With your AIS, you should be able to change your vessel status from 'Underway' to 'At anchor'.. That way you don't need to turn it off, and it should display an obvious sign on the receivers that you are at anchor and they don't need to worry about you.
It does that automatically, but that is not the point. It's not necessary to draw a pilots attention to an anchored vessel at all. If he sees us in the dark it is obvious we are anchored and well outside of the channel. In different circumstances a change may be needed. Hard and fast rules are bad rules.
My wife and I fished for Salmon and crab on the west coast of California for 40 years on a 42 ft wooden troller (we retired 6 years ago now) our anchor winch had a 65 lb furford anchor , then 25 foot of 3/4 ship chain the, 150 ft of 3/8 chain, and 300 foot of 3/8 fiber core galvanized steel cable (the cable we cut off 50 ft a year for a couple of years then we replace the whole thing), with this anchoring setup we have anchored in winds up to 50 knots and never moved we always had at least 7 to 1 out or more wind depending, this is just for you info from a 74 year old salt, we maybe dragged 5 times with this setup and that was because I let out the anchor to fast and it got fouled on the chain! Good luck with your adventure, enjoy watching your video's.
LOL! One of our viewers said you showed our boat. But we weren’t any where close to you for that storm. We were tucked in tight and anchored safely a couple bends west of you. 😂 We stayed put with our 3/8” G4 on a Mantus with a swivel. 😜
We got a 33 ton ketch, we started eventually using a bridle to reduce noise in front cabin. Yes, one does not "need" bridle. There are hundred ways to operate boat, none of them are "the only way"
You will eventually get to test your anchoring theory against a Gulf Coast hurricane. Having lived on the Gulf Coast for 73 years and seen the enormous power of these storms my only advice is find yourself a good hurricane hole (in advance) and put out every anchor you own.
@@SVSeeker that’s what the shrimp boats do in Southwest Louisiana. They come up the Vermilion River and tie off to the bank. God willing you will never have to face that challenge.
A snubber is everything you have said YES you are correct. But more importantly it is a softener to minimize the shock loading on the chain and/or rope. A snubber should always be used on all drawn out and slack lined anchors. Slack line meaning the line is NOT pulled taught and taught between more than one anchoring location. There for the vessel can free drift as the tides and wind change. Your anchor setup is a slack line arrangement, and there for are subject to changing water current, wind direction and wave height conditions. A tight line anchor expects to have minimal dynamic loading to the lock and windless systems and requires more than one anchor location be it a combination of anchor, mooring, or cleats. So, to sum it up all SV MV etc... vessels should use a snubber system to protect their anchoring system(s). It also reduces the sudden shock rate of direction change and loading on the anchor chain. That also means there is less discomfort from aggressive movements do to having no snubber. A snubber also means you have 3 safety systems to hold onto the anchor chain. "snubber, chain lock, windless. If the anchor still rips its chain off of the boat.... ! it earned it.
I THINK (emphasis on think) that a sentinel weight is used independently from the anchor. Typically, it might be lowered over the side to show the mariner that boat is dragging when the line to the sentinel stretches out. The weight attached to the anchor chain to give it more catenary is called a kellet. And Bob's your uncle. :)
Now I'm throwing fuel on the anchor discussion fire! There is only one way to anchor in heavy weather, in a sailboat! It is the combination of chain and elastic rope such as nylon, not dynema. There are two main reasons why things go wrong when anchoring and it is not that the chain or rope breaks due to overload. 1. Rope breaks due to wear. 2. The anchor is pulled up from the ground due to waves under strong winds. At anchor somewhere in Great Britain, the weather turned with strong gale force winds. 55 kn, gusting to 65 kn. The waves worked their way into the anchorage and out of 4 boats, (from 33-36 feet), 3 were rescued by the RNLI. All used Bruce anchors and the 3 British that were rescued had 2 out, with a maximum of chain. The one with the most had 2*60 meters in a depth of 7 metres. The boat that was left, myself, had 1 anchor with 40 meters of chain and 30 meters of nylon. I also used an "angel" a weight that is sent down with the rope! I sailed for 6 years around the world without any drama at anchor! Im from the North of GB and this is the way we anchor in heavy weather! Ok people, hit me!
Hooks are not the only way to attach snubbers. "Plastic" boats are not the only boats that use snubbers or, are too delicate to be severely damaged by shock loads. Anecdotal evidence may be misleading and "conventional wisdom" may not be anecdotal but rather the majority of datum that suggests one option over others.
⚓ 🐾🐾🐾 🐈 You said... "On the Mississippi" I thought.. Wow... I'm just thinking about you in the future doing some lead casting on a beach with drift wood... That'll be fun..
The floating lines. It's the same as a anchor bouy. If the anchor breaks loos. Use that floating line to retrieve the anchor. If you have a small bouy, and a known depth for the Anchorage. Loop a line at the anchor and let it float. Going between you and the marker bouy is not recommended in shallower water they may hit your chain. 99.9% don't mark their anchor. I never did unless it was real shallow.
So while agree with you that the chain catenary effect will act as a spring to reduce shock loads caused by an extended anchor chain. When in shallower water with a reduced swinging circle due to landscape or other boats nearby, the chances of your chain jerking the anchor out are greater. For me, the greatest benefit of a bridle is that it allows for more spring in your load and reduces the chance of shock loads.
AIS should always be on when vessels are underway or anchored for increased visibility and safety reasons as its great for poor vis and also sound the ararm to other vessals that your in there path
@@evangatehouse5650 So you are offended by proxy? Maybe he actually has a sense of humor? And in some conditions, I would turn it on. None of them apply here because the navigation channel is too far away. And being that no one keeps them on in this anchorage would make you the problem for assuming they do or even have one.
It's essential to have plenty of chain lying on the bottom so that the force applied to the anchor is horizontal which keeps the anchor dug in. To achieve this the conventional wisdom is to put out 5 times the water depth in chain, known as scope. You might want a snubber to reduce the annoying noise transferred to the boat from the anchor chain under load. Love the vids, keep em coming.
Can't even pull a Nylon string parallel to the ground, more than a few feet. Synthetic rope creates an opportunity, though chaffing may prevent the application. A winch using steel cable, looses force by stretching as well as compressing on the drum. Would it be practical to wrap a 'retrieval drum' (high torque, hyd) several times, that is passed on to a 'storage drum' (electric/pneumatic)? Enjoyed learning about the sentinel, like a spring to counter hydraulic force.
Thanks for all you're doing doug. Nice job with everything. I've retired from the water to the earth ( I farm now). I lived aboard for a couple years in my 20s and 30s. The ocean is brutal. Not meant for men. Men get tired, steel gets tired, but the ocean never gets tired. I like land.
Having anchored here and there for the past 30 years, my advice is don't give anchoring advice until you've done it in a variety of places for 5-10 years besides rivers.
Hey Doug we have a boat on a mooring and sadly find our rope strop gets cut through by power boat props so we back it up with a chain one as well! ... As for anchoring and which type of set up you prefer ..whatever has worked for you in your circumstances .
It's so cool to see seeker in the water.... I really regret not sponsoring a tile that says: "life's a garden, dig it" - Joe Dirt. BTW HowNOT2's a great channel to understand the abilities of dyneema... and it's uv degradation. Anyway, love y'all prikx
I was really interested in your dual drum chain-dyneema windlass but wasn't clear how you switch drums and how you mix the chain with dyneema. Can you go into it in more detail? I also wondered if you are trying to do Bahamian mooring with your 2 anchors. I thought that would have prevented swinging over the primary anchor. No? Seems to me anchoring details [as you do it each time) would be a great additional feature to your regular videos.
All this talk about anchoring, but Doug doesn't even mention the real danger -- poking a hole in the ocean floor and draining all the water to the earth's core and putting out the fire.
Naysayers abound. I have had problems with some nylon line that likes to hold air in it and takes a while to sink, anchoring while going foward I have had it go under the boat and get stuck between the twin keels, setting the hook awkwardly hanging from the back of one of the keels. Made especially awkward because you don't want to use the engine incase you foul your line. Even worst if it hooks one of the zinc and doesn't fall off.
