Wilbur, neither monohull nor multihull sailors have a monopoly on either
good or bad anchoring practices. However, to claim that all catamaran
sailors anchor as you describe is absurd.

But your lack of knowledge of the effectiveness of a bridle on a multihull
really shows that you will speak to something you know nothing about. A
multihull lying on a bridle just doesn't sail about the anchor. As Jeff
says, with a bridle the pivot point may be 15 feet in front of the bows. The
roller you suggest may be one to two feet back from the bows. Big
difference.

The first time I moored --as opposed to anchored--our cat, I did so as you
recommend. This was suggested by the fellow I had just bought the boat from,
strangely because he recommended a bridle at anchor. Regardless, when the
wind piped up, I thought the boat was going to yank out the mooring before I
could rig a bridle. Once the bridle was rigged, she rode steady as a rock.

"Wilbur Hubbard" wrote in message
news:48b1c72b$0$33696, ...
Now that the resident catamaran crazy, Jeff, has returned from his
so-called voyage perhaps it would be an opportune time to make an
observation or two about something I have seen all catamaran people do in
the past couple of years.

I call it the bridle two-step. I'm sure you have watched the show yourself
if you cruise. Here comes a catamaran into the anchorage. Of course,
they've simply GOT to get upwind of everybody and into the skinniest water
possible. With much ado and clanking and clattering of chain they let go
the bower. This might or might not involve a crew member on the foredeck
undogging the chain stop pawl. At any rate the anchor drops, the chain
runs out, never mind that the boat is still making headway, so the chain
runs out toward the stern of the boat then as the boat stops it piles up
on top of itself right under the bow roller in a heap. Then as the boat
begins to make sternway the pile of chain unravels itself and slows the
boat to a stop without ever having the anchor itself backed down upon.

If this isn't bad enough we must then witness the bridle two-step. This is
where a crew person leans over the bow roller and attaches a chain hook
from a farm or logging supply store to the chain. This chain hook is
generally eye-spliced to two nylon lines the bitter ends of which are made
fast to the bows of the hulls. Then with some shouting and more clatter
extra chain is let out until a strain is placed upon the nylon lines.

The purpose of all this is supposed to be to keep the catamaran from
sailing around so much on the anchor. But, it is a wasted effort because
all one must do is look at the physics of the situation. With the bridle
one can envision a 'Y" with the chain hook at the junction of the arms.
This chain hook allows the chain to pivot the same amount as would be the
case if the chain were simply snubbed off at the centrally located bow
roller. So the use of the bridle turns out to be just another monkey see,
monkey do affair.

The other reason a bridle is used is it's supposed to keep the snatching
effect of an all chain rode from adversely wearing the bow roller or
bothering a sleeping crew with abrupt motion. But, whatever happened the
concept of cantenary? The bight of the cantenary is what's supposed to
cushion the snatching effect. But, the problem is catamaran operators
usually anchor in water that is dangerously shallow and they usually pay
out only about a boat length of chain at the most. So, of course it
snatches. This should indicate to them that they need more rode, more
cantenary and more depth in which to anchor. But, noooo. They'd rather do
the bridle two-step.
They just HAVE to anchor in too shallow water because it is one of the
main reasons they got the stupid thing in the first place - to go in
shallow water and to anchor in shallow water. But, it turns out anchoring
in shallow water has no advantages. Duh!

But, you can't teach a dufus anything.

Wilbur Hubbard