Good video - When you get time you should spray paint your chain every 10 feet using 3 different colors - as an example so 10 ft from anchor is red, then 10 ft later is white, then ten feet more is blue - That way if you see 3xblue you know 90 ft is out....
We found that every 25 feet is sufficient. But yes, marking is very helpful. We find mostly that off of the ICW we usually run it out to the 100' mark and hook on the 25' bridle -maybe a little more or less.+/- 10-15 feet.. That's 85% of the time in 12-18' of water.
I really appreciate the relationship you guys have, so much healthy communication, simultaneous encouragement and constructive criticism, helping each other to grow while enjoying the whole process! I imagine it must be challenging sometimes to be so present and respectful of each other when there are so many hurdles that must be overcome, and when you guys are constantly together with just the two of you. Which gives me an idea, I think a video covering how you guys cope with being alone together all the time, and whether boat life has changed the relationship dynamic in any way, would be interesting!
Agree and in a world 🌎 where you tube comments are sometimes not kind YOU are a breath of fresh air. May you continue to encourage others, be a blessing and be blessed.
PLEASE DO. We second this. It’d be so great to hear from both of you what do you think are the key points to cohabitating only with your partner and maintaining a healthy relation? How do you deal with bumps in the relationship? Healthy ways to resolve conflict if/when it arises?.... like relationship tips in general would be amazing for a video or podcast!
Good job guys. We anchor out almost exclusively on our Rasmus, spending about 300 nights a year on the hook when there isn't a pandemic. Learning how to pick a good anchorage is an important and necessary skill for cruisers. We rely mostly on Active Captain to find and assess potential anchorages using our Navionics charts on the plotter and on our mobile devices. Unfortunately Garmin has driven away many users thr last couple of years, so recently-updated crowdsourced reviews are becoming much more rare. Anchorages change over time with shoaling and other features so recent reviews are quite important. There is a new crowdsourced tool/app called Zulu Waterways which has potential but isn't really filled-in yet with all the anchorages, much less the reviews of them. You have a very good anchor. The Rocna or Mantus (which we have) are very similar and the best anchors out there right now. They set very well as long as you don't dump a pile of chain on top of them before backing away which will foul any anchor. Rocna sets so well they actually have a warning not to back down on them too hard with chain since it can actually damage the windlass if it jerks when the chain goes taught and the anchor can bury itself so deep that it is difficult to pull back out. We always back down hard on our Mantus but we have a good electric windlass that easily yoinks it back out even when it is buried quite deep. We don't feel comfortable with anything less than 5:1 true scope accounting for burial depth, high tide, freeboard, and possible storm surge (if a storm is coming.) When we drop the hook we may be there all night or maybe a fee days, and you never know when a freak storm may pop up. Do it right and don't worry sbout having it drag or needing to fix it later. 7:1 is better and 10:1 is ideal if you have the room. That is with all chain and a shock-absorbing long snubber extending from the cleats to the chain hook below the waterline. I would strongly suggest getting the Mantus dual snubber bridle and chain hook package. It just makes life very easy when you are moving and anchoring every day. The excellent included anti-chafe will protect the line and your bow otherwise the chain can rub on the fiberglass right at the waterline in certain tidal conditions often seen on the ICW and East Coast. The Rasmus is a martyr to this, be careful. We love our Mantus Bridle. Call Greg at Mantus and he may give you a deal since you are famous. Tell him that Amanda and James from SV Barry Duckworth sent you. He will do you right. Awesome guy and knows the Rasmus. He helped us beef up the design of our anchor roller braces. For an anchor alarm I found an Android app called Anchor Pro. It is awesome and it will even text another phone if you are dragging. That is a nice feature while you are out exploring or shopping off of the boat. Coming back to an empty spot of water where you left your boat is a nightmare scenario. We have cruiser friends who lost their boat on the rocks when they dragged. Total loss :( very sad. Leaving your home at anchor can be scary. We also monitor our AIS on the Marinetraffic website when we are away from the boat to check in on it. It's like a free baby monitor for your boat if you don't have an anchor alarm that can text you in case the boat starts moving when you are away. AIS is amazing and this is one more handy use of it.
Opps was going to add that after trying many anchor apps I just settled on Anchor Pro which is great. Guess I agree with Barry Duckworth. I anchor a lot and live on my boat.
I would suggest that you get in touch with "America's Boating Club" and may be take a Boating course. It will show you how to anchor but you will learn so many other tricks, the rule of road and safety procedures to make sure you have a safe and enjoyable journey on the water. Cheers
Snubber has to go PAST anchor roller (off the side of the boat) the only part that should be holding any weight/tension should be the cleats. You can seriously damage your anchor roller and or bow if it carrys the load of a rolly anchorage. Other than that great job
My wife and I bought a 1973 Hallberg Rassy Rasmus 2 months ago. It needs a lot more work than yours did, but I want you to know that you inspired us to buy this boat. We love it and can’t wait to get out and roam!
I love the way you allow us to come along for the learning journey. Most would say "we did this or you are supposed to do this"... without showing us the process. Thanks guys! Keep on learning!
Couple things, You should paint or mark your chain so you know the length of chain you have out. Secondly the "purchase" is be minimum of 5 times the depth up to 7 times. The depth of water includes the distance your bow is out of the water. Guys doing a great job. Take time to enjoy.
You are practising and learn in safe conditions. You will likely never know everything (very few will) But you are comfortable, not fighting and staying safe. Can't go wrong with that plan. Have fun!
Lovely learning experience and all vital if you want to face the open seas. I love coming along the journey with you and will be interested to know how you deal with the winter weather. Thanks for sharing.
Its so fun to live vicariously through you guys while stuck in an office nowhere near the ocean lol. Its exciting to watch you learn as you go. Already looking forward to the next video. Keep up the great work!
Awesome video you guys! I'm always so impressed with your production quality and story telling....it's impressive and refreshing to see a young couple working so hard.
We have our anchor chain marked every 25 feet with tie wraps. 25 feet is red, 50 feet is white, 75 feet is blue and then 100 feet is yellow. You can also paint it as well. Then at 125 feet, it is one red and one yellow, 150 feet is one white and one yellow, etc. to 200 where it is 2 yellows and 225 is 2 yellow and one white. You get the idea. It is good! Additionally, you want your snubber to go below the bow and have two lines to either side of the bow to the cleats so that you are taking the weight off not only your windless but your bow roller. So it ends up on your boat like a set of mooring lines!
