ANCHORS AWAY!

Many of you will want to take me to task for the headline to this article. You think that's incorrect terminology, and that it should be "Anchors Aweigh". Not, so. This article is about how people fail to anchor properly, and their anchor goes "away", usually for good.

All of you should know the importance of good ground tackle. The sound of the surf on the rocks at night is soothing, but not when you wake up, and although you anchored a mile offshore, realize your vessel is now in the surf. That's a bad way to learn surfing, and an even worse way to learn about proper anchoring equipment and techniques!

There are a number of reasons anchored boats fail to remain in a stationary position. Not in any particular order, they are:

• Anchor not heavy enough for the vessel size, or conditions encountered.
• Anchor wrong type for the bottom.
• Anchor of poor quality, bends, breaks or will not hold.
• Setting only one anchor when conditions warrant two.
• Insufficient scope of line for depth and weather conditions.
• Insufficient length, or no chain between anchor and anchor rode.
• Chain of poor quality, insufficient strength.
• Line of insufficient size or strength for load.
• Failure to secure bitter end of anchor line to a secure mooring point on vessel.
• Use of windlass brake to hold vessel, rather than mooring point.
• Poor quality line, deteriorated line or poor splices.

Fittings wrong type, strength or deteriorated.

Anchors and other ground tackle should be chosen for their holding power in the worst type of conditions you expect to encounter. Then, consider going one size up. So, if Murphy's Law is right, and conditions are worse than you ever imagined, at least you will have the best chance of weathering the storm unscathed.

I can't discuss the pros and cons of all available lines, and the proper line to use in every situation. That would take volumes, and an expert on cordage, which I am certainly not. But, line, including dock and anchor lines, should be of the best quality available. It seems ridiculous to moor a quarter million dollar boat with five dollar dock lines. Same for most polypropylene line. You know, that brightly colored line you bought in a discount store, that seems to always be splitting, with strands sticking out all over. That may be okay for occasional use on a play raft or dinghy, but I wouldn't bet my boat, or my life on it.

I have purchased what was alleged to be high quality nylon line, only to have it fray, abrade and deteriorate rapidly. Don't make that mistake. Buy the highest quality line available. You can still shop for price, but don't let low price entice you into low quality.

Line on a boat is like a parachute. When you need it the most is not the time to be wishing you had bought better quality. Then, it's far too late.

Safe Boating.

BOATING SAFETY

When is the last time you checked your smoke detector? The one on your boat, I mean. There's a very good likelihood you don't have one. Yet, this little marvel of the electronics age, priced at under ten dollars, could mean the difference between surviving a boat fire, or not. Placed on a side bulkhead of the cabin, at least 12 inches below the overhead, smoke detectors will provide a margin of safety in providing early warning of a smoldering fire.

And, when are you going to reconnect that pesky carbon dioxide monitor? Yeah, the small box on the cabin bulkhead that keeps going off when you're running your engines at the dock, or your generator at anchor. Since carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless and tasteless, there's not much chance you will know you're being poisoned. And the symptoms are similar to overexposure to the sun; headache, dizziness, flush skin, nausea, and disorientation. That's not much help either. But, when these symptoms persist, there's a distinct likelihood you will never know you're on the way to Davy Jones' Ball.

Okay, and there's that darn fire extinguisher bottle in the bilge. I guess it's okay, since it's still there. Whoa. Is that your automatic halon system we're talking about? Weighing at least twice annually is the only way to be sure it's charged and ready to go. And, how about those hand portable fire extinguishers? Are the tags up to date and are they ready for service? As a tip: Turn your dry chemical extinguishers upside down occasionally, and if they are in sound condition, tap gently with a rubber mallet around the cylinder. This loosens up the powder, which will tend to compress and cake in some cases.

Finally, when is the last time you checked your dock lines? No, I mean really looked at them closely? Dock lines have the tendency to become abraded, sun dried and frayed, making their integrity questionable. Replace your dock lines with good quality line at regular intervals. Follow the line manufacturers recommendations for working load and breaking strength. Buy the best quality lines you can afford. It seems foolish to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a boat, and try to secure it against natures ravages with a ten dollar line.

As a final comment, concerning quality, and getting what you pay for, I often say "After you jump, it's too late to wish you bought the better parachute." The same holds true for anchors, anchor lines, dock lines and safety equipment. After all, you never heard anyone complain that their parachute worked too well, did you?

Safe Boating!