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