Free Stuff

Actually, just a limited time offer for a free Kindle book.

Rigging Modern Anchors is being offered by the publisher for free to people with Amazon Prime or Kindle Unlimited. At some point it will go to $9.99, so for our mutual benefit, please take advantage of this offer.

I could really use some sales volume and some kind reviews (which I hope I have earned), so I'm reaching out to my readers in the hope that you will enjoy a little light reading.

This is perhaps more a technical study than "anchoring for beginners," but there is much for the beginners as well; every time I anchor I remind myself that good fundamentals make the greatest difference. 

Now that I have a smaller boat, I've continued testing, but with a smaller boat spin. Much of this made it into "Rigging Modern Anchors," but there is more to come, as investigate doing away with chain and what that means.

Happy Reading!

Rigging Modern Anchors

Working with a bricks and mortar publisher to get this in print has been a lengthy process for me, but well worth it. It encouraged me to dive far more deeply into the technical side than I might have for my own needs, and the result is the most technically detailed boat on yacht anchoring written. And I don't feel I'm bragging unfairly. I simply did the work. While others have brought vast blue water cruising experience to life, I spent years with a load cell, digging around in the mud. Hardly glamorous, but science is mostly about diligent work.

Available in print through Amazon.




Rigging Modern Anchors

Rigging Modern Anchors

First print edition, 2018, by Seaworthy Press. About 156 pages.

I've been setting and trusting anchors with my life (climbing) and my boat (sailing) for 35 years. I've been testing and documenting anchor testing for 5 years, and I've spent the last two sifting, collating, and analyzing all that I have learned. The result, I believe, is a complete description of what is actually going on below the waves, not just descriptively or as oral history from an old salt, but with numerical back-up everywhere I could provided it. I hope it helps. I know I sleep better. From the back cover of the book:

“Rigging Modern Anchors” demystifies anchoring with today’s modern anchors. Through years of systematic testing, Drew Frye has produced a new benchmark of understanding based on empirical data instead of anecdotal wisdom, passed down from one sailor to the next without proof or deep understanding. In “Rigging Modern Anchors” we dig deeply into the how and why of anchoring, using hard numbers as our foundation.

Included are in-depth discussions of anchoring basics, loads, scope, and the effects of cyclical loading, soil consolidation and bottom characteristics on holding power. Special attention is given to problem bottoms such as very soft mud and rock. There are anchor-specific observations, discussions of tandem anchors and rigging methods, plus an extensive appendix containing test data, open source designs for bridle plates and anchor turners, strength and toughness for various chain types, anchor connector recommendations, anchor sizing guides and more.

Proper anchoring technique, rigging, and gear selection is vital to the safety of ship and crew. Instead of hoping your anchor and rigging scheme will hold, read “Rigging Modern Anchors” and be sure.

 

 

Unsinkable

Every few months I see a picture of a multihull sinking. This should never happen, not with a few crash tanks, bulkheads, and no ballast.

Yes, there are heavy things in there like diesels, but there is also foam core and empty tanks.

The PDQ 32, on the other hand, is quite unsinkable. I had a through-hull failure once and it didn't even get the floor boards wet.

[the load waterline is on the lower edge of the boot top stripe]

With 2 crash tanks forward, one aft, and two bulkheads, you simply can't tear a big enough hole.

I know what it is. People don't want the cabin space chopped-up by walls. Their funeral.

------

As for my F-24, it is easily supported by the amas and the beams, no crash tanks required. No worries. But I would add them anyway, if I were sailing far. I'd seal off most of the space under the V-berth and under the cockpit. A day's work for peace of mind, and no new access problems.

Spare Yamaha 9.9 High Thrust Props for Sale

In the process of making room for more boat stuff, I came across these, which should go.

Used, but functional. In my opinion, every PDQ owner should carry at least one spare, if not two. Once in a while you will wind up a lift line or find a crab pot. It's a 5-minute change... if you have a spare. I always carried a spare.

They're ~ $70 on e-bay. How's about $50 for all three, plus whatever shipping costs (unless you pick them up, either Vienna, VA, or Deale, MD.

Time for Bed

Depth of Discharge vs. Battery Life

It's a cruiser mantra that lead acid batteries should never be taken below 50% state of charge. There is some pretty convincing math on this for batteries that are cycled daily,including full-time cruisers and off-grid power systems. On the other hand, golf carts go lower than that every day.