Probably a dumb question. But, has anyone used a "yankum" style snatch rope to make a hybrid product? They are rated for significantly more tension than chains, with more tension stretch than all that weight can produce. I bet an opportunity may be missed if you don't test with Yankum ropes. The testing seems like your alley for sure.
We've been pulling vehicles out of the sand and mud with nylon rope since I was a babe. Yankum is just a nylon rope, but they do put a lot into protecting it from chafing on rocks. But chafing is not really an issue on a boat where it would be used as a snubber. I'm not sure that the plastic coating they use would not do more harm than good on a boat, by not letting the interior of the rope dry. Pulling someone out takes minutes, but snubbers stay in the water for days, and it's best to let them dry before storing them.
Word to the wise.If it can, it will and it does.Whatever you think you need for "your conditions". Double it.then double it again.The weather is not getting any better.Neither are the Earthquakes ect..,
I have an idea.......you talk about a sentinal at 6:40 ish. How bout a 3 by 3 plate with a eye welded to it in middle. put that out so as the boat pulls on chain it pulls water kinda like a bucket behind the boat on a rope.The plate weighs less than traditional sentinal.if 3by 3 isnt big enough 4by4.
Anchoring changes boat by boat , location of boat and , affordability, experience , a technical thought or a bios book brain doesn't change but tries to fight
Using that same dyneema for the kids tree swing. The swing can only handle 400 lbs, I bet the tree could handle 2t off the limb it's on (12" healthy elm) but yes. I'd be more concerned about the tree coming down than the rope ever failing. when people sit on the swing they all expect it to drop or bounce a bit, haha nope, like dropping onto the floor.
I do want to hear about propane below as I've always been told it's really bad. But I seen it done on a number of boats, and I haven't really had the time to think it through for myself. I've had smaller boats and for a week or weekend the little butane cans work fine and even the whole can leaking out at once is not that much, but that's not enough propane for a long cruise or a bigger boat and crew.
Like everything, it depends. If you work at it, and you really have to work at it, you can get it to explode. That occasionally happens but I have yet to hear of any occurrence that involved a tank that was not connected to anything. There are two valves that would need to fail before a standard propane tank could leak. Most of the time the culprit is a leaky hose or fitting. And I'm perfectly willing to live with a tank that is not connected being stored below deck. Hell, if you're not willing to take that level of risk, let's face it, the ocean is no place for you. And that is too bad, because you only have one chance at living fully.
@@SVSeeker I am personally in possession of two propane tanks that bleed out, both valves failed. It definitely happens. That said, its not common, and you certainly can smell it, even outdoors. Like you said, its about how much risk you are willing to accept. Myself, I keep those tanks outside and will get the valves replaced.
What you want when anchoring is to not have your anchor rode exert any upward force on the anchor itself regardless of the wind, current and depth conditions for your anchorage. The weight of the chain dragging the bottom does not provide any additional "hold" and is not the reason to let out more chain when wind and currents are high. The amount of hold is entirely from the anchor itself. The sole purpose of a heavy and/or long length of chain is so that the chain nearest the anchor will always remain on the bottom even when wind and current causes your boat to pull strongly on the rode. As long as at least some length of the chain is on the bottom, the force acting on the anchor will always be puling parallel to the bottom. There will be no upward force but only a parallel force causing your anchor to dig in to the substrate. If the force on the rode is high enough to lift the entire chain off the bottom, you will start having upward forces and risk having the anchor drag. This is why you still need at least a short run of chain even if you're using primarily a synthetic rode. That length of chain attached to the synthetic rode needs to be long enough on its own to hold the rode parallel to bottom near the anchor so there is no upward pull on the anchor. If you anchor with synthetic rode and it drags, letting out more rode will not improve the situation, unlike a pure chain rode would. You mentioned using a sentinel. Yes this does reduce shock loading, but it also forces your rode down lower in the water and thus helps keep the forces on the anchor parallel to the bottom. I would recommend using one if you ever use your synthetic rode on your primary anchor.
@@paulj4178 Yes. I used a trip line on the river and lakes where there were trees and I keep a trip line on my second anchor just because I want to know where it is in relation to the primary.
No matter the topic of discussion, someone always knows best. It took me nearly a lifetime to recognize that problems have many solutions, and as long as you find one, you're gonna be just fine. Stay safe
Thank you for the video I was wondering how do you heat the boat I know I know you showed us an earlier videos but I can't remember anyway thanks again my best to you and yours God bless
I was on an aircraft carrier. We had the exact same setup with a chain stop. I have no idea what a "snubber" is and don't really care. The Boatswain's Mate always said the anchor holds the chain and the chain holds the boat. I don't know what it means, but the aircraft carrier wouldn't ever move at anchor, so it is obvious to me he knew what he was talking about. Of course, each link of the chain weighed more than your entire chain and anchor setup (over 350 lbs each link).
I think big navy ships are where the concept of the chain holding the boat and not the anchor comes from. On an aircraft carrier, I'm sure it's absolutely true. But I bet there was never a situation where your aircraft carrier pulled its chain taught. On small boats, it's a regular occurrence, and when that happens, you better have an anchor that's trying to bring the earth with it.
I suppose people would be against dyneema for rode because it's a slippery line that doesn't hold "normal" knots well. I think if you do an eye splice with a enough burry and wip it good you'll be alright. What type and how heavy of an anchor are you using?
So, i am an avid watcher and also anti nuclear. You were kind enough to send me a link to some information about "pebble bed" reactors. My thought is that i will still be anti nuclear after but I've been curious about said pebble bed reactors. So if you don't mind refreshing my memory with the link i will check it out. Thanks and happy sailing/learning.
china building a USA invention Molten Salt Reactor (Nuclear) using USA data and records, first built over 60 years ago but abandoned in favour of Light water and pressurised reactors (plutonium / military / kaboomies ) tedex and youtube with kirk sorensen explains, but USA green tape has limited research in USA but not China - Thorcon have a MOU with Indonesia to build a MSR in the next few years using commonly available materials rather than more highly refined uranium eg 5% refined instead of 19% but can used the higher grades for better efficiency when more readily available. MSR will have many advantages in safety and efficiency, High Temperature chemistry (yt Dr Stephen Boyd ) and rare medical isotopes
I have found that the barge captains want to see my AIS whether or not I am anchored. If they have a problem in my vicinity, they 10 know who I am and can call and 2) they can see instantly my speed and course (zero).
I have found quite the opposite. I’ve talked to two of the pilots that come past regularly. Might be different if I was on the edge of the channel, but I’m not.
@@SVSeeker I was on the very, hairy edge of the Illinois River in drought conditions, and they definitely needed it. As you say, you are farther off. If you want to be REALLY annoyed by AIS "white out," go through Fort Lauderdale where hundreds of vessels at pierside are transmitting. Now THAT's annoying.
@@saltydawg1793 I think that is exactly it. It depends on the conditions. Here, they got one big boat way off the channel with an anchor light that can be seen for miles, and then they have a dozen small craft bar hopping in down the ICW at 40+ mph. : )
30 years an engineer, there is always someone who knows your job/business better than you and rants about doing it their way... just smile and wave I say just smile and wave.
@@northmanlogging2769 they probably are when it comes to actually producing the item.... always check with a machinist if the idea works.. it may look good on paper but best to talk to they guy who actually has to make the thing.
@@stonehartfloydfan you sir are the exception then lol, really though its mostly on the management of the machine shop for not calling said enginerd and saying hey man, this is janky... one memorable job had .001 true position to a/b/c on threaded holes, we also made the mating parts, +-.01 location and .015 oversize on the through holes... but we absolutely had to hold that .001 TP fecking ridiculous
It works really good. It goes through the mast into the hull and through the anodes into the water. Wood and fiberglass boat have to install cables to direct it to the water and if those cables are not sufficient then it can convert the water in the wood or fiberglass into steam and make a big hole in the hull.
In addition to the chain stop my paranoid ass would probably put 2 snubbers on top of it. LOL, dont like things moving that should stay where I put them.
Doug, as soon as I build my own boat from scratch, I'll offer you ALLLLLL of my sailing and boat building wisdom... don't expect that to happen anytime too soon! Keep up the good work!
Hi Doug, at 12:00 you showed the chain with an arch in it, from the video it looks more like the light being refracted and the chain is tighter than you might think, but could be wrong.
