240 seamanship secrets
- Lower the anchor and feed the rode out rapidly as the boat sails past the
anchorage position. When the rode takes a strain the boat will spin 180
degrees and turn into the wind. Go to the bow and veer the remaining
scope. Check for dragging before you lower the headsail.
How to Use Casting Kedges for Ungrounding
TGIF! Friday had fi nally arrived. Soon we’d be off , just my little beauty and I,
sailing out into the serenity and splendor of the Chesapeake. Casting off , I pointed
toward one of my favorite secret hideaways, a perfect anchorage tucked just off
the Poquoson River. Th e anchor set deeply into the hard muddy bottom early
that evening. As I sipped a cup of joe in the cockpit, the sun seemed to wink
“Good night”—just before slipping beneath the horizon.
Sunrise greeted us with a brisk southwester, promising a fi ne sailing day.
Aft er a lazy breakfast, I hoisted the main, weighed anchor, and reached out of
the perfect cove. Just outside the entrance, I lashed the tiller and went forward
to raise the working jib. Th e little sail went up without a hitch, and I made my
way back to the cockpit. And that’s when I heard the thunder.
The whole foot of the jib was shaking violently, pouring over the leeward
rail. I had forgotten to set the tack into the stemhead shackle. Glancing at
the chart, I guessed that I could continue another few hundred yards before
I needed to tack to clear the shoal ahead. I charged up to the mast, slacked
off a couple of feet of jib halyard, and started moving toward the forestay.
A moment later my boat slammed into the mud, stopping with a jolt that
almost knocked me off my feet.
Down came the jib and main to keep the boat from driving any farther
onto the mud. Out came two 2.5-pound Bruce anchors from the aft lazarette.
I quickly tied the bitter end of the line from one of these tiny anchors to a
stern cleat, coiled the line, and climbed on top of the lazarette hatch cover.
I heaved the anchor out toward deep water and pulled until the flukes dug
in. Then I led the line to a sheet winch, took a couple of wraps, and started
cranking. The boat started creeping foot by foot toward the anchor. As the
boat closed in on the little Bruce, I stopped cranking and readied the second
mini-hook.
I cast the second anchor, pulled until it took a heft y bite on the bottom, and
then led it to the other sheet winch. I then pulled up the fi rst anchor and hoisted
it aboard. Th en I heaved around on the second anchor. I repeated this sequence
several more times, fi nally sliding off the muddy shelf into deeper water. Free at
last! Upon inspecting the bilges, I found that the boat was dry as a bone, so no harm
done. Th e little casting kedges had come through like champs to save the day!