A riding sail saved us from 35 knots gusts!

One of the dangers when you are anchored (especially in windy conditions) is the swing. A few big swings of a boat can cause your anchor to loose the hold, your anchor starts dragging or stops holding your boat completely. Not what you want in the middle of a windy night. A riding sail helps a lot to prevent your sailboat from swinging. Here is our version of a riding sail.

[@wrightottawa]

I fly my anchor riding sail from the back stay. It's sort of backwards with the head and clew against the backstay raised with the main halyard, sheeted from the tack to either midship cleat. This is my first season trying it and it does reduce the swinging, but I wouldn't swear to it helping the anchor hold. My boat is 33' and from memory, the riding sail dim.s are approx. 2 , 2.5 , 1.5 m.

[@grahamashton6205]

If your boom is on a track this system could be used to set how you sit to wind. Very useful if the swell is hitting the bow predominantly from slightly off the wind

[@anonymous.notatall6419]

I would suggest a more equallatteral triangle sail, on the backstay connected forward to the boom, just high enough to ½ clear that spray dodger set up you have. The further back, dart vane looking and low the better.
As a liveaboard I use this system even on a mooring to increase comfort and reduce the horrible riding up and then falling off dramaticly strain on the rode. The inexperienced will look to you as an idiot of course.

[@iainhunneybell]

So you’re trying to mimic a ketch mizzen to stabilise the yacht and steady her on her anchor in a breeze? And it works? All for reusing the head of an old sail and hanking it on to the topping lift? That’s a smart idea if it works 😊

[@joshrosenthal2166]

Yes

[@jacksparrow-yd4ei]

Would a storm tri-sail set the same way be just as effective?

[@brianseage5452]

Helps if you know what you are doing, before you do a demonstration video.

[@flpalacios9633]

If you were in 35 knots you are died.