Smart Anchoring Tips 3

If you've read anchoring tips part one you should be happy to choose a spot to anchor. And in part 2 we covered laying the anchor.

If you chose a smart spot to anchor it should be fairly easy to weigh anchor and get out for your next day's sailing.

It's important to realise that your anchor windlass is a motor designed to lift the anchor when the chain is vertical.

Your anchor windlass is not designed to pull your yacht forwards towards the anchor spot. If you put too much strain on the anchor windlass by using it to move your yacht forwards, you will overload it and the trip switch will activate.

Start by getting your yacht's main engine running. Then motor forwards until the chain is vertical.

Your helm won't be able to see which direction to go in so your crew needs to be at bow giving directions. Once the chain is vertical the crew can start bringing the anchor in.

If the chain tightens again and angles away from vertical, stop and signal to the helm which way to move until the chain is vertical again.

It's important also for the crew to keep an eye on the chain as it comes into the anchor locker.

Sometimes it gets bunched up and backs up to stop the windlass working.

If it starts to bunch up, stop the windlass, and use a broom handle or similar item to push the chain down.

The windlass is a really powerful motor, never try to manually adjust the chain when the windlass is running.

If you have trouble breaking the anchor out, bring it in as tight as possible, then motor gently astern, increasing power until the anchor breaks out.

(Don't motor forwards as this may damage the bow and you can bend the anchor shank.)

Anchoring tips for using a stern anchor.

If you are tight in the head of a bay or in a crowded anchorage and you want to reduce swing you can lay a second stern anchor.

The easiest way to do this is to take the kedge anchor out in the dinghy and drop it in the required spot, then tighten the stern anchor down on the yacht.

Alternatively you can let out significantly more chain than you need on the main anchor, drop the kedge and then tighten then main cable while loosening the kedge to position your yacht between the two anchors.

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