Dick

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24/02/2025 Topic: Using the Forum Dick	Hi Bill, It is easiest for me to have the most recent posts pop up front and center. I can then respond if I have something to contribute. I doubt I will look through each Forum topic to see whether there is a new post. Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
25/02/2025 Topic: Early Warning Systems Dick	Hi Daria and all, I have been following Solution’s sinking from the onset, in part for what might be learned, but more so as the skipper and owner is a high school friend of 60+ years. The incident committee, who I have been in touch with, to my mind, missed a couple of things that could be learned from Solution’s loss. Both have to do with potentially crucial early warning systems: a high-water alarm (alarms if separate bilges) and a vacuum gauge on the fuel supply side of the engine. A high-water alarm would not have saved Solution, but early warning gives more time for evaluation and considered reaction: always a good thing, especially when it dampens down the panic that can ensue when the floorboards start to float. And in many instances, might save the boat (see my article on “Flooding: Preparing for and Responding to a Sinking Ship” in the OCC’s Forum archives). The other suggestion I would make is for a dual filter system with a valve for quickly switching filters. Mine came with a vacuum gauge. A vacuum gauge, if checked regularly when motoring, gives early indication of filters starting to clog. Vacuum gauges can be an add-on for single filter systems. Solution might have had an easier time if there had not been engine problems related to a clogged filter. More on the above if wished. And, there were reports in Daria’s URLs of the two other sailboats that went down on this years Bermuda Race: Gunga Din and Alliance. Lessons to be learned there as well. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy Daria Blackwell wrote: The Bermuda Race Organizing Committee, Cruising Club of America, and US Sailing, has published an excellent report on the loss of the 50-foot sloop Solution while on the return voyage from Bermuda after competing in the 2024 Newport Bermuda Race. https://www.ussailing.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Solution-Inquiry-Report.pdf There are valuable lessons for all of us from the highly experienced panel. edited by DariaBlackwell on 24/02/2025
28/02/2025 Topic: Boat insurance Dick	Hi Bob, I would contact Gary Golden at Manifest Marine, 540-785-0398. He is the son of the man who started IMIS back in the day, Al Golden, who specialized in insurance for cruisers, especially with offshore cruisers and was the insurer of choice (30 years ago) for members of SSCA. IMIS sold us insurance for my wife and my cruising on our own when everyone else insisted that, for passage making, we needed to have a third crew and not do the passage just the two of us. Let us know what you find out. Good luck, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
02/03/2025 Topic: Boat insurance Dick	Hi Bob & BWeigel, Rachel's last name is now Meister, although I am sure all inquiries will get to her. BW, when you refer to "good luck" were you referring to a claim you considered well handled? Thanks, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
11/03/2025 Topic: Seeking: Sprayhood Replacement Dick	Hi Yasmine, We had good experiences with Sopramar boat yard in Lagos over 2 good sized pieces of work separated by 6 years. Hugo was the go-to guy in 2011, but do not know now. Nor do I remember canvas people but it is a big place and Lagos has lots of boats so I suspect you can get some direction there. Lagos used to have, may still, an OCC port captain. Good luck, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
25 days ago Topic: Looking to crew on an Atlantic crossing Dick	Hi Madi, A very nice, well put, letter. I wish you luck. Give me someone who really wants to learn as a crew and I know I will be happy as a skipper. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
23 days ago Topic: training exercise: radar Dick	Hi all, Written for another venue, but thought it might be of interest. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy Training exercise: radar Hi all, Radar is one of those maritime skills that really demand practice. Practice and drills for cruising boats are an important ingredient that keeps us safe: but they are often neglected, usually a bit of a pain to execute, take effort and none of us likes to think about the possibility of serious injury/death. So, taking action is easily put off for another day. We found a way to get more skilled in radar navigation a bit of fun. This exercise is easiest if your radar display is down below (but not impossible otherwise) and takes 2 people: one person at the display who calls out course changes and a running commentary on the display returns (large return at bearing 030 at 2 nm; intermittent return at 1/4nm at 220 deg bearing and closing the distance). The other crew is at the helm following course suggestions and ensuring boat safety and giving feedback on what the radar is revealing. (Intermittent return is a wooden small fishing boat.) We did this often on the trip from Block Island into a favorite anchorage in Little Narraganset Bay near Watch Hill (the Kitchen, so named as the hurricane of ’38 swept dozens of shore side large summer homes into the anchorage and for decades cruisers would get their anchor caught on a kitchen sink or a true ice-box and the like)). This route usually gave us some traffic, both recreational and commercial, and a moderately tricky entrance into the anchorage where the radar was used for land masses, low lying islands and ATONS (buoys, day marker poles etc., various kinds of aids to navigation). This can also be quite amusing (and sobering) such when I was requested to come up to see a huge slab-sided freighter crossing our bow about 1/4 mile off which I had totally missed: taught me that I needed to regularly change the range. Also, that I really cared about the 4-6 nm range and would move from that range to check greater distance on a regular basis. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
