Gogarty wrote:
In article ,
says...
On Thu, 20 Jul 2006 06:06:49 +0000 (UTC), wrote:
I used to say that I didn't need an electric windlass.
Then I bought a boat that has one. I LOVE this machine!
I will never not have one.
I agree.
Likewise. My back is eternally grateful. Don't know where Rosalie
anchors but we have had to reset several times in the same evening. With
the elecxtric windlass it's a breeze. With no windlass it doesn't get
done and with a manual it might get done once.
We anchor in the Chesapeake, the ICW and Bahamas. These are mostly
mud or sand with occasional rocky or scoured bottoms which we try to
avoid by going to a marina. Usually the anchorages are shallow,
unlike I understand that it is in New England, England or the NW US.
I would wonder (not to be mean, but...) about your anchoring technique
or your ability to pick a place to anchor if you have to reset several
times in one evening.
The only time I really remember that we had to reset the anchor was
once in a scoured rock bottom in Florida Bay where we stopped for
lunch and discovered a crab pot buoy blowing past us.
We might have had to reset (but did not because the wind was not
blowing hard) when we anchored where there was a lot of rock north of
Rodriguez Key. I think we had to reset on initial anchoring in St.
Augustine once, and in the Keys a couple of times in one day near
Little Palm Island. In the latter instance, we tried a couple of
places until finally a guy rowed over and told us where good holding
was.
In no instance were we pushed for time. We didn't have to rush. And
if we were re-anchoring, Bob didn't have to actually pick the anchor
up and stow it - he leaves it on a short chain. He doesn't have back
problems just working the handle back and forth. It's hard for me to
do that because I'm not as fit and my arms aren't as strong, but it's
not a problem for my back either, and I DO have back problems.
Usually Bob does the anchoring part and I do the steering part.