Almost all wisdom about anchoring is "conventional wisdom". For someone who has never had any trouble at anchor, thats all they have. The problem with that conventional wisdom is that most people don't even know the theory behind it and why it should apply or not.... it may as well be "old wives tales". Getting to know your gear, by failing, will teach you a whole lot more... like a danforth style anchor does not like 180 reverses. An anchor that is the same type but twice as heavy does not hold twice as much weight.... cause well the fluke area is not twice the square area cause the shank and plate material is thicker to take greater loads. But holding power does not go up with fluke area either because extra weight is a factor too. Besides all that, a lot of holding is how well the bottom sticks to itself. Anchoring is a dark art but there is some parts of that dark art we can think our way through. A dragging anchor in any conditions, even daylight, an anxious situation. Most people really don't have a clue beyond what their favourite boating (sales) magazine or buddy tells them. Like you, I am pretty new to this game of anchoring. Been boating for years, built our fist boat 30 years ago. With a 16 foot boat, I let it dry out most of the time and leave at close to high tide... thats a pretty good anchor :) For the past two years it has been a 23 foot cabin cruiser with an over sized danforth style which has worked just fine even when the wind was stronger than the boat was made for.... except for one morning after the storm when the tide reversed 180 and the chain fouled the shank and dragged it backwards. We don't anchor in that spot anymore. So now it is a 30 foot sail boat with a Rocna ... so far so good but still learniing. When I went to collage, there are two things I learned that were more important than most other things: A) The more you know, the more you know you don't know. B) we teach you just enough to get you started, you should be studying for the rest of your life just to keep up.
Ignore the trolls. Don't waste your breath answering them, because 99% of them have never done anything close to what you've done. Focus on what you've done and what you are doing next.
The chain being what holds the boat is about the dumbest bit of boater myth I hear people say. Its a big weight changing the angle of your road at the bottom and acts like a giant spring. That means the anchor is not being jerked out of the ground by the waves and is being pulled parallel to the ground not up. But the chain is not adding much holding power itself. The chain just helps a good anchor do a better job. Now this myth is probably true when you get big enough. When chain links start weighting 100 pounds or more each, they create holding power on their own that starts adding up an exceding what the anchor is doing. But if you can pick your chain up, its not holding anything down there laying in the sand. Its the anchor doing the work for you. The problem with this myth is that people that believe it have no reason to set their anchor an make sure its holding. They also have no reason to put much though in to the kind of anchor or how big it is. The myth is usually said that the anchor just holds the end of the chain an the chain on the ground holds the boat. So with that way of thinking, you dont need much to hold the end of a chain still, they just need a lot of chain. So they drop their crappy anchor an then a crapton of chain. When the wind picks up, the chain which is not holding anything takes off along with their undersized anchor thats likely sitting upside down on top of the ground. Now they are on the rocks wondering why all that chain didnt hold them like the "experts" told them it would. The anchor is everything. It does almost all the holding. So you need a good one an you need to make sure its set. Then you need to make sure you dont shock load it an make sure you are pulling on it at the right angle. A chain is a means to that end. Its one way but not the only way. Its usually the simplest way through. If you deviate from the simplest way, simple minds will get confused an get mad.
It was our boat at the very end but not us during the storm. We were safely anchored, and not dragging two bends west of Seeker during that storm. And we hadn’t come past Wolf Bay until the day he filmed us. 😂
@@SVSeeker we were filming you as you filmed us! LOL! We just got to Tampa and were just passing through. We appreciated your New Orleans video as it gave us an idea of what to expect. 👍
You are right about there being anchor aficionados that get all religious about right and wrong, I come across them too. Generally they aren't the experienced people just the newer sailors who are well read. Ignore the heresy part though, their information can still be useful. I haven't tried dyneema but not for any reason apart from I like and trust what I have. Which is generous chain for all the reasons you describe, and a 100 meters of nylon rode (good quality and thick in case I need to hand haul) while my boat is smaller its still often just me overnighting for a week or two. However I am a fan of the single anchor mainly because 2 just adds complication and when the excrement hits the fan what I don't need are complications. I do have extra chain on board which I will shackle in if there's a big blow coming (I have weathered a cyclone or two that's an education'). Best thing is anchor watch. 30 yrs ago I would set an alarm every hour, then after a year or two I wouldn't set the alarm but wake up on the hour every hour, then after a few more years I would wake up only if things changed like wind or tide etc, now I sleep like a baby and only wake up if I need to which is rare. (usually I am alone so maybe I still do the checks just don't wake up :) Point is you get so attuned to your boat that it really isn't a problem.
The biggest argument in favor of using a non-floating rope in an anchorage, is your neighbors not being alert and moving their boats around with propellers. You didn't pay for that rope to get it wrapped around somebody else's prop shaft. Not much of an issue in a roomy place but if you have a crowded anchorage you may want a different rode.
I think you have a misconception of what it does when in the water. It does not ever float on the surface. It makes a straight line from the bow to the first link of chain. And any boater can see that. You can still hit it, but it's not likely going to foul a prop, especially on an outboard. It's only going to drag you to a stop and give you the opportunity to be somewhat embarrassed.
The other reason to use a snubber is because a traditional sail boat anchor winch isn't meant for potentially days or weeks of inconsistent tension on the bearing surfaces. You don't have that concern with your setup, so it makes sense this way.
grr argh grrr "its not safe!" ok, Dougs the guy the removes the guard off every angle grinder he owns... (which I don't agree with, but its his grinder) ya'll need to calm down a little and think before telling someone that is doing it how its done.
I took the guards off my titchy 5” grinders - not the 9” though as I use that mainly for cutting. I would not advise others to do it, but it works for me as the guards always get in the way for the stuff I do. So yep, I am with you on this.
@@SailingSVPipedream I choke up on them like a lot, so an unguarded wheel is an invitation to losing a fanger... not to mention keeping the debris more or less away from the viewer at home lol, but hey, not my tools, not my fangers.. Though I will hide and watch
I wonder if you could add one of those kinetic rescues lines could be used to dampen a stiff line by being used in tandem. ruclips.net/video/qiIXY9BpKww/видео.html
Well, maybe you read all 146…did the crane men chime in? Run your line out…put a weight on it…feed it back on the spool…i tried to find you a video…but if you make layers and your rope is spool or crane or whatever that is purposefully marine crane…it should lay in there and be fine! No digging in….unless physics changes on seeker. Lol.. I still have nightmares about your seatbelts davet system…cranes are steel to webbing…or all rope…😮 Prince said “never let anyone tell you how to play your guitar”.
I just do things my way. When anyone comes up and tells me all about how I should have done it, I just say, "If you don't like how I did it you're welcome to fix it yourself". In over 40 years nobody, not one person has chosen to redo whatever it was themselves.
Dyneema has been around for 60 years, and has been heavily used on sailboats and in dock lines on powerboats. Why do you think no one has tried it as anchor rhode to see its obvious superiority? Chain stoppers are quite common and exceptionally unlikely to break, why do you think so many sailors run a snubber from the bow in a rocking and rolling anchorage if they already have a chain stopper, do you think decades of experience has rendered everyone blind to the advantages of acting on the theory that a chain stopper renders a snubber irrelevant? For the last ten years you've been telling us that people who do and experience count for way more than the people who have ideas, but now you're telling us that the people who do have missed out on a lot of great stuff. I for one am going to stick with my cheap nylon that needs replacing every 5 years instead of expensive dyneema that needs replacing every two, but then again I'm not a performance boat, the folks with carbon fiber racers may have different feelings, I don't talk to them much, they are zipping past me too quickly.
You need a better argument than, "that is the way it's always been done". We'd all be sitting in caves if that was a good argument. I have also not seen snubbers used on lots of boats. Especially larger commercial steel vessels. And I have never seen anything but chain for anchoring on commercial vessels over 200 feet. Why is that you think? Might it have something to do with the construction material of the vessel?
@@SVSeeker That wasn't my argument, I was asking why you think the rest of us are stupid enough to be making that argument. Many of us have had a snubber abrade through and spent a night on the hook getting jerked hard against the chain, or had to reset a hook after it jerked out of the seabed. Those of us with experience at anchor know that a slack anchor line isn't at all uncommon especially in the anchorages where the winds die down at night. Just because you haven't experienced it that doesn't make the rest of us liars or cowards.
