Like the title says, Im headed to Lake Amistad on the Texas/Mexico border. The lake is huge and remote...just the way I like it. The plan is to load stuff on the boat and camp out for 7 days. I have racks to carry stuff(do a search for camper/cuiser on this forum. its really old but its in here somewhere.

I wanted to do this trip 15yrs ago with the family but at that time the lake was down 40ft. Several hurricanes later, it finally filled up a couple of years ago. I went down there last fall on a canoe trip and had a blast. The lake is beautiful and in rugged desert country.

Ive replaced the tramp, rigging and reglassed the keels. Im about to put ports in as the boat will be in the water for 7 days. I always manage to get some water in through the vents.

Fishing at this lake is at its prime. I will be towing two kayaks. Ive towed one with no problem but not sure how to do it with two. The plan is to fish in the morning and sail in the heat of the day. Find a suitable camp by 3pm or so and fish out the rest of the day. If the weather is good, we will sleep on the boat. If lightning is a possibility, we will be off the boat. 150 miles of sailing is quite possible during the week.

A good friend of mine is going and he has 0 sailing experience but that is ok. My biggest fear is sticking a hull and dumping everything. With all of the camping suff, it makes the boat very stable if not slow. I just cant get in a hurry.

Most of the lake is flooded canyons so the sides are steep and the wind can be tricky. For the most part, there are no gentle sloping banks at all. When you do get to shore, it is amazing at the lack of anything flat over the size of a coffee table. Think chunk rock and lots of it. Like the stuff they line dams with. The tallest tree is 4ft mesquite and they have those thorns too. Fire ants do well in this country and bite as willing as the bass.

I do have some questions about anchoring the boat during the day. Normally I just slide it up on the bank and into the wind. If the wind is blowing hard, Ill just drop the main. Because of the lack of suitable beach, dropping the main is possible, but getting it back up while the boat is in 40ft of water might not be easy. What is the best way to anchor the boat at night so it doesnt drift around? Do I need to tie off to the bank and an anchor? Is there a preferable point to tie the anchor off ie the bow? Finally, what kind/weight of anchor is best in these conditions?

Any other thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated.

Took my Hobie 16 to Croatia some years ago where she had to stay on the water for several weeks. Coast is rather rocky. They use kind of moorings to anchor: concrete blocks with a line and a buoy.
Rather difficult to set and lower both sails on the water by the way. Take enough spares with you as you are going to drop some items for sure.
in spite of the mostly moderate winds and waves the H16 was always moving when attached to this mooring. I made a kind of divider with a line between both bows and the dolphin striker which made some improvement. Next to that I blocked the mast against rotating otherwise it might be continuously hitting the end nocks on the base! Also I applied as much tension as possible on the shrouds to minimize the movements of the mast.
My experience with anchoring are only for The Netherlands as the sea near Croatia is far too deep (200 - 300 ft).
Weight of the anchor doesn't make to much difference. Far more important: it should have a firm grip in the bottom (preferably to be checked by sight!) for which ± 6-8 feet of chain are vital. The length of the line has to be 4-6x the depth of the water. Al together quite some stuff to take with you on a Hobie. Another advice: attach a line with a small buoy to the other side of the anchor. This way it is not only marked but it might be handy when your anchor got stuck somehow.
In general: anchoring remains tricky because you can not check the grip of the anchor. The moment you pull the line the Hobie will move forward anyway so you are never sure!!! Be critical and on your guard especially when sudden weather changes might occur (as on the Croatian coast: heavy winds out of various – fast changing – directions)
Have a nice trip !!!

Thanks for the anchoring comments. I wont be dealing with 2-300ft but it wont be uncommon to be anchoring right off the bank in 40ft. Great point about not being able to check the anchor as the hobie will move too easily. I do have a chene anchor but will probably go with a 10lb mushroom style as its less likely to get hung up in rocks.

Hey tx246,

Hope you have a great time at Amistad. My uncle used to say one of the most beautiful lakes in the state. I had planned a trip there several years ago to stay at Seminole Canyon SP and hike to some of the rock shelters with a TPWD guide. I was unable to go because of my moms passing just 2 days before the trip. So..........I would love to hear how the trip went and and even a few pics would be nice. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

wallybear,

Hey,the walmart store manager in your town is a college buddy of mine. It is an amazing lake and Im putting in on the east side of the lake and head up the Devils river arm for the first few days. Next we will head west hoping to make it all the way up the Rio Grande river (past seminole sp) and into the Pecos river for a few days. Ill be taking a camera so ill post em in a report when I get back

The planning and getting ready for this trip is wearing me out. I installed inspection ports so I can bail water if needed as the boat will be on the water for a week. I also installed new rigging and a half a tramp. I also built adjustable backrests.

I took my fishing partner with me to the local lake to see how the boat handles pulling 2 kayaks. The boat did great with the little boats behind it and he got his first taste of sailing.

We leave Friday morning but there is still a bunch of odd and ends to tie up.

I think I can speak for all viewers, we are jealous. Have a great trip!

If you get a chance, could you post a picture of your adjustable backrest?

A sponge works well for bailing water out of a small opening.

Good luck and have a great trip! We'll be waiting on the photos. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Finally, Ive got it all behind the fence and ready to go. Will be heading out early in the am Fri. Wind forcast looks very mild but thats ok. It will be faster and easier than the canoe.

Swanbike57,
Ill post a bunch of the pictures of the boat when I get back. It will be all set up so you can see the backrests and cooler rack.

Ive been back for a week but its CRAZY TIME at work trying to catch up. I promise Ill get a full report with pictures as soon as I catch up with my buddy who did most of the photography. Hang in there as it was a great trip on an awesome lake.

Hey, glad you had a great time. Its nice to get away from the daily rut as you did. I've just been trying to get on the water a day or two here and there on weekends, but the wind has been almost non-existent. Went to a local lake the other day with a decent breeze from the SE. The wind got us out to the middle of the area we were in and then suddenly died. We wound up having to paddle back in! BUMMER!