If I may , I love your enthusiasm , and videos . A suggestion, This winter find a Power Squadron or Coast Guard Aux , and take their classes . It's a great learning tool. I went to the Power Squadron but both are good. Also , get a copy of Chapmans Piloting. This is the absolute manual for boating.
I love being on anchor, especially on a single hook (anchor), many of the anchorages on Santa Curz Island off the Southern California coast (my current cruising area) also require a stern anchor to save space and keep you from swinging. I aso trust my anchor, anchor chain and our ability to pick a good spot and to set the anchor. Once we backed down on the anchor and shut off the motor we stay on the boat for a minummen of 20 to 30 minutes to insure we are not dragging. With that said there is not a sailor with any experience of anchoring that has not dragged at least once or twice. Once in the middle of the when we had to pull up the anchor and move the boat in complete darkness. The other time was about an hour after we set the anchor, it dragged for about ten feet and reset it self. Your doing good, keep practicing and it will become second nature to you. It is a good idea to have anchor watch the first night or two, it will give you confidence in your anchoring ability. After a couple of nights of anchor watches, then switch over to waking up every two to three hours during the night to check on anchor. We did that for about six months of week-end cruising before we started sleeping through out the night. He while I sleep I can sense the movement of my boat and if the movement changes I am up in a heartbeat to check on what is happening. Continue to have a blast with all your sailing adventures.
Do you recommend any resources or videos to familiarize with the Channel islands? I'm planning to begin doing some small boat adventures spearfishing and diving out there in the coming year.
@@joshtalbott9528 The Cruising Guide to Central and Southern California, by Brian Fagan is the Bible for this area. It includes all the islands and all the anchorages. I only know of two videos for the area, “Around Santa Cruz Island” and “Castoff for Catalina”. Both are somewhat lame and only have basic information. Fagan’s book is the beat, but is out of print. I have seen it at use book stores and Amazon.
Yeah, mine did the other week near carrabelle fl, its all muddy clay, and the winds kicked up to about 30kts, we had to reset the anchor 3 times about 2am... but it gets easier the more you do it for sure..
Mark your chain in bright colors in at least 50ft increments, that way you know exactly how much scope you've let out. Something like white stripe - yellow - double white - double yellow. Also, drop your GPS point when your anchor is on the bottom, figure out how far you are from that point with the scope and then set your alarm radius.
It's cool to watch you guys learning because I get to learn with you. I didn't know what that snubber was for until today so thank you for that. I also want to commend you two for being smart about learning everything and going at your own pace.
Couple of tips on your anchoring; instead of letting your chain down by hand, just kick the brake loose on the windlass and use that to slow the descent. Also, if you connect your snubber a few feet below the fairlead, and tie it off on either side, it takes a lot of stress off the lead and when your vessel swings, it helps keep the chain away from the boat.
It's been a while since I caught your videos, last was you working on the toilet! You have a whole different vocabulary and it's fun to see where in this glorious world you are! Looks like flexible solar panels out there, so I'm definitely going to binge watch on my next bit of time off. Hugs to you both, you look great, please don't forget your sunscreen!!!
I love your videos, because you go out and learn, but most of all you are very analytical and self critical! With your attitude you become a role Model and inspiration for all of us who like to join the sailing world. But also wonderful is to read the trips and tricks from seasoned sailers contributing to the highly educational value of your channel! I THANK YOU ALL!🙏👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏
Great videos guys! If you don't have one already (someone pls direct me if I missed it) please post a video talking about options for livaboard! We are trying to get started with our own cruiser but so many of the marinas near us are not an option, what is mooring and how sustainable is it?
Hi , another interesting video from the turtle crew on Penelope , KEEP IT UP you set a fine example of a crew who works together ,lives together ,plays together and on 36 feet of space . Thank you stay safe .
You guys are doing a great job! Yes, paint your anchor chain with marks so you know how much you are letting out, yes do 7:1 scope when possible (more if room and big storm coming), remember that scope is calculated with the water depth PLUS the height of your bow off the water, yes get or make a proper snubber. It's true that it takes the pressure and jerking off the windlass and yes you should run it out way past the bow pulpit, but as important, it softens the jerk each time on the anchor from the chain pulling on it especially if you are in any chop. Chain is great because it is heavy and makes the pulling point on the anchor closer to the seabed (less of a pulling angle) and I prefer it by far but you need something to soften the pull. I have seen data that a long snubber properly set up can reduce forces on the anchor by a staggering amount. That will definitely make you sleep better at night. And yes, there are one or two good anchor alarm apps. Oh and learn some hand signals for anchoring (back up, stop, forward, indications of how many feet are out, back down, dragging, set) you can't hear at the stern with the engine running and it's always the end of the day and everyone is a little tired. It will relieve a lot of shouting back and forth and misunderstanding. Simple solution. If it's getting late in the day, have snack (simple- some pretzels, whatever) you can eat before entering the anchorage - no one is hangry. One other tip, if you are in a shallow anchorage, make a very slow circle around the area you might swing to see if there is enough depth. Take any or all of this if it's useful or not! Happy learning, it never stops.
One of my favourite things to do is sail off the anchor. Even more satisfying but more difficult to do is to sail ONTO the anchor. Round up into the wind, drop the sails, come to a stop, drop the anchor and let the wind drift you back, as long as there is enough wind to do so. Try sailing off the anchor first, it's a wonderful feeling.
I think you should set your anchor alarm on your chartplotter as you drop your anchor. It uses that point as the center point. If you set it after you back down on the anchor then the alarm will go off if the current or wind changes and you go back the other way out of it's zone.
Get an anchor watch app for your iPad or phone (not necessarily the one of that name but you get the idea). How much chain ("rode") did you let out? In calm conditions it should be 5 times the depth of water (7 is better). the worse the conditions (wind/waves) means more chain. While it isn't so much the weight of the chain that holds you (but it really helps) it improves the angle so you are pulling horizontally against the anchor more than vertically. Good to see you have a decent anchor though! Go Rocna! (and Manson) When you are just beginning, and whenever possible, do "dive" the anchor after you have "set" it. I once set an anchor and was really happy until I dived it, it was sitting on its side on the ocean floor with just the very tip holding onto a rock. One shift in direction and we would have been off.