@@AlaskaFACT I don't think you're stupid at all. Don't be so hard on yourself. I think you missed my point. Different boats and different conditions warrant different solutions. You might consider pulling back from getting offended and try to listen more instead. I can imagine a floating rode might give some boats issues, but I have also just demonstrated one of it's advantages and I have had zero issues with it during the months I have used it.
@@SVSeeker It certainly feels like you're the one being hard on us, not like we are being hard on ourselves. The thinks in this video that you highlight as what make seeker different are things that every boat in good repair should have in common. Namely the bow can handle the full force of the anchor rode without needing the snubber to take it elsewhere. The snubber is almost always cleated from the bow. My snubber cleat is on the same piece of stainless plate as my chain-stop and my gypsy. As to different situations, generally the more adventurous you are the more you need the snubber. There are sheltered anchorages scattered throughout the seven seas but almost all of them are on the beaten path, because the path is beaten from sheltered anchorage to sheltered anchorage. Folks who only stay at marinas don't even need to have more than a lunch hook. For those of us out in the world the snubber first and foremost is about keeping your anchor from getting yanked out, and secondly is about reducing the shock load on your boat and crew. I've seen all kinds of different anchoring setups and snubbers only stop applying when ships get to be truly massive with hundreds of fathoms of anchor chain with links the size of a VHS tape. What does your friend Charlie say about anchor snubbers?
You ought to be careful about giving people information that you don't actually know is true. A little bit of information give you a false sense of security. I noticed you do things over and over many times and redo it and change things. You just did it the proper way you wouldn't have to but I guess it'll learning experience for you I just wish you wouldn't belittle people but actually know more about things than you do
Agreed. People who are heard by many have a duty to put forth information that will not harm others (including the environment). Some mistakes have consequences so severe that we should learn from others rather than make these mistakes ourselves. A certain level of trust in experts can help us learn much more without a wake of damage.
@@spencerp8467 Problem I have is selecting OR rejecting the correct 'collective consensus' opinion, suggestion, and regulation that precisely applies to my sometimes unique situation. Simply put...whose 'word' do I trust to be right?🤔
@@philmickey7247 excellent point Phil. My answer to that is that we should hone our reasoning and research techniques the same way we hone any other skill. Practice and an ever improving mentality. You are right though, that is the difficult part.
@@spencerp8467 Thanks for the reply! As a child, church ministries would instruct but not necessarily 'take their own medicine.' With scares and 'testing' I've somehow survived living and having an interesting life.🤣 As Doug says, 'What did you build today?' Climbing up a mast is dangerous...but rewarding!👍
@@philmickey7247 Though cynicism is a worthy position, a true cynic should question as a maxim rather than as an objective. What I mean to say is that while my worldview agrees with your experiences, discounting others experience and advice is foolish as it diminishes the value of experience... in my experience 😉.
I don't know shit about anchoring a boat, but I bet if you ask 2033 Doug what 2023 Doug is getting wrong, 2033 Doug might have some advice on anchoring. also advice on which bermudan shellfish to avoid, and how to weld a hull-crack below the waterline. At least you got to hope that 2033 Doug has some interesting advice or what's the point?
@@SVSeeker Better to regret a delayed endeavour than no endeavour! you could sit in that bay for the rest of your days and you'd still have lived more than most "sensible" people ever will. balls to sensibility, here's to ADVENTURE!
Whatever keeps Your boat secured in place in a choppy draught. Interesting that You Yourself call that "heresy" - that's usually a title selfopinionated zealots allot. When it comes to dyneema as an anchor line: Only thing I saw problematic with it is its floating property once the wind slackens and Your anchor line does slacken with it: Other people do not count in dyneema lines "slackening to the surface" in their course planning and might get it in their props when leaving and crossing between Your boat and Your second anchor, may there be an anchor buoy or not. I doubt it was in any way visible on the surface without rags tied to it every three feet in high-viz yellow or orange, and even then hardly, without somebody particularly watching out for it - that could become a prop-trap turning the end of the storm into a diverting stretch.
What do you think the odds are the the wind is going to shift 180 degrees and even present the opportunity for line to slack, and then for a boater to pass within one boat length at the same time?
@@SVSeeker As the chartered "busdriver" with a load of new noses every fortnight for more than one season in crowded spaces all over Europe, I saw other boaters do things You might not even have nightmares about yet. The odds are slim, obviously. That does not change what other people will do. 1 boatlength? Lets talk feet, single digits of 'em. I had to leave and re-anchor regularly because them Capt'ns got my chain in their props, rudders or their anchors while dragging those through the water below surface to get rid of silt .... Seeker might not be headed towards heavily tourist-infested anchorages full of cocky, moronic noobs, which is a good thing for both the boat and the Captain's sanity, while people leaving over and into a chain even is a thing. Much more so over and into a dyneema line. Anyway. Whatever floats Your boat, as we had it .... Thanks for sharing with us bilgerats! Cheers.
Doug your right. I grew up sailing in UK and I’d never even seen a ‘snubber’ until I was in usa. ( or a swivel). Not sure about Amstel/dyneema as a anchor rode, I prefer a nylon as it has a lot more shock absorbing properties. I would be concerned with the weed and barnacles in the line. Hard growth could possibly cause internal chafe issues, I guess you will find out. Cheers Warren
Why is anchoring so difficult? Thought you just dropped you cinderbollks over the side and you good to go! How do they ever anchor an aircraft carrier when yours at your size seems to be complicated? Side note: know nothing about boats!!
With your AIS, you should be able to change your vessel status from 'Underway' to 'At anchor'.. That way you don't need to turn it off, and it should display an obvious sign on the receivers that you are at anchor and they don't need to worry about you.
It does that automatically, but that is not the point. It's not necessary to draw a pilots attention to an anchored vessel at all. If he sees us in the dark it is obvious we are anchored and well outside of the channel. In different circumstances a change may be needed. Hard and fast rules are bad rules.
“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.” ― Mark Twain
My wife and I fished for Salmon and crab on the west coast of California for 40 years on a 42 ft wooden troller (we retired 6 years ago now) our anchor winch had a 65 lb furford anchor , then 25 foot of 3/4 ship chain the, 150 ft of 3/8 chain, and 300 foot of 3/8 fiber core galvanized steel cable (the cable we cut off 50 ft a year for a couple of years then we replace the whole thing), with this anchoring setup we have anchored in winds up to 50 knots and never moved we always had at least 7 to 1 out or more wind depending, this is just for you info from a 74 year old salt, we maybe dragged 5 times with this setup and that was because I let out the anchor to fast and it got fouled on the chain! Good luck with your adventure, enjoy watching your video's.
LOL! One of our viewers said you showed our boat. But we weren’t any where close to you for that storm. We were tucked in tight and anchored safely a couple bends west of you. 😂 We stayed put with our 3/8” G4 on a Mantus with a swivel. 😜
the chain also keeps the anchor horizontal, which keeps it dug in.
I got to tell you Doug, this is the best early morning show ever. Talk about controversy 😂
We got a 33 ton ketch, we started eventually using a bridle to reduce noise in front cabin. Yes, one does not "need" bridle. There are hundred ways to operate boat, none of them are "the only way"
You will eventually get to test your anchoring theory against a Gulf Coast hurricane. Having lived on the Gulf Coast for 73 years and seen the enormous power of these storms my only advice is find yourself a good hurricane hole (in advance) and put out every anchor you own.
And then borrow a couple more...
My Alabama Gulf Coast hurricane plan actually does not rely on anchors at all. The locals use the trees along the bayous.
@@SVSeeker that’s what the shrimp boats do in Southwest Louisiana. They come up the Vermilion River and tie off to the bank. God willing you will never have to face that challenge.
