Practical Boat-Sailing: A Concise and Simple Treatise

by Douglas Frazar

In the olden times hemp cables were wholly used, even for vessels of large size and men-of-war; but in these latter days they have been replaced by iron cables in large ships, and by manila hawsers in small yachts. To be sure there are some advantages in favor of a chain-cable for even small yachts; but as a rule the pliable, soft but strong manila rope is the favorite. Small iron cables are, for some reason or other, distrusted; and they are also heavy to get back again, even if of small size, when the yacht is anchored in many fathoms of water. They are useful when the yacht is likely to lie at anchor in a sea-way for a long time, for then they would not chafe; whilst a manila cable might become seriously injured. Some use a few fathoms of iron chain, and then manila above that, so as to keep the end near the anchor from fraying on rocky bottoms. It is to be remembered, then, in a long piece of chain cable, that the one imperfect link, or one that is weak in any way, determines the utmost strength of the cable. In other words, the strain necessary to part the weakest link makes the stronger ones useless. Perhaps it is the fear of this weakness lurking in some unknown link that deters yachtsmen, as a class, from using chain-cables, and makes them prefer the clean, handsome manila rope, that they know is just as strong at one part as another throughout its entire length.

Wire cables have commenced to be talked of, made in the same shape as wire rigging, only more pliable; and these, perhaps, will, in time, come into use, as they are of uniform strength, and take up less room than the cumbersome manila rope cables.

If the anchors are stowed below deck, always get them up, and bent on to their respective cables, long before the time when it becomes necessary to use them. One never knows, near a coast-line, when an anchor may be needed.

Always have good long cables, and not nasty little pieces of short rope: on this depends often the safety of all concerned. Every thing else being equal, the length of the cables is what will determine, in a gale of wind, whether the yacht goes on shore a wreck, or gallantly and safely weathers the storm.

TO ANCHOR IN A GALE OF WIND.

If caught in a gale of wind on a lee-shore, and with no chance of escape,—the sea being too heavy to "claw off" to windward, and no harbor to leeward,—the only safety is to anchor; and always do this before it is too late, and before the yacht has been driven too near the shore or breakers to lie quietly. Procrastination at such a time is often highly dangerous; and a yacht may go ashore because she is anchored in a line of heavy breakers, when just outside she would lie almost with ease.

It will be found, also, that it always takes longer to get an anchor down than was estimated, and whilst it is being done the yacht sets heavily in towards the shore with each sea: therefore anchor early. When every thing is ready, bring the yacht to the wind, and let the sails shake in the wind's eye; and, so soon as she gets stem-way, let go the best bower anchor, taking care not to snub her too quickly, but to let considerable of the cable run out before checking her; then take a turn or two around the knight-heads, long before there is any strain, and be ready to give her cable gradually as she needs it. One must be very careful to get this turn around the knight-heads long before there is any strain; for the strength of the yacht drifting before the gale will be under-estimated, except by a sailor; and if one has neglected to take the necessary turn in time, and a strain once commences upon the cable, it will then be too late, and the mortification will be experienced of seeing the whole cable go overboard, unless the yacht be brought up by its being fastened below; and even then the chances are, that it will be snapped asunder by the momentum that the drifting yacht has acquired.

Just so soon as the first anchor bites, and the yacht seems to come head to wind, and hold, let go the second anchor, and pay out plenty of cable on both, keeping the strain as nearly equal on each as possible. In grave circumstances like these of anchoring in a gale of wind on a lee-shore, it is always well to put down both anchors. Too often one anchor is used, because the weather does not look very bad, and, as it increases, the cable is paid out upon; and when, at last, it is ascertained that the gale has increased, and another anchor is needed, it is found, after it is cast, that the cable cannot be paid out upon it, because the end of the cable of the first anchor is close at hand, and has been nearly all paid out, making the second anchor useless. Always let go both anchors, one shortly after the other; and if the weather be very bad indeed, then, when about half the cable is paid out on the second anchor, lash to the cable the small kedge-anchor, by fastening it by small ropes, passed around the shank and through the ring, to the cable of the large anchor, and cast it over the bows. This is called "backing an anchor" (see diagram below), and strengthens the hold of the first anchor in a marked degree, especially if the holding-ground be poor. It is supposed, of course, that, as the yacht comes head to wind, the jib is hauled down; and now the next thing is to down mainsail, and furl every thing snug. If the yacht holds well, keep part of the cables still on board, to pay out, if necessary; and, to be sure that she is not dragging, cast a hand-lead over the side, and let it rest on the bottom. Make it fast, leaving enough slack so that the yacht may sheer without moving it. By trying this once in a while, it will be instantly seen, from its relative position between the yacht and the bottom, whether the vessel has dragged. For instance, if the lead-line should be left up and down, and the next time it was tested should be found resting on the bottom, toward the bow of the yacht, she would have dragged just that distance, and needs more cable at once. It is well always to give a good scope in such emergencies, and allow the anchors to become embedded at a good angle, and not be played with by just holding, and then dragging a little, and then paying out a little: that is dangerous sport. After all is furled snug, nothing else can be done for safety, except in case of extreme emergency, when, as a last recourse, the mainmast may be cut away if the yacht is dragging on shore. But with two good anchors down in, say, six fathoms of water, and one of those backed, and forty or fifty fathoms of cable out, it will take a terrific sea and wind to make a yacht budge an inch.