Too Close! WAY TOO CLOSE! Anchoring Near Jerks

[imagine2frolic]

I see....so I am suppose to allow another boat to sit over the top of my anchor? If they are going to swing over the top of eventually they will settle over it. Now if they want to leave their boat early in the morning, and later their boat settles over my anchor. Then tell me please who is using bad manners? I am forced to stay, or do I push them out of the way?

Anyone should be able to pick up their anchor at anytime for any reason, and not have to wait for someone to return, or maybe they are on a side trip for several days. Who is staking claim now?

If ever you are here in this part of the world. Bouys at night are part of the game of survival. Most not even being the size of a clorox bottle, but half. Some of them with dark identification marks which makes less visibility still. Going slow with a proper lookout is the way to avoid them. To keep your blood pressure up they are even in the channels. 2 different areas of the world, and 2 different way things are done.....i2f

[MidLandOne]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

I see....so I am suppose to allow another boat to sit over the top of my anchor? If they are going to swing over the top of eventually they will settle over it. Now if they want to leave their boat early in the morning, and later their boat settles over my anchor. Then tell me please who is using bad manners? I am forced to stay, or do I push them out of the way?

If you don't know how to quietly and easily sort such a circumstance out then I suggest that you need to learn. It is very easy and should not present a problem to any skipper.

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

If ever you are here in this part of the world. Bouys at night are part of the game of survival. Most not even being the size of a clorox bottle, but half. Some of them with dark identification marks which makes less visibility still. Going slow with a proper lookout is the way to avoid them. To keep your blood pressure up they are even in the channels.

So because others set buoys everywhere that are a danger (you mention a "game of survival") then it is ok for you to do so? Those who anchor too close to others could use the same argument to justify themselves along the lines of "If ever you are here in this part of the world having people anchoring too close to you is just part of the game of survival. So it doesn't matter if I anchor too close to others".

Well, I'm off now to set some setlines and nets in the middle of a local channel, others do it here so I might as well do so too. Is their fault if they get fouled by them because as you say "Going slow with a proper lookout is the way to avoid them".

[Ram]

Sometimes I set a small float out if in an area where I may have troble getting the anchor up-a trip line- this is what I think most folks have them out for- not so much for marking your spot- I have seen this done all over the world-

[markpj23]

Originally Posted by MidLandOne

If you don't know how to quietly and easily sort such a circumstance out then I suggest that you need to learn. It is very easy and should not present a problem to any skipper....

Do tell.....

[roger.waite]

Sidestepping "buoy hazard" issues, I am interested in understanding why some seem comfortable with another boat lying right over their anchor.

To my mind - given the new arrival is clearly within another boat's swinging arc - its skipper has to assume his/her boat responds similarly (or at least compatibly) to the changing balance of wind and current.

But the new arrival will not typically know the other boat, nor how it moves on its ground tackle. Seems risky, but perhaps something accepted in crowded (weak tide?) areas?

What should I know about the new arrival if I want a sound night's sleep?

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by markpj23

Do tell.....

Yea, and while you are at it let us know about the threat of cutting someone adrift just because they use an anchor bouy.

Originally Posted by MidLandOne

I can tell you that you would find yourself either adrift from your anchor

Sheesh!

[roger.waite]

Originally Posted by Ram

Sometimes I set a small float out if in an area where I may have troble getting the anchor up-a trip line- this is what I think most folks have them out for- not so much for marking your spot- I have seen this done all over the world-

As Ram says. Especially if snorkelling won't get the anchor back.

[boatpoker]

I always have float on my anchor, always! I believe it is irresponsible not to know where your (& everyone else's) anchor is. As some one already said ... if your are riding over my float, you are too close and preventing me from weighing.

[MidLandOne]

Wow, I seem to have got all the "This buoy marks my anchor's spot" fanatics foaming at the mouth .

The fact is many manage without buoying their anchor and many (I suspect most of us in the wider world) manage to anchor without needing others to buoy their anchors. In some parts of the world no one ever buoys their anchor to mark its position nor needs others to do so - perhaps they are typically better seamen.

And also some appear to have no depth (sic) of understanding of the issues and so jump to very silly responses, for example -

Originally Posted by Therapy

Yea, and while you are at it let us know about the threat of cutting someone adrift just because they use an anchor buoy.

Sheesh!

Nowhere did I say anything about cutting anyone adrift - I said "that you would find yourself either adrift from your anchor...".

If you don't understand that a boat of size picking up your anchor buoy line either by swinging over it or driving over it is likely to unset your anchor then again, I suggest some learning is required.

With regards to the requests for me to teach how to handle an unattended boat that is sitting over ones anchor I'll leave that to others as those requesting that I do so have already dismissed what I have had to say so far. But I am surprised that some do not have the experience to handle such a situation easily and quietly - I, and I suspect most I know, would have thought it a pretty basic boat handling matter. Perhaps such inexperience leads some to believing that activities such as buoying their anchor to mark its spot is a necessity .

At that I'll leave you all to your anchor buoyng but trust that some others have thought less dismissively about what I have said.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by MidLandOne

Wow, I seem to have got all the "This buoy marks my anchor's spot" fanatics foaming at the mouth .

The fact is many manage without buoying their anchor and many (I suspect most of us in the wider world) manage to anchor without needing others to buoy their anchors. In some parts of the world no one ever buoys their anchor to mark its position nor needs others to do so - perhaps they are typically better seamen.