A snubber is everything you have said YES you are correct. But more importantly it is a softener to minimize the shock loading on the chain and/or rope. A snubber should always be used on all drawn out and slack lined anchors. Slack line meaning the line is NOT pulled taught and taught between more than one anchoring location. There for the vessel can free drift as the tides and wind change. Your anchor setup is a slack line arrangement, and there for are subject to changing water current, wind direction and wave height conditions. A tight line anchor expects to have minimal dynamic loading to the lock and windless systems and requires more than one anchor location be it a combination of anchor, mooring, or cleats. So, to sum it up all SV MV etc... vessels should use a snubber system to protect their anchoring system(s). It also reduces the sudden shock rate of direction change and loading on the anchor chain. That also means there is less discomfort from aggressive movements do to having no snubber. A snubber also means you have 3 safety systems to hold onto the anchor chain. "snubber, chain lock, windless. If the anchor still rips its chain off of the boat.... ! it earned it.
The Book of Beriny Chapter 4, verses 13 thru 27.
I THINK (emphasis on think) that a sentinel weight is used independently from the anchor. Typically, it might be lowered over the side to show the mariner that boat is dragging when the line to the sentinel stretches out. The weight attached to the anchor chain to give it more catenary is called a kellet. And Bob's your uncle. :)
Could be, that does make sense, but the term get used interchangeably. eoceanic.com/sailing/tips/ALL/108/
interesting video thx Doug!
I think one of the reasons I like a snubber is that you can cut it or untie it under load if something goes wrong
I don't think Doug would have any problems cutting that chain under load. That's what cordless grinders are for
Now I'm throwing fuel on the anchor discussion fire!
There is only one way to anchor in heavy weather, in a sailboat!
It is the combination of chain and elastic rope such as nylon, not dynema.
There are two main reasons why things go wrong when anchoring and it is not that the chain or rope breaks due to overload.
1. Rope breaks due to wear.
2. The anchor is pulled up from the ground due to waves under strong winds.
At anchor somewhere in Great Britain, the weather turned with strong gale force winds. 55 kn, gusting to 65 kn. The waves worked their way into the anchorage and out of 4 boats, (from 33-36 feet), 3 were rescued by the RNLI. All used Bruce anchors and the 3 British that were rescued had 2 out, with a maximum of chain. The one with the most had 2*60 meters in a depth of 7 metres.
The boat that was left, myself, had 1 anchor with 40 meters of chain and 30 meters of nylon. I also used an "angel" a weight that is sent down with the rope!
I sailed for 6 years around the world without any drama at anchor!
Im from the North of GB and this is the way we anchor in heavy weather!
Ok people, hit me!
Sounds like you did the right thing for your boat and those conditions. Thanks for sharing.
@@SVSeeker You are too nice. But i agree with your setup and what you said.
And your ship is... a dream! More than a dream...
Hooks are not the only way to attach snubbers. "Plastic" boats are not the only boats that use snubbers or, are too delicate to be severely damaged by shock loads. Anecdotal evidence may be misleading and "conventional wisdom" may not be anecdotal but rather the majority of datum that suggests one option over others.
⚓ 🐾🐾🐾 🐈
You said...
"On the Mississippi"
I thought.. Wow...
I'm just thinking about you in the future doing some lead casting on a beach with drift wood... That'll be fun..
That would be fun.
Enjoyed this one life on Seeker looking good!
The floating lines. It's the same as a anchor bouy. If the anchor breaks loos. Use that floating line to retrieve the anchor. If you have a small bouy, and a known depth for the Anchorage. Loop a line at the anchor and let it float. Going between you and the marker bouy is not recommended in shallower water they may hit your chain. 99.9% don't mark their anchor. I never did unless it was real shallow.
In 40 knots with waves your chain will stretch. Nylon for a long snubber is advised.
So while agree with you that the chain catenary effect will act as a spring to reduce shock loads caused by an extended anchor chain. When in shallower water with a reduced swinging circle due to landscape or other boats nearby, the chances of your chain jerking the anchor out are greater. For me, the greatest benefit of a bridle is that it allows for more spring in your load and reduces the chance of shock loads.
Different conditions call for different solutions.
@@SVSeeker Agreed!
AIS should always be on when vessels are underway or anchored for increased visibility and safety reasons as its great for poor vis and also sound the ararm to other vessals that your in there path
What about bubble wrap? You could wear a bubble wrap suite on your boat for safety reasons. You could even bubble wrap your boat.
@@evangatehouse5650 So you are offended by proxy? Maybe he actually has a sense of humor? And in some conditions, I would turn it on. None of them apply here because the navigation channel is too far away. And being that no one keeps them on in this anchorage would make you the problem for assuming they do or even have one.
When needed
Hello from Siesta Key Florida
It's essential to have plenty of chain lying on the bottom so that the force applied to the anchor is horizontal which keeps the anchor dug in. To achieve this the conventional wisdom is to put out 5 times the water depth in chain, known as scope.
You might want a snubber to reduce the annoying noise transferred to the boat from the anchor chain under load. Love the vids, keep em coming.
Yes! The primary reason for the chain is to change the vector of the force. Shock absorption is a fringe benefit and strength is a moot point.
I think it's now fair to say you are the captain of SV Seeker, so big fella, it's your call. Now as for a name, perhaps Captain Dougie
"...oh the children, think of the children" lol
That out-take, guitar playing never gets old! ...just gorgeous : ) ...think you might like Pat McCune, Earphone Stuff is the album. Cheers!
Can't even pull a Nylon string parallel to the ground, more than a few feet.
Synthetic rope creates an opportunity, though chaffing may prevent the application.
A winch using steel cable, looses force by stretching as well as compressing on the drum.
Would it be practical to wrap a 'retrieval drum' (high torque, hyd) several times, that is passed on to a 'storage drum' (electric/pneumatic)?
Enjoyed learning about the sentinel, like a spring to counter hydraulic force.
Thanks for all you're doing doug. Nice job with everything. I've retired from the water to the earth ( I farm now). I lived aboard for a couple years in my 20s and 30s. The ocean is brutal. Not meant for men. Men get tired, steel gets tired, but the ocean never gets tired. I like land.
@6:44 Hilarious Doug 😂 Thank you.
Having anchored here and there for the past 30 years, my advice is don't give anchoring advice until you've done it in a variety of places for 5-10 years besides rivers.
Do you have a point to make? I'm all ears.
Hey Doug we have a boat on a mooring and sadly find our rope strop gets cut through by power boat props so we back it up with a chain one as well! ... As for anchoring and which type of set up you prefer ..whatever has worked for you in your circumstances .
It's so cool to see seeker in the water.... I really regret not sponsoring a tile that says: "life's a garden, dig it" - Joe Dirt. BTW HowNOT2's a great channel to understand the abilities of dyneema... and it's uv degradation. Anyway, love y'all prikx
Good to see another fan of Ryan & co. Does good, realistic work there
some use a rope snubber to dampen the wave action
Some need it.
I was really interested in your dual drum chain-dyneema windlass but wasn't clear how you switch drums and how you mix the chain with dyneema. Can you go into it in more detail? I also wondered if you are trying to do Bahamian mooring with your 2 anchors. I thought that would have prevented swinging over the primary anchor. No? Seems to me anchoring details [as you do it each time) would be a great additional feature to your regular videos.
All this talk about anchoring, but Doug doesn't even mention the real danger -- poking a hole in the ocean floor and draining all the water to the earth's core and putting out the fire.
Snubbers also take the shock loads off your winch.
Interesting video, belts and braces.
Naysayers abound. I have had problems with some nylon line that likes to hold air in it and takes a while to sink, anchoring while going foward I have had it go under the boat and get stuck between the twin keels, setting the hook awkwardly hanging from the back of one of the keels. Made especially awkward because you don't want to use the engine incase you foul your line. Even worst if it hooks one of the zinc and doesn't fall off.
Another one.......I have thought of same plate panel on sides of rolling boats at anchor. Put em a couple feet down, to reduce roll.
So why not use a snubber to reduce shock load?
Because with my setup, it's a waste of time and in the way.
Probably a dumb question. But, has anyone used a "yankum" style snatch rope to make a hybrid product? They are rated for significantly more tension than chains, with more tension stretch than all that weight can produce. I bet an opportunity may be missed if you don't test with Yankum ropes. The testing seems like your alley for sure.
