Anchoring too close to other boats?

[Chotu]

This should be an interesting thread.

I dropped anchor in a fairly crowded harbor 3 days ago. We were tired from the sail and the girlfriend was paying out the chain while I kept the boat on station.

Apparently it wasn't as payed out as I had thought. I let the boat drift back a bit to pay out the proper scope and we ended up a bit closer to another boat than I had anticipated. I guess it wasn't payed out all the way when I thought it was.

Now with the anchor holding well we are just a bit closer than I had planned to the other boat.

As the winds are increasing and changing through storms apparently our chain was straightened out even more putting us even closer to this guy.

I can't be more than 20 feet off his bow now if winds are lining up just wrong. Other times, everything is ok. Way too close for good seamanship. Yet, we won't ever touch. Currently have 150ft of chain out in 18ft of water.

It's night time right now and the winds are lining up just wrong. It appears he's asleep. I can't see well enough to move. Daytime? I would have already moved.

So does anyone think it's ok to just stay in this configuration for the night? How about staying like this for as long as we're here?

What are the opinions?

I'm a jerk who anchored too close. Unintentionally, but still a jerk.

On the other side, a different boat was too close to him too. The dinghy from that other boat was within 2ft of touching his boat. He can't be pleased with anything about this situation.

Thoughts?

[sailorboy1]

20'

that's too close for me

it's never too dark to pull up anchor

[Suijin]

I don't understand why you want opinions. You believe you anchored too close, and all we can do is trust your judgement. The "correct answer" is a function of the location, the weather forecast, the sea state, and the opinions of you and your neighbor.

I've been in crowded harbors where 20' was considered "normal" for lack of space and decent protection. I've been in others where 75' was considered too close based on available space and the local geography, currents, etc.

If you're concerned you are too close, get up and move. If you have some confidence that you'll be ok until morning, wait.

Personally, if I had any concern that I was too close I would have moved hours ago. Re-anchoring is a lot less hassle and a lot less expensive than dealing with a collision, fouled ground tackle, bad weather etc. in the middle of the night.

[Sparx]

I am leaving New England where 20 feet between boats is sometimes fine and normal in crowded anchorages. I always try to keep my scope similar to the adjacent boats in these situations.

150 feet of chain in 18 ft of water is at least 50 feet more than I would have used. Shortening up would solve the problem.

[Jim Cate]

150 feet of chain in 18 ft of water is at least 50 feet more than I would have used. Shortening up would solve the problem.

That's ~8:1 scope, and I agree that it is excessive in such a situation. Shortening even 25 feet would open up the spacing noticeably and relieve the anxiety and still leave you with around 7:1... usually only required in serious storm conditions with a chain rode.

You don't mention what sort of bottom or what sort of anchor. The ability to lie safely on 4:1 scope is an advantage of using a modern anchor of "too big" a size, as many experienced cruisers do.

Jim

[DefinitelyMe]

Might not be 8:1 scope. What's the height of your bow?

Re-anchoring is often not a cinch (for example, for those without electric windlasses). Surely we've all been in this situation before? Whether it's another boat, or a rock, or a reef or whatever.

Advice? Three options as i see it:

1) move
2) don't
3) haul in some scope

I'd probably go for option 3). Unless conditions are extreme the increase in holding power for scope beyond 5:1 is negligible. Since you're posting I'm guessing you have a phone and therefore an anchor alarm app? Take in 50' and you'll be 70' from the other boat with plenty of room to drag before you've woken up and found your elbow if that becomes necessary. Is it likely that you'll drag?

[Chotu]

Hey, sorry to those that didn't appreciate the thread. I thought I'd add to the "I made a mistake" genre of threads here and I guess it didn't go over too well.

I ended up doing nothing overnight but may move or shorten scope when the sun comes up.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Hey, sorry to those that didn't appreciate the thread. I thought I'd add to the "I made a mistake" genre of threads here and I guess it didn't go over too well.

I ended up doing nothing overnight but may move or shorten scope when the sun comes up.

Someone didn't appreciate the thread? I didn't notice that.


You are looking back critically at your own actions -- something some people never do. Good on you. Introspection is the engine of growth.



