Dragging Anchor...Will this finally solve it?

For the past year, we've lived almost entirely at anchor aboard our 80-foot steel schooner, The Alaskan Gypsy. But there's been one problem we haven't been able to ignore... our anchor gear. After dragging anchor more times than we'd like to admit, it became clear something wasn't right. Before another Alaska winter, it was time to replace the Gypsy's original 250-pound custom Danforth anchor with a 200-pound Navy stockless anchor and a new chain concept. Simple enough...or so we thought. From using the community crane dock in Tenakee Springs to discovering our old anchor was badly bent, measuring decades-old chain, wrestling shackles, and wondering if the new setup would even fit the windlass, this project turned into more than a simple swap. And even after everything was installed...there was still one more problem waiting for us. Life aboard isn't just about sailing from one beautiful place to the next. Sometimes it's about solving the problems that keep your home safe when the weather turns and there's no dock to tie up to. If you enjoy life aboard, Alaska adventures, real boat projects, and the challenges of maintaining an 80-foot steel schooner, we'd love to have you along. ⚓ Subscribe and join us as we continue exploring Alaska, one anchorage at a time.