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Old 09-08-2018, 14:04   #61
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

Not that I would ever think that everyone posting here is not the best anchor professor out there , but some times it makes me laugh to hear the stories and your woes. we all started somewhere and some times things go wrong and wow there are idiots out there , but I am also intrigued to ask about this matter of people anchoring in an idyllic space and then being invaded by others who crowd their space , if I m not mistaken most cruisers are guests in another country, nor do they own or posses the seabed or sea that they cruise on nor is there such a thing as a yachts personal space, (and please no boat etiquette ******** there are over 200 countries in the world we don't all conform to a certain group of countries views) , so why do you get irritated by others so close , say hello invite them for food they may become your best friends , come on peeps this forum post reeks of snobbery

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Old 09-08-2018, 15:00   #62
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

Well said and right on the mark.
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Old 09-08-2018, 15:04   #63
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

I have been dragged down on several times, twice with serious consequences. So when yet another incapable sailor comes in and anchors in front of me, or even on top of my anchor, I try very hard to remain friendly and politely explain why this is not a good idea. Sometimes it is well received, sometimes not, but at some point we do have to act to protect our vessels.

As to why this happens, I put it down to a combination of ignorance and arrogance. Sometimes noobs simply don't realize how much there is to learn about anchoring - and yachting etiquette - and so are unprepared. Forgivable, and with the right attitude, improvable. Others take the point of view that they are smart enough to earn the money for the boat so are clearly capable of operating the boat, and will thus avoid spending the time and effort to learn. There is little to be done with them but to move away as they are not open to advice. When given, the response will be along the lines "I'm as good a man as you so don't tell me what to do"; as good a man is debatable, but we should all keep our minds open to advice. One of the best arguments for a power windlass is that it makes it easy to move away from such folks.

This hints at the larger issue, one we see on CF a lot: so many people think that buying a boat makes them a captain - it does not. They want to go straight to captain without much if any crewing experience or course work. There is a reason the USCG requires years at sea, plus passing a test, to get a master's license. On another thread a while back one poster argued that his 2-1/2 weeks of training, 5 weeks of practice, and another 5 weeks of working on the boat was adequate preparation for cruising. I just pray he doesn't anchor near me...


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Old 09-08-2018, 15:29   #64
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

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I hope you're making that up for comedic effect.


I hope everyone who reads it, realizes that you are making it up for comic effect.
I did get out my spotlight and light up a nearby power boat that started his very noisey generator at midnight. Took 2 times but he did shut it down.
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Old 09-08-2018, 16:06   #65
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

Ah Ha !!! ... So now I know who you are Mr. Flash light guy
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Old 09-08-2018, 18:37   #66
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

I will tell a story that has a bit of a lesson.


We were spending a weekend cruising in the Solway Firth and decided to visit the Pub on the Ilse of Whithorn, there were 2 of us and our yacht was an IOR 1/4 tonner "Privateer of Rathan"


The Isle of Whithorn Harbour (or what passes for one) dries out, so we securely anchored about 1/4nm off the beach, and took off to the Isle of Whithorn pub for a meal and pint of ale or three. Excellent Scampi & chips and the Younger's Tartan went down very well. I did a indifferent rendition of Walzing Matilda with the attractive lass folk singer who was the entertainment.
Come closing time, back to the yacht, my sailing companion, 6'1" of drunken Scotsman, had to be helped to walk.
No trouble finding our inflatable dinghy, the yacht was a different matter, in our hurry we hadn't turned on the anchor light, simple enough to do because in Scotland in summer it is light till about 2030.
When we wanted to return it was as black as the inside of a cow.



So with a semi-comatose Scotsman lying in the bottom of the dinghy I set about finding the yacht, took me about 30 minutes of sweeping parallel to the beach with about a 2ft swell running. Found the yacht securely anchored were we left it.


The next problem was getting Jock back on board, problem solved by dropping the lifelines on the port side, putting a sheet firmly round Jock's chest, and winching him on board using the starboard sheet winch. He was too heavy to get below so I covered him up with a secured headsail, and turned in.


When Jock awoke in the morning he had no recollection of the trip back from the pub, but complained of the mass of bruises and abrasions suffered when I dragged him out of the dinghy and back on board.


