Boat Anchoring Secrets - How to Keep "Clink Monsters" Off Your Sailboat
Imagine sailing to a pristine anchorage in the blue-green waters of the Caribbean. You set the anchor and settle down for the night. Near midnight, you hear a high pitched sound coming from the main cabin. Has a monster crept aboard? Read on to find out more!
Friends of mine returned from a two-week sailing charter in the crystal-blue waters of the Lesser Antilles--a chain of pristine islands in the Caribbean. On a typical day, they'd get underway right after a nice, lazy breakfast. Get onto a reach and sail across the northeast trades to the next island down the chain and find a protected spot to drop the hook.
After a late lunch, a bit of snorkeling and beachcombing wrapped up a picture-perfect day. Sounded pretty idyllic to me - until they chuckled and told the next part of their story...
Just being in the lee of an atoll didn't guarantee protection from all the elements. A persistent ground-swell ran day and night at some of the smaller islands, no matter where you buried the flukes. Their heavy sailboat behaved rather well in the gentle swell, with just a slight roll from port to starboard and back again. But this night would challenge their sanity like no other...
Around midnight, Jim and Ann woke up to a soft noise as the yacht rolled lazily from one side to the other. "Clink!" as she rolled to port. Then she'd wallow to starboard and again that annoying "Clink!" After 20 minutes or so, Jim couldn't stand it anymore.
Crawling out of the v-berth, he went on a mission to locate the culprit. He searched all over and just didn't see anything.Frustrated, he crawled back under the covers. After getting up a few more times he finally gave up. Piling some pillows over his head, Jim managed to get a few restless zzzzzs before sunrise...
First thing the next morning, Jim and his wife went at it again. Pulling up cushions, unscrewing covers and diving into lockers of every size and type. Finally, the little bugger revealed itself. An all-spice bottle had fallen over and was rolling around in the back of an athwartship drawer. You can probably guess what they did next!
They tore through every drawer, locker, and access port and stuffed foam, towels, and rags around, between and behind every nook and cranny. Heavier gear was lashed down with bungee cord or twine. Jim and Ann never had another sleep problem after solving the "Clink-mare on Antilles Street" mystery.
Use the five ideas below to make your life on the hook smoother and easier. Banish the "clink-monsters" aboard your boat for less stress overnight in any anchorage.
-- Wrap silverware with Rubber-Bands.
Stack silverware and lash it with thick bands. As an alternative, a clean sock makes an ideal holder. Place the silverware in the sock handle down and lash the sock to the handles with a band. Now you can see the silverware you need and it pulls out of the sock smooth and easy.
-- Put Loose Spice Bottles to Sleep.
I believe few things beat spices to add zest and pep to a dish or can. But they can make a racket if they roll on their sides. Use a one-quart pot or a small square plastic container lined with a towel or clean rags to lower the audible "clink" of spice jars in contact.
-- Stuff Towels and Foam to Quiet Clangs.
Banish sounds early on to keep noise levels low. Rags, pieces of foam, or baggies filled with foam packing like the Styrofoam "popcorn" used for shipping work well.
-- Hoist a Riding-Sail Aft.
Many veterans swear by the simple sail that resembles a mini-jibsail hanked on to the backstay. This sail will reduce roll in an open, exposed anchorage. Make sure you size the riding-sail for your boat. See this article to learn more.
-- Build a Holder for Mugs and Glassware.
If you like your assortment of tumblers and glassware, you will need a secure way to store it. Hook hangers will not hack it for long for cups and mugs. Consider a form fitted holder with holes for storage. Look into wide-bottom mugs that stay in place, even when heeled over. I used one of these in full gales aboard ships. Never spilled a drop. See these examples.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow these easy sailing tips to keep anchoring fun and enjoyable for you and your sailing crew or partner. Swap tips like these with other sailors to make cruising easier for everyone--wherever in the world you choose to sail or cruise!