And for the rest of us, who cruise weekends and a few weeks now and then, we don't rack up that many cycles, perhaps 100 in 5 years and 200 in 10 years. Northern holiday cruisers are even more challenged to rack up high cycles, with the boat out of the water half the year.

Even using shallow cycle designs, which we are not, we'd be hard pressed to hit the cycle limit within 10 years if we took them to 60 %, and we would just hit it in 5 years at 80% discharge. With standard deep cycle batteries, we could discharge to 80% far more times than we will ever spend the night on the hook. The batteries will die of corrosion, failure to recharge, or failure to water first.

This has been my experience. I use relatively small battery banks and discharge past 50% regularly. I do recharge as soon as possible and I do check the water. I typically have gotten 7 years, whether cruising frequently or not, before I loose enough capacity I replace them (never complete failure, such as a shorted cell).

Why what some would consider an undersized bank? Because on a multihull, weight is worth money. My boat cost $20/pound and I feel every pound saved is worth $20 in performance. Otherwise, I would have purchased a slower boat. Carrying an extra battery (75 pounds) costs $1500 in weight penalty.First, I don't believe adding a battery would extend the battery life in proportion to the added purchase cost; they would last perhaps 15% longer and cost 25-50% more to replace. The $1500 weight penalty stands. The only upside is additional reserve capacity, which isn't worth $1500 to me.

(That's 25 degrees C, not 250C like it says)

I've had enough different boats to understand that for each boat, my answers to these questions would have been different.

• How big is the bank? A single group 24 battery is minutes to change, but a big bank of traction batteries is a project.
• How critical is power failure? An outboard can be pull-started, a big diesel is a problem.
• What charging sources are available? How many days between full charging?
• How often is the boat anchored-out? Are we talking thousands of cycles or hundreds during the life of the battery?

There is simply no way that one answer is right for everyone. On my last boat battery maintenance was serious; lots of appliances and significant battery cost. On my F-24 weight matters, I have one slim 50W panel and a throw-away group 24 battery. I don't have any electronics that matter to me and I pull start the engine. A 5-pound Li ion battery is probably the smart answer, providing all the power I need for about the same money. Very cool.

I need to look into this farther.

Dual Rod Holder From Scraps

Or rather from a stern rail motor mount that the the PO liked but I had removed. In my mind, either the engine should be able to stay on the dingy or...

• The davits or hoist is weak. Upgrade.
• The engine is too damn big.
• The dingy moves too much, in which case it should be triced-up.
• The dingy is vulnerable in rough weather. Not the case on most catamarans, since the davits are forward of the transoms.

The mount has been resting in a might-need drawer for 6 years but now enjoys new life.

It's primary purpose is to hold my 2 mini-outriggers (2 x 6' outriggers give me an effective beam of  26 feet, easily trailing 3-4 lines without tangles) while not trolling. They can't left in place during docking, and placing them in the outboard rod holds inhibits easy boarding and blocks the holders for other uses. I find rod holders handy for other things as well--boat hooks, walking sticks, gaffs, oars--so i can never have too many.

I dislike commercial holders since they only grip the rail without twisting if tightened so much they scar the rail. This never will, since it uses an up-right for bracing.

Construction was simple enough. I had to slot the back to accommodate a brace. The 2" SCH 40 pipe is attached with counter sunk #10 machine screws. In the background are a pair of kayaks lashed to the top of the davits, the most convenient storage space.

The lures are home-made too.

Sun Protection

The sun is a real bugger in the summer. I realize I was spoiled by the big hard top on the PDQ, now that I'm baking in the sun once again.

The water is wonderful, but the air is steamy.

Earlier this week, after enjoying a nice sail, I decided to anchor for a bit in the falling breeze, to eat lunch and eventually do some paddling along the coast. The first thing I did was rig an awning, which was a life saver.

I need to fine-tune the pitch, but this nylon tarp keeps the sun off. Notice some chipping of the paint.

I made it up 10 months ago out of a blue nylon tarp I had. Itis attached to the mast and topping lift, with straps around the shrouds and posts fitted to the stern pulpit. I didn't set the back corners  correctly for this image (I forgot where they went), but you get the idea. The white paint is nothing more than a single coat of Behr from Home Depot, casually slapped on; I learned from another boat that white really drops the temperature.

