Date: 9 October 2014. Emergency Anchor Up (OpenCPN
info too)
© janice142
A fellow
boater asked "Your anchor alarm goes off and your anchor is dragging,....(and
it is happening at 2:00AM when its really dark with no moon) and to
make thing worse the wind is blowing you really hard toward the
unwanted shore and its also starting to rain), what do you and your
crew do?" Here is the routine for Seaweed, when the anchor is
not
holding:
First, I shut down the inverter and start the
engine. Once running,
I turn back on the inverter.
Side Note: I worry that the inverter powering the
boat might be too large a draw on the batts for starting. The
refrigerator takes quite a bit of power and I want all that
amperage/voltage in the
batteries available. This is the way I do it though probably an
unnecessary precaution.
Next I turn
on running lights and start powering into the waves (going ahead
about 20') ... I want to take pressure of the anchor chain and
snubber.
The depth
sounder is activated too, if it is not already on. Ordinarily I leave
the depth sounder
on with an alarm pre-set so it is not uncommon for the depth sounder
to run 24-7 for weeks on end. If memory serves me, mine draws just
.25 amps so in the overall scheme of things, it is on.
In the meantime, I've turned on the computer and looked at
OpenCPN [http://opencpn.org] to see where I am in relationship to
where I need to be to find safety. This program (OpenCPN) works with
a GPS attached to the computer via a USB. No internet connection is
necessary for it to operate.
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OpenCPN
Review |
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OpenCPN is
free, an open-source software developed by a sailor for those of us
who cannot afford multiple-thousand dollar solutions to navigating.
It is supported by donations so make one, or more! OpenCPN is an amazing
program and I like it.
Upgrade to
the current version if yours is at all quirky. Mine is just fine.
What is best
though is the help file. It is written for real people. I have
found answers to everything in it. And it works off-line which for
me is a tangible bonus.
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As much as
I like and rely on my paper charts, having OpenCPN is
my assurance that all is well. I consider both essential
to safe boating. |
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Download
it today. More info can be found at:
http://opencpn.org |
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OpenCPN screen, showing me in
motion. The Red Square in front of the boat icon is where I will be in
five minutes.
OpenCPN Lesson: The square is only
visible when you are in gear and making way. If at anchor just the
boat shows. Red indicates your GPS is functioning and has a fix on
your location.
Assessing that, I
will start raising the anchor with the windlass.
My remote for the bow is always hanging above my bunk and
accessible from the foredeck. I use a snubber so I need to remove
that line from my chain.
Windlass remote hangs from a hook
on the inside of my forward hatch.
Once the snubber
is off I return inside. I will finish raising the
anchor from my pilothouse and then head for safety. I already know that the scope I put out
was inadequate (and that is usually 7 to 1 even with all chain) so my
first instinct would be to move Seaweed into a more protected area.
Side note regarding my snubber:
It's just 15' of 5/8" three-strand, black and even if it were to
fall off the chain it is too short to get tangled into my propeller.
I would have preferred 20' but this was what I had, so it's what I use.
Not perfect, but good enough...
I have read that having a longer snubber (significantly longer, i.e. 40') is more effective at
lessening the effects of chain whip, however when weighed against
the danger of entangling my running gear, I opted for shorter.
But,
it's the middle of the night at Zero:dark-thirty and the anchor is back
onboard. I
would not chose to attempt to reset. I have already failed once in
much better conditions here. Therefore I see no benefit in attempting again in the same area. My initial
set should have worked and whatever caused the failure is still "out
there" so I would rather start fresh, someplace else.
Instead, I
will rely on the OpenCPN to guide me making note of the compass
course. And that is another reason why my running lights are on -- to power the
light in my compass. My old hand-held GPS has a bread-crumb trail
for departure so I can follow it as well. The paper chart is always
right by the helm, open to where I am with courses in pencil to
escape/leave.
But first, determining where I am is made far less worrisome by
the addition of electronics. As much as I advocate and indeed use
paper charts, having the assurance of electronics has eased the "oh
shoot" moments and is a blessing.
OpenCPN is my choice.
A quick
note to the time on the chart and within *ten minutes the anchor up and
I am underway. I have done the up and departure in
five minutes (daytime) so feel quite confident dark would disorient
me a bit and double the time factor.
Of course
with a cold engine I will be taking it easy until my engine
temperature comes up to normal. By keeping an eye on my gauges I will
know when I can safely increase speed.
I would also
start the coffee (or tea) and plan on staying up until well past
daylight. I am not a heroine and prefer to prove my mettle by
avoiding instances where I have to prove my seamanship. Thus, once
anchored, I would be shopping for a new bigger anchor. That is
precisely why I switched from a 25 pound Davis plow anchor to a 33
pound Rocna.
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Currently my 23' trawler
carries and uses a 33-pound Rocna. Seaweed weighs in at 7,000
pounds according to a scale at a boatyard on the east coast. The
Rocna has held my boat well, however I did have an issue once
and this still weighing upon my mind. |
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Skipper watching Anja
approaching... they are coming to visit!
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Remember Anja? [See
(Joshua Slocum's) Spray replica Anja
article.] Well, she rafted
to me one afternoon so I could do some work on their computer
using my power. The two boats *relocated. There was no wind
however the current was kicking. I am therefore less content
with my anchor and want a larger one.
*Relocated:
a fancy word used in my Log Book when a boat drags
anchor.
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The next anchor (when I can
afford it) will be a 45 pound Mantus, Rocna or Manson along with
150' of new 1/4" G4 chain. I take anchoring seriously, and hope
I can get a larger anchor before next summer. Then I will sell the Rocna to someone who is upgrading their system.
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I use a 33 pound Rocna
aboard Seaweed.
Affiliate links→
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Rocna Galvanized Anchor, 20kg aka 44 pounds |
Mantus Anchor 45 pounds
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Manson Anchor 45 pounds |
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Aboard Seaweed, safety
equals oversized anchor gear.
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Cap'n Jeffery says on 16
December 2016: I am unable to
sign your guest book or write in the comment boxes. I liked your
weighing anchor in an emergency. |
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Me: Thank you for the
compliment and the comment Cap'n. That was nice of you.
We (that's the royal we
meaning my friend Ken on Sparrow) is working at restoring the
Comments and Guestbook. There was an update and that broke
stuff. I'm not totally familiar with the why's though.
J.
P.S. -Thank you so much
for Murphy's photo. I will be uploading it later today or
tomorrow. I think I'm taking Seaweed over to the American Legion
tomorrow. And in "my" cove I spotted a Mainship that surely was
pretty. Today was Sunday so going out aboard Seaweed on the
waterways wasn't in the cards.
Instead a neighbor
invited a couple of us to go with he and his bride for a boat
ride. It was fun to be on a 40'er that can (and did!) get up and
go. Ron and Olga have a Viking. She's a beautiful boat... |
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I'd love to hear what you have done in similar
situations. What if it's another boat dragging into you?
Would you opt to let out more scope, anchor again in the same area or move
entirely?
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