Cruising at anchor

[Roy & Dixie]

Monday we departed Daytona for a short 2 day cruise down the ICW to the south tip of Merritt Island, then back north up the Banana River, with a return through the Canaveral barge canal to the ICW north back to Daytona. The forecast called for a passing cold front with 20-40 percent chance of rain. As we reached the south tip of Merritt Isl. the forecast called for strong winds reaching gale force out of the N to NE. We anchored on the SE side of the Eaugallie causeway in 9 ft. The storm hit about 0200hr with the 35-40 K winds. By morning waves could be seen crashing against the north side of the causeway and sending water 20 ft into the air. We had only a light chop developed by the winds anchored close to the causeway, but felt every bit of the wind. Each evening as I bring the ships log up to date, I reset both my GPS receiver's trip odometers to 0mi. It was evident that we, nor any other boats would be underway in that part of Fla that day. We sat and watched my boat speed reach as high as 1.9mph as I sailed on the anchor. I figure I had @ 60 ft anchor line out to have 5/1 scope. I have @ 5ft chain on a 18lb Danforth anchor, which has never failed to hold. After 36 hr, we had traveled over 26 miles at an average speed of 0.7 mph. Our 2 day cruise turned into 4 days. We returned home with 1 can of chicken soup 1 slice of bread, and powered tang with which to make happy hr screw drivers.

[Sea Wolf]

Roy and Dixie-

What was your gas mileage on your trip at anchor?

Quite a ride!

Joe.

[journey on]

In general, people who haven't been to the Southeast don't realize how severe those northern cold fronts can be. Before we took our trip around the East Coast, we thought that Florida was sunny, with an occasional thunderstorm in the summer. Boy, were we wrong. There's a lot of weather that passes through the Southeast in the fall and winter. And you have to find a safe spot.

Glad everything held. How was it sitting in a C-dory for a day and half, listening to the wind?

I spent a couple of weeks in Titusville Marina, whilst Judy visited her mother in Nevada. No storms like that, but we saw a Space Shuttle launch.

Boris

[Sea Angel]

Roy & Dixie;
I enjoyed your "tale of the hook". Sounds like you had a good seaman's eye throughout your 'stay'. It sounds like your food plan was also very efficient.

I went back to your album and also enjoyed your photo journal of the ICW trip north.

Art

[Sunbeam]

I noticed the same thing: much sailing around at anchor (although I did not keep track of the mileage ). I got in the habit of putting out a second anchor at an angle to the first (i.e. a V out forward) and then tying the rodes together just forward of the roller*. Still sailed more than I'm used to, but it was much reduced (and tying the rodes together kept them from chafing on the roller ears).

(I realize this is probably already in most people's bag of tricks.)

Sunbeam

*Ultimately I don't plan to use the roller as my anchor fairlead, but I don't yet have an alternative set up.

[localboy]

Sounds like you need more chain.

[Roy & Dixie]

[Roy & Dixie]

[Roy & Dixie]

[Sunbeam]

While far from an all-chain rode (which is what I am used to from other boats), I have 25' of chain. The boat still sails at anchor (especially on only one). I'm thinking it's just something that happens with a boat that is light, has no keel, and has quite a bit of windage.

(In contrast, the large, heavy, full-keeled sailboat with all chain sat still as a church at anchor most times.) (But then that was not trailerable, and could not sneak into half the "skinny" spots my 22 can )

[AstoriaDave]

Sunbeam,

Surprised yours sails. Five to one rode? Kind of anchor and weight?

Anchoring in the lower Columbia, with tidal reversal, common to lose a little ground on a 180 degree reset, but we have coarse sand, most places. Folks around here seem to use more chain than I see described on C-BRATS, but 25 feet would be typical for 22 foot OB cruisers.

Does not sound like a kellet would help you.

http://cruising.coastalboating.net/Seamanship/Anchoring/Kellets.html

[Sunbeam]

[primative]

Roy and Dixie,I am wondering if setting a stern anchor to prevent swinging was an option for your situation?

I use a small danforth, aluminum type made by Fortress for this sometimes. It doesn't take as much room as anchors go, and is light.

Tom

[thataway]

The C Dory is very likely to sail at anchor. So are many other boats. In the right conditions my full keel, 35 ton ketch would sail significantly at anchor--the Cal 46 would sail at anchor--about 18 tons and modified keel. Fin keel sailboats sail at anchor--as do most motor boats. The kellet will not help--unless it is very heavy--heavier than you would want in this size boat. You can try riding to two bow anchors. A stern anchor may help to some degree.

[anchorout]

I just swapped out the 15ft of chain that the boat came with, for 50ft plus 200ft 1/2" nylon. In the shallow anchorages that we have down here, it makes a world of difference. The boat tries to skate sideways, but is dragged up short by the chain dragging on the bottom.

As for muddy chain, I use to have a cylinder like chain brush that hooked onto the boat hook and did a great job of cleaning the chain as it was brought in. Think I bought it at WM.

As for the second anchor off of the stern, it works well as long as the tide or wind doesn't turn and set you across the waves. This always happened to me at 2:00 A M. Sea anchor, same deal.