I've never seen you guys this gunshy. I totally understand that there are consequences for messing something up, but you guys are so skilled and smart, and I think sometimes the smartest people hold themselves back. You can do this! Much love and confidence in you guys!
So nice to see how you two teach yourselves. Exploring area's and situations, giving yourselves the time to do and learn, listening to your intuition, recognising your own level of experience, listening to each other, giving each other compliments, celebrating every tiny little step forward and taking pauses to process what just happened and to relax and enjoy. And all that while filming and sharing at the same time! Proud of you 👍🏻🥰 Always walk your own pace. You're doing great! Much love and thanks for sharing ❤️💚🧡💙💜💛🤗🤗
Suggestion: Go to the Mantus Marine website and purchase a Mantus Hook. See their line diameter and line length recommendations for your snubber line. Next use a regular chain hook on a line as a safety line to secure your anchor to your boat while sailing. Next thought: pronounce leeward as Lou ward (for you, this should easy to remember). I enjoy seeing your progress. Fair winds...
Just here to say how beautiful I thought the vegetables were ☺️ It'd been a while since I watched a video and this just reminded me how much I love your commentary and all of the beautiful camera work. It's really special getting to see through your eyes. Thanks for sharing these moments with us!
You both have delivered another great video. Very informative and interesting to say the least. It's fun to be on this journey with you. Thanks for sharing your life and times with us that watch your electrifying channel. Well done. Thanks. I have some sailing experience also but your doing fine. Lots of luck to you both. Be sure to wash the anchor when bringing it up as to not get mud and seaweed on the yacht.
I love seeing how well-structured you approach your learning. You (seemingly) follow a clearly defined path of skills you want to learn and accept where you are. Thank you for this video, it cheered me up!
I know that everything you do keeps you so Incredibly busy but hopefully one day soon maybe on long sails, you will write a cook book, all the meal you make look so delicious and incredible ❣️❣️
As always, great teamwork. I see lots of great lessons & pts on anchoring below to add to your captain log lessons. Looks like you've got some very experienced viewers
When you set that alarm its very important to know where you put you anchor and how far it is.... also next time you snub your anchor run the rope through the guide and around to the front of the bow and then attach it to the chain so the line runs out the side and doesn't keep the pressure on the roller .... j.s. I think thats better
You guys are the coolest! It is a big dream (and goal) of mine to live on a sail boat one day, and I was so thrilled when you guys said you had bought Penelope. (thank you for proving that "normal" people can achieve and learn a dream like this) Your videos are so beautifully made the style, content and colours are so stunning! P.S. It would be SO neat if you guys would make a cook book! Greetings from Finland!
As a practical application, your depth calculation should be measured from the anchor roller to the bottom, eg. Depth of water 8 feet + 5 foot to the anchor roller = 13 feet for your rode calculation. So 5:1 and 7:1 on the 13 feet would be 65 and 91 respectively. Also refrain from setting the anchor with the windlass while the boat is motoring backward. That really stresses the internals of the unit and eventually the chain will start jumping the gypsy. Essentially, don't use the windlass as a break. One respondent said to let the boat drift as you pay out chain. That's correct. That gives the anchor time to find itself and also insures you don't pile chain on top of the anchor, or under power drag the bottom; never allowing it to bite. Otherwise, good exercise. As we say in Texas, "ya done good!" Capt Kaz
Guys, congratz for the channel! Quick advice avoid using your bare hands to hold the chain while anchoring. There's lots of ppl that snapped their fingers on it. Cheers
I really enjoyed watching this video. Does Lou ever drive the boat? Your doing fantastic but was just wondering. Love you guys!! Have fun and be safe. ❤
I like you guys. You learn it and then practice it. There are too many dumb twits who buy a boat, are totally oblivious and then cry about all the things that go wrong with them and how much it costs. A boat is not in the same category as a car but too many people treat it the same way. The snubber is not just about the windlass. It is about absorbing the shocks. Wait till you anchor in some weather. You will need a MUCH bigger snubber than what you were using today.
Also general practice is 5:1 scope ideally 7:1 but 5:1 works very well in most conditions. Just in case that means either 5 or 7 times the depth. Please don't do a 2:1 scope you WILL drag
5 is minimum, 7 better, 10 is hitting diminishing returns but ideally better yet if there is enough swing room. Add in max tides, freeboard, any possible storm surge,.and finally burial depth of the anchor itself. In soft bottoms the extreme burial depth can add 5 or more feet to the equation. We have seen as much as 10 feet in 10 feet of water where this effect basically is halving the scope. We thought we had 7:1 scope and instead had 3.5:1 which caused us to slowly drag. Chain will not cut in as well through the muck as the anchor itself. This further hurts the angle at which the rode is pulling at.
@@svbarryduckworth628 regarding swing, asking neighboring boats how much rode they have out is prudent to figure if you are going to have a problem with swing.
To know if the anchor bite, once the chain is out, I usually put the feet on the chain and feel the vibration of it. If it's dragging you can feel it. And the anchor chain out should be three time the depth.
Set your anchor waypoint when you drop, and set your swing circle for the length of chain you are putting out, plus the length of Penelope plus a little. A little in a crowded Anchorage, more if you have room and aren't worried.
Set your anchor alarm at the spot you drop the anchor, rather than where the boat winds up when anchor is set. Set the alarm for the length of chain and rode deployed plus a safety factor, maybe a boat length or so. If the wind or tide changes, and you move sideways, the chain is like the radius of a circle, and you will sail the perimeter. The alarm will not sound unless you actually drag. Some anchors may not do well if you have a 180 degree tide swing. That would be an interesting experiment with your main anchor.
Hi , I am wondering why don't you just release the winch clutch from the beginning instead of rising the chain from gypsy by hands? Rocna is pretty much self launching. If you try to release the clutch to let the chain go the anchor will slide down by itself. I would also suggest to install swivel chain connector to prevent chain twisting if you plan to stay on anchor a bit longer. Fair winds.
You'll want a longer snubber. Beyond taking strain off the windlass, part of the snubber's job is to absorb some of that force before it's transferred to the boat. This is one time you want some stretch in your line. Without enough line for the stretch to absorb it, the force will just get transferred to the cleat instead.
