When neighboring boat disagrees

[gmakhs]

One guy thought he has enouph space and answered politely to my concerns , 20 minutes later we had a collision.
I wanted to give him a lesson so I fended up and was aware, so there where no scratches , but I called traffic control and made an official report .

I hope he got his lesson.

Some people are right that you are too close some others are too sensitive , the truth is that the first to anchor has the right of space .

[zeehag]

thankfully there is only one anchorage wherein this is an issue where i play, so far..and the crowds are thinning fast enough not to matter----
ye can meet the best friends by experiencing anchoring proximity. as long as their anchor is 5 inches or 5 feet away from mine i am a happy camper. when they drag their rocna across my nicely set chain and anchor i become a lil irritable. there is no call for that business, but placing 5 ft from my anchor is a good thing. donot drag. hahahahaha
a boat length can be bad or good thing...as long as the drag is away from mine i am happy. watched friend with delta and not enough chain drag away and past me-- oopsy. called out the fleet and saved the day, and no one was carried with him. whew...cocktails commenced once owner learned the issue....
so. proximity is a subjective issue. contact is objective and real issue to be avoided. unless person to person not boat to boat.
just donot park up my a** and peer into my cabin..hahahahaha

[Cheechako]

There's always a few like that you run into. Some people are anal about everything. It's often the guy in a crowded anchorage that has out 10:1 scope!
All you can do is use your best judgement, ignore him if necessary. Move to make him happy if you can. It's up to you.

[Shrew]

It happens. Sometimes people anchor on top of us. Sometimes people complain that we're too close. I approach both the same way.

1) I greet the person, give them my name, then ask them for their name. (I offer mine first because people are far more willing to share if you've shared first. I then Proceed to use their name fairly frequently, but naturally in conversation. I've found this is a start that goes a long way to disarming people and settling down tensions).

2) I inform them how much scope I have, then ask them how much scope they have. (In this order. Again people are willing to share more amicably if you share information first).

Now it's a matter of math. either the two boats are, or are not likely to collide depending on changes in wind and current. If there is going to be an issue, I mention the potential problem. If there is not likely a problem I mention that. If I'm inside of the other boats swing radius, I'll move.

If I'm not within their swing radius and someone is complaining, then I offer that, should there be an issue, I'll move if need be. If someone is anchoring on top of me and refuses to move despite identifying a potential issue, then I'll remind them that should things go pear-shaped in the middle of the night after we've all had a few drinks, they'll be responsible for moving their boat out of harm's way.

99 times out of 100, there is never an issue anyway. Time and experience make the radius of comfort smaller and smaller.

[Cheechako]

In a crowded anchorage, you often have to drop the anchor right off someone's stern. Some panic over that, but if everyone has reasonable scope out it not usually a problem. In a dead calm, boats can swing odd ways though, but then, it's just a bump in the night.

[Peeew]

Thanks for all the feedback and input. We really don’t know what others have been through. But in this four month cruise this was the first disagreeable event I experienced. Since we all had plenty of swing room I decided to remain friendly and keep my spot. And I reconfirmed to myself that, just like my neighbor, I prefer anchoring away from busy harbors whenever I can.

[tarian]

Well here is a discussion,
But to those, and I expect it mainly comes from our US brothers and Sisters . in regards to the statement that first boat in has the right and legal aspect to ask you to move.
This is nonsense and it is a courtesy only , there is no rule , as there is no way to tell the distances and locations of every scenario.
Also if you felt that the situation was fine and were comfortable that you have anchored safety with enough distance, then I would polity tell him it is fine and you will keep an extra eye on the situation.
People have no rights on anchoring on a foreign seabed, and as for insurance did they have the relevant distances were you dropped anchor in comparison to the other boat , and what standards are you setting this against, some irate captains word for it.
Common sense should always be a priority in these case and if people cannot be civil and nice to each other then it is time for the bottom to come out and a good full moon

[boatman1]

There are too many. possible scenarios to really arrive at proper protocol. It's quite likely that one will encounter an anchorage where there isn't room to swing 360 with tidal change. I once was in that situation (calm weather) and ended up rafted with neighbors on each side. What a party! Pretty women, whiskey and weed. Oh my the memories are still sweet.

[atlroofman]

Originally Posted by Peeew

Here is my question as to how you handle this; pulling into a fairly crowded harbor to anchor and I find the best hole available for me. While dropping hook and backing etc the closest boat folks begin yelling that I need to move elsewhere. I assess that we are a safe distance apart and pretty much the whole harbor is similar spacing. This is not really a privacy option there are a lot of boats, safety seems to be the only real valid concern here. Everyone is going to be near their next boat. I looked and honestly decided this is as big a hole as I will find and there is no risk of meeting when tide/wind shifts that I see. I do respect that the first to anchor deserves proper space and if this were a private open area I would always stay far from other boats.
I decided to be polite and respond that I think we are safe and I understand his desire for more room but that’s really not an option in this crowded harbor.
How do you handle these situations? This trip is now 4 months of anchoring and despite some crowded places I have never really felt that I upset someone else before. I just can’t see moving because this one wants more space than everyone else has.
Am I wrong? Would you move if you felt you took the best space available and it was safe? I’m sure that a dinghy ride to explain my position would not be a good idea. Fairly sure we need to agree to disagree.

I never like anchoring near anyone and strictly avoid it when I can. My reason is generator noise. Wave slapping and ocean sounds never keep from sleeping they lull me to sleep but an unatural sound (lines slapping mast, generators ect.) keep me from getting a wink of sleep.

