How to avoid wobbling when anchored

Sailing at anchor seems to come with every boat I've owned. It's the windage up front, the cabin of which we're all so fond.

Never found a cure. Some of the bigger power boats fly a sail aft to try and stabilize the boat.

Boris
 
1. Get out of the wind and current if possible

2. Raft up with a big heavy boat

3. Find a dock to tie up to during a blow

4. Mark your spot after setting your first anchor move up and drop a second anchor 45 degrees or more off the first anchor drop the second anchor and the slide back to your spot adjust as needed.
D.D.
 
These boats do sail. Most of the time we just ignore it but if there is enough wind to create a jerk at the end of each "sail" I take a short line, put a hitch in the anchor line about 5-6 feet out from the bow roller then run a line from there to the breast cleat on whichever side seems right. Then I pull that line tight enough to put a vee in the anchor line and cleat it off. That moves the tension point in the anchor line off to the side and helps (or seems to help) with the sailing YMMV.
 
I just learned this from Blue C last week on the Columbia River. Once anchored throw out a couple sea drift anchors. Not sure what to do in static water other than two anchors
 
Another trick that worked for us was to toss a small mushroom anchor (that we had for our dinghy) off the stern. An added complication with two lines in the water, but it did slow down the sailing.
 
I found the C-Dory to sail rather vigorously compared to previous boats I've anchored on (but to be fair, they were heavy, keeled boats so it's not surprising, since the C-Dory is basically a leaf on the water). Since the times I noticed it a lot were also times I was anchoring for a blow, I put out a second anchor in a "V" from the existing bow anchor (and coming to the same tie point on the boat). This helped to limit the travel, and I didn't mind the second anchor in this situation. The boat still swings reasonably similar to a typical boat lying to a single bow anchor (albeit not quite the same).

This was on my first trip with the boat, btw, so I'm sure I have more "tricks" to learn with it.
 
The bridle is always a great idea--the best use is off to one side, but still the C Dory sails some in our experience. The symmetrical bridle off two bow cleats will have minimal effect on "sailing". It does help prevent chafe on anchor rode and if made of lighter lines will be an excellent shock absorber. A Kellet or heavy chain near the chain/rope attachment is a good help some times as it drags across the bottom to slow the swing, as does an all chain rode. We have tried two anchors--one at the extreme of the swing to one side--this also helps to dampen the amount of sailing.

Many places we go stern to the beach, shore, with either 2 anchors to the shore (as in the lakes or low tidal areas, where we can step off the boat to the beach or a ledge), or chains around trees or rocks. In the PNW we carry a long hank of polypropylene rope to take to the shore--and a heavier (3/4") around trees so we don't damage the tree.

In open water if you are stern to a beach or want to keep the bow headed into swells, it is common to put a stern anchor toward the beach. This is very common practice in S. Calif. and along the coast of Mexico.

Be cautious about a stern anchor where the wind may shift 180 degrees, or even to the sides, and increase in velocity. You don't want to ride stern to a heavy chop, which potentially may come into the open cockpit.
 
Also be careful of a stern anchor where there are strong tidal currents for the same reason Bob stated - e.g. a strong current from the stern can put you under - that seems to happen almost every year to someone who is halibut fishing in the PacNW and who stern anchors or who gets the bow anchor wrapped in the props on a strong current direction change.
 
One solution is to switch to more chain the extra weight helps stop the walking around, down side is snubbing off the chain a few feet out of the water takes a bit more steps.

I switched from 25 ft to 180 ft chain with 300 ft of rode and could not be more happy. Main reason to switch was to eliminate the possibility of cutting the rode when in the rocks had a few problems with my line rubbing on rocks and it's hard to sleep at night if you think this might or is happening.

A bunch of surprises / learning came from the more chain:
1. better balanced the weight and gets the bow down in choppy seas on my boat, improved the ride at higher speed less pounding
2. chain on sandy bottoms digs in and really plants the boat, I always dive on my anchor if diving to ensure its properly placed and it surprised me to see that the chain digs into the sand and does not even pull on the anchor or really move much from side to side since it keeps digging and working into the sand more and more
3. Snubbing the chain is more work and time
4. Chain is more noisy than rode
5. Chain bouncing on the rocks or rocky bottom is really loud in the V berth
6. Chain moving on top of chain is really loud in the V berth
7. To stop the noise from 4-6 snubbing the line off a few feet above the water line stops all the noise
8. Snubbing the chain off below the water line creates noise from fast moving water or large swells because of the line under heavy tension from holding all that chain weight acts like a guitar string oscillating
9. I sleep better at night knowing that the splice of the rode to chain is not a weak point when anchored with all chain in the shallows
10. At night when the 22-30 knot gusts start I don't have to put out more scope

All in all I'm happy with more chain, hope this helps or at least give you another option to think about. :D
 
Hello, thought I'd add my two cents worth here. I have the 16 Cruiser and use it mainly on a freshwater lake. Generally I anchor in about 4 ft. of water. I anchor using a bow and stern anchor. The stern anchor is attached to a "Y' bridle with 6 ft. of chain. Since we have so many stumps and roots on the bottom I use mushroom anchors. This configuration prevents me from swinging with the variable winds or boat wakes. As I am usually anchored in a cove near the shoreline it works well. Be safe and happy boating! 8)
 
This is common, and nothing is wrong. If you can tolerate it, that's probably your best bet. Otherwise, here are some things you can do to dampen the "sailing."

1. If you're in a current strong enough to have you snapping back and forth harshly, you might put out more rode. Otherwise, put out a DROGUE (not a sea anchor, which is properly deployed from the bow) over your stern. Much safer than a stern anchor in wind and current. If you don't have a drogue, use a 5 gallon bucket on about 20' of line.

2. Find a better anchorage out of wind and current

3. The bridle trick mentioned is good, but learn to tie a butterfly hitch, or you may have some trouble untying your hitch if you're getting a lot of energy on your rode.

4. Try a snubber. There are snubbers that you deploy entirely on your anchor rode that puts a spring in-line with your rode, below your roller. It can help. you can also use a snubber on your bridle, if you go that way. Even wrapping a docking snubber to an anchor rode can be a help.

This kind of thing goes with flat bottom boats with fore cabins. There is a C-Dory Bowpicker out there somewhere that seems to come up for sale every couple years or so. I think that boat would probably sit nicely at anchor because of the aft cabin, but that's only when wind is your issue, it won't help if current is your issue.
 
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