If they were to have children, imagine them watching these vlogs as adults and realizing how badass your parents were in their youth. Like “yeah my mom and dad built the van they lived in throughout Europe and then they renod their boat and taught themselves how to sail” 🤯🤩
Literally, that is ALL I think about while watching their videos these days!! Awesome that you said it now. I couldn't really put it into words. Also they both look so handsome/beautifully wild and free 💗
Some tips:1 Depth is not from your sounder at the bottom of the hull add to the waterline + freeboard to the bow roller+ the high tide height then x scope. 2 never ever die a bowline on an anchor system it will come undone! Tie a rolling hitch as a snubber. 3 your snubber isnt carrying the weight of your anchor its carrying the weight of the boat + waves. 4 Try to anchor there the land or reef is a shelter from wind & waves.
Painting chain links different colors every 10' is a way to keep track of how much anchor rode you have payed out. You can also buy flags that connect to the chain, or line that will tell you how much is out.
Hi Team Penelope, You guys are great, just as a general rule of thumb, your rode should be 7 to 10 times the depth of the water in which you will anchor. You will need more rode in bad weather or rough water. Keep up the great videos. Take care and God bless.
A couple of tips. Approach the spot and have a drive around first to get a perspective, find the right spot point against the wind and release then anchor, let yourself drift backwards by the wind and let out chain while this happens. Put out at least 3 times the depth of the water. Once it’s out put the rope (a thicker one) around the chain and a cleat and motor backwards up to 1500rpm for a good 20 sec. Now you are fine, if you don’t move. Release more chain if the wind picks up. That’s it. Snubber rope should be longer once all is done and use both cleats but not over the chain roller.
You probably explained this at a point. But what’s the deal with the “mooring” ? Is it like you have a permanent hook that you snap into? I had assumed our put the anchor down there but I guess not.
I think you will find that your depth x3 is a good rule of thumb for how much chain needs to go out. Others will be along shortly to confirm or give you another opinion I'm sure.
I started to follow you when you were in a van. I have no interest in sailing. I just wanted to say I've realized why I follow you... You are an awesome couple. You are so thoughtful and polite with one another. I also like that you are willing to put in the time and effort to learn, and that you are safety conscious. I feel I watch to experience your journeys because I want to see you succeed. Thanks for sharing. 👍🙂
So when they go “home” to the spot where they sleep and everything are they not using an anchor? (sorry I don’t know anything about sailing, just curious)
Some pointers.... - snubber needs to be other side of the anchor roller and preferably coming back to a cleat each side of the bow. - mark your chain every 5m or 10ft depending on whether you use metric or imperial on your plotter. - *** have your anchor alarm set up and set it as you start dropping your anchor so you get the correct reading from the centre point. - give it some guns when you reverse back on the chain to make sure you have it dig in... 2 - 2.5K revs. Now you will know how much chain you have put out so 20ft depth you will pop out perhaps 80ft chain depending on sea state and weather conditions and you can then set your anchor alarm to 100ft. If there are numerous other boats around then you don't want to be drifting more that that before your alarm goes off otherwise you won't have time to recover before hitting something. Hope this helps.
Practice, practice and practice again. That is the way you learn and gain experience. As you gain experience, you develop confidence. That allows you to sleep at night and not lay in your berth worrying if you did everything right.
I don’t know if anyone has said this in the comments but set your alarm at the point of dropping the anchor and the feet at the circumference of the length of your rode.
I love your videos, I found them really positive and relaxing. But then I see the comments and get stressed! I know nothing about sailing but Lou, please get some gloves, it would make me feel a lot better! :D
How do sailors handle overnight trips when they're crossing large bodies of water? Does someone have to be awake at all times? Sorry if this is a dumb question.
What we usually do, is painting the anchor chain every 10', so we can calculate the length vs depth of water, that mean taking all the chain out, measure and paint!
Anchor chain length should be 2x depth + 15m (45ft). Once you've let out the chain, let the wind and current swing you until it's settled, then reverse, gradually increasing the revs, you'll feel the chain tension and then the anchor bite, and you'll stop moving, then give it max power to dig in. Your snubber is much too small. You need something that can hold the boat and is also able to stretch (some anchor rode is good). I can't imagine a warp thin enough to go through a chain link being strong enough (unless it's dyneema, which won't stretch). Either attach the snubber with a hook, a rolling hitch or a soft-shackle of appropriate strength. Let the chain out so the snubber takes the tension off the bow-roller as well as the windlass. As a precaution you can cleat the chain too.
It should be more than 2x the depth unless you are looking to just have a lunch stop. Chain should be 3:1 (don't forget to include height from the water to the bow roller) and if there will be wind, 5:1 is good insurance.
Joe L. again video was Full time van life with baby + Pro editing rig, the time clock on the video with around 25 minutes close to the end, those nesting pots and pans. Thanks all videos and hard work.
Good video - When you get time you should spray paint your chain every 10 feet using 3 different colors - as an example so 10 ft from anchor is red, then 10 ft later is white, then ten feet more is blue - That way if you see 3xblue you know 90 ft is out....
That's a cool 😎 tip
We found that every 25 feet is sufficient. But yes, marking is very helpful. We find mostly that off of the ICW we usually run it out to the 100' mark and hook on the 25' bridle -maybe a little more or less.+/- 10-15 feet.. That's 85% of the time in 12-18' of water.
Maybe 10 meters
I have a small request: can you put the meaning of these sailing words on the screen when you use them? Thanks!
I had the same thought!
@@elizabethaman7 only the correct ones
"Anchoring" vs. "mooring"? Yeah...I could figure it out in my head, but adding a description of what those mean would help me understand a lot easier.
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I really appreciate the relationship you guys have, so much healthy communication, simultaneous encouragement and constructive criticism, helping each other to grow while enjoying the whole process! I imagine it must be challenging sometimes to be so present and respectful of each other when there are so many hurdles that must be overcome, and when you guys are constantly together with just the two of you. Which gives me an idea, I think a video covering how you guys cope with being alone together all the time, and whether boat life has changed the relationship dynamic in any way, would be interesting!
Agree and in a world 🌎 where you tube comments are sometimes not kind YOU are a breath of fresh air. May you continue to encourage others, be a blessing and be blessed.
PLEASE DO. We second this. It’d be so great to hear from both of you what do you think are the key points to cohabitating only with your partner and maintaining a healthy relation? How do you deal with bumps in the relationship? Healthy ways to resolve conflict if/when it arises?.... like relationship tips in general would be amazing for a video or podcast!
I completely agree! :)
Good job guys.
