Preview: Anchoring a Boat, Part 3 — Creative Solutions with a Traditional Anchor

15 Responses So Far to “Anchoring a Boat, Part 3 — Creative Solutions with a Traditional Anchor”

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  Paul Briggs says:

  Like many of the comments here, my thoughts were: -there has GOT to be a better way.

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  Chris Tietjen says:

  If you had a snatch block and a simple way to fasten it to the toe rail you could redirect the halyard pull from down to up. Then you would be pulling up on both the anchor rode and the halyard at the same time eliminating all of the orangutan type stretching and reaching that you’re currently doing. You also gain the ability to use the strength of you legs to lift with.
  Wearing gloves of the type that have a rubberized palm and fingers and knitted back are very handy for anchor work. You can freely rub down various anchor parts and sections of rode faster and with safety for your skin than you can manipulate a brush on a stick. Keep a small pail handy to store the gloves when finished when mud is an issue.

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  John Wujack says:

  Recently, I’ve read multiple testimonials that a Fisherman’s anchor can be used without chain. Can someone familiar with different anchors explain to me why this can be claimed for the Fisherman, but not for most other type? Thanks in advance.

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  Richard Whiting says:

  I am a traditionalist to the max; but this anchor retrieval video left me aghast. There must have been a second anchor set to allow the time for the single handed retrieval in a fairway. What if it had been blowing say 20 knts.? Nicey nice be damned! Get the fisherman aboard any way, any how! What would Mayard say about this? I love your site and all the wonderful videos. Please do not think I am disparaging. Capt. Rick

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    David Tew says:

    Maynard shows how he uses a yachtsman anchor in a different situation in another video. Since watching both videos I’ve been using our yachtsman without chain and also found it works well here in Maine. Still, we always have another anchor on deck with chain ready to go.

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  Claas van der Linde says:

  I just revisited this video after a long time. Thank you for some thoughtful comments! There is no question that this is a special solution for a special situation. And there are situations, especially when we need to quickly get out of some really crowded or unruly place, where we wouldn’t use this technique. But let’s see:

  Procedure: I am always trying to learn and it’s huge fun to figure out on Alera how to do things better or how it would been done back when there were no engines. Since the video was made we have slightly improved our anchor procedure and now immediately pull the cotter pin and fold the stock (which cannot fall out) once the anchor is up. That way the risk of scratching the hull is lower and we can immediately put the anchor safe into its chocks once it is on deck — a safety concern that was raised in one of the comments and rightly so. The commentor also argued that he wants to be back at the helm as soon as possible. I do too. But note that Alera usually gives us almost all the time we want once the mainsail is up, because she tacks and tacks on her own when no one tends the helm. She usually goes ever so slowly upwind when on her own. So the procedure is: Raise the main and sheet in, get the anchor up and clean and stow it, coil the anchor rode, have a look around if everything is okay, then raise the jib and, quick now!, back to the tiller to sail out of the anchorage.

  Chain: We never use it for the two Herreshoff anchors we carry. And I continue to be amazed with how little scope we seem to need. That is one thing the Herreshoff anchor is really good at. But there is a somewhat unexpected downside to using the anchor without chain: Apart from risking chafe on rocks, there is a real risk of fouling the anchor with the rode when there is no wind and the tide is turning. The risk is also there when you use chain, but it seems to be smaller. One really needs to watch out with this anchor in those windless nights (or quickly put down a second one). By the way, we do have chain on board. But haven’t used it with the Herreshoff.

  Barefoot: I agree. Whenever someone steps on Alera barefoot I tell them that this might not be a good idea and that people have badly hurt themselves that way. But unlike PFDs which are usually decreed by command on our boat, the choice of barefoot or shoes is left to each crew member. And while I am aware of the risk, I have been running around barefoot on decks for some 50 years without injuries. The risk is a function of deck, weather, carefulness and luck.

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    Ben Mendlowitz says:

    Thanks for the update Claas. I agree that the Herreshoff or yachtsman style anchor sets well and holds without chain, it is what we use on our yawl and it always holds on relatively short scope. When there is mud around, most Maine anchorages, there is nothing worse than dealing with chain coated in the stuff, unless you have a powerful wash-down system installed. With our all rope rode I usually shorten up gradually before leaving, shaking and rinsing the rode as it comes aboard. Then if there is still mud on the anchor when it is up, it is left hanging to rinse as we work our way out of the harbor either by sail or power. When clean it is pulled aboard and tied down in its nest on the bow. Looking forward to seeing you and Alera around the bays and islands next summer, coming and going almost exclusively under sail alone.

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  Richard Dykiel says:

  More attention paid to cleaning than to stowing quickly and securely In a busy anchorage an/ or unfavorable conditions. Not sure I want to model myself on this. I am single handling and my concern is to secure the anchor ASAP so I can return steering the boat to a safe course.

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  Andy Reynolds says:

  All 3 of the anchoring videos are great, very instructive. I would like to see if anyone has devised a reasonably secure and simple way to anchor a small boat out for beach camping, that allows retrieval from shore. Without a swim. (The Haida people of the Queen Charlotte Islands had a great system, the women folk had the job of tethering their boats to the kelp forests, and swimming in, and back out again to retrieve! Simple, but a hard sell to the womenfolk today!) Thanks.

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    Steve Stone says:

    Hi Andy. Check out Geoff Kerr’s Basic Boat Handling for Beach Cruising. He walks you through an “outhaul” or “pullout”, which is the next best thing to having a woman, or a man, that’ll swim to and fro in water in the 50’s. Degrees that is.

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  Charles Barclay says:

  The 30’s normally carried 2 professional crew and a captain.

  Fine work! Well done.

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  George Whitehead says:

  Very interesting. I use a similar size Yachtsman on a cruising boat. My routine couldn’t be more different, but achieves the same result. Its always instructive (and great fun) to see how the other half lives.

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  Peter Marshall says:

  Great video! I noticed in this video as well as in maynards book on aida that no chain is used with the herreshoff style anchor. is this particular to this style of anchor? or a west coast east coast difference? I am used to at least 20 feet of chain to help keep the flukes down.

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  William McIntyre says:

  Well done.

  Helpful

  Thank you Claas

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    Paul Rybon says:

    Try doing all that in a chop. Or with some chain. Bare feet not cool either