We've been pulling vehicles out of the sand and mud with nylon rope since I was a babe. Yankum is just a nylon rope, but they do put a lot into protecting it from chafing on rocks. But chafing is not really an issue on a boat where it would be used as a snubber. I'm not sure that the plastic coating they use would not do more harm than good on a boat, by not letting the interior of the rope dry. Pulling someone out takes minutes, but snubbers stay in the water for days, and it's best to let them dry before storing them.
Word to the wise.If it can, it will and it does.Whatever you think you need for "your conditions". Double it.then double it again.The weather is not getting any better.Neither are the Earthquakes ect..,
Quick question knowing nothing about boats, how do lightning strikes effect it
How do you Americans distinguish between nautical miles and land miles? In Europe, we have (sea) miles and km.
I have an idea.......you talk about a sentinal at 6:40 ish. How bout a 3 by 3 plate with a eye welded to it in middle. put that out so as the boat pulls on chain it pulls water kinda like a bucket behind the boat on a rope.The plate weighs less than traditional sentinal.if 3by 3 isnt big enough 4by4.
Anchoring changes boat by boat , location of boat and , affordability, experience , a technical thought or a bios book brain doesn't change but tries to fight
Using that same dyneema for the kids tree swing. The swing can only handle 400 lbs, I bet the tree could handle 2t off the limb it's on (12" healthy elm) but yes. I'd be more concerned about the tree coming down than the rope ever failing. when people sit on the swing they all expect it to drop or bounce a bit, haha nope, like dropping onto the floor.
I do want to hear about propane below as I've always been told it's really bad. But I seen it done on a number of boats, and I haven't really had the time to think it through for myself. I've had smaller boats and for a week or weekend the little butane cans work fine and even the whole can leaking out at once is not that much, but that's not enough propane for a long cruise or a bigger boat and crew.
Like everything, it depends. If you work at it, and you really have to work at it, you can get it to explode. That occasionally happens but I have yet to hear of any occurrence that involved a tank that was not connected to anything. There are two valves that would need to fail before a standard propane tank could leak. Most of the time the culprit is a leaky hose or fitting. And I'm perfectly willing to live with a tank that is not connected being stored below deck. Hell, if you're not willing to take that level of risk, let's face it, the ocean is no place for you. And that is too bad, because you only have one chance at living fully.
@@SVSeeker I am personally in possession of two propane tanks that bleed out, both valves failed. It definitely happens. That said, its not common, and you certainly can smell it, even outdoors. Like you said, its about how much risk you are willing to accept. Myself, I keep those tanks outside and will get the valves replaced.
What you want when anchoring is to not have your anchor rode exert any upward force on the anchor itself regardless of the wind, current and depth conditions for your anchorage. The weight of the chain dragging the bottom does not provide any additional "hold" and is not the reason to let out more chain when wind and currents are high. The amount of hold is entirely from the anchor itself. The sole purpose of a heavy and/or long length of chain is so that the chain nearest the anchor will always remain on the bottom even when wind and current causes your boat to pull strongly on the rode. As long as at least some length of the chain is on the bottom, the force acting on the anchor will always be puling parallel to the bottom. There will be no upward force but only a parallel force causing your anchor to dig in to the substrate. If the force on the rode is high enough to lift the entire chain off the bottom, you will start having upward forces and risk having the anchor drag. This is why you still need at least a short run of chain even if you're using primarily a synthetic rode. That length of chain attached to the synthetic rode needs to be long enough on its own to hold the rode parallel to bottom near the anchor so there is no upward pull on the anchor. If you anchor with synthetic rode and it drags, letting out more rode will not improve the situation, unlike a pure chain rode would.
You mentioned using a sentinel. Yes this does reduce shock loading, but it also forces your rode down lower in the water and thus helps keep the forces on the anchor parallel to the bottom. I would recommend using one if you ever use your synthetic rode on your primary anchor.
still have not seen you test the pull on a pirate anchor
Someday, but don't hold your breath, there are lots of other things higher on the list.
LUBE that door !
No. Build muscles.
What happens if the anchor gets tangled up with something under the water
Salvage Day. You go diving.
@@SVSeeker unless you know you might be in a trouble spot and set a buoy attached to the base of the anchor for a reverse anchor retrieval?
@@paulj4178 Yes. I used a trip line on the river and lakes where there were trees and I keep a trip line on my second anchor just because I want to know where it is in relation to the primary.
No matter the topic of discussion, someone always knows best. It took me nearly a lifetime to recognize that problems have many solutions, and as long as you find one, you're gonna be just fine. Stay safe
Truth
dyeema strong but no stretch - nylon not as strong but lots of stretch to reduce shock, hmmm - but whose boat is it - Captains call - enjoy
Thank you for the video I was wondering how do you heat the boat I know I know you showed us an earlier videos but I can't remember anyway thanks again my best to you and yours God bless
Propane mostly, but we just installed our first diesel heater.
I was on an aircraft carrier. We had the exact same setup with a chain stop. I have no idea what a "snubber" is and don't really care. The Boatswain's Mate always said the anchor holds the chain and the chain holds the boat. I don't know what it means, but the aircraft carrier wouldn't ever move at anchor, so it is obvious to me he knew what he was talking about. Of course, each link of the chain weighed more than your entire chain and anchor setup (over 350 lbs each link).
I think big navy ships are where the concept of the chain holding the boat and not the anchor comes from. On an aircraft carrier, I'm sure it's absolutely true. But I bet there was never a situation where your aircraft carrier pulled its chain taught. On small boats, it's a regular occurrence, and when that happens, you better have an anchor that's trying to bring the earth with it.
Anchor links on the Gerald R. Ford are about 60lbs each.
I suppose people would be against dyneema for rode because it's a slippery line that doesn't hold "normal" knots well. I think if you do an eye splice with a enough burry and wip it good you'll be alright. What type and how heavy of an anchor are you using?
So, i am an avid watcher and also anti nuclear. You were kind enough to send me a link to some information about "pebble bed" reactors. My thought is that i will still be anti nuclear after but I've been curious about said pebble bed reactors. So if you don't mind refreshing my memory with the link i will check it out. Thanks and happy sailing/learning.
china building a USA invention Molten Salt Reactor (Nuclear) using USA data and records, first built over 60 years ago but abandoned in favour of Light water and pressurised reactors (plutonium / military / kaboomies ) tedex and youtube with kirk sorensen explains, but USA green tape has limited research in USA but not China - Thorcon have a MOU with Indonesia to build a MSR in the next few years using commonly available materials rather than more highly refined uranium eg 5% refined instead of 19% but can used the higher grades for better efficiency when more readily available. MSR will have many advantages in safety and efficiency, High Temperature chemistry (yt Dr Stephen Boyd ) and rare medical isotopes
❤ love your teaching But I SEE LIGHTS IN YOUR FUTURE ON A MASS POLE to help you in storms at night.😊
Amsteels kryptonite is sunlight.
I have found that the barge captains want to see my AIS whether or not I am anchored. If they have a problem in my vicinity, they 10 know who I am and can call and 2) they can see instantly my speed and course (zero).
I have found quite the opposite. I’ve talked to two of the pilots that come past regularly. Might be different if I was on the edge of the channel, but I’m not.
@@SVSeeker I was on the very, hairy edge of the Illinois River in drought conditions, and they definitely needed it. As you say, you are farther off. If you want to be REALLY annoyed by AIS "white out," go through Fort Lauderdale where hundreds of vessels at pierside are transmitting. Now THAT's annoying.
@@saltydawg1793 I think that is exactly it. It depends on the conditions. Here, they got one big boat way off the channel with an anchor light that can be seen for miles, and then they have a dozen small craft bar hopping in down the ICW at 40+ mph. : )
30 years an engineer, there is always someone who knows your job/business better than you and rants about doing it their way... just smile and wave I say just smile and wave.
25 years a machinist, every machinist thinks they are a better engineer then every engineer... just sayin...
............I just smile and wave at the penguins.
@@northmanlogging2769 they probably are when it comes to actually producing the item.... always check with a machinist if the idea works.. it may look good on paper but best to talk to they guy who actually has to make the thing.
