There are various techniques: First, you cold just continue on under autopilot. Or,
there is a technique called "heaving to" where the boat is stalled - overtrim the jib
which makes it turn away from the wind, but put the helm down, which makes it turn into
the wind. Some vessels can hold this indefinitely. A third method is a sea anchor,
essentially a parachute that can be deployed to hold the bow into the wind and minimize
drift.

Also, some larger ships (research, drilling, salvage, etc) have thrusters that can hold
them stationary, to within a few feet.



"Lady Pilot" wrote in message
news:BXMvb.24412$yJ.7360@okepread02...
I was just wondering, from reading Bobsprit's posts on mooring his wife's
sailboat to cook dinner; how you would anchor or moor your sailboat in the
Marianas Trench? That would take over ~36,000 feet of chain. Where would
you store that much chain along with the anchor? I'm worried that if
Bobsprit didn't have enough chain to anchor, he might starve to death.
Heheheee.

LP