T&T: Another thought on anchors, windlasses and washdown systems

[Marty Campanella]

I have followed with interest the comments on the anchors, and washdown
systems over the last few days.  I have put it all in perspective of the
open shallow anchorages we had when we were on the east coast of the US and
Canada.  If you are planning on coming to the Caribbean you have another
factor to consider.  The anchorages are crowded (shocking by US standards)
and deep (by east coast standards). We are in Le Marin Martinique and there
are a couple of hundred boats anchored and 700 in the marina.  Frequently 25
to 45 feet of water with boats fore and aft and on the sides at distances as
small as 70 feet.  You get use to the crowding although it is not unusual to
take three attempts to anchor correctly.

This creates another factor to keep in mind.  In these anchorages you need
to be able to drop and raise the anchor quickly and without hassel, you will
be closing in on the other boats and need to both finish raising the anchor
and maneuver the boat.  A good easy to use wash down system is essential,
you might not want to spend time hand washing the chain, nor dragging the
anchor in the water as you maneuver against wind and waves through the other
boats.  I don't worry about mud on the anchor until after I have cleared the
other boats in the anchorage,  then I can wash it off of let the waves do it
for me.

Also a free fall drop will make it more difficult to place the anchor and
fall back the distance you want to correctly place yourself 50 feet in front
of the boat behind you.  We frequently will drop the anchor to 25 feet as we
close in our position and then drop the last 10 feet to place the anchor and
start slowly drifting back. 

The system you use to measure how much chain you have dropped is important
both in lowering and  raising, you need to be able to judge how much is down
in terms of how far back you are going to go, and in raising how close you
are to taking the anchor off the bottom.

Recommendations for the Caribbean:

All chain 250 feet (40kt winds in 40 feet deep water)
Anchor you are comfortable with that will not release on a 180 degree turn
in the wind.
Windlass that powers up and down
Wash down system that you can use while the anchor is being raised without
stopping 
Clear marking system on the chain so you know how much is down at any point
both raising and lowering 

Your mileage may vary.

Marty Campanella
Bay Pelican KK42
Martinique