Moral - If you anchor and go ashore for an evening remember to switch on the anchor light and anything else that will help you identify and get back to the vessel.
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Old 09-08-2018, 19:32   #67
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

While it is easy to bash credit card captains and rich guys with shiny new anchors my pet peeve goes in the other direction. How many remember the couple who sold everything and bought a beat up boat that sunk on them soon after. They then had donations that bought them a new boat.

Problem is I would bet I spend more on my ground tackle than they did on their boat. I have two anchors mounted on the bow, an Manson Supreme with 175 feet of chain and a Bruce with 75 feet of chain; both with 200 feet of nylon. Plus a nice Danforth easy to get in the rope and anchor locker, and another Danforth under the cockpit seat.


My experience has been that good ground tackle makes up for a lot of mistakes anchoring and even the best seaman can't really anchor well with poor ground tackle.


Of course nothing can fix stupid and there are folks who will never have the common sense to anchor well. But my take is the place to start a discussion on anchoring is with how good the ground tackle is.
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Old 09-08-2018, 19:34   #68
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

Quote:
Originally Posted by KiwiKen View Post
I will tell a story that has a bit of a lesson.


We were spending a weekend cruising in the Solway Firth and decided to visit the Pub on the Ilse of Whithorn, there were 2 of us and our yacht was an IOR 1/4 tonner "Privateer of Rathan"


The Isle of Whithorn Harbour (or what passes for one) dries out, so we securely anchored about 1/4nm off the beach, and took off to the Isle of Whithorn pub for a meal and pint of ale or three. Excellent Scampi & chips and the Younger's Tartan went down very well. I did a indifferent rendition of Walzing Matilda with the attractive lass folk singer who was the entertainment.
Come closing time, back to the yacht, my sailing companion, 6'1" of drunken Scotsman, had to be helped to walk.
No trouble finding our inflatable dinghy, the yacht was a different matter, in our hurry we hadn't turned on the anchor light, simple enough to do because in Scotland in summer it is light till about 2030.
When we wanted to return it was as black as the inside of a cow.



So with a semi-comatose Scotsman lying in the bottom of the dinghy I set about finding the yacht, took me about 30 minutes of sweeping parallel to the beach with about a 2ft swell running. Found the yacht securely anchored were we left it.


The next problem was getting Jock back on board, problem solved by dropping the lifelines on the port side, putting a sheet firmly round Jock's chest, and winching him on board using the starboard sheet winch. He was too heavy to get below so I covered him up with a secured headsail, and turned in.


When Jock awoke in the morning he had no recollection of the trip back from the pub, but complained of the mass of bruises and abrasions suffered when I dragged him out of the dinghy and back on board.


Moral - If you anchor and go ashore for an evening remember to switch on the anchor light and anything else that will help you identify and get back to the vessel.
Been there. Next time leave him in the dink.
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Old 09-08-2018, 21:40   #69
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

Nice little thread, thanks. Our local island, Rottnest, is dynamite during the holiday periods and I try to avoid it. But, made a mistake a couple of years ago and went over for New Year's Eve. Crowded anchorage, good sand bottom, protected from swell and shallow. The PROBLEM: there is a local custom by some, mostly motor boats, to use two bow anchors set at up to 90's. I found a slot between two boats and tried to anchor; set but not happy. So went to pull it up and found I was pulling up a boat that wasn't even next to me but two boats away. So, pulling that monster toward another monster. A few got nervous enough to hop in their dinghies and come and help sort out the mess. My boat is steel with a pretty long bowsprit so they had a good reason to get nervous. No damage done but nerve wracking, I'll tell you!
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Old 09-08-2018, 22:35   #70
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

Seems what changed in last 30 years is your attitude. Sure you and I know a lot more with all our experience, but cut the young folks some slack, Maybe bring em a couple cold beers and you could slip in a few pointers about anchoring ettiquite in the conversation.
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Old 09-08-2018, 22:40   #71
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

Close anchoring is often cured by pointing the Honda Generator tail end at the offending boat and making a tank of hot water, with eco mode off if course.
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Old 09-08-2018, 23:15   #72
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

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Now and then I entertain the anchored crowd by going on deck and throwing a fortress as far as I can. First time I did it a dozen of my fellow sailors nearly wet themselves in laughter.
That's hilarious. I'm laughing right now. It reminds me of a time we put down the hook to dive down for our lunch. We're in about 60' in open water and the only boat around. While getting suited up we see a boat approaching. Crazy skipper comes within two boat lengths and drives circles around our boat a couple laps. Then he comes to a stop upwind of us and heaves the danforth as far as he can. Then I notice every bit of rode follows down into the depths. That picture is as vivid today as it was then. What a hoot.

