Some Research Links For Anchor Tackle

I was asked to post some of the anchor tackle research links, so here they are..enjoy! BTW- the photo to the right is what I look like when I need to dive and set my own anchor (are you reading this soul mate? :-) ).. mom stop laughing..

1) good anchor review
http://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/gearreview/boat-anchor-test/

2) PS view of manson anchor co
http://www.practical-sailor.com/marine/new_zealand_marine_manufacturers.html

3)good article about using two anchors/swing room
http://www.goodoldboat.com/reader_services/articles/anchor.php

4)this is just a quick excerpt about what you don't want to happen while at anchor, plus it is a very interesting website with links to other real interesting websites...
http://johnsantic.com/cruising/galap_easter/visit_ei_boat/getaway1.html

5)Good advice about the importance of stretch in your anchor tackle
http://www.dulhunty.com/dmp3.htm

6)A VERY COOL SITE, A MUST SEE!!
http://alain.fraysse.free.fr/sail/rode/forces/forces.htm



Erika

Dreams and bowsprits

Here is a diagram of my bowsprit as it is now. Yes, I used microsoft paint, and it is as good as this computer illiterate gal can get it, my friend TRIED to educate me in the fine art of auto cad (sorry Martin!) but..well see for yourself. It does give you a general idea of what I have to work with. I decided on a single spartan bronze bow roller and shortening the bowsprit to move the load as close to the strong stem of the boat. Also, at the end of this long post is a video OG tour (at the request of my friends at work, I really do live on a boat w/o a TV!). I hope it it will work. **BTW Mom - pay no attention to the messy galley cabinet! I had put the dishes away in a hurry to do the video, it is nice and seaworthy tidy now :).----never mind can't get the video downloaded (sorry girls!!) I will try again latter.

I had a wonderful dream last night. Now I dream every night and usually they are funny and weird, many times I will wake up laughing because my dream struck me as so hysterically outrageous. But this is not one of those dreams, I wouldn't bore you with that. This was one of those "revelation" dreams (which also might be boring to you, but since this is my blog you are the hapless victims who must suffer through it:) )

Anyways, my dream...
I was at the hospital and I was comforting a patient that was having a hard time breathing. He was wearing the regulation hospital gown, sitting hunched over in a wheel chair. I had him hooked up to oxygen and his staturation was good, but he was very anxious and fearful, trying to get more air. I was whispering to him in a low soft voice "everything is ok, take nice slow breathes, you can do it, everything is ok." I was coaxing him to calm his breathing down, trying to give him my strength as I had done many times before. I had my hand on his shoulder when suddenly the patient I was comforting reached up and grasped my hand. He held it firmly and looked at me with such love. In an instant the comforter (me) became the comforted (me!). It was a magical moment, him holding my hand and me drawing strength from it. He didn't say a word just looked at me with such assurance.

I woke up at that moment, and as I stared up through my hatch out into the baby blue morning sky, the boat softy swaying, I enjoyed the beauty of it, floating.. and that beautiful moment of comfort.

I wonder if my patients know how amazing they are, how strong, how brave. I wonder if they even suspected how much I admire their courage, do they realize just how amazing they are? (May sound strange but it is an honor to be allowed a role in their battle. This isn't a new feeling, as a nurse you feel so many strong emotions, I just don't always have the clarity to understand them. Heck, I don't know if any of this makes any sense, but I just wanted to share, those people walking down the halls of the hospital, in gowns open at the back, getting tests and injections, and taking all those damn medications, it is kinda hard to describe someone so strong when they appear at their weakest, but they are mountain climbers in my eyes.

Thank God I have my boat to come home to, such a beautiful life aboard OG…God spoils me rotten. E

Look Out Look Out, Old Lady Comin Through!

Work at the hospital this week has been very exhausting, by Friday I felt like an old lady! My mom was kind enough to offer to help me with the boat projects but I just didn't have the energy for it this weekend..sigh. These are the days I wish Ocean Girl (the boat and the girl) was about twenty years younger:-). So the only project done this weekend was research and washing out the engine compartment.

I went to the SSCA meeting this Saturday, met a great group of sailors. I got a tip on a haul out facility up near Dickeson bayou called Hillmans. I am very relieved to find a place I can do my own work, most haul out yards around Clear Lake wont allow owners to do their own work. So, as soon as I get my savings back up I will haul her out and do a bottom job and replace all her T-hulls, whew will I be relieved when that is done. After haul out is done the work continues, she also needs all new standing rigging, the anchor roller with lateral bowsprit supports need to be fabricated, refrigeration installed, stove installed..I better stop listing, I am feeling like an old lady again :).

Right now I am practically obsessed with OG's ground tackle and anchor roller fabrication. I was up into the wee hours of the morning researching about it (I know, Saturday night and I am researching anchor loads and proper welding techniques? this gal needs a man!) Anyways, I spent hours and hours sifting through posts on the SSCA, Cape Dory, and Cruisers Forum (all sailing chat groups for you landlubbers out there). I also researched anchors and bow roller loads on various websites. Some samples of what I walked away with is.

1) new generation anchors are great for long scope but generally not for 2:1 (as you would see in crowded anchorages) and they like to settle before setting.

2) "off the shelf" anchor rollers wont have the strength I need if OG gets in a bad anchorage situation. I cannot always rely on a snubber to take the load, if I need to pull up or reset the anchor during a blow the anchor roller will be under tremendous strain.
** the spartan bronze roller is an exception being very strong for production made, but it will only fit one anchor at the bow and it has a metal roller which I do not like (I will see if they make a rubber roller that can fit the spartans).

3) I need a 33-35lb anchor min if New Generation, 44lb if a Manson Ray.

4) I need a min of 100ft of 5/16 chain, 200feet of line

5) I am too old and rickety to haul up 100lbs of ground tackle so I will need a windlass.

6) I think a manual windlass will be my ultimate choice due to simple/reliable design.(if I can't fix it, I can't have it aboard)

7) The kong swivel is not a good idea, will probably go with the crosby shackles that have excellent working loads and are cheaper anyways.(thanks to all the CF people for that discovery!)


I added about 11 inches of bowsprit length when I replaced the old rotten bowsprit. (I had to buy a big long plank anyways), I did this in case I needed to add J measurement to reduce the weather helm. I haven't moved the forestay yet and now will probably trim off about 4inches of the new sprit to reduce weight and get the anchor tackle load closer to the boat.

A fabricated anchor roller may allow me to fit two rollers at the bow and I could incorporate ss tubing from the end of the sprit to supports on the hull to add lateral strength to my plank style bowsprit. The only snag is my shear will not allow a strict horizontal support bar. But since the load would be lateral and downward, I think a mount that has a slight offset downward will work. If I sound like I know what I am talking about...fooled you! If you are confused - welcome to the party! I am flying by the seat of me pants, maybe that is why I am so obsessed with it, my brain is trying to figure out something but the poor thing is in way over her head (sorry for the pun:) ). In fact I think I will go dock walking and study the bowsprits again. I have been walking the docks for a few weeks now, looking at every unique anchor roller configuration for design ideas. I have been amazed how many bent, warped, broken anchor rollers there are on boats. All of the damaged rollers were "off the shelf" brands (except one), this is yet another reason I am leaning towards custom made.

Well, that is all from the exciting life aboard OG. Sorry you had to suffer through that long winded anchor stuff. I promise one day the posts will be about tropical breezes and blue water passages, but until then it is all about the refit. Hey it could be worse, at least you haven't gotten a play by play of the sanitation system replacement, oh the horror!

Cheers,
Erika