How a Sailboat Survives a Hurricane on a Rocna Anchor - Ep 279 - Lady K Sailing

Back in 2018, while sailing down the US East Coast, I had my fair share of close encounters with hurricanes.

The Tale of Hurricane Florence

In 2018, Florence made landfall and brought massive flooding damage to South Carolina and North Carolina. The US Eastern Seaboard experienced the wrath of this hurricane, which resulted in 54 deaths and $24 billion in damage.

Preparing for Hurricane Michael

The knowledge gleaned from Florence proved invaluable when preparing for the second hurricane that year, Michael. Given its path up the East Coast and after witnessing the aftermath of Florence’s devastation, I knew that staying on my 35ft Lady K would be risky.

Finding Shelter

Armed with charts and knowledge of potential shelter options, I made the decision to head to Solomon Island on the Piant River. My buddy boat decided on anchoring in Back Creek, hoping it would limit any possible drag caused by the 40-50 knot winds expected from Michael.

A Rockna 55 lb Anchor to the Rescue

Deciding that more protection was needed, I chose a secluded spot behind dense trees and anchored using my 200ft of chain along with an oversized ground tackle, which included a Rocna 55 lb anchor. I tied the anchor to both the windlass and mast for added security.

Surviving Michael

As Michael moved through the Gulf Coast, winds from the south increased. Lady K surfed back and forth on her chain with anchor held fast by my Rocna 55 lb, even though the wind reached over 60 knots.

Lessons Learned

While it was an intense experience to endure a hurricane while on the water, there are important lessons learned from this story:

• Determine and act upon good anchor holding as soon as possible
• If conditions worsen, seek out additional shelter (e.g., a hotel) rather than staying on the boat in life-threatening scenarios

In the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, both boats and their crew were safe, having weathered one of Mother Nature’s toughest storms thanks to a strategic anchor placement and an effective choice in anchor type. The Rocna 55 lb anchor proved itself as dependable during this challenging situation.

Sharing Our Stories

In sharing this story, we not only learn from each other’s experiences but can help others prepare for similar situations. Moving forward, Lady K Sailing will publish one sailing story per month in Practical Sailor magazine with accompanying visuals.

Your Story on Video

If you have your own harrowing sailboat story with valuable lessons, consider sharing it through video. By adding b-roll and editing the footage, these stories can be made into captivating YouTube content to inspire and educate fellow sailors.

Thank You for Your Support

The mission at Lady K Sailing is to encourage more people to embrace sailing with ease. This would not be possible without the support of patrons who contribute monetarily to help fund the equipment, editing, and content creation process.

Become a Patron

By becoming a patron, your contributions aid in making these educational videos and articles possible. If you can spare a few dollars per episode or article, it makes an enormous difference.

I truly appreciate the support we have received thus far, and I look forward to bringing you more inspiring sailboat stories in the future.

Thank you for joining me on this exciting journey as we explore ways to make sailing safer, easier, and ultimately more accessible for everyone. Keep the heavy side down but not too far down – I love you guys!