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Book on Anchors

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by JWY, Dec 9, 2015.

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  1. JWY, Dec 9, 2015
    #1
    JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    I have just finished reading Anchoring A Ground Tackler's Apprentice by Rudy and Jill Sechez. Rudy & Jill are long time sailors and cruisers and live aboard their sail-assisted trawler. I also count them as friends, so you may consider this disclaimer in evaluating my assessment of their book: Anchoring should be on every vessel with well-worn and dog-eared pages! Regardless of boat size, the research, details, and experience-proven techniques should help any yachtsman sleep better at anchor, as well as providing invaluable information on damage prevention due to faulty or inadequate equipment and/or technique. Anchoring is published by Waterway Guide Media. Grab hold of a copy and get hooked :D

    Judy
  2. Ken Bracewell, Dec 9, 2015
    #2
    Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    I would never have guessed that there could be a whole book on anchoring! Maybe a chapter...
  3. Opcn, Dec 9, 2015
    #3
    Opcn

    Opcn Senior Member

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    I wouldn't imagine a great tome on the subject, but I think you could easily fill a book. There are a great many ways that you can anchor poorly, and as such there are a great many things that can be written about how not to anchor poorly.
  4. JWY, Dec 9, 2015
    #4
    JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    The 218 pages includes 14 chapters, 6 tables, 9 appendixes, plus glossary. I admit to not studying the tables, but all else was interesting reading including the chapters on the various loads, types of chain/rope, anchor sizing and strength, scope, snubbers, bridles swivels, and anchor comparisons. This could have been a yawner, but then I wouldn't have recommended it :)

    Judy
  5. olderboater, Dec 9, 2015
    #5
    olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Anchors and anchoring are both the most popular topic of conversation and the most argued about topics among trawler owners. If you want to make a thread on their forums explode, just talk anchor.
  6. Blue Ghost, Dec 10, 2015
    #6
    Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

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    Was this thread started in response to the two anchoring threads? The cat that anchored in that small bay and wound up getting bashed on the rocks, and the speed boat that almost got sawed in half in SF Bay because it landed on a seawall?

    Just curious :D
  7. JWY, Dec 10, 2015
    #7
    JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    I think this book was written in part as a consequence of the anchor threads and in response to questions as well as the misinformation publicly posted. Rudy has long been considered an "anchor expert" and Jill has a reputation, mostly created by Rudy, for doing all of the work. Their finger-pointing humor would have been a comic relief in some of the more detailed and tedious chapters.
  8. JWY, Dec 10, 2015
    #8
    JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    Very cute. Wished I had thought of that myself. This book made its debut at FLIBS but I didn't take/make the time to read it until a return flight from Seattle to FLL this week. I'm glad I chose the book over the movie even if I was supposed to be working on an upcoming YF review.
  9. Norseman, Dec 10, 2015
    #9
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Same on the sailboat forums.
    Also one of my favorite subjects after having been a liveaboard in the hurricane belt with no boat insurance. Anchors were my friend..:confused:
    (Sold the boat and moved ashore a few months before hurricane Hugo hit St. Croix. Timing is everything and luck is more powerful than big anchors)
  10. Blue Ghost, Dec 11, 2015
    #10
    Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

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    I try. Seriously though, I'm curious how anchoring is such a huge topic. I've sailed for years, but never heard of anchoring being a "hot topic" in any regard. Can you give us some highlights of what the book covers?
  11. JWY, Dec 11, 2015
    #11
    JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    See post # 4.

    I thought the tables to be particularly interesting: (1-4) Chain tables showing grade, size, weight and the working load limits for each. (5) Rope size and tensile strengths. This table lists the rope size (for 3 strand or 8 plait nylon rope in diameter) and the minimal breaking strength. For example. a 1/4" has a breaking strength of 1,86lbs; a 1" is 22,230lbs. (6) This table compares anchor. It lists 12 anchors (Bruce, Danforth, Fortess, Delta, etc) and what they are known for, the fluke angle, fluke area, and what they are good in and worst in for bottom characteristics (clay, mud, rocks, sand, weeds, etc.)

    Judy
  12. Norseman, Dec 11, 2015
    #12
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    You sailed for years but anchoring has never been a big deal..?
    I guess you sailed from marina to marina never gotten your anchor wet except for the occasional lunch in settled weather?

    Any and all hard-core cruisers and or liveaboard boaters swears by a big anchor, a heavy chain and lots of luck.
    To see how sh!t will hit the fan if you think anchoring is not a huge topic, check out this thread: http://www.yachtforums.com/threads/legacy-on-the-hard.3975/
  13. Blue Ghost, Dec 11, 2015
    #13
    Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

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    Pretty much. Day cruiser / regatta-racer, but not an overnight kind of dude. I always figured the bigger the boat the bigger the anchor, and that it was probably a judgment call. Just being honest here, I guess I'm out of my depth when it comes to anchoring (no pun intended).

    I figured if it ever became an issue the guy at the boat supply store in Alameda would have a chart or book to recommend whatever line was needed for whatever job.
  14. Pascal, Dec 12, 2015
    #14
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I always say that anchoring is the easiest thing to do on a boat yet it is also the easiest to screw up judging by the number of time I have been dragged onto but some idiot who seem to think he will get billed by the local taxman based on how many feet of rode he is using.

    Like so many things, I guess you can write a whole book on the subject but teh most part it s not rocket science and what you need to know can be summarized in a short article.
  15. Oscarvan, Dec 13, 2015
    #15
    Oscarvan

    Oscarvan Senior Member

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    Tied for first place with "Varnish vs Cetol" and "Guns on boats".
  16. refugio, Dec 18, 2015
    #16
    refugio

    refugio New Member

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    True dat. Many responses to other topics start with "Well, you have the wrong anchor..."
  17. Capt J, Dec 21, 2015
    #17
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I agree. I don't understand why soooo many people put out such a short amount of anchor rode/chain. I always put out lots of chain and around 10x the depth if I'm not worried about swinging into anything/anyone.
  18. Opcn, Dec 21, 2015
    #18
    Opcn

    Opcn Senior Member

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    If you put it out you have to wash it when you bring it back, and you've usually got to coordinate two or more people to bring it in link by link. Complacency and difficulty add up to laziness and laziness over time adds up to mishap.
  19. Norseman, Dec 21, 2015
    #19
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Opcn:

    Did you live in Alaska before?
  20. Pascal, Dec 21, 2015
    #20
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Not sure what you mean by coordinating, two people, link by link and laziness

    Ain't rocket science.

    If naomi is with me, she stand over the pulpit with the hose rinsing the chain while i control the windlass from the helm.

    If I m alone and th wind isn't blowing hard, I am at the bow with hose and control the windlass with the foot switch.

    No big deal and no excuse to be dragging...
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