Has anyone ever had to deploy a stern anchor in a hurry?

[MedSailor]

A piece of "conventional wisdom" if you will is that one should have a stern anchor "ready to go" at all times. I have used a stern anchor many times, though in retrospect I'm not sure I needed it, nor was what I was doing with it always a good idea or done correctly.... but I digress.

Has anyone every rapidly deployed a stern anchor in anger? Care to tell us about it and what disaster it averted?

MedSailor

[aeventyr60]

YES.

I got an old mooring line wrapped around the prop while pulling up the main anchor. Part of the mooring line was caught around the anchor so it would not go back down. We were drifting into the surf. Dropped the 27 lb HT Danforth, it stuck, Whew. Got another anchor down. Waves breaking in the cockpit. Dove on the prop and cut the massive line free, all the while the stern heaving up and down, thought i was gonna die or lose the boat, maybe both. Retrieved both bow anchors, got her in reverse, retrieved the stern anchrr and sailed out of that place in a big hurry. Good insurance!

[sawingknots]

Originally Posted by MedSailor

Has anyone every rapidly deployed a stern anchor in anger?

MedSailor

IN anger? i think theres an interesting story in there somewhere

[MedSailor]

Originally Posted by sawingknots

IN anger? i think theres an interesting story in there somewhere

The phrase "To use in anger" is generally used in British English to mean used for it's intended purpose, or used for real rather than in tests.

Sorry, sometimes with my 1/2British 1/2Yankee, raised in Australia and Indonesia pedigree (muttigree?) I forget which expressions go with which country.

MedSailor

[sawingknots]

i did understand the expression/intent,just my lame excuse at humour,no harm intended

[pdqaltair]

... but a u-turn is faster.

I've certainly needed to anchor in a hurry, but really, you need to very nearly stop first, and might as well use the bow anchor then.

For a stern anchor to hold and not rip the fittings out, you'll need ~ 100 feet of something strong and stretchy. Not some lunch hook string. I've dumped sea anchors (testing) at 7 -8 knots, in part to develop some real force, and it sure does, about a storm anchoring load.

So I don't really see the benefit and would never try it. The ONLY time it might work is in a very long and very narrow fairway, but the odds are long against success. And the bow anchor might work as well, clubhauling. Not pretty, but a good case for practicing down wind anchor sets.

Note. After a few bad experiences (no damage) I always test reverse before getting in a tight spot.