We anchor out almost exclusively on our Rasmus, spending about 300 nights a year on the hook when there isn't a pandemic. Learning how to pick a good anchorage is an important and necessary skill for cruisers. We rely mostly on Active Captain to find and assess potential anchorages using our Navionics charts on the plotter and on our mobile devices. Unfortunately Garmin has driven away many users thr last couple of years, so recently-updated crowdsourced reviews are becoming much more rare. Anchorages change over time with shoaling and other features so recent reviews are quite important. There is a new crowdsourced tool/app called Zulu Waterways which has potential but isn't really filled-in yet with all the anchorages, much less the reviews of them.
You have a very good anchor. The Rocna or Mantus (which we have) are very similar and the best anchors out there right now. They set very well as long as you don't dump a pile of chain on top of them before backing away which will foul any anchor. Rocna sets so well they actually have a warning not to back down on them too hard with chain since it can actually damage the windlass if it jerks when the chain goes taught and the anchor can bury itself so deep that it is difficult to pull back out. We always back down hard on our Mantus but we have a good electric windlass that easily yoinks it back out even when it is buried quite deep.
We don't feel comfortable with anything less than 5:1 true scope accounting for burial depth, high tide, freeboard, and possible storm surge (if a storm is coming.) When we drop the hook we may be there all night or maybe a fee days, and you never know when a freak storm may pop up. Do it right and don't worry sbout having it drag or needing to fix it later. 7:1 is better and 10:1 is ideal if you have the room. That is with all chain and a shock-absorbing long snubber extending from the cleats to the chain hook below the waterline.
I would strongly suggest getting the Mantus dual snubber bridle and chain hook package. It just makes life very easy when you are moving and anchoring every day. The excellent included anti-chafe will protect the line and your bow otherwise the chain can rub on the fiberglass right at the waterline in certain tidal conditions often seen on the ICW and East Coast. The Rasmus is a martyr to this, be careful.
We love our Mantus Bridle. Call Greg at Mantus and he may give you a deal since you are famous. Tell him that Amanda and James from SV Barry Duckworth sent you. He will do you right. Awesome guy and knows the Rasmus. He helped us beef up the design of our anchor roller braces.
For an anchor alarm I found an Android app called Anchor Pro. It is awesome and it will even text another phone if you are dragging. That is a nice feature while you are out exploring or shopping off of the boat. Coming back to an empty spot of water where you left your boat is a nightmare scenario. We have cruiser friends who lost their boat on the rocks when they dragged. Total loss :( very sad.
Leaving your home at anchor can be scary. We also monitor our AIS on the Marinetraffic website when we are away from the boat to check in on it. It's like a free baby monitor for your boat if you don't have an anchor alarm that can text you in case the boat starts moving when you are away. AIS is amazing and this is one more handy use of it.
Totally agree about the Mantus bridle. Well worth the money.
Opps was going to add that after trying many anchor apps I just settled on Anchor Pro which is great. Guess I agree with Barry Duckworth. I anchor a lot and live on my boat.
I remember 30. Now I have kids who are the same age as you. Watching these videos just fills my heart.
I would suggest that you get in touch with "America's Boating Club" and may be take a Boating course. It will show you how to anchor but you will learn so many other tricks, the rule of road and safety procedures to make sure you have a safe and enjoyable journey on the water. Cheers
The best answer yet.
Snubber has to go PAST anchor roller (off the side of the boat) the only part that should be holding any weight/tension should be the cleats. You can seriously damage your anchor roller and or bow if it carrys the load of a rolly anchorage. Other than that great job
Very kind of you to encourage them. 😃
My wife and I bought a 1973 Hallberg Rassy Rasmus 2 months ago. It needs a lot more work than yours did, but I want you to know that you inspired us to buy this boat. We love it and can’t wait to get out and roam!
I love the way you allow us to come along for the learning journey. Most would say "we did this or you are supposed to do this"... without showing us the process. Thanks guys! Keep on learning!
Beautiful comment
Couple things, You should paint or mark your chain so you know the length of chain you have out. Secondly the "purchase" is be minimum of 5 times the depth up to 7 times. The depth of water includes the distance your bow is out of the water. Guys doing a great job. Take time to enjoy.
You are practising and learn in safe conditions. You will likely never know everything (very few will) But you are comfortable, not fighting and staying safe.
Can't go wrong with that plan.
Have fun!
6:12 - 6:30 aaaaahhhhhh peaceful beautiful... thank you for those seconds of calm in a stressful world 🌎
Lovely learning experience and all vital if you want to face the open seas. I love coming along the journey with you and will be interested to know how you deal with the winter weather. Thanks for sharing.
So so smart to take all the notes at the end of the day...edit: OMG the onion goggles!! I am DYING 😂
Its so fun to live vicariously through you guys while stuck in an office nowhere near the ocean lol. Its exciting to watch you learn as you go. Already looking forward to the next video. Keep up the great work!
Agree!!!
Awesome video you guys! I'm always so impressed with your production quality and story telling....it's impressive and refreshing to see a young couple working so hard.
We have our anchor chain marked every 25 feet with tie wraps. 25 feet is red, 50 feet is white, 75 feet is blue and then 100 feet is yellow. You can also paint it as well. Then at 125 feet, it is one red and one yellow, 150 feet is one white and one yellow, etc. to 200 where it is 2 yellows and 225 is 2 yellow and one white. You get the idea. It is good! Additionally, you want your snubber to go below the bow and have two lines to either side of the bow to the cleats so that you are taking the weight off not only your windless but your bow roller. So it ends up on your boat like a set of mooring lines!
If I may , I love your enthusiasm , and videos . A suggestion, This winter find a Power Squadron or Coast Guard Aux , and take their classes . It's a great learning tool. I went to the Power Squadron but both are good. Also , get a copy of Chapmans Piloting. This is the absolute manual for boating.
I love being on anchor, especially on a single hook (anchor), many of the anchorages on Santa Curz Island off the Southern California coast (my current cruising area) also require a stern anchor to save space and keep you from swinging. I aso trust my anchor, anchor chain and our ability to pick a good spot and to set the anchor. Once we backed down on the anchor and shut off the motor we stay on the boat for a minummen of 20 to 30 minutes to insure we are not dragging.
With that said there is not a sailor with any experience of anchoring that has not dragged at least once or twice. Once in the middle of the when we had to pull up the anchor and move the boat in complete darkness. The other time was about an hour after we set the anchor, it dragged for about ten feet and reset it self.
