Arwen's meanderings

Hi everyone and welcome to my dinghy cruising blog about my John Welsford designed 'navigator' named Arwen. Built over three years, Arwen was launched in August 2007. She is a standing lug yawl 14' 6" in length. This blog records our dinghy cruising voyages together around the coastal waters of SW England.
Arwen has an associated YouTube channel so visit www.YouTube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy to find our most recent cruises and click subscribe.
On this blog you will find posts about dinghy cruising locations, accounts of our voyages, maintenance tips and 'How to's' ranging from rigging standing lug sails and building galley boxes to using 'anchor buddies' and creating 'pilotage notes'. I hope you find something that inspires you to get out on the water in your boat. Drop us a comment and happy sailing.
Steve and Arwen

Thursday 5 April 2012

securing the anchor

Some comments made by Joel, John and Peter (thanks by the way folks – appreciate the time and thought).

1. Anchors need to be easily and quickly deployed

2. Consider putting anchor on a bow roller with pins through bow roller cheeks and end of anchor shank to hold it in place. The chain and rode is then flaked into the ‘chain’ well and a secure top of some form added to hold it all in place

3. Alternatively, secure with Velcro straps around the anchor shank and stem post

4. Weight up front will balance the weight of outboard at the rear; helmsperson needs to sit as far forward as possible

Well I’ve gone for the strap option initially and will see how it goes; however my friend, on his boat, has a bow roller and pin arrangement which seems to be a very safe and effective way of dealing with the anchor.

I guess a ‘try it and see’ approach is now needed.

Steve





3 comments:

Bursledon Blogger said...

A bow roller is nice admittedly, but experience with a couple of larger boats, clearing the bowsprit was always a problem - the well looks like a good safe place to keep things, couple of lashings and Bob's your Mum's brother.

Roger Barnes said...

Conventional wisdom is to keep heavy weight out of bow and stern. You should not sail a small boat with an outboard on the transom. You need to worry about inertia, not just weight. You need bow and stern to lift lightly to waves. They will not do this if you put heavy weights up there.

steve said...

Thanks for comment Roger. I sort of understand the bow weight issue which is why I have asked for the advice. The outboard one - well that is an issue for me as a new sailor. I guess with time and practice I will be less reliant on it and my sailing skills will develop to the point where I can sail on and off moorings; back to QAB pontoon etc with more confidence than I have at present.

I have to say I am amazed at the outboard fact; I see so many daysailing dinghies with outboards onboard; do you always sail without one on your small boat or do you have one on occasions?

thanks for the comments and time - appreciated.
Steve