Sailing things right

A minute of useless information:
Trade ship anchor chain is huge. Single link is just a little shorter than me. I got curious about what does it cost to fail servicing the windlass on such ship and loose the chain.

So, the chain itself starts from a little above $1000 per metric ton. Usually, around $1400 (found 4 different types, starting from $1080 and up to 2400 for the most expensive one - military?) per ton.

The chain is usually made of 26 chunks about 100 feet each and the average total weight of the chain is about 240 000 pounds (about 200 metric tons).

Anchors for these ships vary in size and weight, averaging between 12 and 20 metric tons. And the price may reach $50k with an average of $35k.

Hence, screwing up a proper windlass service on a cargo ship may cost over $300k easily. Without the cost of waiting, delivery and fitting the new chain and anchor to the ship.

Rescue of the cargo ship chain may be just impossible due to the depth or water condition in the area.

General change of plans.

Since I got the job the plan was to tie to the pier and work. I even got the quote from the marina about the price and they told me an insane, but acceptable in my situation sum.

But when a couple of days ago I sent an email to the marina about my arrival I found that management decided to raise the price for another 20% just because they can.

That became completely unacceptable, so I had to change plans ASAP.

Long story short: I've decided to spend half of my money on a very-very good anchor and go to the well-protected anchorage and stay there until the autumn.

By manufacturer's calculations, I bought an oversized unit. They recommended 20kg, but I took 25.

By their assurance their recommendations are very conservative and that 20kg anchor could hold my boat in the winds up to 50 knots (~100km/h). But with the oversized one I'll be fine up to 75-80kn. That's a first-grade hurricane. Should be fine. Hoping to never know that by experience.

So, greetings are welcome. Finally, I'll be able to anchor anywhere, giving no shit to the forecasted winds.

A long raw footage of the anchor exchange from the old shitty one to the new gorgeous is in the first comment. :)

In Russian there's a special word for such an occasion — "pizdariki". It's about some unpredictable unfortunate destructive event.

Weather gods decided that sitting still is too good for me and sent me a classic squall. 30+knots of wind, wall of water from the sky and following waves of meter and a half.

Also at the first breath of that squall another boat pulled out my anchor by their one, so I had a few very exciting minutes trying not to get hit by them and the catamaran behind me. Sorry, no video, but you can trust me. :)

And, for the cherry on top, the gust threw my dinghy overboard and now it's hanging there in a very inconvenient way. I have to hack the way to pull it back.

I was about to complain that the next week is gonna be windy and the forecast promises me up to 40 knots for several hours. Then I took a look at the Caribbean where one of the fellow sailors is now rushing to Guatemala.

Just FYI: at 50 knots my boat heels about 20 degrees even on anchor. Just because of swinging in the wind. 150 knots is 6-8 times more energy than 50.

13 meters waves with a 13 seconds period — it's literally riding an elevator. 2m/sec up then down. And only if the waves are not breaking. But they are. Hence absolutely deadly.

So, I'm not complaining. Nothing to worry about. :)

Maybe I just saved a human life.

Right now there's a lot of wind in the shelter bay I reached last night — already seen 28 knots.

I was in the cockpit, watching a luxury motorboat having troubles with setting up their Bruce anchors and just by a happy occasion turned my head to the sea and noticed a guy in a dinghy with the failed engine trying to row to the shore, but there's no chance he could do it against 20+ knots of wind so he has been pushed to the open sea by the wind quite fast.

I picked up the radio and started calling on 16 if anyone has a dinghy with more powerful engine than my 5hp. With my miserable motor we could only have a company in the open sea.
Two guys responded and in a couple minutes one of them launched their rib and the poor guy got saved.

A minute of useless information:
Trade ship anchor chain is huge. Single link is just a little shorter than me. I got curious about what does it cost to fail servicing the windlass on such ship and loose the chain.

So, the chain itself starts from a little above $1000 per metric ton. Usually, around $1400 (found 4 different types, starting from $1080 and up to 2400 for the most expensive one - military?) per ton.

The chain is usually made of 26 chunks about 100 feet each and the average total weight of the chain is about 240 000 pounds (about 200 metric tons).

Anchors for these ships vary in size and weight, averaging between 12 and 20 metric tons. And the price may reach $50k with an average of $35k.

Hence, screwing up a proper windlass service on a cargo ship may cost over $300k easily. Without the cost of waiting, delivery and fitting the new chain and anchor to the ship.

Rescue of the cargo ship chain may be just impossible due to the depth or water condition in the area.

I was about to complain that the next week is gonna be windy and the forecast promises me up to 40 knots for several hours. Then I took a look at the Caribbean where one of the fellow sailors is now rushing to Guatemala.

Just FYI: at 50 knots my boat heels about 20 degrees even on anchor. Just because of swinging in the wind. 150 knots is 6-8 times more energy than 50.

13 meters waves with a 13 seconds period — it's literally riding an elevator. 2m/sec up then down. And only if the waves are not breaking. But they are. Hence absolutely deadly.

So, I'm not complaining. Nothing to worry about. :)

General change of plans.

Since I got the job the plan was to tie to the pier and work. I even got the quote from the marina about the price and they told me an insane, but acceptable in my situation sum.

But when a couple of days ago I sent an email to the marina about my arrival I found that management decided to raise the price for another 20% just because they can.

That became completely unacceptable, so I had to change plans ASAP.

Long story short: I've decided to spend half of my money on a very-very good anchor and go to the well-protected anchorage and stay there until the autumn.