21 days ago Topic: Advice on Lee Cloths Dick	bweigel2@gmail.com wrote: copied from discontinued forum: Can anyone advise on materials, design etc especially if based on experience of usage. We will be setting of on circumnavigation for the UK and will therefore be heading to warmer climes. My questions are: Choice of fabric? How long ie should head area be enclosed? Is it better to have fixings above outboard to give more security? Installation method. Anything else we might find useful. Boat is a 1992 Moody 44. Slightly curved berths on either side, port access restricted by table. Trotter box on starboard. Many thanks Maggie edited by bweigel2@gmail.com on 25/03/2025 edited by bweigel2@gmail.com on 25/03/2025 edited by bweigel2@gmail.com on 25/03/2025
21 days ago Topic: Advice on Lee Cloths Dick	Hi Maggie, It was much less expensive (than bespoke) to get the one’s premade and sold at West Marine (US) and the like. They were canvas with substantial webbing on the edges and 4-5 grommets on the long edges incorporating the webbing. We used these in tropical as well as high latitudes without a problem. If home-made, it might be considered to use the mesh clothe for air circulation, but you might wish to convince yourself that the hardness of the mesh cloth would not be uncomfortable compared to the softness of the canvas when sleeping in hot weather with a minimum of clothes. It makes a huge difference to have a fan for each bunk: both for comfort and for the white noise it produces which is conducive to good sleep. Our lee cloths contained our shoulders but did not contain our heads which benefited getting good air while sleeping: so there was just ahead height left free at the head when installed while the feet end had a meter free give or take. In this way exits and entrances all occurred at the feet end. Installation is too boat-dependent to comment, but it can’t be held too strongly when a big body is thrown against it as does happen. I used light, but strong, nylon line to take advantage of its strength and ability to stretch when stressed. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
12 days ago Topic: NOAA Compromised Dick	godshalk wrote: Dick, it's The Fifth Risk. Not one of Lewis's best books, IMHO, but written in 2018, it was prescient. And understated the risk.
12 days ago Topic: NOAA Compromised Dick	Hi Ernie, Yes, Fifth Risk: Thanks for the correction. I was thinking of Fifth Business, a Robertson Davies book. And that was one of Lewis’ dryer books, but I did learn a ton about how my (the US) government works and was especially impressed with the chapter on NOAA and the crucial importance of its governance. My best, Dick
10 days ago Topic: Paper Charts Iceland and Faroes Dick	Skookum wrote: Hi OCC folk, I am taking "Skookum" out of her shed in Finalnd and back to the North Atlantic this summer, 2025. Having some paper chart back up would be wise. I have old charts of the Baltic and Shetlands. Can anyone help me with any paper charts of Faroe and Iceland please? Old, photocopied, marked..., I don't mind. Happy to buy, or rent, or borrow and return in them in September - whatever works for you. Cheers Geoff Payne
10 days ago Topic: Paper Charts Iceland and Faroes Dick	Hi Geoff, Good luck on finding used or borrowed paper charts. You might try the Cruising Association if a member (and you might become a member as they had excellent information and a great port officer in the Faroes). There is (or used to be) an outfit in Bellingham, US, where they copy charts in black and white and sell for much less $$ and I have heard of Ocean Grafix. Google both for information and reviews. We did have some old paper charts when going to the Faroes and to Iceland, but do not remember using them. We did use old paper charts for Greenland: they were not to be relied on blindly (fog or night). Our present SOP, when offshore, is to operate primarily on e-charts on a laptop/chartplotter with Navionics on an IPad as a back-up. We like to have enough small-scale paper charts to deal with a catastrophe: likely a lightening strike where all mother-boards get toasted. These can likely get a boat safely off a port/harbor where one could call for local knowledge or follow a boat in. We are likely to have paper charts if coastal cruising and intending to do some gunk-holing: this is not a safety decision so much as it is so much nicer to plan our wanderings looking at paper charts. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
