Why didnt I know this 10 years ago??

[sunshinecoasting]

I was reading a sailing magazine while away on the boat a couple of weeks ago, as usual I was being pushed sideways to the swell at anchor by a stiff breeze which meant the boat was rolling around as it always does, the water was too deep to run out a second stern anchor (which I usually do) to hold the boat in to the swell. Then I turned the page and read an article on how to use a second rope off your front anchor rope to hold a boat in to a swell. It was like a lightbulb moment, then I felt stupid for not thinking of this myself before now, it is so simple and works so well. So I got out my spare springer line and tied a stainless caribiner to the end of it, put a bight in my front anchor rope about 5 meters off the bow and hooked the caribiner clip to the bight, then walked the springer line back to the rear cleat on the boat (outside the shrouds) and pulled the rear of the boat in to the wind which turned the bow in to the swell, tied it off and voila, instant calm..... it was the most restful single anchor night I have ever had in a swell. Look at photo below to make sense of what I just described, it's stupidly simple but works VERY well. Give it a try.

[NiceAft]

10 years was not long enough You need to go back almost 20 years to see discussions on this topic. viewtopic.php?p=21579&hilit=Bridle#p21579

I remember a more detailed discussion about an anchor bridle, but I have not found it. I believe Frank C was part of that thread, but it seems his posts can no longer be searched. Frank passed, many years ago.

[Russ]

Noice.

I'll have to give this a try.

[krum]

Pardon me for asking, but why not re-anchor with the bow facing the swell. I don't have swells on the lakes I sail in. It looks to me like you have great holding for the area.

[NiceAft]

Macs have a tendency to react to the wind. If the wind shifts from north to east, then the boat moves ninety degrees. The longer the rode, the larger the diameter of the circle a Mac can swing. If you are anchored among boats, you can have a problem. A Mac can swing 180 degrees, but I’m sure you knew all of this.

[sunshinecoasting]

Pardon me for asking, but why not re-anchor with the bow facing the swell. I don't have swells on the lakes I sail in. It looks to me like you have great holding for the area.

Australia doesn't have lakes, we all sail in the ocean here. The ocean has swells. a Re-anchor will do nothing to solve the problem, just move your boat from here to there. Most of the time the wind blows right angle to the swell and the boat definitely swings to the wind leaving you side on to the swell, the only options are to use a second anchor off the stern or as I describe above.

[dlandersson]

10 years was not long enough You need to go back almost 20 years to see discussions on this topic. viewtopic.php?p=21579&hilit=Bridle#p21579

I remember a more detailed discussion about an anchor bridle, but I have not found it. I believe Frank C was part of that thread, but it seems his posts can no longer be searched. Frank passed, many years ago.

[kmclemore]

10 years was not long enough You need to go back almost 20 years to see discussions on this topic. ...

I was there when it happened!



Yeah, I've tried it... and it works very well. It's not something I need very often on the lake - we don't get huge swells very often - but it does indeed work nicely. I don't use a sail, just the dual anchor lines to allow you to adjust the pointing of the boat. I sometimes add a mushroom anchor off the stern to quiet any remaining swing.

[krum]

Well Mr Sunshinecoasting
That explains my confusion, I recall the Pardeys mentioning an anchoring system like yours except they used a rolling hitch to connect with the anchor line. A great reminder. Thanks

[NiceAft]

Kevin wrote: “I was there when it happened! ”

Yeah, me too. I just was never in a position to need the solution. I do remember a lot of that discussion that went on, and tucked it to the back of my brain for later use. Like Mr. Peabody’s Way Back machine.

[Russ]

Just don't bring up the "Hasp" thread.

I wonder what happened to him. He bought a Clipper Marine 32. It is quite possibly one of the worst boats ever built. I wonder how he liked it.

Mastreb went on to buy a Beneteau 52. Looks like he's enjoying ocean sailing out of San Diego on that one.

[OverEasy]

Hi All!

Nice reminder!
We played with this a couple times and used a “prusser “ knot that let us slip the knot along the anchor line.
This is typically a climber’s knot to avoid any kinking strain on the main (anchor) line.
More than one way to doa thingy as long as it works and doesn’t break they are all good!

Best Regards
Over Easy

[Sea Shadow]

Pardon me for asking, but why not re-anchor with the bow facing the swell. I don't have swells on the lakes I sail in. It looks to me like you have great holding for the area.

Australia doesn't have lakes, we all sail in the ocean here. The ocean has swells. a Re-anchor will do nothing to solve the problem, just move your boat from here to there. Most of the time the wind blows right angle to the swell and the boat definitely swings to the wind leaving you side on to the swell, the only options are to use a second anchor off the stern or as I describe above.

Actually, if you go further south (Gippsland Lakes in Victoria, varies river area in NSW) we do have lakes and bays. Maybe not as big as the Great Lakes of Canada and US of A. However, the point is taken, not a lot of lakes/bays suitable for cruising. Well also don't have the canal systems that the US of A , Europe and Great Britain have.

[sunshinecoasting]

Pardon me for asking, but why not re-anchor with the bow facing the swell. I don't have swells on the lakes I sail in. It looks to me like you have great holding for the area.

Australia doesn't have lakes, we all sail in the ocean here. The ocean has swells. a Re-anchor will do nothing to solve the problem, just move your boat from here to there. Most of the time the wind blows right angle to the swell and the boat definitely swings to the wind leaving you side on to the swell, the only options are to use a second anchor off the stern or as I describe above.

Actually, if you go further south (Gippsland Lakes in Victoria, varies river area in NSW) we do have lakes and bays. Maybe not as big as the Great Lakes of Canada and US of A. However, the point is taken, not a lot of lakes/bays suitable for cruising. Well also don't have the canal systems that the US of A , Europe and Great Britain have.

Of course we do have lakes. For our over seas friends and for the purpose of this discussion we don't have fresh water lakes that lend themselves to sailing. Most of our fresh water lakes are man made for drinking water or hydro electricity and not practical for yachting activities (I can think of only three exceptions but there may be more). What we do have is coastline and a lot of it.

[OverEasy]

Wow….. could one just imagine if Australia had a cross continental canal system???
That would be an amazing inland cruise…..