And also some appear to have no depth (sic) of understanding of the issues and so jump to very silly responses, for example -



Nowhere did I say anything about cutting anyone adrift - I said "that you would find yourself either adrift from your anchor...".

If you don't understand that a boat of size picking up your anchor buoy line either by swinging over it or driving over it is likely to unset your anchor then again, I suggest some learning is required. .

I understand that and at the same time I will admit to lack of recent experience but I still agree that if the buoy is there and you pull it up by going over it then your "learning" line can be returned to you.

Originally Posted by MidLandOne

With regards to the requests for me to teach how to handle an unattended boat that is sitting over ones anchor I'll leave that to others as those requesting that I do so have already dismissed what I have had to say so far. But I am surprised that some do not have the experience to handle such a situation easily and quietly - I, and I suspect most I know, would have thought it a pretty basic boat handling matter. Perhaps such inexperience leads some to believing that activities such as buoying their anchor to mark its spot is a necessity .

At that I'll leave you all to your anchor buoying but trust that some others have thought less dismissively about what I have said.

Your adamant objection to all anchor buoys is what is dismissed.

I would more than welcome the knowledge of how to get my little anchor out from under your boat and I also think Mark would too. And who knows how many others also, so, pray-tell us please since you have the experience.


PS. We can note the grin at the end but know it is a snide aloofness that put it there.

[MidLandOne]

Originally Posted by Therapy

Your adamant objection to all anchor buoys is what is dismissed.

You have not been reading (or perhaps not understanding) my posts. Nowhere have I objected "to all anchor buoys" and have been quite careful to make it clear that it is only those used by some to mark their anchor's spot that I refer to. Others have mentioned the use of anchor buoys in cases where fouling is a risk (eg on rocky ground, or where discarded cables, etc are known to exist) - I have never anywhere dismissed that use and rather consider it sensible.

Originally Posted by Therapy

I would more than welcome the knowledge of how to get my little anchor out from under your boat and I also think Mark would too.

Perhaps we should leave Mark to ask me himself, in private, should he wish to do so rather than make assumptions that he does not know how to. However, he seems a pretty resourceful fellow and I suspect it is not a problem he would find difficult to handle - besides, by his own account others in anchorages chase him away from their boats with shouts and rude finger signs so it is a matter he is unlikely to come across .

From the responses it would seem that use of an anchor buoy in anchorages is mostly a habit of some in the US. From my observation it is a habit that is grown out of by US sailors by the time they get to other parts of the world (and I have anchored or sailed with more than a few of them) or maybe it is a habit never felt needed by those of them that wander afar?

[speedoo]

As I understand it, the proponents of anchor floats say they are required for two reasons.... 1) to mark their anchor location and prevent other boats from anchoring so that they swing over that anchor location, and 2) to permit a trip line to be used to free a fouled anchor.

In my opinion, both of these reasons can be overcome.

If someone is sitting over my anchor, that does not necessarily mean they are too close to me, especially in deeper water where all boats are using plenty of scope. And if I want to weigh anchor, it is easy for them to shorten scope temporarily (assuming they are aboard) to give me room to do so. What if they are not aboard? Well, communication between the boats before the situation arises can certainly help, either to get that crew aboard when I want to weigh anchor, or to give me permission to push that boat out of the way when necessary, assuming it is not too heavy, and that said pushing is done in a seamanlike manner.

As for the trip line, I don't think it's necessary to use a float. Instead, why not just run the trip line from the anchor up the rode and secure it to the rode at a point where it can be accessed after bringing the rode aboard?

In my experience, few cruisers use anchor buoys, fortunately. If they did, anchorages would have room for even fewer cruisers and we would all be finding it more difficult to anchor where we want to.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by speedoo

In my experience, few cruisers use anchor buoys, fortunately. If they did, anchorages would have room for even fewer cruisers .

Yeah, thats what we have observed. Very few use one. Except for rocky or coral bottom. And one shouldn’t anchor in coral so as to preserve it

In the Caribbean we noticed in some of the more busy bays, Margot for example people would go for a sail and leave a fender etc tied to their anchor or anchoring spot. Well there are fewer things more contemptible in anchoring etiquette.
Everyone should be given a chance in the 'best' spot. We should all be on a little rota. Actually we all are! Its called Manners

A good example of how close its possable to anchor is sometimes a really realy tight bay where locals have been anchoring for years. People can pack a bay and 10 foot miss swinging seems heaps

We have 10 x chain out now, but its blowing 25+ and will be for the next coupla days (we are clearing off tomorrow to a creek) and the holding is said to be iffy. Mind you we have been stuck like glue here for a few days, so, touch wood, our trip off the boat tonight for a *real* shower and BBQ should be fine

By the way, when a landlubber offers you a shower in his house but actually has a BIG bath, is it impolite to say: "Shower? Stuff you! I'm having a BATH!!!!!!!!!"


Mark

[jkd]

[quote=MarkJ;278897]



By the way, when a landlubber offers you a shower in his house but actually has a BIG bath, is it impolite to say: "Shower? Stuff you! I'm having a BATH!!!!!!!!!"

Mark,

This is perfectly acceptable as long as you don't shout out to the host (or worse, the hostess) to bring you another beer while in the tub.

John

[boatpoker]

Our cruising ground runs from the Great Lakes to the Bahamas and I have never anchored in more than 16' of water and we use all chain rode. In tidal areas I find that at least twice a day my boat is facing in one direction and my anchor float is 100' off my stern.
With a float anyone coming into that anchorage will know where my anchor is so he knows where he can drop his safely.

Please note I have responded without snide commentary.