After nearly 80 days at anchor in the Mediterranean, our 55-foot cruising yacht faced a brutal storm with winds over 60 knots and sudden, violent wind shifts.
Our setup? A Viking 20 anchor with 90 meters of 10mm all-chain rode—no swivel, exactly as recommended to maximize holding power and minimize weak points.
But in the chaos, we made a critical mistake: no bridle attached. All the strain went straight to the windlass, and under the extreme load—it broke.
Despite the windlass failure and the wild yawing, the anchor never dragged. The boat stayed exactly where we dropped it, even as the chain stretched and the wind direction kept changing.
By morning, the windlass was clearly damaged beyond repair, but our boat was safe and sound.
What did we learn?
A strong anchor and properly sized all-chain rode can hold through the worst. Always use a bridle or snubber to protect your windlass—adding elasticity to the whole setup and reducing shock loads.This experience showed us the real value of good gear and proper preparation. Stay safe out there!
Huge
