Will work for beer!
It’s been a squally couple of days here in Grenada. Following Thursday afternoon’s post-volleyball happy hour, the heavens opened up in the worst rain squall we have seen to date. All the players were hunkered down at Secret Harbor Marina, waiting for the rain to pass when our friends on the catamaran Kookabura received a message that their boat was dragging. We immediately offered to head back to Hog Island with them in case they needed any help so we all rushed down to our dinghies, prepared to get wet. Although I say prepared, that is a bit of an overstatement as we were in no way ready for just how bad the weather was going to be during the dinghy ride back. The rain was blowing sideways into our faces making it almost impossible to look straight ahead. When we rounded the point, moving out of the shelter of Mt. Hartman Bay, we both actually got a bit concerned realizing just how dangerous it was to be out there in conditions like that. As it turns out, by the time we made it back to our friends’ boat, it was already secure although none too soon. Apparently three guys from neighboring boats got on board and deployed two extra anchors to hold Kookabura off the reef. It sure is nice to have friends!
No, this isn’t a pic from here. We were a bit too busy during the storm to be taking photos.
This, of course, wasn’t the only drama created by the intense squalls. Boats were dragging all over the place including our other friends Happy Times and a huge commercial ship in the middle of Clarke’s Court Bay. Let’s just say that the VHF radio was alive with drama throughout the evening. Did we drag? Well, we actually gave this some serious thought, checking our bearings on neighboring boats and the shoreline. If anything, the storm may have just buried our anchor deeper into the mud. I bet it’ll be fun trying to get it out when it comes time to leave.
Yesterday wasn’t anywhere near as bad weather wise although the morning did start out looking a bit ugly. For this reason, we spent most of the day on board ZTC doing laundry with all the fresh rain water we collected and working on our websites. Since we’ve been here in Grenada I’ve had at least three people trying to enlist my services to help them with their websites/blogs. Perhaps I should hang a sign out that says “Will work for beer!”
Rebecca has been working on her own new project, trying her hand at a bit of video editing. Check out her latest production and if you enjoy it, please show her some love by sharing the link to your friends.
My anchor will be a Manson Supreme!
That, or a Rocna as we have, would still be my choice too. I would also get it at least 1 size bigger than recommended for your boat (if I had to do it all over again, I would get even one size bigger than we currently have) PLUS have at least 100 feet of appropriately sized chain.
Mike, do you have any thoughts on using high-tensile steel cable (i.e. construction crane hoist cable) for all but the final 20 feet or so, and using the weight savings to fit a heavier anchor?
I know this setup would call for a big powered reel winch instead of a standard windlass, so it’s not a simple conversion. But I’ve seen quite a few commercial craft outfitted this way lately. They seem to think that the weight is put to better use in the anchor than in the rode. Have you seen any cruisers with such a setup?
I have yet seen any cruising boats rigged as such.
My initial thoughts are that I’m not sure the assumption that putting all the weight into a heavier anchor is always going to be the right choice. Heavy chain acts as a big buffer for the anchor, keeping the pull on it to the ideal shallow anchor. Cable, like nylon rode, would allow for a more upwards pull, possibly dislodging even a larger anchor.
Plus, if that dedicated winch were to fail, I’m not so sure how your would go about retrieving the anchor. Chain or line can always be brought in by hand but cable, not so easily. Just my initial thoughts.
Didn’t know you were that cheap!
Glad we are safely on the hard in Trinidad.
Before you say that, you should ask how much beer I can drink!
Hmm!
Having second thoughts about it. It might be expensive.
Exactly.
Do you know if those who dragged had old style anchors? Or if they simply only had 3:1 scope? This is always a doubt to me as I have dragged with old anchors, and new (Rocna) but always my fault with too little scope.
If you look at the Rocna site, there are recommendations for rope versus chain and the significance of the heavy anchor rather than the heavy chain (that we all used to believe in.).
Mike
No idea Mike. There are still a lot of people using CQRs, and also others who don’t know how to anchor. Our friends on Kookabura are in neither category. They had moved earlier that day so the anchor probably just didn’t have a chance to settle enough. FYI, even Coral with her 400 lb. anchor dragged a bit in those winds!
Rocna is saying that it is better to have a bigger anchor and less chain? Not that I am disputing it but it is in their financial interest to say something like that.