7 days ago Topic: Brisbane: Good electrician wanted - Lithium change Dick	Hi Alex, I would suggest, for a widely wandering or passage-making boat, that the owner study a Lithium install until he/she feels like they could do it without professional help including working up schematics etc. Then hire professionals who will review your work and make suggestions. In this way, you can more knowledgably supervise the work as it proceeds (which I believe is necessary in the majority of boat yards), but more importantly, you will have a much better chance to successfully trouble-shoot the system when there is a hiccup on passage or when in a remote anchorage. Be sure the professionals give you detailed schematics as well as all paperwork. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
6 days ago Topic: Paper Charts Iceland and Faroes Dick	Hi Geoff, I write harbor notes for everywhere we visit. Below is an example of my area notes and of one of the harbors/islands we sailed to. If interested in more information, contact me off-line at Alchemy128(at)gmail.com. Enjoy, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy THE FAROE ISLANDS May-June 2017 These notes were written by Dick and Ginger on Alchemy and reflect our personal likes and dislikes. Many reasonable people may differ. Our intention is for these notes to be a supplement to the regular guide books. There is some overlap, but if the guidebook says it all, I may not mention the port/anchorage at all. Please also notice the dates for which we are reporting conditions. The weather/crowds/ambience may be quite different at various times of the year or my notes may be quickly out of date; please send a quick email with changes. Thanks, Dick & Ginger, s/v Alchemy. Please do not copy and or distribute. I do these notes for myself, OCC members and friends. I would hate to see them on Facebook and the like. Area notes: 1. Good to very good cruising guides are “Arctic and Northern Waters” by Andrew Wilkes and the Cruising Association (CA) guide by Michael Henderson. It is a good time to start reading the Sagas, which can sometimes be found at the local bookstore in Torshaven or can be found on-line. 2. The Bradt guide to the Faroe Islands is excellent, with lots of detail and hiking suggestions. 3. If a member of Cruising Association, there is an HRH in Torshavn who is a great resource. 4. The warning reports of Faroe-ese current velocities is not exaggerated. Download the app “RAK” for Faroe currents which, we found, is more accurate, more detailed, and easier to use than other resources. 5. If arriving from the W and the currents are against, consider a stop in Vestmannahavn (or Eidi) as you will only have to buck current for a few miles. Then continue on to Torshavn when the current turns. Or stay a while (see below). I believe one can check in at either place. 6. The tourist offices have excellent hiking guides. The hiking in the Faroes is fabulous, but there is always the real danger of thick fog/clouds, especially in the high country. Take a compass and a good sense of your back-trail: following trails in thick fog/clouds is not easy while confusion/dis-orientation is easy to come by. 7. Also, one can be on a nice hike in the sun and only want a T shirt. If the sun goes behind a cloud, a drizzle emerges and the wind picks up, one can become very cold very fast. Take lots of layers and waterproofs. Weather is very changeable. Tvoroyri, Suduroy: We came in late (still daylight, but would have been easy in the dark with radar) and anchored easily and comfortably at the end of the fjord. Although the day was only hazy offshore, the island was shrouded in thin fog and invisible till ½ mile away: a little unsettling. The designated anchorages at the mouth of the fjord were reported to be rolly by a cruiser who came in later. The next day we rafted off a wooden fishing boat turned day charter boat on the nearby wooden wharf where we had power (you need a long cord) and there was water. Bathrooms/showers were a walk away at the harbor office where the HM gives you a key. Another cruiser stayed on the wharf near the fuel dock/fish factory. The tourist office and the Bradt guide list some hikes that sounded excellent, but we never saw a cloud ceiling less than 200m and so did not do them. We did walk up the river valley where there is a well delineated trail and a very nice loop which starts in back of the school/community center. We also walked the roads down toward the WWII ruins which had some impressive farm compounds and some excellent columnar basalt formations at the shoreline. Get info at the tourist office where you can also get the key to the church--worth a look-see. We had lunch at the café MorMor where we had superb fish soup and bread. The museum needed a call from the tourist office to be opened, but we did not go. The fish factory (the north one, which makes salt cod) was worth a visit. We went to buy fish, but also used that as an excuse to get a look. They ended up giving us the fish. Across the fjord is a salt storage facility from the old days, now a community center where there is a display of photos of all the ferries that have serviced the island. Ask if music might be happening there. A very pleasant community. No fees. Skookum wrote: Thanks Dick, I have indeed joined CA. So I will pursue that line too. Thanks for the heads up. Cheers Geoff
