Scott Vernon wrote:
"Jim Cate" wrote


"...You've badly grounded your boat. You just left for
a 4 week cruise and now her wing keel has settled atop a group of rocks
at high tide, WHICH YOU THOUOGHT YOU'D BE CLEAR OF. At the top of every
swell, the keel grinds and as the tide slacks (soon!) you know things
could get worse.. . ."

Obviously the guy wouldn't conclude he had anchored the boat
successfully if the boat was grinding against the bottom. Obviously the
water level, or the swing,or the chop, etc., changed after the anchoring
process, resulting in the unexpected grounding.


Anchor? What anchor? Was anchoring mentioned in the question. Jimbo,
remember what your 10th grade teacher would tell you when he gave you a
test? - Remember to READ THE QUESTION first .

Scotty


How did the boat SETTLE down on a group of rocks? Whether or not the
boat was anchored (and if the boat SETTLED on a group of rocks and was
then grounded, he was probably either anchored or drifting around), the
Mac would provide several advantages for getting out of the situation.

In any case, here are a few of the Mac's advantages in such a situation.
A. The dagger board can be lifted and it can be motored away from the
rocks in only 2 feet of water. If there is still a few feet of
displacement, the boat can still sail. B. Because it isn't fixed in an
extended position, the dagger board automatically rises in its trunk or
housing if the boat settles down on the bottom. - It's free to move
upwardly within its housing, minimizing the probability of serious
damage before the skipper can get away from the area. C. The boat is
sufficiently light that even if the board merely brushes against the
bottom, contact by the board with the bottom would result in an audible
sound within the cabin, giving advance warning of the problem and
providing more time for evasive action. In a heavy fixed keel boat,
being more insulated and with a keel that usually doesn't project
upwardly within the boat, the "grinding" noise would be insulated and
muffled and would not be heard as quickly (wouldn't be noticeable until
it became severe, too late for easy maneuvering). D. The Mac, with it's
shallow draft, can be anchored conveniently in shallow waters with
relatively little anchor line, if it were desired to steady the boat in
a current or winch it away from the rocks. By contrast, a displacement
boat with fixed keel would require far more anchor rode, assuming a 7-10
scope, and is not conveniently anchored in such emergency circumstances.
E. With its shallow draft and its relatively light displacement, in
an emergency, in some conditions in relatively shallow water, a crew
member can jump into the water and help move the boat in the desired
direction. If near a sandy shore, the boat can be beached. F. In deeper
water, because of the 50 hp motor, on a relatively lightweight boat,
there is adequate power relative to the weight of the boat to provide
considerable maneuvering capability for getting through chop and into
deeper water.

The point isn't that all of the above solutions would be practicable in
every circumstance; the point is that there are a number of
possibilities with the Mac that wouldn't be available with a heavy
displacement boat that was foundering on the bottom. (Once more, NOT
ALL THE ABOVE would be feasible in every circumstance. - The most
probable solution would be to raise the board a foot or so and motor away.)

Jim