Why does my boat swing so much at anchor?

[S41]

I found that a bucket tied to a 5 to 6 foot line on a stern cleat slowed the swing down to not really notice it much. You will never stop it, just make it livable for you and your crew.


It is easy to do as long as you remember to pull it up before getting underway again. No need to get the line wrapped on the shaft or around a rudder.

 

[AndreHuizing]

Most trawlers have highest windage up front, but even more important: the deepest part of the keel far aft. Hence the bow is picking up wind and moves easily while the stern is planted more firmly. On our Selene we rig the stabilizing sail to dampen this skating. Another solution is a line tied to the middle or rear cleat on a snubber on the chain creating a V shape that keeps one side of the boat in the wind. Disadvantage is higher (wind)strain on your anchor. Third solution when you have a second anchor on the bow, is dropping the second anchor straight down just touching the ground. This anchor will dampen the speed in which the bow overtakes the stern quite a bit.

 

[Group9]

Mine swims pretty badly in some anchoring conditions. I've messed with various solutions, none worked very well and were generally a PITA. So now I just ignore it. Boat swims. Have a beer and go to bed.

That was our final solution on our last sailboat. We tried a riding sail, a bucket off the stern, and the bow, a kellet, offset bridal, extra anchor off the bow, and stern, every possible rudder position, but nothing worked.

We finally just said to hell with it and learned to live with it!

 

[Riverguy]

If there is any current running under the boat whatsoever, first and easiest thing is to use some rudder. This almost always works for us, as we rarely anchor in still waters.

 

[twistedtree]

That was our final solution on our last sailboat. We tried a riding sail, a bucket off the stern, and the bow, a kellet, offset bridal, extra anchor off the bow, and stern, every possible rudder position, but nothing worked.

We finally just said to hell with it and learned to live with it!

Same here.

 

[micheln]

I'd love to say live with it, and mostly its quite alright. I was anchored a couple weeks ago in strong winds, and my boat does the full 180' swing. so in the middle of the night 3-5 foot wind waves are hitting the boat on the beam. severe rolling, poor dog sliding from one end to the other, sliding door opening and closing with force, had to lock that to stop it.


So for all the treads about anchoring in 80 knot winds, this I haven't seen addressed. Many suggestions seem they might help in moderate conditions to reduce the swing, but if you absolutely need to keep the bow to the waves, will a drogue do that job?

 

[OldDan1943]

So for all the treads about anchoring in 80 knot winds, this I haven't seen addressed. Many suggestions seem they might help in moderate conditions to reduce the swing, but if you absolutely need to keep the bow to the waves, will a drogue do that job?

A few years back, I was in Ft Lauderdale, weather was terrible. The port was closed, ships were anchor out, bow into the wind, 2 bow anchors out and throttles at 1/2. According to the conversation on the ships and port authority, even with anchors out, throttles open 1/2, the ships were losing ground. That had to be exciting on the ships.

 

[AusCan]

A drogue will help staying pointed into the waves only if there is a strong current in the same direction of the swell.

There are times that the wind, current & swell are all coming from different angles, and changing every time you get something set up do deal with the issue. It can get frustrating.

 

[FF]

I am not a fan of chain ,( unless anchoring in coral) but an all heavy chain anchor setup might slow down the constant veering ?

 

[micheln]

Tks ff, it already has heavy chain. It really is the windage, with a forward pilot house and high bow.. Only care for extreme cases when swells get involved. Should be rare, but when in that situation some solution besides motoring on would be good to have .

 

[Pete Meisinger]

How about dropping a stern anchor with almost no scope ? Or better yet how about 20 feet of chain in say 10 feet of water, no anchor.

pete

 

[Shrew]

How about dropping a stern anchor with almost no scope ?

Please Don't use a stern anchor.

Boats swing. Look at any time elapsed shot of an anchorage or mooring field. It is perceived to be far more pronounced while on the boat than when observing other boats. However, they all do it to a degree. Just let it swing.

You might as well ask that to boat not rock.

 

[Maerin]

A 2-legged bridle may help. Connect the legs as far apart on the bow as practical. Same behavior on our boat, the bridle helps, doesn't eliminate it.

 

[caltexflanc]

Please Don't use a stern anchor.

Boats swing. Look at any time elapsed shot of an anchorage or mooring field. It is perceived to be far more pronounced while on the boat than when observing other boats. However, they all do it to a degree. Just let it swing.

You might as well ask that to boat not rock.

That's not necessarily so. If you are dealing with combatting swell against a conflicting wind direction, not uncommon in some places (like th Pacific Coast of California), then a sort of kedging anchor off the stern helps mitigate the swing, not eliminate it. An alternative to try first is a short scope anchor right off one side of the bow, dropped overboard at a point of maximum swing, then set at the mid point. That can cut the horsing quite a bit, but is kind of a PITA to weigh when it is time to go, as I once learned.

 

[dhays]

A 2-legged bridle may help. Connect the legs as far apart on the bow as practical. Same behavior on our boat, the bridle helps, doesn't eliminate it.

You can also bring in one leg to make it asymmetric. That has helped with our boat swing at times.

 

[FF]

Should be rare, but when in that situation some solution besides motoring on would be good to have .

Two anchors well spaced should do it , but you will need to perfect the anchoring drill so its fast and easy to do.

As the second anchor could let go with no harm , a small anchor like a 12H Danforth with 3/8 line would be easy to set and bring aboard.

OR simply reversing the boat and anchoring by the stern should work.

