Too Close! WAY TOO CLOSE! Anchoring Near Jerks

[MarkJ]

Yesterday motoring slowly through the anchorage towards a good spot, Nic already on the bow, I passed a lady on her boat and gave her a friendly wave. To which she responded pointing to keep going.

Now thats ignorant....

In Sydney a few months ago coming into the international anchorage this voice yelled out "Too Close! You're WAY too close!"
It was yell, but not loud as he was so farrrrrr away from our boat. Obviously he has a superior swinging room of some many meters bordering on nautical miles.

Later coming over in the dinghy he said the immortal line of wankers: "Ive been cruising for 16 years...." to which I, of course, tuned out.

His boat name, now I wont be specific as its not fair to him nor his country, but it is a word that indicates a relaxed frame of mind.

Every boat that came into the anchorage would see his head pop up from below as he guarded his space: TOO CLOSE! WAY TOO CLOSE!

Then I saw his wife pop up and scream to a speed boat "Too Fast! You're Going TOO FAST!"

I couldn’t believe it!

Next day, believe this or not.. He popped his head out of the companionway and yelled at one boat as his wench popped, rabbit like, out of the forward hatch at a speed boat: "TOO CLOSE TOO FAST YOU'RE WAY TOO FAST CLOSE!"

As weird as situations are in the cruising community a few days later I had to go rescue a boat that was dragging across the anchorage. A 1 day old Cat sans crew dropped too little and scudded into the harbour wall.

Mr TOO CLOSE was driving past in his dink and decided to lend a hand.
After we fixed the situation we had a bit of a chat and this guy seemed like a normal human after all, and quite a nice person.

I was left to wonder how many anguished moments in their 16 years they have unnecessarily had and how many friends in 16 years that they had not made.

It came back to me yesterday when my friendly wave was met with a pointed finger: Go that way because you'll be Too Close.

That bitch may be the nicest person in the world but it will be very difficult for her to ever be a friend of mine.

Cruising is a wonderful life where we are meant to be relaxed. Most cruisers I know are pretty friendly folk who after 5 minutes chat will have you aboard for a cuppa tea, and after 10 minutes are friends for life. No matter who the hell drives into the anchorage I give them the benefit of the doubt that they may well be able to drop the pick without a nigh on miraculous error.


Mark

[sfreivald]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Next day, believe this or not.. He popped his head out of the companionway and yelled at one boat as his wench popped, rabbit like, out of the forward hatch at a speed boat: "TOO CLOSE TOO FAST YOU'RE WAY TOO FAST CLOSE!"

Mark

Thanks for the laugh, Mark! It is their loss....

Sarah

[Sandero]

Choosing where to drop your hook can be a complex process and is driven by many considerations. Among them are:

how close you want to be to shoreside facilities and the dinghy dock, or how far away. This is both a security concern, a "noise issue" and a peace and quiet issue. By anchoring close, you can row if need be, but have to suffer all the "traffic" of dinks streaming in and out to the other boats, plus perhaps the noise associated with bars and restuarants and so forth.

Then there's the "view" and this also might involve the boats you anchor next to because they become your scenary. I like to anchor near boats of "interest" to be since we spend time in the cockpit and studying other boats is one way we learn and nothing beats being achored next to a gorgeous yacht! Of course, there's the view of the shore side facilities or lack there of which is another consideration of where you drop your hook

And let's not leave our the bottom both depth and type. This will determine how much scope you need and it's good to know that yo9ur neighbers have the same so when a wind shift occurs you are not banging beams!

Which brings me to winds and weather. If the prevailing wind is means that close in offers calmer waters this might a consideration as well since the further out you do, the larger the seas where a ripple can become a small wave train and the "lee" is hardly felt. And then there are those winds shift where the wind is from outside the anchorage providing a "lee shore" Wind shifts mean that anchored boats will re orinent themselves and if they have different scope this does become messy IF they are packed quite close (as often is the case close to the shore).

The decision of where to drop the hook is often not as open as one would like and you have to let some of your "priorities" slide and take what you can... and no two anchorages offer the same set of "challenges".

Hopefully the hook stays put and you can enjoy your stay and your new neighbors don't drive you nuts..

[Fishspearit]

Mark, That was one of the funniest posts I think I've ever read on here, and I think I saw that same guy over on this side of the world last month. We were in a fairly crowded anchorage that sees a lot of snowbirds coming through on their way north from the Bahamas. This guy on the blue hulled boat would pop his head out and start yelling the same line, "you're too close!" everytime someone pulled up near him. Inevitably, the anchorage became full everywhere except around this one boat, which had a nice 500' clear radius around him. Quite entertaining. Every evening right about cocktail time we would watch the new boats come into the anchorage and, of course, invariably they would head straight to the open area and we would try to time this guy's reaction. 5....4...3...2...1...."you're too close!!"