 

Which brings us to sails. Every self-respecting furling genoa has a sacrificial UV strip, usually Pacific Blue Sunbrella (which the sailmakers call "everybody blue"). It lasts until the stitching fails, generally about 5-8 years. You can either restitch it for another 5 years, or have it replaced for $400-$800. It's heavy but durable. Some folks use sail cloth or self-adhesive Insignia Cloth from Bainbridge; a waste if you ask me, since they only last 3-4 years.

 

And then there are light air sails, like this furling laminate reacher, that have no UV cover. We don't leave it up, partially for this reason, and partially because we don't use it most days. But it would be nice to leave it up, if only it had some protection....

You won't see me sewing a UV strip on it. Stitching a Mylar sail is like adding a tear-here perforation.

This jib suffered a 5-foot tear right along the stitch line. The cover was post-factory and the sailmaker that added the cover was an idiot (you need to insert a special scrim or layer of polyester before stitching Mylar). 

 We also know that paint can stick to sails. This is for advertising, not UV (mostly--it must help), but it does last a year.

Can paint provide a serviceable, light, and economical alternative to Sunbrella UV covers? Maybe it won't last as long, but on an older sail, does that really matter? Perhaps the $600 you save is more wisely earmarked for a new sail in 4-5 years.

I'm lining up some test paints. I think you will see a paint UV cover on my reacher in a few months. We don't leave it up much, so I'm sure it will be enough. I doubt the UV cover will ever fail on our Mylar genoa--the sail will explode first. Would I use paint in place of Sunbella on a new polyester genoa? Probably not, but perhaps for an old dog. On a Mylar jib? Yes, I'm thinking it might be the better value, if I can find the right paint. I already know that stitching a cover onto Mylar is questionable at best.

A Coupler That Can Feed Through Fairleeds...

... or rather that is what I need to find. I would like to couple my furler line to webbing, but instead of a swivel as illustrated below, I want a quick disconnect.

From the bow of a sport boat at a boat show.

It needs to glide through fairleads, with  WLL of about 100 pounds. I'm not adverse to machining something, but if I could find a design that would be better. Perhaps I could make something from 3/8-inch alloy rod where the two haves screw together. Not super quick.

Better ideas?

Dyneema Anchor Bridle

"Bridles are made from nylon, right, to absorb impact?" Well, yes and no.

If the rode is all-chain, yes, at least 30 feet of nylon is required to take the sting out of waves and wind gusts. Since multi-hulls use bridles to reducing yawing anyway, a nylon bridle is an elegant solution.

I usually attach the bridle with a prusik loop from a Dyneema climbing sling, but a knot is fast in light winds and I had misplaced the loop. A knot weakens the line and jams if the wind is over 20 knots (25 knots for a figure 8 knot), so I don't recommend it.

On the other hand, if the rode is nylon, it's easy to have too much stretch, to the point where fore-aft surging is actually increased, This leads to more impact and more yawing, since there is slack in the system. Logically, there is an optimum amount of spring in the system for a given yacht mass and sea state. A chain leader is another non-stretch element. By tuning the amount of chain, other non-stretch leader, and non-stretch bridle, motion can be minimized. 30-40 feet of nylon is good in relatively sheltered areas, and  80-120 feet is the most that is advisable. As much 300 feet is used with sea anchors in storms, but the wave conditions are unlike anything you would anchor in.

The other concern is stretch. A nylon bridle distorts when the load comes more to one side. The more it distorts, the more the boat yaws, and the farther it distorts. With a multi-hull bridle this may increase yawing 10-20 degrees. With a narrow monohull bridle, it may distort to where there is no bridle effect at all. For this reason, non-stretch bridles are better with drogues and sea anchors.

"How about polyester? It is low stretch also?" In fact, I used a polyester double braid bridle on my 34-foot PDQ when I had a nylon rode. It worked very well and was easy to handle. Dyneema works on the F-24 because it is left rigged all the time and Dyneema presents less drag through the waves and weight. It is also very UV resistant and has the best strength/dollar ratio available. It fits the small bow eyes and does not fatigue. Because the rode is recovered from the center hull using the main rode, I never handle it under load. But polyester was better on the PDQ and any application where it might be handled under load, whether by hand or winch.

Always something new.