Solo Anchoring w/ No Windlass Tips?

[thataway]

We all have different ideas about how to retrieve the anchor. In my experience, cleating a fouled anchor to an aft cleat can be a recipe for disaster. I know of a number of swampings, and including loss of lives and boats which occurred doing this. The only case I know of involving swamping of a C Dory (except being caught in the breaking surf) occurred with a boat trying to power the anchor out by cleating it aft. (Maybe there is something in the 16 which makes that a better choice?). I personally feel it is better to use the buoyancy of the bow to power the anchor out if that is necessary. Of course what works best depends on many factors! No one can say that "this is the best" for all cases. Keep an open mind, and try the various techniques. (Just don't get a person's leg tangled in the line, as you use the float to power the anchor out--I am aware of one boater who accidentally killed his father doing this.) I try and avoid high power or fast maneuvers when attached to an anchor line!

[Foggy]

Wise advice there, Bob, and well put.

I'm a bit surprised you didn't add, as Grandpa would,

"The devil is in the details."

Aye.

[RonMac]

I keep the anchor rode in a secured box on the lower deck of the bow. I can handle the line and anchor while standing in the vbirth. I have ½ inch line and 20 ft of 1/4 inch chain with 13 lb delta. I replaced a danforth anchor after a stormy night bent a 90 deg curve in the shaft.

[PaulNBriannaLynn]

I've done this lots of times and Bob's mention of a milk crate is a good one. Once the anchor is loose from the bottom, the boat is moving with the current so it saves valuable time to not have to feed it back into the anchor locker. I secure the milk crate with a bungie to the deck cleat. I have the boat running and in neutral for this if solo and in the current of a river.

I like to have the leverage of being out on the bow. Its been suggested to pull through the front hatch before to reduce the dangers of falling in, but in practice is doesn't give me the leverage I need.

I gently pull on the anchor rode until the boat is directly over the set anchor. I don't want to try to break it loose until I'm directly over or Ill drag too much silt and potentially hurt myself. Once its broken loose I make a few jerking motions up and down to hopefully dislodge the mud that's inevitably caked to the anchor. Its lighter to pull up that way. Trying to stand up right and use your arm strength and not your back. Once up I quickly put the anchor in the milk crate with the rest of the rode and race to the helm to put it in gear and regain control of the boat. Wear a pfd, things can go south quickly in the current.

[thechadmiller]

Thanks for all the great advice. I think I may try it solo, but with somebody else on board, a few times before going full solo. I reckon I'll just dock somewhere tonight and keep it stress-free. Maybe. Unless I’m feeling extra frisky tonight.

[ken35216]

[Marco Flamingo]

I'm not sure that I'd have enough horsepower to swamp the boat if the anchor was tied to the stern cleat. If so, it would still probably require steep seas and a phenomenal lack of judgement.

But tying off to the boat and using its rocking motion, if required, would work much better on the CD 16 if using a side cleat. Jumping up and down on the bow to get the boat rocking is both ineffectual and dangerous for the solo boater. Tying off to a side cleat and moving side-to-side in the safety of the cockpit sounds better to me. I don't know how much moving side-to-side rocks the larger C Dorys, but I would guess that it is more than walking stem-to-stern. On the 16, a passenger going quickly side-to-side is enough to spill a coffee cup. I've done that experiment more than once.

For remote solo anchoring I have also used a trip line and always carry one with me. If the anchor fouls on a cable or sunken tree, the trip line probably beats all other retrieval methods. My line and float is barely larger than a pop can, so it won't be mistaken for a mooring buoy by another boat. Plus, I rarely anchor in a place where another boat could fit.

We just spent 10 days anchoring about twice a day. I went on the foredeck once when I harvested so much seaweed that the anchor wouldn't seat properly.

Mark

[hardee]

Mark, I used to anchor my Montgomery 15 (sailboat), which is about the same size and weight as your 16. The anchor was deployed over the side, but always cleated off at the bow. When retrieving, I would take in the rode until tight, pull just a bit more to depress the bow slightly into the water, then snub the line with a wrap on the cleat and move aft. the bow would raise about 6 inches, (maybe the Monty had more rocker than the CD-16), and that one time was usually enough to release the anchor. Moving side to side might work too, but you don't have the buoyancy of the bow working for you. (And I would always be nervous about having the anchor cleated to the side.)

I like your idea of the trip line.

Harvey
SleepyC

[ssobol]

[Foggy]

Ultimate cure for fishermen who are frustrated and have difficulty
retrieving their anchor: Order fish off a menu after you tie up at a
dock.

Aye.

[colbysmith]

[Ordutch1975]

I anchor alone from time to time. Most of the time closer to the banks of the river. I have never had an issue - bring boat to a halt (use an appropriate anchor makes a world of difference I use a Mantus and have never had an issue setting it in the Columbia or Multnomah channel. I bring the boat close to a halt walk with PFD to the front of boat drop the anchor give it an additional 5* drop length - let the current pull the boat while you release line. Once the line grabs put her just out of neutral in reverse IE the back of boat follows the current. With the mantus she grabs immediately - when you don't move in reverse you are good. To get her out I do the reverse. I find it easier to go up river a bit pull her loose and then run up front (hatch works great for quick access to anchor pull her up and your done. I have yet to find myself stuck with anchor. Keep in mind the current will want to pull you down river so on the Columbia depending on where you are timing is everything. Don't dilly dally. using the birth hatch to get out IMO is safer than trying to run around the boat.

(note once I get her up river from the anchor I put her in neutral I don't want the rope to tangle with the prop)

[Ordutch1975]

It’s funny I didn’t get the windless because in theory I am young enough to pull up an achor myself - now I regret not having had it installed at the factory - this will be our next purchase.

[hardee]

[Wandering Sagebrush]