Would you know what to do if you had a fouled anchor in rough seas? James Stevens looks at the problem and provides the solution.
Question: Can you retrieve a fouled anchor in rough sea?
Dave and three friends are sailing Kochab, a Starlight 35, in the West Country towards the end of a round-Britain cruise.
They are currently beating against a fresh south-westerly, 20 knots, on the way from Dartmouth to Salcombe.
The yacht is pitching and rolling violently when the 15 kilogram CQR anchor, mounted on the bow roller jumps off and falls into the water.
He’s anchored uncomfortably, beam on to a very confused sea in an exposed corner of the English Channel.
James Stevens answers:
First priority is whether the crew can realistically do anything on the foredeck in those conditions. Dave can always replace an anchor.
If Dave reckons the crew can hold on and work at the bow, he is going to have to use the power of the primary winches to pull the anchor up.
For the full story, see: https://www.yachtingmonthly.com/sailing-skills/can-you-retrieve-a-fouled-anchor-in-rough-sea-72974
– Katy Stickland
