking The Chain

Having your chain marked is a very important safety factor. Every sailor needs to be able to know exactly how much chain they have out. We took Larry Pardey’s advice, from one of his books, and sewed small lengths of white webbing onto the chain links at designated lengths. At the tips of the webbing, I melted on a small bit of red heat shrink to give them a little extra glow at night. Our system design is as follows:

· At 50 feet we sewed on 1 small length of webbing

· At 100 feet we sewed on 2 small lengths of webbing

· At 150 Feet we sewed on 3 small lengths of webbing

· At 200 Feet we sewed on 2 small lengths of webbing

· At 250 Feet we sewed on 1 small length of webbing

The webbing is easy to see, its durable and doesn’t break off when it goes through the gypsy, the mechanism the chain rests in as you wind it in. Marking the chain every 50 feet makes it easy to do the math, even for me! If we need to rotate our anchor chain and swap it “end for end”, then the chain is already marked and we don’t have to remark it.

Another marking method is using a color chart and spray paint a small section of chain that coordinates to a certain length. This works well for a while, but it doesn’t take too long for the chain links to rub together and chip off all the paint. Its an ongoing battle to keep up with the spray painting. Another way sailors mark their chain is with colored plastic zip ties. Usually, the plastic zip ties break off when the chain goes in or out of the windlass gypsy, only to be lost overboard in an already plastic infested ocean. We can do better than that!

Our Anchoring Process

So now that we know all the right ground tackle to have onboard, lets walk through the process that we use and what works for us. For this situation, let’s say the wind is blowing 15 knots and we are just coming into the anchorage, which has plenty of room to pick out a spot to drop the anchor without crowding any other boats.

The first thing that Diana and I do, is to get our wireless headsets on. I am on the bow of the boat controlling the windlass and Diana is at the helm. We find it much easier to talk to each other without yelling over the engine and wind noise; not to mention how stylish they are. Not all sailors use headsets. They might be fine with yelling loud or maybe they have some sort of hand signals worked out. Remember hand signals aren’t always visible at night or in fog and, if you have a manual windlass, you are often using both hands. Whichever you decide, a clear communication system is necessary.

Next is to decide where to anchor. We usually try and look at the chart before entering the anchorage to give us an idea of where we want to try and anchor. We begin by studying the chart in advance to have a general idea of the layout of the anchorage in terms of depths and wind protection. In addition, many of the charts will tell you the type of holding, like if it’s good, fair, or poor; you may also see descriptions like sandy, grassy, or rocky. We also use our eyes. If we are one of the first boats in the anchorage then it’s nice to get the prime real estate spot, sandy and closest to shore. If we need to make a few passes through the anchorage then we do. We will go slow, making sure we pass to the stern of other boats or well in front of their anchor.

Once we have our spot picked out, we approach very slowly with the bow directly into the wind. I usually release the anchor and let it hang just a few inches in the water. This helps me know when the boat has come to a stop and has no forward motion. When the bow of the boat is approximately 15 to 20 yards in front of where we want to drop the anchor, I will let Diana know to put the transmission in neutral. As part of our communication process, when I give a directive, she repeats it back to me, so that I know she had heard me. I try and judge the distance so the boat comes to a stop just where we want the anchor to land. If we come up short, I will have Diana go into forward gear. If we pass over our designated spot, I will just wait until the boat drifts back over the spot we chose. Remember to be patient with the process and each other. The quickest way to kill the joy of getting to a new destination is to have to re-anchor five times. Ask me how I know!

Once the boat has no forward motion and we are in position to drop the anchor; I will release the windlass clutch and let the anchor fall to the bottom. I will then let Diana know that the anchor is down. I try and control the speed of the anchor drop to where it doesn’t just free fall super-fast, but so it falls fast enough to land on the spot we picked out. I then ask Diana the water depth. The scope or amount of chain we let out in relation to the depth is extremely important. I like 7:1 ratio, but if we are expecting stronger winds (25 knots and higher) and we have the room in the anchorage, I will let out 10:1. For example: if the water depth is 10 feet and the height of the bow roller is 4 feet, for a total of 14 feet, then 14 times 7 equals 98. I would round this up to 100 feet. So now we know we need to let out 100 feet of chain. If the anchorage is really crowded then I will sometimes do a 5:1 ratio. If we don’t feel comfortable, then we would move anchorages or locations where we have room to let out enough scope.

So now the boat has stopped forward motion, the anchor is sitting on the ocean floor, and we know how much scope we need to let out. The boat is eventually going to start drifting backwards with the wind. I will control the speed of the chain to match the boat speed. I don’t want any pressure on the anchor just yet. The bow of the boat will sometimes fall off to port or starboard. Let the boat do what it wants to do. The tendency for most people is to try and correct the boats motion to force the boat to back straight down by using the engine and rudder, when the bow falls off to the left or right. Don’t bother.

The main thing is to get the required amount of anchor chain laid out on the seafloor before any pressure is applied to the anchor. Most anchors set faster and more efficient when there is a gradual pressure applied. DO NOT try and drag the anchor in reverse at high-speed thinking the anchor will set deeper. It will not. We have witnessed several chartered catamarans do this and snag other’s anchor lines in the process.

Once 100 feet of chain is out and, on the bottom, I tighten up on the gypsy. The chain will become taught and the bow of the boat will straighten out and point directly into the wind. At this point I will let the boat settle in and usually I will feel Josephine the boat come to a stop. That means the anchor has just started to dig in. Now its time to put on the 5/8” nylon 3-strand snubber line. I tie on a rolling hitch and let out about 12 feet. I tie the bitter end around a strong bow cleat and secure the line. I wait just a bit until the bow is straight and aligned with the wind before asking. I ask Diana to go into reverse. We don’t apply any throttle or increase the engine RPMs just yet.

With reverse engaged at idle speed, Diana watches the GPS and the boat speed. Usually, the boat speed will bounce around between .1 to .3 knots for a short period of time and then stay steady at 0 knots. When this happens Diana will slowly increase the engine RPMs. She will first start off at 1,000 RPMs, then slowly increasing to about 2,200. For our engine, 2,200 RPMs, is just over 75% load. Diana will apply this pressure for about 30 seconds and watch the GPS and boat speed. When it stays consistently at 0 knots (or a black dot on the plotter), we know the anchor is set and dug in.

After we feel confident the anchor is set, I recheck the snubber line at the bow, making sure the chafe gear is still in place and the lead is fair. Many times, just after a boat has dropped their anchor, I see the crew jump into the dinghy and go straight to shore to catch the latest deals at happy hour. I tend to wait around for at least a half hour just to make sure the boat isn’t drifting backwards. You don’t want to be three Rum Punches deep and then hailed on the radio only to find out your boat is dragging through the anchorage. If your chart plotter or GPS has an anchor alarm, I would suggest getting familiar with how to use it. We use the anchor alarm on our AIS unit and on our iPad using Navionics.

Key Take-Aways:

1. Anchoring is the number two most used item on the boat; number one is the head (toilet).

2. On that note, opinions are like assholes, everyone’s got one. Do your own research from credible sources.

3. Choose best quality over best price. Don’t get caught up in trends or clearance deals.

4. Practice anchoring in all conditions. Practice at night. Practice in high winds. Practice in the rain.

5. Anchoring is prime real estate for arguments; get a communication system in place that works.

6. Anchoring is your insurance policy.