@@stonehartfloydfan you sir are the exception then lol, really though its mostly on the management of the machine shop for not calling said enginerd and saying hey man, this is janky... one memorable job had .001 true position to a/b/c on threaded holes, we also made the mating parts, +-.01 location and .015 oversize on the through holes... but we absolutely had to hold that .001 TP fecking ridiculous
@@northmanlogging2769 haha yeah the hate is deserved.. the CNC guys hate engineers for good reason.
How does lightning work on a metal boat on the water?
It works really good. It goes through the mast into the hull and through the anodes into the water. Wood and fiberglass boat have to install cables to direct it to the water and if those cables are not sufficient then it can convert the water in the wood or fiberglass into steam and make a big hole in the hull.
In addition to the chain stop my paranoid ass would probably put 2 snubbers on top of it. LOL, dont like things moving that should stay where I put them.
Doug, as soon as I build my own boat from scratch, I'll offer you ALLLLLL of my sailing and boat building wisdom... don't expect that to happen anytime too soon! Keep up the good work!
I wanna see SV Seeker Doing a loop to loop around a American aircraft Carrier
Jesus! That would piss them off! How many years to you think I'd be in jail?
@@SVSeeker Thank you sir for the personal response I am not specifically a comedian but I'm hilarious
@@SVSeeker In actuality it could be a PR stunt to invite more young people to go into the navy Or coast guard
Hi Doug, at 12:00 you showed the chain with an arch in it, from the video it looks more like the light being refracted and the chain is tighter than you might think, but could be wrong.
I absolutely love your logic. 👍👍
Almost all wisdom about anchoring is "conventional wisdom". For someone who has never had any trouble at anchor, thats all they have. The problem with that conventional wisdom is that most people don't even know the theory behind it and why it should apply or not.... it may as well be "old wives tales". Getting to know your gear, by failing, will teach you a whole lot more... like a danforth style anchor does not like 180 reverses. An anchor that is the same type but twice as heavy does not hold twice as much weight.... cause well the fluke area is not twice the square area cause the shank and plate material is thicker to take greater loads. But holding power does not go up with fluke area either because extra weight is a factor too. Besides all that, a lot of holding is how well the bottom sticks to itself.
Anchoring is a dark art but there is some parts of that dark art we can think our way through. A dragging anchor in any conditions, even daylight, an anxious situation. Most people really don't have a clue beyond what their favourite boating (sales) magazine or buddy tells them.
Like you, I am pretty new to this game of anchoring. Been boating for years, built our fist boat 30 years ago. With a 16 foot boat, I let it dry out most of the time and leave at close to high tide... thats a pretty good anchor :) For the past two years it has been a 23 foot cabin cruiser with an over sized danforth style which has worked just fine even when the wind was stronger than the boat was made for.... except for one morning after the storm when the tide reversed 180 and the chain fouled the shank and dragged it backwards. We don't anchor in that spot anymore. So now it is a 30 foot sail boat with a Rocna ... so far so good but still learniing.
When I went to collage, there are two things I learned that were more important than most other things: A) The more you know, the more you know you don't know. B) we teach you just enough to get you started, you should be studying for the rest of your life just to keep up.
Ignore the trolls. Don't waste your breath answering them, because 99% of them have never done anything close to what you've done. Focus on what you've done and what you are doing next.
That's a loud 📢 door 🚪😂
The chain being what holds the boat is about the dumbest bit of boater myth I hear people say. Its a big weight changing the angle of your road at the bottom and acts like a giant spring. That means the anchor is not being jerked out of the ground by the waves and is being pulled parallel to the ground not up. But the chain is not adding much holding power itself. The chain just helps a good anchor do a better job. Now this myth is probably true when you get big enough. When chain links start weighting 100 pounds or more each, they create holding power on their own that starts adding up an exceding what the anchor is doing. But if you can pick your chain up, its not holding anything down there laying in the sand. Its the anchor doing the work for you.
The problem with this myth is that people that believe it have no reason to set their anchor an make sure its holding. They also have no reason to put much though in to the kind of anchor or how big it is. The myth is usually said that the anchor just holds the end of the chain an the chain on the ground holds the boat. So with that way of thinking, you dont need much to hold the end of a chain still, they just need a lot of chain. So they drop their crappy anchor an then a crapton of chain. When the wind picks up, the chain which is not holding anything takes off along with their undersized anchor thats likely sitting upside down on top of the ground. Now they are on the rocks wondering why all that chain didnt hold them like the "experts" told them it would.
The anchor is everything. It does almost all the holding. So you need a good one an you need to make sure its set. Then you need to make sure you dont shock load it an make sure you are pulling on it at the right angle. A chain is a means to that end. Its one way but not the only way. Its usually the simplest way through. If you deviate from the simplest way, simple minds will get confused an get mad.
Hey Doug, was that spoondrift at the end of this video?
Don't know.
It was our boat at the very end but not us during the storm. We were safely anchored, and not dragging two bends west of Seeker during that storm. And we hadn’t come past Wolf Bay until the day he filmed us. 😂
@@Spoondrifters Well howdy. Stop over next time you're in the neighborhood. Maybe you'd like to try your hand at sailing a Junk.
@@SVSeeker we were filming you as you filmed us! LOL! We just got to Tampa and were just passing through. We appreciated your New Orleans video as it gave us an idea of what to expect. 👍
@@Spoondrifters Glad to hear that. NOLA was fun. You have a standing invitation to sail Seeker if we meet again.
You are right about there being anchor aficionados that get all religious about right and wrong, I come across them too. Generally they aren't the experienced people just the newer sailors who are well read. Ignore the heresy part though, their information can still be useful.
I haven't tried dyneema but not for any reason apart from I like and trust what I have. Which is generous chain for all the reasons you describe, and a 100 meters of nylon rode (good quality and thick in case I need to hand haul) while my boat is smaller its still often just me overnighting for a week or two.
However I am a fan of the single anchor mainly because 2 just adds complication and when the excrement hits the fan what I don't need are complications. I do have extra chain on board which I will shackle in if there's a big blow coming (I have weathered a cyclone or two that's an education').
Best thing is anchor watch. 30 yrs ago I would set an alarm every hour, then after a year or two I wouldn't set the alarm but wake up on the hour every hour, then after a few more years I would wake up only if things changed like wind or tide etc, now I sleep like a baby and only wake up if I need to which is rare. (usually I am alone so maybe I still do the checks just don't wake up :) Point is you get so attuned to your boat that it really isn't a problem.
Just be the duck an remain calm .
Doug you are the bomb, I enjoy listening to your rants! Keep up the good work!
I was hoping to see what your lights looked like.
They still need to be wired in. : )
The biggest argument in favor of using a non-floating rope in an anchorage, is your neighbors not being alert and moving their boats around with propellers. You didn't pay for that rope to get it wrapped around somebody else's prop shaft. Not much of an issue in a roomy place but if you have a crowded anchorage you may want a different rode.
I think you have a misconception of what it does when in the water. It does not ever float on the surface. It makes a straight line from the bow to the first link of chain. And any boater can see that. You can still hit it, but it's not likely going to foul a prop, especially on an outboard. It's only going to drag you to a stop and give you the opportunity to be somewhat embarrassed.
The other reason to use a snubber is because a traditional sail boat anchor winch isn't meant for potentially days or weeks of inconsistent tension on the bearing surfaces. You don't have that concern with your setup, so it makes sense this way.
grr argh grrr "its not safe!" ok, Dougs the guy the removes the guard off every angle grinder he owns... (which I don't agree with, but its his grinder) ya'll need to calm down a little and think before telling someone that is doing it how its done.
I took the guards off my titchy 5” grinders - not the 9” though as I use that mainly for cutting. I would not advise others to do it, but it works for me as the guards always get in the way for the stuff I do. So yep, I am with you on this.
@@SailingSVPipedream I choke up on them like a lot, so an unguarded wheel is an invitation to losing a fanger... not to mention keeping the debris more or less away from the viewer at home lol, but hey, not my tools, not my fangers.. Though I will hide and watch
👍🏻👍🏻
I wonder if you could add one of those kinetic rescues lines could be used to dampen a stiff line by being used in tandem.
ruclips.net/video/qiIXY9BpKww/видео.html
Well, maybe you read all 146…did the crane men chime in?
Run your line out…put a weight on it…feed it back on the spool…i tried to find you a video…but if you make layers and your rope is spool or crane or whatever that is purposefully marine crane…it should lay in there and be fine! No digging in….unless physics changes on seeker. Lol..
