An anchor isn’t just for passing the day or night away from the marina. It is a key piece of safety gear--something to keep you in one place when the engine fails or a contrary wind threatens to throw your boat on the rocks. This course is designed to teach how to anchor like a ...read more
Got a tip? Send it to sailmail@sailmagazine.com A Grind-free Mooring When I came alongside my moored boat after some recent storms I noticed she’d ridden over her buoy and scraped her topsides when the tide had run against the gale. I had only myself to blame for this. I’d ...read more
Your ground tackle is like a relationship—the more you care for it, the longer it will last. So, how do you enhance the relationship? First up, think of the accommodations—a damp, salt-rich, often warm environment, just the kind of thing to encourage corrosion. What can be done? ...read more
At its most basic, a “snubber” is a short length of non-stretchy cordage attached to the anchor chain and to a strong point on a yacht, with the aim of taking the load off the windlass or to stop the chain rattling on the bow roller. A windlass is not designed to take snatch ...read more
If you anchor often enough a time will occur when your yacht is brought up abruptly against the hold of your chain and anchor.Initially, it might be a gentle bump, but as the wind increases it can become quite aggressive and frightening. It’s not only wind that causes this snatch ...read more
