Carver 33 SUPER SPORT, Owner'S Manual

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3327 12/04
O
PERATING AND
M
ANEUVERING
S
ECTION
6
6.3.4 Towing
Always offer assistance to a vessel in distress. However, towing a cap-
sized boat or a boat with a damaged hull is not recommended. In these
situations, lend aid to the occupants and call the proper authorities.
Remember, you are obligated to lend aid to any person in distress, but
not to the vessel. If you believe your vessel can not tow the vehicle in
distress, do not attempt it. One disabled boat is better than two.
6.4 Anchoring
An anchor’s holding power depends on its weight and the length of the
anchor line. The most effective length is six to seven times the depth of
the water you intend to anchor in. For example, if the water is 10 feet
deep, you should have 60-70 feet of anchor line.
Approach your selected anchor site from downwind. Come to a dead stop
over the spot where you want to drop anchor. Have a crew member lower
the anchor. When the anchor hits bottom, reverse engines and slowly
move the boat backward to pay out more anchor line as the crew member
keeps a slight tension on the line. When the proper length is out, the
crew member can snub the line by winding it around the bow cleat. This
should cause the anchor flukes to dig in and hold effectively.
Check for anchor drag. Immediately after anchoring, observe shoreline
landmarks. After thirty minutes, observe the landmarks again. If the
points of reference have changed, reset your anchor.
When weighing (pulling in) your anchor, pull the line in until it is verti-
cal. When the line is taut, a hard tug will pull the anchor’s shank up. If
the anchor is stuck, wrap some of the line around a bow cleat and keep
tension on the line. The boat’s momentum may free the anchor. If there is
a swell, wind the line around a bow cleat when the bow drops into a wave
trough. As the bow lifts, it may free the anchor. If neither of these meth-
ods works, pay out a few feet of line, secure it around the bow cleat, and
maneuver around the anchor. Keep the line tight until you find the angle
that pulls the anchor loose.
A T
IP
F
ROM
C
ARVER
!
To avoid potentially damaging stress on the windlass, always tie off the anchor
rope to the anchoring cleat.
An electric windlass simplifies the above procedures. Follow the above
procedures and use the windlass control at the helm to drop anchor. To
relieve strain on the windlass, hooks called devil’s claws engage the
chain when the anchor is down.