"Capt. JG" wrote in message
ons...
It's typical for us to practice anchoring when I'm teaching on my boat and
when I teach in other programs. It's pretty simple stuff, but many
students are a bit freaked out by it. Perhaps they've read accounts of
dragging or they can't fathom how a small anchor can hold a big boat.
Whatever. Those notions are pretty easy to dispel after I explain it and
we try it.

Even anchoring while single-handing is pretty straight-forward. I have a
remote for my auto-helm, which makes it even more simple, since I can
control the glide direction. (I don't have throttle control on the remote,
which would be an expensive proposition, and not something I'm interested
in anyway.) Basically, as the boat drifts forward in neutral, I walk to
the bow, and when the boat stops forward movement, I deploy the anchor. I
let it out fairly quickly until it touches, then I pay it out, snub, pay
it out again until I have the proper scope. If there is any decent wind or
current, I don't bother with any engine to set the hook.

Retrieving the hook single-handed is a bit more tricky, especially if the
wind is up. Since it's not possible to pull an 8,000 lbs boat up wind,
timing and engine speed have to be near perfect. As the boat comes up to
above the anchor, my timing has to be dead on. I need to get the anchor
off (or mostly off) the bottom before the wind catches the bow. If the
boat is moving too fast, then I likely won't be able to get the anchor off
the bottom, and it'll be behind the bow, under the boat. If the boat
drifts off to one side, I can snub the anchor very short, but it may not
be short enough to be off the bottom. If it is, of course, then I can get
the boat back under control in slightly deeper water, then go forward to
finish the job. If the rode still allows the anchor to sit on the bottom,
then there's a problem.

One thing I've thought of doing would be to move where I've cleated the
rode at the bow to a stern cleat. This would give me the ability to have
more precise throttle control. It would mean possibly backing with all the
inherent problem associated (e.g., maneuvering with prop walk, prop
fouling by the rode), while I pull on the rode.

I'd be interested to hear if someone has an interesting solution or
suggestion.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

Firstly about dropping anchor. I do not like your method of drifting forward
in neutral until the boat stops because this method does not allow you to
drop precisely where you want to, even if you are able to do it while head
to wind. Why not select your spot and stop the boat in reverse on arrival
and then just give her a little astern motion while you drop?
Your method seems likely to allow the rode to pile up on top of th anchor
and may cause a foulup. If you are going slowly astern while you drop you
avoid this and then when scope is roughly right give a harder kick astern to
dig the anchor in. then when she is settled and swung to the anchor you can
fine tune the amount of rode you have out.
Now, to retrieve it single handed I do not agree that one cannot pull an
8000 lb boat up by hand , unless of course there is a strong wind. My boat
weighs 16000lbs and in light winds I can pull her up to the anchor by
sitting on the foredeck with my feet braced into the anchor well and haul
her up till the rode is vertical or nearly so. Of course it is not a 'hand
over hand' job. You give a strong heave and give her time to respond before
you heave again. If there is too much wind give her a kick ahead with the
engine and get back up there fast to recover some more rode. Repeat as
necessary until the rode is vertical.
My anchor weighs 35 lbs and the chain part of he rode probably about
another 40, so if it is well dug in there is no way one can just pull it up.
I make fast the vertical rode and give her a good kick ahead to free the
anchor, then stop the boat again and go forward and pull it up. My anchor
does not come aboard-it stows onto the roller so getting it up and securing
it does not take long.
I do not like the idea of moving the boat with the anchor dangling but if
circumstances demanded immediate movement as soon as the anchor came free I
would go astern as my boat is extremely manoeverable in reverse and there is
no chance of the anchor swinging back under the boat and.causing a foulup.
If you were on a lee shore where going stern is not an option I would go
dead slow ahead with autopilot engaged and concentrate on getting the anchor
up as fast as possible.
Hand winches are so slow that unless you have a very big boat they only
complicate the above procedure. An electric winch makes everything simpler
on deck, at the cost of more mechanical and electrical complication below
decks, plus considerable financial cost, of course.