Too Close! WAY TOO CLOSE! Anchoring Near Jerks

[dawnconn]

I set 7:1 in a regular anchorage and 5:1 when it's tight and weather allows. I think 12:1 is just ridiculous - you might as well anchor out on Grand Bahama Bank in a hurricane (well, not quite). Because I am a woman and usually sail alone I get all kinds nautical types wanting to tell me how to do it a better way! Blah, blah, blah! It's actually hilarious - but I only started getting a sense of humour about it after a while - when I found out that the loudest whatyamakoozits were usually full of horse manure.
Nowadays, I tend to scope out the situation carefully (no pun intended). I prefer the long ride in to the rowdy neighbours and grumpy seafarers - cheers!

[Reality Check]

Isn't it odd that so many reasonable intelligent mariners often don't appear to know the difference in a Parking Lot, a Mooring field and an Anchorage and seem to treat them all as parking lots with similar spacing!

I see this more in areas where a higher percent of the offenders are on vacation/ charter. Lack of local knowledge such as typical wind and current change overs, and unique conditions of some anchorages that are non typical are a prime component of bad anchoring technique.

[dawnconn]

Well, REALITY CHECK, when you actually live in an anchorage and see the cruisers, wannabes and weekenders come and go, you get to have a bit of a heart. Yes, they don't set their anchors correctly, they invariably put out enough rode for EVER or 3:1 which will hurt all of us. But, you can't blame them. You don't know what you're getting into when you go to an anchorage - even with local knowledge (which usually means a marina in the vacinity). - Cute story: One night me and my dude were below painting toenails when we heard a ruckus of a party above, Only to find this 32-36" boat dragging anchor toward us. We tried screaming and also talking on the radio, no one reponded. We watched it get nagged between two boats while everyone onboard had no idea and was below partying. I sat up to watch them in their horor and disbelief the next morning. They scrammed out of there in a heartbeat. Thank God (Goddess) that it was Boot Key Harbor and not somewhere where they could have actually hurt themselves.

[markpj23]

Originally Posted by forsailbyowner

When anchoring in st pete fl in vinoy basin you're assured drama during you're stay. During our last visit in one night one boat dragged across 3 other anchors and they all ended up against the seawall. Near the floating church a unattended sailboat dragged into a nice cat and did considerable damage and required towboat us divers to come out and untangle the rode off his prop. In yet another corner someone dragged into the rental boats did damage, then moved out without saing anything. I anchor in the ne corner when there, its the bumpiest spot there but there's noone to drag into me when a cold front comes through.

Yeah - the apparently abandoned boats there are a pain, and the holding ground is notoriously poor. Too bad the folks who just leave their boats at anchor there and take off for the summer season aren't held responsible when their lack of consideration causes damage to others. It's that behavior that spawns all the anti-anchoring ordinances...

Edit: OOPS - sorry for the thread drift!

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

I set out 10 to one.

I do the same mostly, at least 7 to 1 +

And have been guilty of the "Too Close" rant on more than 1 occasion.

I have had several boats over the years appear out of the gloom during weather dragging down on me that thankfully missed, one large steely would have taken us out if he hit and we were ready to climb aboard it as we were smashed and then ride it into the beach and step off.

I have had 2 boats over the years anchor too close that have dragged when the weather changed during the night that have actually hit me, and then upped anchor and pissed off leaving me to sort out and pay for damage done.

Some people have no idea or manners, I go cruising to get away from idiots not attract them.

Now I prefer to just cruise areas where weekend warriors don't go as they cant get there in a day or 3.



Dave

[MidLandOne]

Originally Posted by jens_elsborg

Suggestion: Why don't we start a new anchoring routine: when anchoring set a combination of e.g. 2 flags to indicate the scope of rode out. It seems this would educate everyone in an anchorage and create a better knowledge for newcomers when setting their anchors...all in all create a mutual communication throughout the anchorage..

It might be better for those who consider that they need to be told where everyone elses anchor is and how much cable they have got out actually learn how to manage a boat in an anchorage without having to be told those things.