1 days ago Topic: Thoughts on anchoring: technique and gear Dick	Thoughts on anchoring: technique and gear Hi all, For those of us who anchor out and especially for those who look for increased safety for their loved ones and boat: the following might be of interest. This is more for those who anchor out overnight, or leave their boats anchored un-attended for day hikes and such: less so for those who use their anchor as a lunch hook and are always on board their boat: they have more options if things turn pear shaped. I intend to suggest a strategy that will increase ground tackle effectiveness, is easy to execute for most boats, and increases safety for both boat and crew. Increasing one’s ground tackle effectiveness is always of interest to skippers. For years this meant either increasing the weight of one’s bower (this helped but had its down-sides and clearly limits as to weight) or, when conditions called for it, one deployed a second anchor when things heated up. I have recently posted on another stream generally challenging the wisdom of using a second anchor (either from the bow or from the stern anchor) and the following is an alternative as to how improve the effectiveness of one’s ground tackle while covering a wide range of anchoring challenges, is easier execute and likely exceeds the holding power of one’s present anchoring habits for both everyday anchoring and for the occasional squalls and storms. For many, perhaps most, widely wandering cruising boats, anchors that are fairly accessible include the bower (everyday) anchor, a second anchor roughly the size of the bower on the bow, a kedging anchor and a stern anchor (often the same anchor). Less accessible is usually a spare anchor and/or a “storm” anchor, often the same anchor, and this anchor is stored in the bilge, often in pieces if the design allows. Simply said, I suggest taking one’s best anchor and making it your everyday anchor. This is generally wise, but is made all the more effective with the new generation anchors (Spade, Rocna, Manson, Excel etc.). These new generation anchors are just clearly far more effective than the old generation anchors: Delta, CQR, Bruce, Danforth and the like. The second step, after choosing a new generation anchor, is to make that anchor 2 or 3 sizes above what is generally thought adequate for your size vessel. There is little that improves ground tackle effectiveness, after the design of the anchor, than weight: and the improvement is, to my mind, exponentially improved. (You see now why this is not for those who only use their anchor for the occasional lunch hook). To answer the strongest argument for the “why” of having one’s best anchor being the everyday anchor when, in fact, most anchoring has everything go well with the present anchor. Even when heavier winds are forecast and the skipper may opt for 2 anchors, usually off the bow, in the wind direction that is forecast, and, again, everything usually goes well. However, it is my experience that, during the usual cruising season, that heavier wind conditions often occur relatively unexpectedly. Unexpectedly translates, for me, that one should be prepared always for challenging heavier wind conditions. Take the forecast: “Chance of thunderstorms late in the day” a forecast that is so ubiquitous in many areas as to be paid little attention: but this forecast does portend occasional and generally widely dispersed squalls, which, with a bit of bad luck, descends on your anchorage while not touching the one around the corner. The other origin of unexpected heavier winds is the front that comes through with forecast 15-20 kn winds: no big deal, but actually brings in winds more like a steady 25 with gusts into the 30s: a bigger deal. So, a quick answer to the question above is that, for the unexpected heavier winds, you want your best anchor deployed. It is not the time, when things are wet and boisterous to be messing around on the foredeck, let alone trying to get an anchor out of the bilge and deployed. The above is my most potent answer to the “why” but: The advantages: 1. A larger heavier anchor means quicker setting which translates into far less dragging the anchor along the seabed where there is the chance/likelihood of hooking onto debris which will compromise getting a good stick. 2. A bigger heavier anchor has greater holding power. 3. Some skippers will like that you need a shorter amount of rode: shorter scope. And some anchor venders use short- scoping as a selling point. I prefer to use my usual scope and just be that much more secure. 4. If/when there is an unexpected significant increase in wind speed, it is likely that you can just take a look around: possibly respond by veering more rode. But it will be far less likely that you will need to carry an extra anchor on the bow or be tempted to dig out a spare/storm anchor from the bilge. 5. The increased safety is hard to quantify as this increase is both material (staying put in higher winds) and psychological (sleeping better as you experience the increased holding power and less worry/concern). The dis-advantages: 1. More weight on the bow: probably a bigger deal for sailboats. a. And, perhaps, in practice, actually less weight if the new generation anchor on the bow replaces the pair of anchors that many cruisers carry. b. And, I would suggest, for those of us not racing, that ~~20-25% increase in your anchor’s weight on the bow will make a negligible difference in sailing characteristics. c. Medium size vessels will likely have their new larger anchor fairly easily handled by hand and engine in the usual fashion: the larger the vessel the more convenient and appreciated a windlass will become. 