Association Forum - Anchor Riding Sail advice please....

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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Anchor Riding Sail advice please....

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/09/2006 : 12:23:55

After riding out the backlash of Ernesto offshore in Block Island RI and Montauk NY I really want a riding sail. Zephyr hunts like no boat I have ever seen. - '82 std. rig , fin keel w/ dodger - What seems really dangerous to me is how she will often present her beam to the wind such that dragging anchor is a real possibility.

I KNOW! We dragged anchor in 30-35 feet of water with a 25 lb. Danforth on 75 feet of very heavy chain and 200 feet of line out in 32 knots of wind. Oh, and it was raining hard, 11 pm, and the anchor reset itself moments before we dragged onto a 41' Hans Christian.

Given my scope, quantity and quality of groundtackle, we should not a dragged anchor in a little 25. Other skippers had much less down on much bigger vessels, the difference was they did not hunt as much. SO, I now believe that an anchor riding sail is a safety item that I must have. Does anyone else have experience with a brand, size, rigging format, etc... ??? SailRite has a kit, and I 've seen one company sell a standard sized version...

Sten
Zephyr - C-25 #3220, Swansea MA

BTW - we dropped a Bruce and the Danforth and rode out gusts of up to 52 knots with no problems, (SHE still HUNTED!!!!) - I only recorded 42 knots on a handheld - over a 48 hour period... More on all of that in another post.

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2006 : 12:35:01

Either Arlyn or Frank hopper posted a great article on their website about making the ideal riding sail.
check any post of their and click on their profile links.

paul

Edit: Here's the link to Arylns site about [url="http://www.stewartfam.net/arlyn/ridingsail.html"]riding sail[/url]

Edited by - britinusa on 09/09/2006 14:30:26

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 09/10/2006 : 22:23:26

I bought one of the sailrite kits and the wife did the sewing, it was a fun project. We've used it several times now and it does help.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2006 : 06:47:03

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by britinusa
 Either Arlyn or Frank hopper posted a great article on their website about making the ideal riding sail.
check any post of their and click on their profile links.

paul

Edit: Here's the link to Arylns site about [url="http://www.stewartfam.net/arlyn/ridingsail.html"]riding sail[/url]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I am ignorant of anchoring issues and solutions, I do not anchor.

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Larry
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2006 : 08:46:27

I apologize if I am wasting people's time with silly questions that I can probably guess what the answers are to, but I am relatively new at boating/sailing. So can anyone tell me what the term "hunting" means as relates to anchoring and what is a riding sail and how does it work?

I had my first overnighter on the boat this past weekend. We anchored in Great River on Long Island. I could tell you if the boat "hunted" if I knew what that meant, but when I got up in the morning we were still in the same spot as we were when I went to bed.

So glad that I was finally able to spend the night on the boat, can't wait to do it again.

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2006 : 09:25:14

Sten:

I don't have any info on C-25 riding sails, but I have found putting out two bow anchors at an angle of maybe 60* or more to each other stops my C-25 swing keel from hunting. They don't both need to be 'main' anchors, and they don't have to be at equal angles to the wind. A small lunch hook on short scope holding the main rode at an angle to the wind seems to prevent the swinging action from getting started. A kellet can help reduce hunting too.

On the bow I carry a 21# Danforth Hi-Tensile w/30' light chain & 300' nylon, and also a 22# Claw (Bruce clone) w/20' heavy chain & 250' nylon. I can't recall either having ever dragged in good holding ground.

Larry:

'Hunting' refers to the tendancy of light fin keel boats with high topsides to swerve back and forth on the end of their anchor lines. Traditional full keel boats are much less likely to do so. The effects of hunting at anchor can range from annoying to dangerous, depending on the circumstances.

A 'riding sail' as shown in the photo acts like the tail feathers on an arrow or dart, causing the bow of the boat to weathervane straight into the wind, reducing the difference in wind pressure on opposite sides of the bow, which is what provides the power for a boat to start hunting at anchor.

-- Leon Sisson

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2006 : 09:35:34

Hi Tom, what is it attached to? I can not tell by the picture. Cheers.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2006 : 13:39:32

Hunting.. "be verwy verwy quiet and keep an eye out for wabbits"

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2006 : 21:56:43

Dennis, the sail has 2 hanks and is hanked on the back stay just above the split in back stay(a 250 thing). I use my unused jib halyard to raise it.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.