CAPTAIN'S LOG
SEA DATE 11 SEPTEMBER 2011
Greece. Turkey.
Dear all,
We are currently at Bodrum in Turkey. Then will sail with them down to Marmaris for a couple of weeks.
I have to get this one off my chest (he said - puffing it out). Anchoring. Most likely moving onto anchoring 102. Referring to an earlier epistle; anchoring 101, where I outlined very basic anchoring techniques, we now move on to more complicated anchoring systems. For the “people sensitive” group, I would suggest you don’t read this. More will be explained.
A tad of recent history (bit of an oxymoron like microsoft works and military intelligence?) Over the last few days, we have anchored in a few quiet wee anchorages (we usually anchor in anchorages, perhaps that is where they get their name) and have had the pleasure of a certain “people” anchor in front of us. These “people” are generally floating in charter boats.
Three days ago, a boat flying the proverbial green white and red (Italian) flag dropped their tackle and didn’t set their anchor. 2 hours later they gayly cruised past us in reverse. Their anchor was down and a couple of lasses where sitting in the cockpit chewing the fat. As they went by, I called out “I think you are dragging your anchor”. They looked at me as if I was stupid. (Don’t even think of saying it). I waved good bye. They still gawked at me. I stood up and suggested they start up their engine. Blank looks. “YOUR’E DRAGGING YOUR ANCHOR - GET THE CAPTAIN”. Don’t usually like to yell, but it was a charter boat, and someone else’s big investment. Captain popped up, started up said motor and promptly buggered off. Didn’t want to lose face I guess.
Two days ago, similar “people” anchored in front of us and flying the green white and red flag. Bugger I thought. Hope they set the anchor. This will be covered in “anchoring 102 very shortly. Set it? Why would they do that. Wind picked up, and they go sailing past us with their anchor down. We honked our fog horn at them. Head pops out and I could just see his thoughts “where is the fog”. In you mind buddy. They finally figured it out and re-anchored.
Same again this morning. Another one.
So the evening comes around and another vessel flying the Italian flag drops the pick in front of us. Jane (otherwise known as hawk eye) said that she thought they were dragging. I am down in the engine room working. She usually keeps me there. Feeds me tea and scones without the strawberry jam. I keep buying the stuff but she spreads it on her body instead. Not sure why - yet. Sorry, I digress. I am sometimes let out. Anyway, I complete my job and upon rearing my ugly head - out of the engine room (just for clarification) she asks me if I have checked the other boats anchors. Bloody hell. I have only just finished re-wiring the hot wire to the big inverter that had a burnt out cable. On the cold side of the 200 amp fuse. Pulled the sheathing off the cable at the connection end and it was all green and very very bad. Obviously had heated up because the amp thingies had problems getting down the pipeline and burnt the plastic connection to the fuse. And the fuse didn’t blow. Wee digression here, in case you hadn’t spotted it. All production boats (that means all as in all not some) use standard cable for wiring boats. The tinned stuff that won’t rot is too expensive. Soooooo, our boat is coming up to 15 years old. Same problem with our big cable to the windlass. That burnt out and could have caused a fire as well. I say as well. Perhaps the other one could have too. Fortunately they didn’t. Anyway, back to the story.
My head pops out - a simple request for the strawberry jam on the scones this time please. Not difficult. A man gets hungry. The Admiral asks me if I have checked out the anchors of the boats in front of us - as they are flying the green white and red flag. I ask the good lady to put the scones in the warming oven, and break out the strawberry jam and whipped cream while you are at it, and I will go check their anchors.
We discussed this a few days ago. It is all very well checking our anchor, but if someone parks in front of us and drags their anchor, we are sort of buggered. For want of a better expression of course.