Your doing good, keep practicing and it will become second nature to you. It is a good idea to have anchor watch the first night or two, it will give you confidence in your anchoring ability. After a couple of nights of anchor watches, then switch over to waking up every two to three hours during the night to check on anchor. We did that for about six months of week-end cruising before we started sleeping through out the night. He while I sleep I can sense the movement of my boat and if the movement changes I am up in a heartbeat to check on what is happening.
Continue to have a blast with all your sailing adventures.
Do you recommend any resources or videos to familiarize with the Channel islands? I'm planning to begin doing some small boat adventures spearfishing and diving out there in the coming year.
@@joshtalbott9528 The Cruising Guide to Central and Southern California, by Brian Fagan is the Bible for this area. It includes all the islands and all the anchorages. I only know of two videos for the area, “Around Santa Cruz Island” and “Castoff for Catalina”. Both are somewhat lame and only have basic information. Fagan’s book is the beat, but is out of print. I have seen it at use book stores and Amazon.
@@donbobbi22 Thank you!!!
Yeah, mine did the other week near carrabelle fl, its all muddy clay, and the winds kicked up to about 30kts, we had to reset the anchor 3 times about 2am... but it gets easier the more you do it for sure..
You guys are so kind, patient with each other, and just amazing. I love your channel. Thank you so much for sharing your lives with us.
Mark your chain in bright colors in at least 50ft increments, that way you know exactly how much scope you've let out. Something like white stripe - yellow - double white - double yellow.
Also, drop your GPS point when your anchor is on the bottom, figure out how far you are from that point with the scope and then set your alarm radius.
It's cool to watch you guys learning because I get to learn with you. I didn't know what that snubber was for until today so thank you for that. I also want to commend you two for being smart about learning everything and going at your own pace.
Couple of tips on your anchoring; instead of letting your chain down by hand, just kick the brake loose on the windlass and use that to slow the descent. Also, if you connect your snubber a few feet below the fairlead, and tie it off on either side, it takes a lot of stress off the lead and when your vessel swings, it helps keep the chain away from the boat.
It's been a while since I caught your videos, last was you working on the toilet! You have a whole different vocabulary and it's fun to see where in this glorious world you are! Looks like flexible solar panels out there, so I'm definitely going to binge watch on my next bit of time off. Hugs to you both, you look great, please don't forget your sunscreen!!!
I love your videos, because you go out and learn, but most of all you are very analytical and self critical! With your attitude you become a role Model and inspiration for all of us who like to join the sailing world. But also wonderful is to read the trips and tricks from seasoned sailers contributing to the highly educational value of your channel! I THANK YOU ALL!🙏👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏
Great videos guys! If you don't have one already (someone pls direct me if I missed it) please post a video talking about options for livaboard! We are trying to get started with our own cruiser but so many of the marinas near us are not an option, what is mooring and how sustainable is it?
Hi , another interesting video from the turtle crew on Penelope , KEEP IT UP you set a fine example of a crew who works together ,lives together ,plays together and on 36 feet of space . Thank you stay safe .
You guys are doing a great job! Yes, paint your anchor chain with marks so you know how much you are letting out, yes do 7:1 scope when possible (more if room and big storm coming), remember that scope is calculated with the water depth PLUS the height of your bow off the water, yes get or make a proper snubber. It's true that it takes the pressure and jerking off the windlass and yes you should run it out way past the bow pulpit, but as important, it softens the jerk each time on the anchor from the chain pulling on it especially if you are in any chop. Chain is great because it is heavy and makes the pulling point on the anchor closer to the seabed (less of a pulling angle) and I prefer it by far but you need something to soften the pull. I have seen data that a long snubber properly set up can reduce forces on the anchor by a staggering amount. That will definitely make you sleep better at night. And yes, there are one or two good anchor alarm apps. Oh and learn some hand signals for anchoring (back up, stop, forward, indications of how many feet are out, back down, dragging, set) you can't hear at the stern with the engine running and it's always the end of the day and everyone is a little tired. It will relieve a lot of shouting back and forth and misunderstanding. Simple solution. If it's getting late in the day, have snack (simple- some pretzels, whatever) you can eat before entering the anchorage - no one is hangry. One other tip, if you are in a shallow anchorage, make a very slow circle around the area you might swing to see if there is enough depth. Take any or all of this if it's useful or not! Happy learning, it never stops.
One of my favourite things to do is sail off the anchor. Even more satisfying but more difficult to do is to sail ONTO the anchor. Round up into the wind, drop the sails, come to a stop, drop the anchor and let the wind drift you back, as long as there is enough wind to do so. Try sailing off the anchor first, it's a wonderful feeling.
I think you should set your anchor alarm on your chartplotter as you drop your anchor. It uses that point as the center point. If you set it after you back down on the anchor then the alarm will go off if the current or wind changes and you go back the other way out of it's zone.
Get an anchor watch app for your iPad or phone (not necessarily the one of that name but you get the idea). How much chain ("rode") did you let out? In calm conditions it should be 5 times the depth of water (7 is better). the worse the conditions (wind/waves) means more chain. While it isn't so much the weight of the chain that holds you (but it really helps) it improves the angle so you are pulling horizontally against the anchor more than vertically. Good to see you have a decent anchor though! Go Rocna! (and Manson) When you are just beginning, and whenever possible, do "dive" the anchor after you have "set" it. I once set an anchor and was really happy until I dived it, it was sitting on its side on the ocean floor with just the very tip holding onto a rock. One shift in direction and we would have been off.
Sweet words of encouragement. Blessings to you.
Yes....
I've never seen you guys this gunshy. I totally understand that there are consequences for messing something up, but you guys are so skilled and smart, and I think sometimes the smartest people hold themselves back. You can do this! Much love and confidence in you guys!
So nice to see how you two teach yourselves. Exploring area's and situations, giving yourselves the time to do and learn, listening to your intuition, recognising your own level of experience, listening to each other, giving each other compliments, celebrating every tiny little step forward and taking pauses to process what just happened and to relax and enjoy. And all that while filming and sharing at the same time!
Proud of you 👍🏻🥰 Always walk your own pace. You're doing great! Much love and thanks for sharing ❤️💚🧡💙💜💛🤗🤗
Suggestion: Go to the Mantus Marine website and purchase a Mantus Hook. See their line diameter and line length recommendations for your snubber line. Next use a regular chain hook on a line as a safety line to secure your anchor to your boat while sailing. Next thought: pronounce leeward as Lou ward (for you, this should easy to remember). I enjoy seeing your progress. Fair winds...