By manufacturer's calculations, I bought an oversized unit. They recommended 20kg, but I took 25.

By their assurance their recommendations are very conservative and that 20kg anchor could hold my boat in the winds up to 50 knots (~100km/h). But with the oversized one I'll be fine up to 75-80kn. That's a first-grade hurricane. Should be fine. Hoping to never know that by experience.

So, greetings are welcome. Finally, I'll be able to anchor anywhere, giving no shit to the forecasted winds.

A long raw footage of the anchor exchange from the old shitty one to the new gorgeous is in the first comment. :)

In Russian there's a special word for such an occasion — "pizdariki". It's about some unpredictable unfortunate destructive event.

Weather gods decided that sitting still is too good for me and sent me a classic squall. 30+knots of wind, wall of water from the sky and following waves of meter and a half.

Also at the first breath of that squall another boat pulled out my anchor by their one, so I had a few very exciting minutes trying not to get hit by them and the catamaran behind me. Sorry, no video, but you can trust me. :)

And, for the cherry on top, the gust threw my dinghy overboard and now it's hanging there in a very inconvenient way. I have to hack the way to pull it back.

Maybe I just saved a human life.

Right now there's a lot of wind in the shelter bay I reached last night — already seen 28 knots.

I was in the cockpit, watching a luxury motorboat having troubles with setting up their Bruce anchors and just by a happy occasion turned my head to the sea and noticed a guy in a dinghy with the failed engine trying to row to the shore, but there's no chance he could do it against 20+ knots of wind so he has been pushed to the open sea by the wind quite fast.

I picked up the radio and started calling on 16 if anyone has a dinghy with more powerful engine than my 5hp. With my miserable motor we could only have a company in the open sea.
Two guys responded and in a couple minutes one of them launched their rib and the poor guy got saved.

I was about to complain that the next week is gonna be windy and the forecast promises me up to 40 knots for several hours. Then I took a look at the Caribbean where one of the fellow sailors is now rushing to Guatemala.

Just FYI: at 50 knots my boat heels about 20 degrees even on anchor. Just because of swinging in the wind. 150 knots is 6-8 times more energy than 50.

13 meters waves with a 13 seconds period — it's literally riding an elevator. 2m/sec up then down. And only if the waves are not breaking. But they are. Hence absolutely deadly.

So, I'm not complaining. Nothing to worry about. :)

A minute of useless information:
Trade ship anchor chain is huge. Single link is just a little shorter than me. I got curious about what does it cost to fail servicing the windlass on such ship and loose the chain.

So, the chain itself starts from a little above $1000 per metric ton. Usually, around $1400 (found 4 different types, starting from $1080 and up to 2400 for the most expensive one - military?) per ton.

The chain is usually made of 26 chunks about 100 feet each and the average total weight of the chain is about 240 000 pounds (about 200 metric tons).

Anchors for these ships vary in size and weight, averaging between 12 and 20 metric tons. And the price may reach $50k with an average of $35k.

Hence, screwing up a proper windlass service on a cargo ship may cost over $300k easily. Without the cost of waiting, delivery and fitting the new chain and anchor to the ship.

Rescue of the cargo ship chain may be just impossible due to the depth or water condition in the area.

General change of plans.

Since I got the job the plan was to tie to the pier and work. I even got the quote from the marina about the price and they told me an insane, but acceptable in my situation sum.

But when a couple of days ago I sent an email to the marina about my arrival I found that management decided to raise the price for another 20% just because they can.

That became completely unacceptable, so I had to change plans ASAP.

Long story short: I've decided to spend half of my money on a very-very good anchor and go to the well-protected anchorage and stay there until the autumn.

By manufacturer's calculations, I bought an oversized unit. They recommended 20kg, but I took 25.

By their assurance their recommendations are very conservative and that 20kg anchor could hold my boat in the winds up to 50 knots (~100km/h). But with the oversized one I'll be fine up to 75-80kn. That's a first-grade hurricane. Should be fine. Hoping to never know that by experience.

So, greetings are welcome. Finally, I'll be able to anchor anywhere, giving no shit to the forecasted winds.

A long raw footage of the anchor exchange from the old shitty one to the new gorgeous is in the first comment. :)

In Russian there's a special word for such an occasion — "pizdariki". It's about some unpredictable unfortunate destructive event.

Weather gods decided that sitting still is too good for me and sent me a classic squall. 30+knots of wind, wall of water from the sky and following waves of meter and a half.

Also at the first breath of that squall another boat pulled out my anchor by their one, so I had a few very exciting minutes trying not to get hit by them and the catamaran behind me. Sorry, no video, but you can trust me. :)

And, for the cherry on top, the gust threw my dinghy overboard and now it's hanging there in a very inconvenient way. I have to hack the way to pull it back.

Maybe I just saved a human life.

Right now there's a lot of wind in the shelter bay I reached last night — already seen 28 knots.

I was in the cockpit, watching a luxury motorboat having troubles with setting up their Bruce anchors and just by a happy occasion turned my head to the sea and noticed a guy in a dinghy with the failed engine trying to row to the shore, but there's no chance he could do it against 20+ knots of wind so he has been pushed to the open sea by the wind quite fast.

I picked up the radio and started calling on 16 if anyone has a dinghy with more powerful engine than my 5hp. With my miserable motor we could only have a company in the open sea.
Two guys responded and in a couple minutes one of them launched their rib and the poor guy got saved.