Not So Calm Anymore

Not So Calm Anymore
The barometer alarm has gone off twice a already. A pressure drop of 1mb per hour is indicative of gales and triggers it. I’ve been on deck checking on our anchoring arrangement as the wind gusts to 40 knots.
I picked the south shore of the harbour knowing that I would be relatively exposed to the northerly winds of the approaching low. The south shore offers limited protection from south and southwest winds which are forecast to be stronger and longer lasting that the northerlies so here we sit.

Seaburban’s normal complement of anchoring gear sits at home on Gabriola Island. Our storm anchor and normal anchor rode are there. I brought along our best bower, our spare bow anchor, a kedging anchor, 3 shots of chain (2 of 50 feet and 1 of 35) and 600 ft of 3/4 in nylon brait also in 3 sections (1 of 250 feet and 2 of 175). Just about everything does double duty. For instance, the 35 foot section of chain is the 35lb weight for the Jordan Series Drogue and the 250 foot length of 3/4 is the spare Galerider or Shark Drogue rode.

It took close to 2 hours to disgorge all this stuff and get it ready to go over the side. I’m anchored expecting extreme conditions and took no shortcuts while preparing it all despite the conditions yesterday evening. We are anchored in tandem as follows: the 35lb Mantus on 35 feet of 5/16 G4 is attached to the crown of a 55lb Spade; The Spade is shackled to 50 feet of 5/16 G4; and that 50 feet of chain is shackled to 250 feet of 3/4in brait. We are in 26 feet of water, bottom is soft mud, and I’ve got a scope close to 7:1 not counting the 35 feet of chain attached to the Mantus. So far so good. We are glued to the bottom despite the gusts and chop. Fingers crossed it will stay that way but I am in edge thinking what ifs.

Like all single-masted sailboats, we veer 30 degrees port and starboard but with so much nylon rode out, it’s far gentler than if we were on an all chain rode and only using nylon snubbers for shock absorption. If I could limit the tendency to veer, I would. Nothing I’ve tried in the past satisfied and I’m not in the about to conduct any experiments today.

Follow my tracks in real-time:
https://bit.ly/svseaburban