[Hud3]

Funny how that couple gets around! I've seen them, too, but it was in Admiralty Harbour, Bequia, in the Grenadines. It reminded me of that meerkat show...you know, the one where the little furry beasts stick their heads up out of their burrows and peer around.

[FrankZ]

I came into a local creek to anchor for the first cruise of the season a couple years ago. We looked at the lay of the other boats and picked a spot. As we moved in a fellow on a much larger boat started yelling his anchor was "right there!" So we picked a different spot.

Once we had the hook down and were settled in I noticed the 8 boats I was anchored with were all kind of shoved to the side and this guy had a huge amount of space around him. I suspect his anchor was "right there" no matter where you wanted to stop. And watching his boat move around with wind and current his anchor had to be in a different spot.

I suspect he has a high fence around his ranch as well.

[Sahara]

Boy, that guy gets around. He was at Block Island a few years ago, had a power boat then, his neighbors just learned to ignore him. He honest to god thought he could go to Block Island in August and have the place to himself. One night we had a party with all the people he'd yell at whenever you got within earshot.

Funny, I'd been anchored for 3 days, including holding in 35 knots in a thunderstorm, when we made the mistake of sailing near him in our Trinka, he came out and informed us we were still anchored too close, and that now we were sailing too close.

Has to be the same guy.

[Mule]

There is a 3 word retort I use in situtations like you guys describe. It goes like this, "Kiss My Ass" followed with a one finger salute. Follow it with something like, "Show me the your deed for this harbor and then and only then will I listen, otherwise I will anchor, navagate as I see fit."

Bullies as you describe generally fold like a lawn chair when confronted. Now I do not go out of my way for confrontation but when it is called for it is best to get the conflict out of the way early on. Granted, this technique is difficult to know when to use if you just arrive and do not know the lay of the land, but there are times. Tone of voice and facial expression of the initial contact is an indicator. Rude people really pi55 me off.

[David M]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

His boat name, now I wont be specific as its not fair to him nor his country, but it is a word that indicates a relaxed frame of mind.

S/V Diarrhea?

[bstreep]

Actually, this is the best way to find GOOD neighbors.

But, I have to tell you, I'm the guy who yells at the jet skis in the marina... We have a rental place, and I've seen idiots doing 50 IN the marina!

[Captain Bill]

While everyone here is protesting the rudeness of people who complain your anchoring too close let me give you an example of the other side of this issue. Five years ago in Honeymoon Harbor in the Bahamas, on a 30 foot Mainecat, we anchored up with a nice 10-15 knot breeze. About 2 hours later a 50 foot ketch pulled up beside us and a bit forward and dropped his anchor. When he secured his rode he was literally 10 feet off of our port side. When we protested he said don't worry I keep my mizzen up and I don't swing. When we pointed out that in a breeze we do swing he suggested that we move our boat if we didn't like it. Needless to say that some angry words were exchanged. Eventually he was convinced to move his boat.

[Mule]

It is a 2 way street, there is time to stand your ground and sounds like you know when. How did (do) you like the Mecat?

[camaraderie]

Pet anchoring peeves:
1. Those who insist on laying our 12:1 rodes in crowded anchorages in benign conditions.
2. Those who pull in and set 2 anchors when surrounded by others on one anchor.
3. Those who pull in and set along side where "sailing" at anchor could damage my boat.
4. Those who lay their chain on top of my rode. Then hook it.
5. Those who arrive in a packed harbor late on a prediction of heavy weather and proceed to try to anchor in the middle of the pack where they will swing into others when the wind comes around.
6. Those who drop the hook with 3:1 scope and promptly go off to town for dinner.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by bstreep

But, I have to tell you, I'm the guy who yells at the jet skis in the marina...

I have to confess that not only have I yelled at jet skiers in the marina, but that I once told a far smaller boat that had anchored upwind of me that he was WAY TOO CLOSE! And the jerk responded by pulling both our rodes up on the way out.

I confess, further, that it's somewhat satisfying watching someone without a windlass trying to figure out how to release your all-chain rode from his tiny danforth.

[imagine2frolic]

I set out 10 to one. The reason being I go to shore a lot, and when a 60mph squall comes through. I am only rattled a wee bit unti I see her sitting there comfortably. It's nearly everyday in my area. Most of the time I have a clorox bottle attatched near the anchor for identification.

Because cats wonder more than mono, and I don't always sit the same. I do warn where my anchor is if a clorox bottle is not attatched. I have left a good anchorage late at night more than once. The current, and wind shift, and I am not sitting like everyone else. I just move to protect myself. Most mono people don't understand how a cat will wonder.

I dislike when I am an anchorage enough for 20 boats. Tucked up in the corner all alone. The next boat comes in, and practically drops his hook on top of mine. That herd mentality bugs me.......i2f