Sailing inyourfootsteps.com

Bolstering ground tackle

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What is the issue?
A vessels survival can depend upon its holding techniques that assist in holding can make a dramatic difference.

Why address this?
Good anchoring techniques can not alone save a vessel it can make life in anchorages much more pleasant.

How to address this?
Use an anchor weight to assist the anchor see figure 1 and 2. Anchor weights increases the chain catenary so that the angle of pull upon the anchor moves towards the horizontal. This helps the anchor dig in and stay in place.

Anchor weights works by placing a leverage point on the chain. For instance on the recommended anchoring scope of 5:1, it takes a horizontal force of almost five times the pull to anchor weight to lift it off the seabed. Deploying an anchor weight can almost double the holding power of the anchor whilst halving its working load. Depending upon conditions and chain length, it can reduce the vessels swing in a tight anchorage by half, especially so when deployed in tidal areas.

If living aboard a vessel the anchor weight can make laying to an anchor much more comfortable. It does this by providing a shock absorber to dampen all sudden actions on the vessel and ground tackle. In a gusty anchorage it dampens that side to side swing when the vessel lifts the chain and pulls it taut with a jerk. It also acts as a spring in choppy anchorages, reducing the boat’s overall motion while anchored, especially the fore-aft see-saw motion a surge can cause. It does not remove chain crunch in the bow roller and can be used in conjunction with a snubber.

With thanks to:
Michael Harpur, Yacht Obsession.

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