Sometimes our tips are about situations we hope you will be able to avoid. This week’s is one of them.
The very best anchorage, of course, is a swing mooring but it’s pretty difficult to take a swing mooring with you. So, it’s worth knowing how to set two anchors in case you are unlucky enough to be caught away from home, needing to anchor.
There are two options.
Firstly, if you know the prevailing wind in the area where you are going to anchor then you need to allow for what is the most usual change in that wind – in Bass Strait commonly a change from north (of some direction) to south (of some direction). This means that you would want to put out the port anchor first.
If the starboard anchor goes out first and the boat therefore swings to port on a wind change you might have got your first overlap.
If the tide then took you further in the same direction you would definitely have an overlap.
Of course, if the wind swung back to the north that overlap would unwrap but such a wind change would be unlikely.
Generally speaking this will reverse if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere.
The second option is to have two anchors in line, but not on separate cables. In other words, attach a second anchor to the bower with a short length of chain between the two and then drop them in one line.
Remember that the whole purpose of an extra anchor is to prevent the main anchor from dragging. Either of these systems will achieve it.
When considering setting two anchors you must know what changes in weather and tidal conditions are predicted. If your greatest fear is the wind strength then you certainly want two anchors.
Have any further thoughts or questions on this? Please leave a comment, below.
GRAB BAG
1. Jessica’s latest challenge
What a shame that Jessica Watson didn’t take advantage of International Women’s Day to announce her latest challenge.
At the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia this afternoon Jessica said that she will skipper a team of Australian and British sailors aged 18-21 in this year’s Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race. They will be sailing on Another Challenge, a highly competitive Sydney 38 owned by Chris Lewin.
2. Another warning to share
If you’re heading offshore, you’ll need to buy an EPIRB. And spend the extra to get one that’s GPS-enabled. But it’s not as simple as purchasing one and installing it.
First you need to register it and then you’ve got to know how to operate it.
Reading the instructions before you set out will ensure you know what to do should the need arise.
3. Video corner
While Brad Van Liew won stage 3 of the Velux 5 Oceans, the race for second place in the so-called sprint was decided by a mere 40 seconds after 6,000 miles.
There’s a video of that finish, including summings up by both Gutek and Chris Stanmore Major (CSM).
In it, CSM recognised that he should have spent moretime navigating and less on deck making the boat go fast. Makes sense, really. There’s no point going fast if you’re not going fast in the right direction!
Brad Van Liew’s video, courtesy of the American Sailing Association, of rounding Cape Horn is worth a look, too.
While on the subject of rounding the Horn, check out the excerpt from Robin Knox-Johnston’s BBC documentary, A Tour of Cape Horn. His crew were polar explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes and BBC World Affairs Editor, John Simpson, who is currently reporting from Libya.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: BUZZY TRENT
Waves are not measured in feet or inches,
they are measured in increments of fear.
Buzzy Trent (13 May 1929 – 26 September 2006) was a pioneer of big wave surfing. After body surfing as a child he climbed on a surfboard at 12. Moving from mainland USA to Hawaii in the 1950s, he enjoyed surfing all year round.
That’s all for now, but please feel free to leave a comment.
© 2011 Bevanda Pty Ltd
The way to develop the proper timing when tacking your boat is to practise. At first, start each phase slowly. You will be surprised how soon it becomes a slick operation. 