Like others, though, I don't see anything so bad which you did. 20 feet is not INHERENTLY too close; there are plenty of anchorages where that is the norm. You said yourself you would never touch. Your neighbor didn't complain. You're not a jerk. A jerk would never start a thread like this!



But as others said, how close is too close depends on the anchorage. Boats in an anchorage should be spaced somewhat evenly. In my opinion what you missed was the opportunity to take in some chain. Even if your bow roller is 1.5 meters above the water, you had 6.5:1 out and could shorten that up to 5:1 without any significant harm to anchor performance. That would have moved you away by 35 feet and would have solved your problem right on the spot.

[44'cruisingcat]

I guess when you're that close the real worry is, what if the wind (or tide) changes 180 degrees through the night? If your neighbour has more chain out than you do, you could end up really REALLY close.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

I guess when you're that close the real worry is, what if the wind (or tide) changes 180 degrees through the night? If your neighbour has more chain out than you do, you could end up really REALLY close.

This is why it's bad to have excessive chain out, and also why it is good to know what others are doing.


7:1, 8:1, 10:1 in crowded anchorages is just wrong. 5:1 is plenty; 6:1 if others are doing that, but a boat on 8:1 anchored close to boat on 5:1 or 4:1 is asking for trouble, at least in tidal waters.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

I guess when you're that close the real worry is, what if the wind (or tide) changes 180 degrees through the night? If your neighbour has more chain out than you do, you could end up really REALLY close.

We already went "bow to stern", where we are lined up with each other and that was the 20' distance. We can't touch. It's just an etiquette thing.

Unfortunately the winds have switched and will be keeping us this close.

[Mike OReilly]

I've been in places where 20' is lots. As long as you're confident you're holding, and can't touch, then I'd say you're ok. I'd worry about fouling your neighbour's anchor more than the proximity.

Unless I needed all that scope out I would definitely shorten up. If you have a good modern anchor holding at much less shouldn't be a problem, especially once the hook is well dug in.

I'd shorten scope, watch closely, and talk to your neighbour.

I do feel for you though. I hate crowded anchorages. It's a big part of the reason we're still cruising in more northern waters. I've been out for a month now and haven't shared an anchorage once. Heck, I've only seen three other recreational boats, period.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I've been in places where 20' is lots. As long as you're confident you're holding, and can't touch, then I'd say you're ok. I'd worry about fouling your neighbour's anchor more than the proximity.

Unless I needed all that scope out I would definitely shorten up. If you have a good modern anchor holding at much less shouldn't be a problem, especially once the hook is well dug in.

I'd shorten scope, watch closely, and talk to your neighbour.

I do feel for you though. I hate crowded anchorages. It's a big part of the reason we're still cruising in more northern waters. I've been out for a month now and haven't shared an anchorage once. Heck, I've only seen three other recreational boats, period.

That sounds great! Hoping to head up there next season. Plenty of room. Just don't get mad when someone boat anchors 20' away from you in an empty anchorage. Ha ha ha.

I usually go up where you are by RV.

[CaptTom]

Thanks for posting. We all hate unintentionally being "THAT Guy." Like the time I didn't secure the oversized mooring pendant eye to my forward cleat properly and went drifting by a neighboring moored boat WAY too close. Talk about embarrassing!

That said, if I had that much chain out, I'd probably be shortening scope long before I got within 20 feet of another boat. It's a simple solution which avoids moving and re-setting... for the time being. You can always move later if that turns out to be too short.

That, and an apologetic wave to the poor soul I swung too close to, would solve the problem.

[Peeew]

Thanks for posting this situation. I bet we have all been there and we hate being “that guy”. But sometimes we don’t end up where we thought we would. Perhaps boats swinging differently during setting the hook. Anyway, despite all the courtesy we try to give each other sometimes crowded anchorages mean we all don’t always get what we want as far as spacing goes. It was your decision to wait till morning, probably for a good reason. It seems that as long as you won’t hit you can move when you feel able to and let the other guy know that you didn’t end up with as much room as you had planned. Some good ideas already posted above for a short term solution and I am also learning from the suggestions.