I think we're in a good spot, but the riding sail isn't working as well as I'd hoped. She's still hunting from side to side, and in a heavy wind, that can put a lot of force on the anchor, chain, and especially the deck fittings. There are a few things I can do to both minimize the hunting and strengthen the attachment points, so I'll work on that over the next couple of days.
My only other concern is storm surge which could increase the depth to over 30'. I have a lot of chain, so I'll try to let out enough to keep a 7:1 ratio even at 30', which is 210' -- I carry 200' of chain and another few hundred feet if nylon rode. I just need to make sure I'm not too close to other boats. I was planning to pick up another 50' and a swivel, so I'll see if I can do that today or tomorrow.
To reduce hunting, I'm considering setting another anchor and adding a weight and sea anchor (probably just a bucket) to the anchor chain close to the bow. This should slow it down enough to allow the riding sail to kick in and swing the stern around. We've got a lot of wind again today, so I've got plenty of time to play with it.
Once I have a good idea of where she's going to pass, I can also set another anchor off the bow at about a 45 degree angle. That should help both hold her and drastically reduce hunting. However, I need to be very careful of other boats close by, since it will reduce my swing. That's the disadvantage of this spot, it's a bit crowded.
I'm also considering removing the sails, or at least the headsail, to help reduce windage. I should probably leave the main bent and tie in a double reef just in case. That way, it'd be ready as a last resort. However, I'd probably remove the cover and lash it down tightly -- otherwise the cover might get blown to pieces.
In any case, the next few days ought to be exciting...
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