Midweek Sailing Getaway - Anchoring in Boston's Harbour Islands

[@asiluawksadvnase8238]

Thanks for the video, your videography skills are improving along with your sailing skills! Anchoring is complicated, it's never the same twice. Lots of variables to consider. The only way to get good at it is to do it a lot. If a big wind shift accompanied those 30kt gusts then it would have popped your anchor loose and the amount you moved before it reset isn't bad. Your chart plot doesn't seem to indicate a wind shift so either you had bad holding, insufficient scope or too small an anchor. Is that a genuine CQR or a knockoff? A lot of knockoffs have a bad reputation. Looks like you got a new anchor so that's one less thing to think about. 2000 RPM doesn't sound like enough when backing down. Don't be shy to give close to full throttle in reverse to set the anchor. And do it for a good 30s. B.t.w. you should move the dinghy to a midships cleat when you're setting the anchor or you're going to suck the painter under the boat. And since your boat sails around a lot at anchor you might want to put some chafing gear on your rode if you're expecting a blow. It's going to take a beating from the bow roller. It doesn't need to be fancy, just wrap a rag around the rode and lash it into place on either end. Then ease the rode out until the chafing gear lines up with the end of the bow roller.

[@svuntitled4573]

Fantastic advice! Indeed it is a CQR, and it is a knock-off - I hadn't realized there was an associated reputation. As the video eludes too, the crappy CQR has been decommissioned, and our anchoring on our last trip to PTown (video to come) was infinitely more successful. Cruising RPMs are 2,000, so should probably at least back down at 2500rpm - which I did on this last trip. The replacement didn't move an inch - very happy. We take up on the dinghy painter entirely so there's no slack whenever anchoring or mooring, but I'd never thought of using the midships cleat - I'll be sure to consider. I should also rig a proper towing bridle - current method is a bit crap.. Also never thought of chafe protection on the roller - yikes! Thinking some nylon tubing with a slit in it to place over the rode might be a good option? Not sure.. Thanks again - I'm always pleasantly surprised at the helpful advice of random strangers on KZbin!

[@astonmartin1995]

I love sailing and exploring the harbor islands! I'll keep an eye out for ya! happy sailing!!!

[@cianclarke]

Do - if you see "Solitude" (yea still haven't renamed) out and about give a shout, I'm always on 16

[@VibratingDolphinNow]

Call me a traditionalist but I'm a Danforth man myself. On anything besides kelp, a big danforth with lots of chain is tried-and-true. Beautiful sail, I'm amazed that you made it in on time! Promptness is for powerboaters ;) Looking forwards to your Ptown video! Thanks for sharing.

[@svuntitled4573]

"Promptness is for powerboaters ;)" Ahaha, now there's advice to live by :D Traditionalist or not, if it's working for you, great! I know after this fiasco, my faith in the CQR (or at least the one I had) was greatly diminished.

[@SavvySalt]

I know exactly which night this was. We saw that same lightning, checked the radar and headed back to the dock. It was a lovely show from the shelter of the lee of downtown :) Did you have to let out scope to get the anchor to hold when the wind piped up or did it catch on it's own?

[@svuntitled4573]

Yea, we had left pretty early to get out in time to visit the island! I was already maxed out on scope (150ft, 25 of which is chain - that still needs upgrading), but it caught by itself. Thankfully the engine never fails to start, so it wasn't much of a panic - foulies on, and ready to raise within the minute if it came to it. Always knew the latest generation of anchors set much better, but it took this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pp6qcpahm5tspqc to realize the extent of the difference!

[@sailingcruiser25]

same anchoring technique used here as you showed, but i have a more modern anchor. That' a big box for an anchor. When I got mine they just wrapped it up in bubble wrap. It could an an outboard engine, which might make it easier getting to shore.

[@svuntitled4573]

Who said it was an anchor? Pfh, could be anything ;-) Funny story - in the next video from this weekend (probably done in a few weeks), we visit Provincetown, and have an even harder time with the crappy trolling motor. I spend much time bitching about how much I want an outboard, and I've been on Craigslist a dangerous amount ever since..

[@rfmckean]

You seem to be 'very summer like' in your attire. In Toronto I wear foul weather gear. My first sail was May 24th.

[@svuntitled4573]

First for me was May 2nd, happy with that! We had a few good days, but weather has taken a turn for the worse the past few weeks - several layers plus foulies for last weekend's trip to PTown :-(

[@Bleemus]

its a Rocna in the box. Mantus and Spade both come in flat boxes.

[@svuntitled4573]

Now there's some impressive detective work :P

[@anduong6595]

what software are you using for navigation (the one that shows where you anchored and how far you dragged?

[@hungliketictacs]

How do the anchorages work? Are you having to pay to moore?

[@svuntitled4573]

You usually pay for moorings (as in the white balls in the water with big blobs of concrete or some such on the bottom). You can drop the anchor just about anywhere outside of a navigation channel, a mud/sandy bottom helps! Anchoring is free, aside from the initial investment in the anchor of course!

[@darrenmoorehead]

New anchor or a windlass?

[@cianclarke]

I'm pretty happy to pull up the anchor by hand for a couple of weekends a year out of our short 6-month season - as for the contents of the box.. Yea, you'd be amazed what you can order on Amazon Prime :-)

[@shinybaldy]

You bought a Mantus didn't you? :D

[@cianclarke]

You're VERY close :D

[@JoelWelter]

I hope the box contains spare glasses....?

[@cianclarke]

Ahaha, I've now left spare glasses permanently on the boat for such occasion!