An interesting article about anchoring a boat safely and the implications of anchoring out, rather than being in a marina or harbour. There are all sorts of things to consider, from getting ashore, to insurance, storms and much more, as this article explains.
More and more people are turning to boating and yachting to get away from it all, but a crowded marina isn't necessarily going to provide the looked for tranquillity. Marinas can be very social and fun places, with facilities for repairs and showers and restaurants, but there will come a time when you want to get yourself off to a secluded bay somewhere that doesn't have pontoons to tie up to. Which means you're going to have to use the anchor on the boat; there's a risk of it dragging, the boat will swing as the wind and tide, or currents, change. The depth of water may fluctuate and getting ashore means using a dinghy.
Planning where to anchor is the first job, then assessing the anchorage itself on arrival is important too. Understanding your equipment and how to set the anchor comes next then what to do if the weather cuts up rough. There are other issues too from maintaining electrical power for engine starting if you're going to be there a while, communication, getting ashore and crucially getting back. Then there's always the business of getting the anchor back up, which can be simple, but isn't always. Sometimes the anchor or the chain become fouled and bring up debris, occasionally the anchor won't come up at all.
Most sailing courses teach the basics of anchoring, but there's a whole lot to learn and books on the subject are few and far between; if you'd like to know about all the considerations mentioned above, plus bureaucracy and insurance issues then look for a book called How To Anchor Safely – So You Sleep Well! It's packed with common sense advice from an experienced sailor and it's written in a simple conversational style, backed up with anecdotes, photographs and illustrations.
Hill's Heroes
Hill's Heroes refers to the men Napoleon Hill studied to create his iconic work Think And Grow Rich. These men were indeed heroes, they were great entrepreneurs and leaders, occasionally teachers and often incredible philanthropists. They include inventors and industrialists who changed the world, and writers and publishers who changed the way we think. Hill's Heroes Volume 1 introduces the first fifty of these great men to the modern reader.
The History Of Lindy Hop
Dance crazes come and go, but the Lindy Hop, later called Jitterbug came and stayed for about thirty years. GI's brought it to Europe in the dark days of World War Two and it evolved into Jive with the advent of Rock And Roll. Today the original dance form is enjoying a renaissance. Discover the early history in the book 'Of Land, Sea And Sky'. www.oflandseaandsky.com
Skydiving As It Used To Be
The sport of skydiving has some pretty advanced equipment these days, but it wasn't always so. The sport began with skydiving pioneers using ex, or surplus military equipment. Parachute manufacturers did latch on to the new market but much of the development was done by their customers, whilst tiny companies, often just one man bands built packs and harnesses for sport jumpers. Discover some of the history here and a lot more in the book 'Of Land, Sea and Sky'. www.oflandseaandsky.com
