Using an Anchor Rider when anchoring

[Larry DeMers]

This past weekend, we had an opportunity to try using an anchoring technique that would be handy in limited swing situations, as well as in strong wind situations.

The technique uses a mushroom shaped fishermans anchor (we have a 15 lb. anchor), clipped on to ride down the anchor rode after the main anchor is set. The idea is to place the anchor down the rode, about 30-50 ft., or until it touches bottom. Tie off the bitter end and sit back and relaxe. Your boat will now swing around the mushroom anchor generally, and if wind comes up, the rider will hold the catenary near the bottom for longer before lifting due to wind pressure. What it seems to do is absorb the wind pressure pulses, leaving the main anchor unaffected.

The parts that we used are a caribbeener to attach the anchor to the main anchor rode, a locking shackle to attach the rider anchor to the caribbeener, and a 30-50 ft. rode to lower and raise the mushroom anchor with.

Try it..it'll keep that main anchor from getting pulled out in high winds.

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30



demers@sgi.com

[John MacArthur]

This past weekend, we had an opportunity to try using an anchoring technique that would be handy in limited swing situations, as well as in strong wind situations.

The technique uses a mushroom shaped fishermans anchor (we have a 15 lb. anchor), clipped on to ride down the anchor rode after the main anchor is set.

snip

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30

Good idea. It also helps a lot in tight anchoring situations and/or heavier wind to use a riding sail.



jmac@laplaza.org

[Larry DeMers]

John,

Right you are! ..and we do each and every time we anchor. It holds the bow into the winds, within perhaps 5 deg., while anchored. Just remember to take it down if you need to move at night..we forgot once and could not understand why the boat was always turning into the wind while motoring..well, duhhh?

heh..Cheers,

Larry DeMers

This past weekend, we had an opportunity to try using an anchoring technique that would be handy in limited swing situations, as well as in strong wind situations.

The technique uses a mushroom shaped fishermans anchor (we have a 15 lb. anchor), clipped on to ride down the anchor rode after the main anchor is set.

snip

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30

Good idea. It also helps a lot in tight anchoring situations and/or heavier wind to use a riding sail.

demers@sgi.com

[Jay Peters]

I've been meaning to rig a riding sail and would love tips about how other people do it; where and how you attach it & etc. Thanks.

>>>It also helps a lot in tight anchoring situations and/or heavier wind to use a riding sail.



jpeters@maine.edu

[Larry DeMers]

We rig ours on the backstay. I mounted a "flag Halyard Cleat" to the backstay, about 5 ft. up, and then use that as the base point to mount the riding sails foot to. The main sail's halyard is used to hoist the head of the riding sail, and the clew is then attached to a length of line and attached to the base of the mast, and pulled in tight.
There are variations on where to attach the sails sheet to...like to either side of the boat on a stanchion base. This kind of offset will influence the boat to stay on one side or the other of the wind, depending on which side you bring the sheet to.

A word about size here..it DOES count! We used that largest one that West marine has in their catalogs, and have never regretted it.

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30

I've been meaning to rig a riding sail and would love tips about how other people do it; where and how you attach it & etc. Thanks.

>>>It also helps a lot in tight anchoring situations and/or heavier wind to use a riding sail.

demers@sgi.com

[John MacArthur]

I've been meaning to rig a riding sail and would love tips about how other people do it; where and how you attach it & etc. Thanks.

I use a little storm jib from a Columbia 23 I once had. Just hank it on the backstay, tie it down to the backstay turnbuckle with an adjustable pennant of approx 5/16" line, and hoist it with the main halyard. I sheet it in on one of the coachroof sheet winches. I adjust the pennant so that the foot and "leach" (now forward) are approximately the same tension. In strong winds, it helps for everything to be pretty tight. Makes a world of difference. I made one for another boat from the top of a discarded working jib.



jmac@laplaza.org

[Neil Gordon]

>>..we forgot once and could not understand why the boat was always turning into the wind while motoring..<<

So, is that also a solution to the frustation of trying to get out of my slip when the (prevailing) wind is against me?

The windage of the rig always takes the bow downwind and it's nearly impossible to steer against it in reverse. But a riding sail would move the center of effort well aft, pushing the stern downwind, instead.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167



cdory28@aol.com

[Larry DeMers]

Neil,

Hey, it worked for me ;^)!

What we have done in that situation (wind against you) is to hold the bow close to the dock as you back, until the last minute, then the crew gives the bow a good shove into the wind. The boat has way on, and the rudder will have some effect. We then put her in neutral, and use the rudder to bring the nose through the wind.
Of course, when that doesn't work, there is the time honored method of just going down the fairway, and turning around, using prop walk to force the nose through.

Cheers~!

Larry DeMers

>>..we forgot once and could not understand why the boat was always turning into the wind while motoring..<<

So, is that also a solution to the frustation of trying to get out of my slip when the (prevailing) wind is against me?

The windage of the rig always takes the bow downwind and it's nearly impossible to steer against it in reverse. But a riding sail would move the center of effort well aft, pushing the stern downwind, instead.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167

demers@sgi.com

[Warren Kaplan]

>>..we forgot once and could not understand why the boat was always turning into the wind while motoring..<<

So, is that also a solution to the frustation of trying to get out of my slip when the (prevailing) wind is against me?

The windage of the rig always takes the bow downwind and it's nearly impossible to steer against it in reverse. But a riding sail would move the center of effort well aft, pushing the stern downwind, instead.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167

Neil,

I've solved my problem of backing out of my slip in a marina that has little room to maneuver. I use a slip line. I screwed a mooring ring into the slip's post near the stern on the side that I want the stern to swing to. I use a 50 ft line (CD27) and put it around the rear cleat or cockpit coaming cleat on the starboard side (in my case). I run the rest of the line thru the mooring ring and then back to the boat. Leave the line slack. I put the boat into reverse and the line pays out. If I feel the boat is turning the wrong way I take a turn around the cleat which takes out the slack. The stern is immediately pulled to starboard. Once the bow of the boat is just about at the rear posts of the slip you can tighten up the line and the stern will swing. Before that, if I feel the boat going the wrong way I just put a little tension on the slip line and it'll keep her backing straight out. Once the boat is facing in the direction you want and pointed away from neighboring boats, I put her in neutral and quickly have the crew pull in the line. Takes about 10 seconds if that. Then I put her in gear and I'm off! After a little practice you get to know how much line you'll use. I could really cleat the line off before backing out because I know already how much I need to let out before having the slip line tighten up and pull the stern to starboard. I tend not to cleat off in advance however in case there is a "joker" in the deck that day. Gives me a little more leeway to maneuver. Search the archives. We've had discussions before on slip lines or spring lines to leave a slip or dock. Works great for me!

Warren Kaplan
S/V Sine Qua Non
CD27



Setsail728@aol.com

[Neil Gordon]

>>I've solved my problem of backing out of my slip in a marina that has little room to maneuver. I use a slip line.<<

When I was on the opposite side of the dock, I had to turn the bow to port, which I could do with a spring line from either the stbd stern cleat or the stbd winch. But where I am now, the turn is to stbd. There's no dock on the port side, so no way to use a spring line. Usually, I can get a push off and get the bow swinging the right way. But in a stiff breeze, that doesn't work.

I'm gonna work on using a spring line from my port side winch to my neighbor's stbd winch. That would turn the bow the right way. He's a good sailor and won't mind me using his boat in a way that doesn't cause any damage.

By the way, we both use the other's boats in docking when there's no help on the dock and/or inexperienced crew. Sometimes it's easier to snuggle up against him to leeward rather than make a windward approach on my slip.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167



cdory28@aol.com