I still have nightmares about your seatbelts davet system…cranes are steel to webbing…or all rope…😮
Prince said “never let anyone tell you how to play your guitar”.
I just do things my way. When anyone comes up and tells me all about how I should have done it, I just say, "If you don't like how I did it you're welcome to fix it yourself". In over 40 years nobody, not one person has chosen to redo whatever it was themselves.
Translation is not posible again
Dyneema has been around for 60 years, and has been heavily used on sailboats and in dock lines on powerboats. Why do you think no one has tried it as anchor rhode to see its obvious superiority?
Chain stoppers are quite common and exceptionally unlikely to break, why do you think so many sailors run a snubber from the bow in a rocking and rolling anchorage if they already have a chain stopper, do you think decades of experience has rendered everyone blind to the advantages of acting on the theory that a chain stopper renders a snubber irrelevant?
For the last ten years you've been telling us that people who do and experience count for way more than the people who have ideas, but now you're telling us that the people who do have missed out on a lot of great stuff. I for one am going to stick with my cheap nylon that needs replacing every 5 years instead of expensive dyneema that needs replacing every two, but then again I'm not a performance boat, the folks with carbon fiber racers may have different feelings, I don't talk to them much, they are zipping past me too quickly.
You need a better argument than, "that is the way it's always been done". We'd all be sitting in caves if that was a good argument. I have also not seen snubbers used on lots of boats. Especially larger commercial steel vessels. And I have never seen anything but chain for anchoring on commercial vessels over 200 feet. Why is that you think? Might it have something to do with the construction material of the vessel?
@@SVSeeker That wasn't my argument, I was asking why you think the rest of us are stupid enough to be making that argument.
Many of us have had a snubber abrade through and spent a night on the hook getting jerked hard against the chain, or had to reset a hook after it jerked out of the seabed. Those of us with experience at anchor know that a slack anchor line isn't at all uncommon especially in the anchorages where the winds die down at night. Just because you haven't experienced it that doesn't make the rest of us liars or cowards.
@@AlaskaFACT I don't think you're stupid at all. Don't be so hard on yourself. I think you missed my point. Different boats and different conditions warrant different solutions. You might consider pulling back from getting offended and try to listen more instead. I can imagine a floating rode might give some boats issues, but I have also just demonstrated one of it's advantages and I have had zero issues with it during the months I have used it.
@@SVSeeker It certainly feels like you're the one being hard on us, not like we are being hard on ourselves.
The thinks in this video that you highlight as what make seeker different are things that every boat in good repair should have in common. Namely the bow can handle the full force of the anchor rode without needing the snubber to take it elsewhere. The snubber is almost always cleated from the bow. My snubber cleat is on the same piece of stainless plate as my chain-stop and my gypsy.
As to different situations, generally the more adventurous you are the more you need the snubber. There are sheltered anchorages scattered throughout the seven seas but almost all of them are on the beaten path, because the path is beaten from sheltered anchorage to sheltered anchorage. Folks who only stay at marinas don't even need to have more than a lunch hook. For those of us out in the world the snubber first and foremost is about keeping your anchor from getting yanked out, and secondly is about reducing the shock load on your boat and crew. I've seen all kinds of different anchoring setups and snubbers only stop applying when ships get to be truly massive with hundreds of fathoms of anchor chain with links the size of a VHS tape.
What does your friend Charlie say about anchor snubbers?
Like I've said before Blue steel line has made a big difference in the marine industry the days of heavy poly rope or wire rope are gone.
Maybe a camera on mass pole to see what is going on at night
👍👍👍Thanks KEEP ON THINKING.......
You ought to be careful about giving people information that you don't actually know is true. A little bit of information give you a false sense of security. I noticed you do things over and over many times and redo it and change things. You just did it the proper way you wouldn't have to but I guess it'll learning experience for you I just wish you wouldn't belittle people but actually know more about things than you do
Agreed. People who are heard by many have a duty to put forth information that will not harm others (including the environment). Some mistakes have consequences so severe that we should learn from others rather than make these mistakes ourselves. A certain level of trust in experts can help us learn much more without a wake of damage.
@@spencerp8467 Problem I have is selecting OR rejecting the correct 'collective consensus' opinion, suggestion, and regulation that precisely applies to my sometimes unique situation.
Simply put...whose 'word' do I trust to be right?🤔
@@philmickey7247 excellent point Phil. My answer to that is that we should hone our reasoning and research techniques the same way we hone any other skill. Practice and an ever improving mentality. You are right though, that is the difficult part.
@@spencerp8467 Thanks for the reply!
As a child, church ministries would instruct but not necessarily 'take their own medicine.'
With scares and 'testing' I've somehow survived living and having an interesting life.🤣
As Doug says, 'What did you build today?'
Climbing up a mast is dangerous...but rewarding!👍
@@philmickey7247 Though cynicism is a worthy position, a true cynic should question as a maxim rather than as an objective. What I mean to say is that while my worldview agrees with your experiences, discounting others experience and advice is foolish as it diminishes the value of experience... in my experience 😉.
I don't know shit about anchoring a boat, but I bet if you ask 2033 Doug what 2023 Doug is getting wrong, 2033 Doug might have some advice on anchoring. also advice on which bermudan shellfish to avoid, and how to weld a hull-crack below the waterline. At least you got to hope that 2033 Doug has some interesting advice or what's the point?
Most likely Doug will have nothing but regrets for not having gone on this adventure sooner.
@@SVSeeker Better to regret a delayed endeavour than no endeavour! you could sit in that bay for the rest of your days and you'd still have lived more than most "sensible" people ever will. balls to sensibility, here's to ADVENTURE!
Whatever keeps Your boat secured in place in a choppy draught. Interesting that You Yourself call that "heresy" - that's usually a title selfopinionated zealots allot.
When it comes to dyneema as an anchor line: Only thing I saw problematic with it is its floating property once the wind slackens and Your anchor line does slacken with it: Other people do not count in dyneema lines "slackening to the surface" in their course planning and might get it in their props when leaving and crossing between Your boat and Your second anchor, may there be an anchor buoy or not. I doubt it was in any way visible on the surface without rags tied to it every three feet in high-viz yellow or orange, and even then hardly, without somebody particularly watching out for it - that could become a prop-trap turning the end of the storm into a diverting stretch.
What do you think the odds are the the wind is going to shift 180 degrees and even present the opportunity for line to slack, and then for a boater to pass within one boat length at the same time?
@@SVSeeker As the chartered "busdriver" with a load of new noses every fortnight for more than one season in crowded spaces all over Europe, I saw other boaters do things You might not even have nightmares about yet. The odds are slim, obviously. That does not change what other people will do. 1 boatlength? Lets talk feet, single digits of 'em. I had to leave and re-anchor regularly because them Capt'ns got my chain in their props, rudders or their anchors while dragging those through the water below surface to get rid of silt .... Seeker might not be headed towards heavily tourist-infested anchorages full of cocky, moronic noobs, which is a good thing for both the boat and the Captain's sanity, while people leaving over and into a chain even is a thing. Much more so over and into a dyneema line. Anyway. Whatever floats Your boat, as we had it ....
Thanks for sharing with us bilgerats!
Cheers.
Doug your right. I grew up sailing in UK and I’d never even seen a ‘snubber’ until I was in usa. ( or a swivel).
Not sure about Amstel/dyneema as a anchor rode, I prefer a nylon as it has a lot more shock absorbing properties.
I would be concerned with the weed and barnacles in the line. Hard growth could possibly cause internal chafe issues, I guess you will find out.
Cheers Warren
You been rubbin the reddits the wrong way again huh.
Добрий вечір ми з України.
Oh, the children! 😭
Este es el barco que tenias a tu lado www.youtube.com/@Spoondrifters/videos
Anchors are amateurs. Professional bass boats and barrage use pilings!🤣
noli illegitimi carborundum
Arm chair salors mate pay no mind
Why is anchoring so difficult? Thought you just dropped you cinderbollks over the side and you good to go! How do they ever anchor an aircraft carrier when yours at your size seems to be complicated? Side note: know nothing about boats!!