I jump in said water (currently 25 degrees - a tad cold. Amazing what a man will do for a bit of warm crumpet. Especially with strawberry jam and perhaps a bit of cream please. Preferably whipped. As per the Admirals instructions, I go check the anchors of the two boats in front. One is okay, the other one sadly is a tad deficient in the setting department. Just sitting on the top of some weed. Resting. Most likely sleeping. I swim back to the boat that is lying behind the sleepy anchor and introduce myself. Suggest they set their anchor by hitting reverse, or astern as we boatie types say. They took about five minutes to find the “go backwards” button, and gave it all of 5 seconds. Hardly worth a fart. I am right above their anchor with snorkle and fins. The chain didn’t even move. They try again, chain moves, but not all the way up to the anchor. Captain of vessel says it’s okay. Captain of our vessel (that would be me) dives down to check said anchor. I grab the thing and lift it right out of the weed. I then dump it back on said weed and head for the surface. I gently update the Captain of the situation.
I swim up to his bow (the sharp end, the pointy bit at the front) and tell him it hasn’t set. He tells me it will be okay as he is going to move.
I swim back to the Ta-b and wait to see what happens. Somehow I am running short in the believing department. We are also about to set off for a drink at the bar on the beach. I see them swim a line over to their neighbours boat, a friend, and they tie the two sterns together. With a big long line, about 30 metres long.
I am a very patient man and a pacifist at heart, but sometime I could kill, or at least break a bone or two. Sheer stupidity. An absolute moron. That being said, one should really question the requirements for chartering a boat. Some poor punter has invested between $100,000 and $200,000 in a boat and plopped his investment into the charter fleet with the hope of making a buck or two. Then the charter companies let morons like this (read - these) take out their invested bucks and they don’t even know how to park the damn thing.
Felt like asking him what sort of car he owned. Perhaps a fancy alpha romeo, masearati , or some such vehicle worth $100,000 to $200,000. Ask him what he would do if I parked my car on in front of his, on a hill, without the brake on. Then - him being aware that I am “parking challenged”, I go and tie my car up to another car on the other side of the road.
Fortunately the weather report is not too growlie overnight or I would have taken further action. My next investment is in a small anchor parachute. About 60 cm square. Pop down with my diving gear on, tie it to the anchor and fill the parachute up with air from my tank. It slowly lifts the anchor so I can move it over a couple of boat lengths. I have seen anchors lifted this way. It works a treat.
I nearly say this with a certain amount of guilt. Okay Giovanni, not really. You are a bloody good sailor and pretty adept in the anchoring department so this is no slight on yourself. Met Giovanni in Marmaris and broke bread and drank a little wine with him whilst there. He kept me sane while I was working on the boat on my own. Only a little amount of wine. Mind you, the scotch and rum that we consumed while solving the problems of the world were pretty considerable to say the least.
For potential boat owners that are considering putting their boat into a charter fleet, consider the above as well as the cost of sails. No charterer puts the mainsail back in its sail bag on the boom. No charter company has the brains to put the mainsail in it’s sail bag on the boom when the boat is returned to dock. We see this all the time. Charter fleets with the mainsail open to the sun. There is only one thing that rots sails. Sunshine. Totally rots the material and stitching. A sail will last 5 years tops. Big investment to buy a new one. Only one person to pay for it. The generous boat owner.
Back to the anchorer, or non anchorer as it were. Wind came up at about 2200 hrs, so I stayed up. Until 0200 hrs the following morning. The boat in question dragged about 2 boat lengths over that time. Nearly finished my book. A novel about Genghis Kahn, and very good. Wind dropped at about 0100 hrs so stayed up to make sure it stayed that way, and hit the sack.
Note to self. Next time go up in dinghy. Take photos. Gently approach stern with log book out and record name of Captain and insurance company. That usually gets them moving.
In summary, Anchoring 102. Prior to dropping anchor, look into sea and check for weed or sand. Weed is a dark colour. Sand shows the turquoise of the sea. Not too difficult. Drop it in the sand - not the weed. Bit of a non brainer for most sailors with half a brain. When anchor is dropped and sufficient rode (chain) is let out, put vessel in reverse (or astern as many boaties call it) to straighten out the chain (rode). Then give it a lot more wellie or astern (aka reverse) to set the anchor. What we are really trying to do is bury the pointy bit of the anchor in the sand to make sure the boat won’t go cruising on it’s own - with the anchor hanging down. Now for the important part, jump in water with snorkel and fins. Swim out and make sure it has done as ordered.
Signing off
Admiral Jane
Captain Russell