It’s 1:00 am in the morning. Tornados have been seen ten miles away. There is a two knot current. The wind is gusting to fifty knots across the current. Boats are dragging onto the reef.
What are you anchored with?
Tag: anchoring
Gear Review: Mantus Chain Hook
Cruising is a strange word when applied to living aboard a sailboat. From my limited experience, most of the time (especially with kids) is spent in the same place. Perhaps a better name would be “anchoring”.
If you are using a chain rode, a critical part of a successful anchoring is to use a snubber. This is some kind of line that stretches that can take brief shock loads as your boat twists around at anchor. A couple of interesting articles in Practical Sailor gave some insight into the shock loads that a snubber system must absorb. Most cruisers anchor-ers opt for three strand nylon as a snubber. It’s affordable and effective.
But how to attach it.
How to Stop Rolling When Anchored
On of the most annoying things I find when anchored or moored is when the wind and swell are at ninety degrees to each other. We had this a few times in the BVI. What happens is that the wind causes your boat to lie broad on to the swell and waves and as they come in you end up rolling really badly. The boys liked it down below, with the right timing they could turn themselves into small human projectiles from one side of the 11′ salon to the other.
Not so good for drinking coffee though.
Sailing With Kids 