Another thought.... If the chain doesn't work, I'll try to create a bridle through the opposing bow chock to make the pull of the rode even with the center line of the boat..... Joe
Joe, A bridle won't help keep your M17 from sailing at anchor. I've tried it. And many other things. Tried attaching the anchor line to the bow eye, tried all combinations of centerboard up and down, rudder in and out, even tried an anchor riding sail. No much help from any of those. The problem is that the bow of the boat has more windage than the stern, and it's constantly trying to veer off to one side or the other. The anchor riding sail is supposed to solve that, but with the split backstay there isn't a good way to fly it low enough and far enough back. The best system I'm used is the one Gary mentioned. Basically what you're doing is running a long bridle off one side of the boat, in effect holding the boat on one tack. It's actually a very comfortable way to ride the waves in a rough anchorage. Set yourself up at about a 45 degree angle and the boat rides the waves without pounding. You can use a block like Gary mentioned, or you can simply tie your anchor line off at the bow, pull about 15 feet of line back in and tie a 25 foot line to it with some hitches, let the rode back out, and run the 25 footer to a stern cleat. You can then adjust your angle by pulling this line in or letting it out. Works better than anything else I've tried, but it's not perfect. Once in a while the boat will still find a way to tack, and then all your rigging is under the boat and you have to paddle your boat back around to the right tack. I think I'll try combining this method with Jerry's suggestion to use more chain and see if that totally solves the problem. Larry Yake M17 CornDog