Another great video guys 👍 you are learning and improving quickly 😎👍
You guys are fantastic! You are learning time by time and you are being a sailing experts.
Just here to say how beautiful I thought the vegetables were ☺️ It'd been a while since I watched a video and this just reminded me how much I love your commentary and all of the beautiful camera work. It's really special getting to see through your eyes. Thanks for sharing these moments with us!
14:30 -14:40 ukulele awesomeness 😎
I love your video! I love being on the water, and love boating, so I can enjoy both of those things vicariously through your boating experiences.
You both have delivered another great video. Very informative and interesting to say the least. It's fun to be on this journey with you. Thanks for sharing your life and times with us that watch your electrifying channel. Well done. Thanks. I have some sailing experience also but your doing fine. Lots of luck to you both. Be sure to wash the anchor when bringing it up as to not get mud and seaweed on the yacht.
Yes....it is fun to be on the journey w them. ...you comment is beautiful 😍
Anchoring for the first time, how exciting!! Well done guys, you did a great job. I'd end up in the next bay if I was doing that!!
Thanks for sharing your learning journey!
I love seeing how well-structured you approach your learning. You (seemingly) follow a clearly defined path of skills you want to learn and accept where you are. Thank you for this video, it cheered me up!
I know that everything you do keeps you so Incredibly busy but hopefully one day soon maybe on long sails, you will write a cook book, all the meal you make look so delicious and incredible ❣️❣️
As always, great teamwork.
I see lots of great lessons & pts on anchoring below to add to your captain log lessons. Looks like you've got some very experienced viewers
When you set that alarm its very important to know where you put you anchor and how far it is.... also next time you snub your anchor run the rope through the guide and around to the front of the bow and then attach it to the chain so the line runs out the side and doesn't keep the pressure on the roller .... j.s. I think thats better
You guys are the coolest! It is a big dream (and goal) of mine to live on a sail boat one day, and I was so thrilled when you guys said you had bought Penelope. (thank you for proving that "normal" people can achieve and learn a dream like this) Your videos are so beautifully made the style, content and colours are so stunning! P.S. It would be SO neat if you guys would make a cook book! Greetings from Finland!
Such pleasant videos! Keep up the good work and solid content!
Great stuff! I am learning through your adventures. Stsy safe!
Until our adventures cross, fair winds and full sails ⛵
I really enjoy your channel. You guys are such a sweet couple.
As a practical application, your depth calculation should be measured from the anchor roller to the bottom, eg. Depth of water 8 feet + 5 foot to the anchor roller = 13 feet for your rode calculation. So 5:1 and 7:1 on the 13 feet would be 65 and 91 respectively. Also refrain from setting the anchor with the windlass while the boat is motoring backward. That really stresses the internals of the unit and eventually the chain will start jumping the gypsy. Essentially, don't use the windlass as a break. One respondent said to let the boat drift as you pay out chain. That's correct. That gives the anchor time to find itself and also insures you don't pile chain on top of the anchor, or under power drag the bottom; never allowing it to bite. Otherwise, good exercise. As we say in Texas, "ya done good!" Capt Kaz
Proper equation for determine adequate scope.
Guys, congratz for the channel! Quick advice avoid using your bare hands to hold the chain while anchoring. There's lots of ppl that snapped their fingers on it. Cheers
your videos are so relaxing and beautiful 💕
What a wonderful partnership!!
Yous two are fantastically amazing 🌊
I really enjoyed watching this video. Does Lou ever drive the boat? Your doing fantastic but was just wondering. Love you guys!! Have fun and be safe. ❤
Dana is such a happy soul- you're a lucky man Lew. PS- love the onion goggles :)
Love seeing your videos, your lives are so inspiring. Keep up the eukele, love it!
Brings such joy to my heart 💕
I like you guys. You learn it and then practice it. There are too many dumb twits who buy a boat, are totally oblivious and then cry about all the things that go wrong with them and how much it costs. A boat is not in the same category as a car but too many people treat it the same way. The snubber is not just about the windlass. It is about absorbing the shocks. Wait till you anchor in some weather. You will need a MUCH bigger snubber than what you were using today.
Also general practice is 5:1 scope ideally 7:1 but 5:1 works very well in most conditions. Just in case that means either 5 or 7 times the depth. Please don't do a 2:1 scope you WILL drag
Also know the tide. If you are figuring scope at low tide, when you get to high tide the scope may not be enough to hold fast.
5 is minimum, 7 better, 10 is hitting diminishing returns but ideally better yet if there is enough swing room.
Add in max tides, freeboard, any possible storm surge,.and finally burial depth of the anchor itself. In soft bottoms the extreme burial depth can add 5 or more feet to the equation. We have seen as much as 10 feet in 10 feet of water where this effect basically is halving the scope. We thought we had 7:1 scope and instead had 3.5:1 which caused us to slowly drag. Chain will not cut in as well through the muck as the anchor itself. This further hurts the angle at which the rode is pulling at.
@@svbarryduckworth628 regarding swing, asking neighboring boats how much rode they have out is prudent to figure if you are going to have a problem with swing.
And if neighboring boats are using too little scope think about finding another place further away. Having clueless noobs drag into you is no fun.
To know if the anchor bite, once the chain is out, I usually put the feet on the chain and feel the vibration of it. If it's dragging you can feel it. And the anchor chain out should be three time the depth.
Set your anchor waypoint when you drop, and set your swing circle for the length of chain you are putting out, plus the length of Penelope plus a little. A little in a crowded Anchorage, more if you have room and aren't worried.
Set your anchor alarm at the spot you drop the anchor, rather than where the boat winds up when anchor is set. Set the alarm for the length of chain and rode deployed plus a safety factor, maybe a boat length or so. If the wind or tide changes, and you move sideways, the chain is like the radius of a circle, and you will sail the perimeter. The alarm will not sound unless you actually drag. Some anchors may not do well if you have a 180 degree tide swing. That would be an interesting experiment with your main anchor.
Hi guys... Just a hint: put one hand on the chain while going reverse. So you can feel if the anchor is bumping on the ground. Greets from Germany
Thanks for another entertaining and informative video.
Happy Birthday Lou!