2. The anchor will be more expensive: both because the new generation anchors cost more and because of the larger size chosen. Think of this as a one-shot expense purchasing greater safety for yourself, your crew and the boat. 3. New generation anchors, because of their design and effectiveness, often are retrieved covered with seabed: a washdown pump using the sea/lake’s water makes clean-up much easier. Think of this cleaning effort as the price you pay for the added security you have gained for boat and crew. (A wash-down pump has a myriad of other uses, which will quickly also get appreciated: for example, plumb in parallel a spray wash at the galley sink). Alchemy’s ground tackle set-up. She is a Valiant 42, a 40-foot moderate to heavy displacement cruising sailboat. 1. At the bow a. 77-pound Spade: the bower/everyday anchor. b. A Fortress FX 37: an aluminum anchor primarily for kedging, but also available as a second anchor (never used as such) rigged ready to drop with a slice of the lashing. 2. At the stern is a 19-pound Danforth, rarely used. 3. In the bilge is a 66-pound Spade, taken apart: never used since “retired” to the bilge, but there as a spare in case the bower gets lost and there in case we need to cobble together a “mooring” for a big storm. I consider the 66-pound Spade far superior to the 80-pound Luke it replaced and far more versatile and easier to use. I am not a believer in having different style anchors with the thought that different style anchors do better in different seabeds. I believe that, for everyday anchoring, that we are anchored securely for wind speeds up to a Near Gale F7 (I am aiming for all boats to achieve the same security using seamanlike techniques of anchoring and gear), and have weathered comfortably occasional gusts into the 40s. More wind or consistent wind in the 40s and I would veer more rode. If unable to veer much more rode, it is time to gear-up, and if a squall is likely to dissipate, turn the engine on and be ready to take to load off or raise anchor and move. I get a halyard slap at 25 kn that will wake me up and I can look around. We have sailed with our best anchor being our everyday anchor for pushing 20 years now (from full time live-aboard to presently 4-6 months per year). For years this was a 66-pound Spade. Anticipating higher latitude sailing where anchoring deep and remote was likely, we upgraded to a 77-pound Spade and took the 66-pounder apart and stored it as a spare in the bilge. This allowed us to get rid of our “unused-in-15-years” storm anchor, a Luke 80 pounder (in practice, the Luke was very awkward and hard to use and, we felt, in boisterous conditions, at 80 pounds handling would likely lead to harm to the husband-and-wife crew or to the boat.). These changes were ~~12 years ago and lots of miles and anchorages and we would not change a thing. Come back with questions/comments/thoughts. My best, Dick Stevenson,
1 days ago Topic: Thoughts on anchoring: technique and gear Dick	The prior post on anchoring was written for a different venue, but I thought it might be of interest
1 days ago Topic: Second anchor usage Dick	Second anchor usage The following was written for another venue, but might be of interest. Hi all, I agree with a prior comment on the usefulness of stern anchors.* The following starts with some comments on the use of more than one anchor and follows (later post) with a related argument that one should use their best anchor as their everyday anchor. This got longer than expected: it started a while back with some thoughts for another venue and seems to have grown from there. I think, in most anchoring challenges, that anchoring with 2 anchors is unwise: at best, it is twice the work or more: setting and retrieving. At worst, dealing with two anchors can contribute to the likelihood of damage to the boat or injury to crew, especially if things have become boisterous. I would suggest that, with a bit of planning ahead, anchoring with 2 anchors is likely not necessary. And that anchoring with one anchor is generally safer for boat and crew. Two anchor usage often takes the forms of Bahamian Moor (two anchors off the bow set 180 degrees from each other), bow and stern/fore and aft (self-explanatory), tandem deployment (connecting a spare anchor to the forward bale of the primary anchor, usually with a short piece of chain making for two anchors in line on one rode). At one time or another, I have used all three methods, and the descriptions alone will, with a little imagination, reveal the considerable effort necessary for setting and retrieving, especially if conditions get more boisterous. Anchoring with 2 anchors is often considered in un-settled weather or unusual conditions.