I wonder how I could have better handled this situation: My engine would not start as I headed to an anchorage near Cantler's restaurant in Mill Creek (Annapolis). I sailed into the tricky entrance to the creek, found what appeared to be a good spot, rolled up the jib, headed up, dropped the main, and when the boat stopped dropped the anchor. I waited for the wind to push me back to secure the anchor (about 10 knots of wind). I soon discovered that the anchor did not catch and that I was drifting slowly up the creek. I tried increasing the scope. I then threw my second anchor. It didn't catch either. I drifted back, luckily missing some pilings and before bumping into the bulkhead of a home, I was stopped by a shoal. That was fortunate. It took TowBoat US only 30 minutes to arrive (The IPhone Boat US App is great and even gave them my position) and an hour to tow me in. Luckily my towing coverage meant that I paid nothing but the bill was $896. Of course it would have been great if I could have started the engine (likely air in fuel line but that is another story). Given that I couldn't, what should I have done differently? Apparently the creek has a reputation for slipping anchors.
Elliott Milstein
Collaboration #1469
1995 C-36MkII
Port Annapolis Marina
Well, as Sailing Magazine's monthly column states "Here is what he did right and wrong" I would have to say that it sounds as if you did everything the right way. Can anyone add to this thread? ;)
Glenn Druhot
Carpe Diem
New Bern, NC
35* 6' 10" N / 77* 2' 30" W
2001 C36, Hull #1965
Std Rig; Wing Keel; M35B
I normally turn on the the engine to make sure it will work before I enter my marina and put in gear to make sure the transmission works - then I let it idle while I sail into the marina - I rev-up the engine then go into the wind and drop the main. If the engine does not start - that happened only once - loos staring battery terminal - I then have a chance to not enter the marina Chanel and keep sailing hopefully to see if I can figure out the engine problem. However I can sail into the marina - without engine and enter into a vacant slip or a guest slip if I had to. I do not understand why both of anchors did not hold.
Haro Bayandorian, 1999 C36 MKII, Sail La Vie #1787, M35B,
Coyote Point, San Mateo, CA.
Hi Elliot, sounds like you did everything you could... You might have left the main up until you'd backed down on the anchor, which may have given you the option to sail away again, but in this situation space might have not permitted anyway. Getting the anchor up and steering and sheeting in the main would have kept you busy!
FWIW, what kind of anchor do you have?
S.V. Wind Star
Rob & Margie Kyles: Auckland ,New Zealand
Mk I Hull #105 1983 Std Rig, Std Keel
Elliott,
Politics, religion, and ANCHORS! Ask 10 sailors and you get 15 replies. In the past 5-10 years or so there have been great advances in anchor technology. What were once considered THE ANCHORS (Danforth, CQR) are now considered not so great. You might want to look into Manson Supreme and Rocha and similar. I have been amazed by the increased holding power and setting ability.
Tom Sokoloski
C36/375IA Past Commodore
Noank, CT
I know you had Boat US, but I read with interest an article in the new sailing magazine issue about salvage rights and tow's from "good Samaritans" They used the AC45 tow as an example where the guy sued the French team 200K after retrieving their cat after it broke away from it's mooring.... BTW the French settled.
Tony
Tony Castagno
S/V Terra Nova (Hull #22)
Atlanta GA, Lake Lanier-based
1983 C-36 mkI M25XPB
[QUOTE=Elliott S. Milstein;18848]what should I have done differently? Apparently the creek has a reputation for slipping anchors.[/QUOTE]
I would be interested in finding out exactly what kind of bottom you're facing in that creek and, perhaps, have the ideal anchor ready the next time you find yourself up the creek without a paddle (or engine).
Mike
Deja Vu
1991 MK I # 1106
Marina del Rey, CA
We would also need to know why the engine didn't start. Was there a maintenance issue?
Gene Foraker
Sandusky Yacht Club
Sandusky, OH
1999 C36 #1786
Gypsy Wagon
Not to judge in anyway, since I wasn't there but just a thought is, as soon as you find out you have an uncooperative engine, that's a good time to drop anchor and see if you can fix it. If it was air in the line, the normal line bleeding process should fix it. Of course safe anchoring at that time depends on the depth and if you're in a low traffic safe place. I've recently had my engine overheat in a seaway, shut it down, dove below and found the raw water intake screen packed solid with grass. Cleaned it and all was good.
But I'm always sure to keep my Towboat US insurance paid up.
Sam
Capt. Sam Murphy
1994 Catalina 36, Hull 1327
Shoal draft, two cabin model.
Panama City, Florida