Haha, you are incredible guys, love your videos and your spirit! Greetings from SOW
Hi , I am wondering why don't you just release the winch clutch from the beginning instead of rising the chain from gypsy by hands? Rocna is pretty much self launching. If you try to release the clutch to let the chain go the anchor will slide down by itself.
I would also suggest to install swivel chain connector to prevent chain twisting if you plan to stay on anchor a bit longer. Fair winds.
Love it xxx
You'll want a longer snubber. Beyond taking strain off the windlass, part of the snubber's job is to absorb some of that force before it's transferred to the boat. This is one time you want some stretch in your line. Without enough line for the stretch to absorb it, the force will just get transferred to the cleat instead.
Yey. I clicked so fast 😬 you guys are ace x
If they were to have children, imagine them watching these vlogs as adults and realizing how badass your parents were in their youth.
Like “yeah my mom and dad built the van they lived in throughout Europe and then they renod their boat and taught themselves how to sail” 🤯🤩
Literally, that is ALL I think about while watching their videos these days!! Awesome that you said it now. I couldn't really put it into words. Also they both look so handsome/beautifully wild and free 💗
Some tips:1 Depth is not from your sounder at the bottom of the hull add to the waterline + freeboard to the bow roller+ the high tide height then x scope. 2 never ever die a bowline on an anchor system it will come undone! Tie a rolling hitch as a snubber. 3 your snubber isnt carrying the weight of your anchor its carrying the weight of the boat + waves. 4 Try to anchor there the land or reef is a shelter from wind & waves.
Painting chain links different colors every 10' is a way to keep track of how much anchor rode you have payed out. You can also buy flags that connect to the chain, or line that will tell you how much is out.
A Rocna usually brings “gifts” from the bottom 😊
Great video and good job you two!
greetings from Ireland well done guys stay safe
Hi Team Penelope,
You guys are great, just as a general rule of thumb, your rode should be 7 to 10 times the depth of the water in which you will anchor. You will need more rode in bad weather or rough water.
Keep up the great videos. Take care and God bless.
A couple of tips. Approach the spot and have a drive around first to get a perspective, find the right spot point against the wind and release then anchor, let yourself drift backwards by the wind and let out chain while this happens. Put out at least 3 times the depth of the water. Once it’s out put the rope (a thicker one) around the chain and a cleat and motor backwards up to 1500rpm for a good 20 sec. Now you are fine, if you don’t move. Release more chain if the wind picks up. That’s it. Snubber rope should be longer once all is done and use both cleats but not over the chain roller.
Cool video, where did you get the floating keyring with your boatname on it?
For you anchor chain a good rule of thumb is depth(in meters) * 3 + bootlength. So a 15m boot in 10m of depth would be 45m of chain out
You probably explained this at a point. But what’s the deal with the “mooring” ? Is it like you have a permanent hook that you snap into? I had assumed our put the anchor down there but I guess not.
I think you will find that your depth x3 is a good rule of thumb for how much chain needs to go out. Others will be along shortly to confirm or give you another opinion I'm sure.
I started to follow you when you were in a van. I have no interest in sailing. I just wanted to say I've realized why I follow you... You are an awesome couple. You are so thoughtful and polite with one another. I also like that you are willing to put in the time and effort to learn, and that you are safety conscious. I feel I watch to experience your journeys because I want to see you succeed. Thanks for sharing. 👍🙂
Best comment award 👏 👌 👍 trophy 🏆 we couldn't put into words why we love them so much. You did it very eloquently
@@designdoctor247 thank you 🙂
So when they go “home” to the spot where they sleep and everything are they not using an anchor? (sorry I don’t know anything about sailing, just curious)
Some pointers....
- snubber needs to be other side of the anchor roller and preferably coming back to a cleat each side of the bow.
- mark your chain every 5m or 10ft depending on whether you use metric or imperial on your plotter.
- *** have your anchor alarm set up and set it as you start dropping your anchor so you get the correct reading from the centre point.
- give it some guns when you reverse back on the chain to make sure you have it dig in... 2 - 2.5K revs.
Now you will know how much chain you have put out so 20ft depth you will pop out perhaps 80ft chain depending on sea state and weather conditions and you can then set your anchor alarm to 100ft. If there are numerous other boats around then you don't want to be drifting more that that before your alarm goes off otherwise you won't have time to recover before hitting something.
Hope this helps.
Practice, practice and practice again. That is the way you learn and gain experience. As you gain experience, you develop confidence. That allows you to sleep at night and not lay in your berth worrying if you did everything right.
Great slow-mo shots!
I don’t know if anyone has said this in the comments but set your alarm at the point of dropping the anchor and the feet at the circumference of the length of your rode.
Looks like you were at Quicks Hole and then Hadley Harbor?
I love your videos, I found them really positive and relaxing. But then I see the comments and get stressed! I know nothing about sailing but Lou, please get some gloves, it would make me feel a lot better! :D
How do sailors handle overnight trips when they're crossing large bodies of water? Does someone have to be awake at all times? Sorry if this is a dumb question.
Yes
Oh, one more tip. Paint links of chain different colors at different lengths so you can quickly tell how much chain is out.
You guys are cool !
What we usually do, is painting the anchor chain every 10', so we can calculate the length vs depth of water, that mean taking all the chain out, measure and paint!
A mandoline but no chef's knife? Sacre bleu!
Your snubber should be over the bow to take the pressure off the bow roller as well. Anchoring is stressful. : )
Anchor chain length should be 2x depth + 15m (45ft).
Once you've let out the chain, let the wind and current swing you until it's settled, then reverse, gradually increasing the revs, you'll feel the chain tension and then the anchor bite, and you'll stop moving, then give it max power to dig in.
Your snubber is much too small. You need something that can hold the boat and is also able to stretch (some anchor rode is good). I can't imagine a warp thin enough to go through a chain link being strong enough (unless it's dyneema, which won't stretch). Either attach the snubber with a hook, a rolling hitch or a soft-shackle of appropriate strength. Let the chain out so the snubber takes the tension off the bow-roller as well as the windlass. As a precaution you can cleat the chain too.
It should be more than 2x the depth unless you are looking to just have a lunch stop. Chain should be 3:1 (don't forget to include height from the water to the bow roller) and if there will be wind, 5:1 is good insurance.
Joe L. again video was
Full time van life with baby + Pro editing rig, the time clock on the video with around 25 minutes close to the end, those nesting pots and pans. Thanks all videos and hard work.