Sailing inyourfootsteps.com

Keeping the anchor and chain aboard

What is the issue?
Anchors and chains spill out fast. So fast in deep anchorages that the entire chain may shoot out past the ‘bitter end’ before you can react. Thus the anchor and chain have gone, or are deep-sixed in sailing parlance.

Why address this?
You cannot afford to loose an anchor and chain in this fashion.

How to address this?
Place a secure eye into the chain locker. Attach this to the bitter end of the chain with a short length of line with a pair of bowlines on each end.

The connector line should be of a length that allows it to pull just clear of the chain locker so that it is clearly visible when all the chain is out. It should be strong enough to just hold the chain and not the weight of the vessel itself, this must be achieved by belaying the chain around a chain post. This is to enable the line to be light enough to be quickly cut should the anchor need to be dumped in an emergency situation.

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How can I get this offshore?
If you are receiving a mobile signal you can access all of our information via a standard mobile phone internet browser. We provide a streamlined version of the site at www.liyfs.com, which is a shortcut to our 'Lite' site called Lite.InYourFootSteps.com, that is simplified and optimised for speed. Here are the phonetics to pass the address on via VHF: WWW.LIYFS.COM, I SPELL... LIMA... INDIA... YANKEE... FOXTROT... SIERRA... DOT.COM. Similarly, if you have limited or expensive internet capabilities, you may switch to the 'Lite' site www.liyfs.com for faster more efficient access.

Alternatively you may print a hard copy to have aboard. Either print this page with text, illustrations and photos, but without the internet menu, layout, backdrops and Google maps, or economise upon printer consumables and print this page with text only.

With thanks to:
Michael Harpur, Yacht Obsession.

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