But there again the flag idea could have merit if turned around to those who need to ask where everyone elses anchor is and what scope they are using being required to fly a "Learners" flag. Rather like in some countries where learner automobile drivers have to have a learners "L" plate. The "L" flags would show other anchorage users that one is a learner driver, so they can be more considerate of one in the anchorage while one is learning to anchor. Maybe a red "L" on a yellow background would be it ?

[zeehag]

i have watched as boats near me in the past have had nice cute little marker buoys on their anchor lines....the reality was those were the ones who dragged anchor as their boats ran over their own floaties and pulled up the anchors in the dark.......

[imagine2frolic]

Reality,

The remark to the parking lot was the example for the HERD MENTALITY. No matter where you go there is the herd mentality. Oh he's the only boat here, (car) and anchored up in a corner. He must know something, so let's go drop the hook close to him. Many are afraid to make the decision for themselves where to drop the hook, so they get as close as they can. There's close, and then there is downright rude stupidity......i2f

[GordMay]

Harbor Etiquette ~ by Chris Caswell
How to be a good neighbour

“... Too many skippers charge into an anchorage and shoehorn themselves into any open space without prior thought. A wiser skipper will cruise carefully through the anchorage, looking to see where the other boats have anchored (and why), how much scope they have out, and where there seem to be open spaces suitable for anchoring...”

Goto: ➥ Yachting Magazine - Harbor Etiquette

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Harbor Etiquette ~ by Chris Caswell
How to be a good neighbour

“... Too many skippers charge into an anchorage and shoehorn themselves into any open space without prior thought. A wiser skipper will cruise carefully through the anchorage, looking to see where the other boats have anchored (and why), how much scope they have out, and where there seem to be open spaces suitable for anchoring...”

Goto: ➥ Yachting Magazine - Harbor Etiquette

This is a lot easier to do if you also know where their anchors are ie. anchor float !

[jdoe71]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

This is a lot easier to do if you also know where their anchors are ie. anchor float !

In the excellent article Gord posted the link to, they have a really simple solution:

"To figure out your safety zone, you'll need to know how much scope the earlier boat has out, and the best way to find out is simply to cruise past and ask."

We have made a practice of seeking out alternate anchorages that conventional wisdom says are too shallow or too whatever, with our 4' wing keel and one sized up anchor they work for us. That way we are less likely to get sat on by late comers which happens all too often.

But doesn't it just boil down to simple human courtesy, a thing all too often forgotten in this world today?

[JF Koplitz]

funny, very funny, I think that I met them as well in South Florida

[imagine2frolic]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

This is a lot easier to do if you also know where their anchors are ie. anchor float !

Simple isn't it. Now I know where the anchor is, and I can make a good decision. It was the idiots that come charging in, and, or sat over my hook that causes me to give notice. Most of the time I am where most of you can't even get in.

As noted earlier most of the time I have about 80 ft out. Now if you are in 12ft. of water, and lay out 5 to 1. That pretty much leaves you with 60ft. out. Not much difference, and I can leave the boat all day not worrying much about squalls passing through. Where as 5 to 1 it will most likely be you dragging, and not me. You are still thinking mono, and not multi. Of course this is the same thinking when monos drop their hook close, and I begin to wander over my hook when wind, and current change, or maybe it is a lack of knowledge? I didn't know until I experienced it

Midland,
get off the nauti personal remarks. Personal remarks only prove the inability to debate:kissy:......LOLOLOLOL............i2f

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

Now if you are in 12ft. of water, and lay out 5 to 1. That pretty much leaves you with 60ft. out.

Scope is calculated by taking the depth PLUS the height to the bow roller, so with a 12' depth most of us would need around 85' out @5:1. Unless you meant 12"...you know how you multi-hullers like to brag! As for anchor floats, I'm gonna go ahead and post a 'NO" vote. Dont like the mess they can make in an emergency, and I think they're useless about 90% of the time. It's just not that hard to figure where other yachts anchors usually are. You can feel the wind direction, can compare it to the direction the other yachts are lying, and see the lay and configuration of their rode(s). Give them a mental 10:1 or so and there ya go.

[Connemara]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

What in the world is the primary purpose of a twenty pound sledge?

Just asking . . .

TaoJones

As I recall, John Henry had a 30-pound hammer ("I'm swinging 30 pounds from my hips on down."

But that hammer was the death of him, Lord, Lord.


Connemara