We're all laughing. As humiliating as that must be, it must be worse that the children laugh too. My dad and older brother dive down to retrieve...and find three more anchors to be salvaged. Plus the bottom is littered with fishing weights, which to us who cast our own dive weights is like finding a treasure.
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Old 09-08-2018, 23:33   #73
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

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Not that I would ever think that everyone posting here is not the best anchor professor out there , but some times it makes me laugh to hear the stories and your woes. we all started somewhere and some times things go wrong and wow there are idiots out there , but I am also intrigued to ask about this matter of people anchoring in an idyllic space and then being invaded by others who crowd their space , if I m not mistaken most cruisers are guests in another country, nor do they own or posses the seabed or sea that they cruise on nor is there such a thing as a yachts personal space, (and please no boat etiquette ******** there are over 200 countries in the world we don't all conform to a certain group of countries views) , so why do you get irritated by others so close , say hello invite them for food they may become your best friends , come on peeps this forum post reeks of snobbery

I await with my tin pot on
That's the kind of thing a person tells themself to cover for their own ignorance or lack of experience. It belongs right there with, 'two kinds of sailors, those who have run aground and those who lie about it'.

The truth is we have all started somewhere but the implication is all are equal. Clearly that is not the case. So let's be honest about it. Starting small, in some backwater, in the back bay, or what have you, is vastly different than one who drops his dough to buy, say a 30' sloop to be taken upon open waters.

So not everyone was blessed to start as a kid. But there is no excuse to bypass the years to build the experience. That is the crux of the matter; people wanting to jump right in, to jump to a level which exceeds their ability.

You might change your tune when you've been damaged by another who apparently didn't know any better - or seeming more so these days, doesn't care - but from the vantage of experience was wholly preventable.
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Old 10-08-2018, 01:27   #74
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

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So not everyone was blessed to start as a kid. But there is no excuse to bypass the years to build the experience. That is the crux of the matter; people wanting to jump right in, to jump to a level which exceeds their ability.
Sorry - I didn't realise I needed an excuse to buy a boat and go sailing?
I'm not sure I have an excuse, I just wanted to do it...

My first boat was 37 ft. And a couple of weeks after leaving Melbourne we pulled into a popular anchorage with a 40+ knot front forecast. Dropped the pick perhaps 30m to the side of another boats bow, and fell back, letting out 50m of chain. Only to have the skipper of the boat we were close to ask if we would not be happier pursuing a life of 'sex and travel'.
I asked if he thought we were too close, he assented colorfully, so we moved.

Now, that skipper could have easily played it in a more friendly manner and made a friend. And with a little more experience I would have dropped our pick level with his stern rather than bow - at the time I was thinking we were going to be using approx 7:1 scope, so having the pick level and 30m off his bow would have us hanging well back. But instead I just chatted with other cruisers about what a grumpy old fart he was.

I do find the idea that you need years of experience to be able to anchor well amusing. Why is it any harder than checking with others already there about how they are lying to their anchor, pick a spot where you are not going to bang into other boats, drop a new gen anchor and lay out scope while reversing, lock off chain and dig in with some reverse thrust. If the pick doesn't hold, chose a better spot and try again. Add a bridle or a second anchor to hold your boat in a particular orientation if you want.

I've dived on the anchor a bunch, and got used to seeing the rocna roll bar poking out of the sand. Occasionally at the end of a short trench if there is weed or soft mud.

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Old 10-08-2018, 01:43   #75
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Re: Most Sailors Can't Anchor Properly!

I find most sailors CAN anchor properly. A few don't seem to have much idea though.
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