+- Tiara Yacht Owners Forum (https://www.tiaraownersclub.com/forum)
+-- Forum: General Discussion Forum (https://www.tiaraownersclub.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=3)
+--- Forum: General Boating Discussion (https://www.tiaraownersclub.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=9)
+--- Thread: Anchoring 101 (/showthread.php?tid=320)
Anchoring 101 - Chris Burkard - 02-25-2013
I thought I would put out some information on Anchoring as it is one of the most important aspects of boating and is one of the least talked about.
Knowing how to anchor your vessel properly and safely is something that should not be taken for granted and should be practiced regularly by novice boaters. Anchoring can be used for recreation as well as used in emergency situations. If done inproperly, it can be dangerous.
Novice boaters should never anchor in adverse conditions unless it is an absolute emergency where the vessel has lost power and drifting free puts the vessel in a dangerous situation either by capsizing or by drifting into reefs, obstacles, shore or grounding.
The rule of thumb for anchoring in normal conditions is to take the depth of the water from the waterline and add the distance from the anchor roller to the water line. Take this figure and multiply by 6. This gives you the amount of anchor rode needed to pay out to safely anchor in normal conditions (< 15 knots of wind, seas < 2.5' and water current < 5 knots). Many conditions can affect the multiply by # including but not limited to: Size of vessel and anchor, length of chain and weather conditions. Most newer Tiaras with windlasses have the rode color coded so you know how much anchor rode you have paid out.
Anchoring - Once you have determined where you want to be when anchored and how much rode you have to pay out, put your vessel in neutral and see what direction you are going to drift (usually with the wind or current, which ever is stronger). Run your vessel in the opposite direction of your drift past your final destination by the amount of line you will have to pay out plus 20%. Drop your anchor at that point and pay out line while you drift back (in neutral). When you have reached the amount of line needed to anchor at your given depth, stop paying out line. The anchor line should begin to become snug and the vessel should begin to stop drifting backward. If you are happy with the location, tie the anchor line off on the center windlass cleat or bow cleat if you do not have a center windlass cleat. Return to the helm and put the vessel in reverse (idle only) until the vessel stops moving rearward. Return your engines to neutral. You have now set your anchor. Never set the anchor without the line being tied off to a cleat. You can easily damage the windlass by doing this. Also never use the windlass to pull the boat forward. The windlass was designed to handle the weight of the anchor, chain, water resistance and bottom structure resistance, it was not designed to pull the entire weight of your vessel. You should check often that you are secure in your position and not dragging the anchor, especially when you are anchored in tight quarters, near a reef or near shore. It only takes a few seconds of dragging the anchor to put you in a dangerous situation. Some GPS units have an anchor drag feature that can alert you if the boat moves outside a predetermined area. If you have this feature, use it.
When it is time to go, follow these steps to safely bring your anchor back up. First untie your anchor line from the windlass cleat or bow cleat. Use the engines to bump the vessel forward as you retrieve the line. Never use the windlass to pull the boat forward. Be careful not to run forward over your anchor line or you could foul the line into your props and put yourself in a very dangerous situation. Once you are directly over the anchor, the anchor should break free from the bottom and you should be able to pull the anchor up into the bow roller. If for some reason the anchor gets stuck, you may have to let out 10 or 20' of slack, tie off the line to the cleat again and pull forward (idle only) at a angle (not direcly over) to pull the anchor free. Once free, until the line and pull the anchor up into the roller. Go very slow for the last several feel so as not to swing the anchor into the boat damaging the hull finish. If your anchor gets completely stuck and will not come loose, you may have to cut the anchor line in order to free the vessel. This does not happen often, but it can happen. Make sure you have the proper equipment to cut the line or chain if necessary. Never try and power the anchor free with the engines. This can lead to dangerous situations which can lead to serious injury or death.
There are many other anchoring situations which require specialized skills. If you have questions, call or e-mail me. cburkard@burkardyachts.com
Sincerely,