[ArmyDaveNY]

What if you offer to raft up to them so they don't have to worry about your anchoring?!

On the other hand being a bit of a wag may just inflame the situation.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by tarian

Well here is a discussion,
But to those, and I expect it mainly comes from our US brothers and Sisters . in regards to the statement that first boat in has the right and legal aspect to ask you to move.
This is nonsense and it is a courtesy only , there is no rule , as there is no way to tell the distances and locations of every scenario.
Also if you felt that the situation was fine and were comfortable that you have anchored safety with enough distance, then I would polity tell him it is fine and you will keep an extra eye on the situation….

Nicely put, although I’ve yet to “moon” anyone over something like this.

Anchoring with more than one boat is an act of common sense and common courtesy. Safe and proper anchoring comes first, followed by maximizing distance between boats, and finally just basic civility.

How one does this is often dictated by boats that are already in an anchorage. But the whole “I WAS HERE FIRST, SO WHAT I SAY GOES” lacks the nuance often required in the real world. And there are no laws that I’m aware of that state this is the case.

In Peeew’s case, all we have is his/her information. So for the sake of discussion, we can take it as ‘true’. In this case, she/he has done nothing wrong, and the other boater should, as I said, “chill.” Or they should move.

In most cases, no one owns an anchorage. It is rude and uncivil to anchor tightly when this is not necessary. But if there are no other options, then everyone must do their best to accommodate their neighbours.

When I go into a busy anchorage, I make a point of talking to the people who are already there (when possible). I ask them about their rode and anchor location. And I ask for them if they have any suggestions. I want to know how much rode people have out. And I definitely pay attention to all-chain vs rope rode. Anchoring closer to similar types of boats is also a good strategy.

But as many have said, there are way too many variables to try and cover them all in the theoretical. Good will and common sense, along with a good understanding of effective anchoring, all go a long way to maintaining civility in a busy anchorage.

[CatNewBee]

When you arrive at a spot, you have no idea, where the anchor of your neighbor lies and how many road he has let out. You can be perfectly anchor too close to his anchor and provoke an accident.

[akprb]

"Frankly I find it frustrating when I choose an anchorage well away from other boats (often taking advantage of our small size and relatively shallow draft to do so) and others anchor close by. I like to know that I have the room to maneuver out under sail should the sh!t hit the fan, and the privacy to run around naked without feeling like the neighbor can see straight down our companionway or portlights."



I like this answer the best so far :-)

One story, one technique (to address "nesting")

We had a 50' cat with 27' beam and from a short distance with ones eye near sea level she looked massive. We dropped the hook in Georgetown (you can imagine it was crowded) and right on schedule our new neighbor began screaming.

I waived him over and he hopped in his dinghy with a deep scowl and headed our way. As he pulled up and looked back at his vessel it became obvious that we were fine. This was also a chance to chat a bit, share our story and assure him that we were experienced and would handle a situation should it arise.

Side note I keep a handheld next to our berth and leave it on at night with the squelch turned close to all the way up. If there is a 2am call likely to hear it.

The one technique?

Nesting.

We try to arrive at popular anchorages early and drop the hook. As the afternoon unfolds everyone else, especially less experienced, will follow suit and anchor all around us.

By 5 or 6 pm we up anchor and move to where we wanted to be in the first place.

Works like a charm :-)

[BugzyCan]

Originally Posted by akprb

The one technique?

Nesting.

We try to arrive at popular anchorages early and drop the hook. As the afternoon unfolds everyone else, especially less experienced, will follow suit and anchor all around us.

By 5 or 6 pm we up anchor and move to where we wanted to be in the first place.

Works like a charm :-)

That's awesome and a great tip. Now everyone is going to be doing this. lol

[Lihuedooley77]

Another problem, that might be mentioned,

You are all set, with plenty of swing room, well set anchor, you are racked out, and during the night, another vessel arrives and pulls in dead over your anchor line, powers ahead, lays out his anchor and then backs down. He checks his anchor is set, and sees no problem.

It appears there is more than enough swing room, and all is well.

Actually his vessel is laying over , your anchor, chain, and rode, with your rode, under his boat.

Morning, you see what the situation is, and they are in the cockpit, observing that you are moving toward them hauling in the chain and road. They are still sitting on their okoles, as we are a few feet away and getting closer hauling on our anchor line..

" Skipper, you are going to have to haul in on your anchor line, and or power a bit in forward, you are on top of Anchor and line, we cannot raise our anchor, and we are departing.

He starts yelling something, and just sits there.

Well, we are leaving, and need to retrieve our ground tackle. Talking to him, is not working.

Loudly to my crew, " Get our fenders set on port, prepare fend off !"

He does not like it, but that got him to the helm and his crew alert. He pulls up so that we can haul up our anchor and back astern to clear the area with plenty of room, and turn out to sea..


As others mentioned, crowded anchorages with lots of boats, some with skilled skppers and some not so skilled, but if things could get dicey, tidal, or wind direction change, or forecast strong winds and seas, we may have to do whatever it takes to avoid damage to our vessel. It just is not worth the alternative.

We mostly, when possible, use moorings now and rig double bridles, and that avoids the long anchor watches, we know the boat is safe, even if we are ashore, and getting a good nights sleep.

There is an an exception to that, an unattended 46 ft. anchored sailing vessel dragging into the moorings. But, that is another story.