Manistee

Yesterday was a long day.  I was underway at 0730 and followed the shore to Manistee, where I anchored inside the breakwater just after dark.  About 110 miles covered.

Not much to report, except that I lost the anchor off the bow while bashing into some short steep waves off of Big Sable Point.  I heard a brief noise that I thought was shifting of the metal frame I’ve got lashed on the top deck, but in hindsight was the chain running out.

I didn’t notice the missing anchor until things had settled down a bit.  It was dragging in the water for a couple of miles.  As soon as I noticed I stopped and went forward. The chain had jumped off the windlass and 15-20 ft of chain had run out before it jammed on the turn out of the hawse pipe.

We were cruising along in about 40 ft of water at 8-9 knots when I noticed.  It would have been a rude shock to fetch up if the entire rode went out, but that would have made enough racket for me to stop and investigate.

No harm done.  Im now pledging to keep the tether on the chain regularly.  I think it may have been my recent servicing of the windlass that’s to blame.  The clutch on the chain gypsy had been frozen, and I cleaned it up and lubed it.  I’ve always secured the anchor by tensioning the chain with the windlass.  My working theory is that the clutch let out enough chain in the surge loading to allow it to jump off the gypsy.  Will monitor.

Today I was underway at 0630.  Making miles along the shoreline in 15-20 knot easterlies.  My plan is to get to Charlevoix today, and tomorrow it looks like a nice weather window will open up to get up into Lake Huron. 

I installed wind instruments this spring, and it’s great having them, especially this time of year when I’ve got the boat closed up.  Yesterday would have been tricky sailing.  I seemed to be following the line of transition between east and north winds all day.