Your natural ventilation will be reversed , so noisemaker exhaust , and galley venting need to be considered.

Being "backwards" in the anchorage you will be the talk all night unless it solves problems for other dodging boats that will copy you !

 

[micheln]

Lol yeah I can see that. However these types oof situations are ore likely in less crowded area's. Also, now that I know how my boat behaves, if I'm in strong winds again with significant swells, ill be better prepared. At suggestions seem they will 'help' in moderate conditions. I will try a proper sized drogue as well, as I think it will keep the bow pointing at the swells, but don't know for sure when the current is opposite the wind.

Was hoping to hear from others that had tried it, yet they are so many variables seems like their is no single solution, and you need several tools to try.

 

[AusCan]

Was hoping to hear from others that had tried it, yet they are so many variables seems like their is no single solution, and you need several tools to try.

You're right about that. I often spend considerable time getting myself pointed in the right direction, then an hour later the tide turns or the wind changes and its rock & roll again.

I've just invested in some Magma flopper stoppers. One more tool to deal with rolling at anchor. I'll post how well they work once I get it set up.

 

[fgarriso]

Anchor bridle with two lines, one on each side of the boat.

 

[Codger2]

Anchor bridle with two lines, one on each side of the boat.

 

[caltexflanc]

Anchor bridle with two lines, one on each side of the boat.

Helps a little bit, but a boat prone to horsing will tend to lay to one of the bridle legs as it swings in one direction, then to other coming back.

And as mentioned, wind, swell and current direction can play all kinds of tricks on different form factors.

 

[Group9]

Our previous boat, a Catalina 42 sailboat, sailed at anchor so much that you often thought you were going somewhere. We tried everything, anchor sail, kedges, buckets hanging from the bow and stern, dropping a spare anchor for the bow and stern, using a bridle to offset the boat from the wind. Nothing worked. We finally just learned to live with it.

 

[caltexflanc]

Our previous boat, a Catalina 42 sailboat, sailed at anchor so much that you often thought you were going somewhere. We tried everything, anchor sail, kedges, buckets hanging from the bow and stern, dropping a spare anchor for the bow and stern, using a bridle to offset the boat from the wind. Nothing worked. We finally just learned to live with it.

Curious as to how it could do much sailing with bow and stern anchors out. ???
Not that that's a desirable option in most situations.

 

[stubones99]

You can also bring in one leg to make it asymmetric. That has helped with our boat swing at times.

If you add a second eye slightly off-center to your current bridle, you can have asymmetric or asymmetric bridle using the same bridle.

 

[Shrew]

That's not necessarily so. If you are dealing with combatting swell against a conflicting wind direction, not uncommon in some places (like th Pacific Coast of California), then a sort of kedging anchor off the stern helps mitigate the swing, not eliminate it. An alternative to try first is a short scope anchor right off one side of the bow, dropped overboard at a point of maximum swing, then set at the mid point. That can cut the horsing quite a bit, but is kind of a PITA to weigh when it is time to go, as I once learned.

I suggest against stern anchors because, unless everyone else in the anchorage is stern anchored, it is like parking sideways across 3 parking spots. Nobody else can swing around you. You become an obstruction in the anchorage. It's simply inconsiderate. Also, it will only slightly reduce 'sailing' at anchor.

The OP did not describe a swell contrary to the wind/tide/current, or other such odd conditions. In that case, springing the anchor line would be the better solution.

What the OP is describing is simple 'sailing' at anchor, which is perfectly normal.

 

[caltexflanc]

I suggest against stern anchors because, unless everyone else in the anchorage is stern anchored, it is like parking sideways across 3 parking spots. Nobody else can swing around you. You become an obstruction in the anchorage. It's simply inconsiderate. Also, it will only slightly reduce 'sailing' at anchor.

The OP did not describe a swell contrary to the wind/tide/current, or other such odd conditions. In that case, springing the anchor line would be the better solution.

What the OP is describing is simple 'sailing' at anchor, which is perfectly normal.

You are 100% right. Like a lot of threads, this one got off track from the OP and I helped contribute to that.

 

[Group9]

Curious as to how it could do much sailing with bow and stern anchors out. ???
Not that that's a desirable option in most situations.

It was a very determined boat.

It was't like we had the anchor lines bar tight pulling her in two different directions. It slowed it a little, but it sure didn't stop it. I wished we had found something that worked. We never did.

 

[dhays]

If you add a second eye slightly off-center to your current bridle, you can have asymmetric or asymmetric bridle using the same bridle.

I'm not able to visualize what you are describing. Do you mean adding another attachment point on the boat for one of the bridle legs that is offset from what is being used now?


My bridle is pretty simple with each leg being cleated at either the bow hawse or run through that to be cleated at a mid-ship cleat. Since they are cleated, it is easy to just vary the length.


If I had a fixed bridle with fixed attachment points, then I think I can visualize what you are suggesting.

 

[koliver]

I'm not able to visualize what you are describing. Do you mean adding another attachment point on the boat for one of the bridle legs that is offset from what is being used now?


My bridle is pretty simple with each leg being cleated at either the bow hawse or run through that to be cleated at a mid-ship cleat. Since they are cleated, it is easy to just vary the length.


If I had a fixed bridle with fixed attachment points, then I think I can visualize what you are suggesting.

My boat is very well behaved in a cross-wind. It turns broadside to the wind and rolls in the waves. At anchor, take away the waves, tie on a bridle, one leg to the bow, the other to the midships hawse, adjust to get broadside to the wind and no more sailing, no rolling.