* In settled weather, handling 2 anchors is no big deal, but it can be a big deal when the un-settled weather takes a turn into the rare, but occasional, fire drill (say, a middle of the night squall). I think it wise (and possible) to always anchor using your bower with the idea of sitting out a squall (or the like) with little more effort than perhaps veering some additional rode (see a post on using one’s best anchor as bower). Perhaps more important is the ability to quickly, safely and easily retrieve the anchor and move. It is this latter scenario that most powerfully argues against the use of 2 anchors, to my mind. I believe that any anchored boat should be able to quickly, easily and safely get underway even, perhaps most importantly, in most any conditions. Even in an unexpected heavy air situation, retrieving one’s anchor and moving should be quite safe and easy: doing so with two anchors is often more than twice the work, especially in a fire drill of some sort. The dangers of dealing with 2 anchors in a fire drill take several forms. Not necessarily in order of importance: working the foredeck raising the anchor in a rainy nighttime fire drill while the bow, in the increasing waves, is trying to bounce you into the water and when visibility is diminished, is a recipe for injury. Then there is the real danger of getting a propellor wrap, especially with a stern anchor where the rode is likely of nylon: the last thing a skipper wants at this time is to get a prop wrap. And then, when 2 anchors off the bow and the boat swirling around, it is likely that the anchor rodes will have twisted around each other: a nightmare if quick action is called for. The often-preferred solution to wanting more anchoring holding power has been 2 different style anchors on the bow (different designs ostensibly to cover a wider range of seabeds). For years I carried both a CQR and a Bruce on our bow. And I did use them together on a few occasions. The idea is that, when positioned forward into the wind, they will share the burden of keeping the boat in place. And this does occur if the wind and gusts stay steady from the same direction. However, far more likely, observation reveals that in unsettled/stormy conditions the wind/gusts come from varying directions and veers/clocks around as the front moves overhead. This translates into the V’d-out anchors no longer sharing the load, but rather the load ends up being on only one anchor at a time. So, the sharing of load is largely illusory although it could be argued that you have a back-up anchor already deployed when the loaded one drags or pulls out. But when the new generation anchors emerged (Spade, Rocna, Manson, Excel, etc.), it became clear that it was possible for one’s bower to have equivalent, even greater, holding power than the storm anchor many (including me) carried unused in their bilge for many years. One anchor could also have greater holding power of any of the 2 anchor situations discussed. This post is already long, I will post my ground tackle suggestions to achieve the ends in the paragraph above in a following post. Come back with questions/comments/thoughts. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy The one time I remember using a stern anchor was in a lovely protected anchorage we wished to stay at for a while, but large swell out in open water bounced its way in along the channel making our boat roll from gunnel to gunnel. We used our stern anchor to pull our stern around so the bow faced the incoming swell which was far more comfortable. For a similar situation a few years later, I more easily accomplished the same result by using a bridle on the main anchor (to the stern) that cocked us into the swell. Bahamian moor was used in strong tidal currents where every 6 hours there is a current direction change that dominates the boat regardless of wind direction: off Nassau is an example. I used tandem anchors in the very thin/mud/silt over clay of the Chesapeake when faced with a forecast hurricane that turned out to be a tropical storm. Bow and stern anchoring can be useful in very narrow anchorages. And then, there is wisdom in following what others in the anchorage are doing: no sense in free anchoring if you might swing into a boat that is anchored fore and aft and basically fixed in place. **Hurricanes can be considered unusual conditions: Every time you deploy an extra anchor to keep your boat in place you are approaching no longer “anchoring” the boat, but rather “mooring” the boat. This became clear to me when faced with Hurricane Bob in 1991: a storm which took aim at us when out cruising with my wife and 3 children. We were far from our home port and our home mooring: designed to handle hurricanes. We ended up anchored in Onset, MA, and had a couple days to prepare. 3 boats shared an ample anchorage and I put down my 2 substantial anchors in a “V” in the anticipated direction of the strongest wind. A third, borrowed, but substantial, anchor was put out in the direction of the wind shift as the storm was forecast to go right overhead. This, to my mind, was more akin to cobbling together a mooring than it was anchoring. It was a mooring as the boat was kept largely in place and swung little and it was not easily undone. An anchoring situation is one that gives flexibility in responding to changing and challenging conditions. A mooring is a more permanent solution to keeping the boat in place. For the hurricane, we went to a motel for, as my wife said to me that I was not staying aboard: “That was why we have insurance.” It was good advice. The “mooring” held. Our boat at the time, Early Riser, was fine. The other 2 anchored boats, both of whom had their skippers stay on board, were fine, but one skipper had been severely injured and needed a CG evacuation. 75% of the mooring field was on shore or sunk. The marina was destroyed with 90% of their boats deposited in the parking lot on the 20+ foot surge. It took a solid 4 hours the next day to retrieve our anchors and sort out our ground tackle.

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