Using the Anchor

What else is an anchor good for?

An anchor can be used for purposes other than actual anchoring. Once when I was sailing as tactician on "Carina" in an Admiral's Cup race during Cowes Week in England, the start was in drifting conditions with a three-knot current carrying the fleet across the line. Owner Dick Nye asked for my suggestions about starting under such conditions.

There was only one way, in my mind: power to a location where, when the five-minute gun sounded and the engine had to be turned off, we would have five minutes of drifting with the current to the line. We judged the distance quite accurately, but failed to get turned around.

We were drifting stern-first toward the starting line. The Class 1 fleet was also drifting in a mass toward the starting line, bouncing against one another and fending off. There was only one boat beading in the proper direction that had been able to pick up the slightest zephyr. We had to get the boat turned around.

I called for the anchor to be lowered over the stern just far enough to drag along the bottom, but not enough to hold. Immediately our bow swung down-current. We lifted the anchor and were second out of the mess.

Happy Sailing  from Steve Colgate, founder of Offshore Sailing School!