Mega Yacht Anchors

YachtNews · 10-19-2006, 09:51 PM

In today's yacht world where technology is so advanced, is it ever so necessary to have anchors? Will we see a time where DPS will be the software anchors? Or will 600KG anchors and what ever else still rule for ever?
what do you guys think?

Kevin · 10-19-2006, 09:58 PM

There's a few big yachts that are starting to get away from environmentally damaging anchors, but I think it will be a long time before they're really "gone". If anything they could always be kept as a back-up.

YachtNews · 10-19-2006, 10:07 PM

Yachts such as?....i know Octopus utilizes DPS on many ocasions...but i think she still drops a forward anchor and uses the DPS to keep the stern quiet.

Kevin · 10-19-2006, 10:15 PM

AIR (can't remember her new name) also can remain stationary with no anchors at all. Most of the write-ups mentioned that feature when touting her environmental friendliness. I've read about others I'm pretty sure... just can't recall the names now.

YachtNews · 10-19-2006, 10:42 PM

ICE ex AIR......LOL, well i suppose she can do it since she is probably the 1st ultra-modern megayacht with environmentally friendliness in mind. She hardly uses her anchors though...well the times i have seen her in pics and in person.

Billy1119 · 10-19-2006, 11:17 PM

I'd have to say there would need to be some serious reliability improvements going on in technology to justify getting rid of the good ol' anchors. Sure, the systems above will work fine in fair weather and on boats where someone's always up, but I wouldn't want to solely rely on the GPS to keep me in place at night surrounded by rocks with the wind blowing 30 kts when everyone is sleeping. I think anchors are here to stay and will be for a while. This, of course, wouldn't be ideal for an anchor either, but you know what I mean...

One example - I was coming home one night in water I'm familiar with and was using my GPS lookin' at the chart. I was right where I was supposed to be. I look away, and a minute later, check it again, and it shows me in a different location not far away (close enough where I could have been there). If I had used it to try and get me back on course (albeit the wrong one) instead of being aware of the actual channel and nav aids, I would have ended up on a 2 foot sand bar while going 24 kts... Haven't had it do this since - it was just one of those things.

YachtNews · 10-20-2006, 12:12 PM

This was with you 84' Manhattan?

Billy1119 · 10-20-2006, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yachtluver

This was with you 84' Manhattan?

Correct - although the GPS problem had nothing to do with the boat itself.

YachtNews · 10-20-2006, 05:28 PM

ok, so now what about the kind of anchors. For the small yachts they use some kind of spade looking anchor for sandy bottoms and graveled bottoms.....the mega yachts use the heavy 300-600 KG anchors....what determines what anchor a yacht uses other than size of the yacht..?

nilo · 10-20-2006, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy1119

I'd have to say there would need to be some serious reliability improvements going on in technology to justify getting rid of the good ol' anchors. Sure, the systems above will work fine in fair weather and on boats where someone's always up, but I wouldn't want to solely rely on the GPS to keep me in place at night surrounded by rocks with the wind blowing 30 kts when everyone is sleeping. I think anchors are here to stay and will be for a while. This, of course, wouldn't be ideal for an anchor either, but you know what I mean...

One example - I was coming home one night in water I'm familiar with and was using my GPS lookin' at the chart. I was right where I was supposed to be. I look away, and a minute later, check it again, and it shows me in a different location not far away (close enough where I could have been there). If I had used it to try and get me back on course (albeit the wrong one) instead of being aware of the actual channel and nav aids, I would have ended up on a 2 foot sand bar while going 24 kts... Haven't had it do this since - it was just one of those things.

the technology has already been there for some time and it is proven to work more or less all weather. the offshore drilling ships that drill in very deep waters use this. as they are drilling, they have to stay in the same position with a margin of few meters. of course their propulsion is geared up for this.

nilo

Garry Hartshorn · 10-21-2006, 12:04 AM

I know it has been done in several commercial and military applications, but it always involves electronics. And as we all know electronics and water don't mix all that well.

K1W1 · 10-21-2006, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garry Hartshorn

And as we all know electronics and water don't mix all that well.

Hi,

This old adage has been overcome in recent times by the use of more resilient electronics and the use in the case of full DP Rated ships of multiple redundant systems.

There is a reasonable description of what it is and the requirements for the variuos classes of DP here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic..._posit ioning

Billy1119 · 10-21-2006, 05:53 AM

I didn't want to imply the technology wasn't there to accomplish this, my point was more that when on my yacht, with the way the technology is currently as far as I'm aware, I "wouldn't want to solely rely on the GPS to keep me in place at night surrounded by rocks with the wind blowing 30 kts when everyone is sleeping." Even DGPS. But hey, that's just me. It is some awesome technology we have these days though, and I certainly wouldn't be opposed to using it during the day in reasonable weather... Then again, I have no real world experience with it, so just realize these are simply somewhat uneducated opinions.

K1W1 · 10-21-2006, 06:25 AM

Hi,

From what I understand when in DP Mode you are classed as a vessel underway, so this means that there should always be at least one person on watch.

Billy1119 · 10-21-2006, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K1W1

Hi,

From what I understand when in DP Mode you are classed as a vessel underway, so this means that there should always be at least one person on watch.

That would certainly make sense to me.