Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 01-04-2011, 06:16   #16
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Hudson Valley N.Y.
Boat: contessa 32
Posts: 826
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use? Where to Anchor? - Block Island, RI

Hi all:been anchoring in BI for most summers of last 30 yrs. various boats,various anchors,and dragged afew times mostly with a plow and chain but with short scope. Never had a problem with a danforth there ,but the seatow guy is spot on with his advice and have experienced the weed/root issues he mentions here in the Hudson R.when anchor digs in at base of a weed with tenacious roots and with great holding until lthe whole plant mass pulls free over time and the resulting ball of vegeatation prevents a reset.
BTW, Block is breezy,the holding is so so , botom is deep in middle and crowded during summers and there can be a 1 mile fetch in G.Salt Pond with Tall Ships ,Tugs and Large Cabin cruisers all mixed in with world class circumnavigators and sport fishermen. This alone is worth the trip, just favor your heavier ground tackle.
FWIW: my new manson supreme worked well there last year , so will keep it as a primary.
mrohr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16-04-2011, 10:58   #17
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Clew Bay, Ireland
Boat: Bowman 57 -- Aleria
Posts: 79
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use? Where to Anchor? - Block Island, RI

Unless you have a new generation anchor and 300 feet of chain, the place not to anchor is in the middle where there's a 50-foot hole with sloping sides. It's usually the only open space in the harbor. There's a reason why.
CruisingKitty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16-04-2011, 13:26   #18
Registered User
 
SearenitySail's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Great South Bay, Long Island, NY, USA
Boat: TPI Lagoon 35ccc Catamaran designed by Morrelli & Melvin
Posts: 219
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use? Where to Anchor? - Block Island, RI

CruisingKitty,

Thanks for the tip. Fortunately I don't draw much, and my plans are for mid-week (and not July 4 week) as I have been there on a friend's boat and seen some of the madness that can occur on a weekend.

Marshall
__________________
"People sail for fun and no one has yet convinced me that it's more fun to go slow than it is to go fast." -Dick Newick
SearenitySail is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-07-2011, 08:15   #19
Registered User
 
Tempest245's Avatar

Join Date: May 2008
Location: Piscataway, NJ
Boat: 34 Sabre Tempest
Posts: 960
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use? Where to Anchor? - Block Island, RI

I know this is an older thread, but I will revive it to relate my recent experience last weekend. We anchored near the near the north corner, east of c 11 in the area shown in Dougs snapshot. We were probably on the 26' mark. We arrived friday and found plenty of space to anchor there. By saturday boats starting arriving and anchoring pretty close, with what appeared to be very little scope judging by the angle of their rode. One boat, dropped anchor ( all chain ) got in their dinghy and left. I could read the boats name on their transom. A few hours later, when the wind picked up it became clear that he was slowly dragging through the field. With a few more swings he would have either hit another vessel....behind me...or would have slipped through and ended up on the shore. At that point we called the Harbormaster and alerted him to the situation. Within minutes 2 tow boats appeared on the scene. I'm guessing the 1st to arrive gets the job. The boat US towboat operator tied alongside and towed him away from the other vessel. Then he raised his anchor, which was clearly just sitting on the bottom..as it took no effort to free.
They towed the vessel to a nearby mooring ball on the edge of the channel and left it there

To my knowledge the owners did not return that evening, nor was their dinghy there when I awoke the next morning to depart at 7 am. As we raised our anchor we came within a foot of a another vessel in front of us, whose boat was sitting almost right above our anchor. Only the wind direction at that moment prevented us from having to get them to move..to retrieve our anchor.

I usually try to grab one of the green town moorings simply to avoid all this nonsense, or you can call the harbormaster on ch 12 to see if one of the private moorings is available for the night. Stephen Land is very helpful!! They want everyone to be safe and have a good time.

My advice to anchoring, besides having good tackle, is pretty standard. Spend some time on your vessel to make sure you've got good holding before you leave your vessel and head to shore... and observe how those around you are swinging and how much scope they have deployed.
__________________
Tempest
Tempest245 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-07-2011, 18:50   #20
Registered User
 
SearenitySail's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Great South Bay, Long Island, NY, USA
Boat: TPI Lagoon 35ccc Catamaran designed by Morrelli & Melvin
Posts: 219
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use ? Where to Anchor ? - Block Island, RI

Tempest,
Great post. More visitors to BI should read it!

Marshall
__________________
"People sail for fun and no one has yet convinced me that it's more fun to go slow than it is to go fast." -Dick Newick
SearenitySail is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-07-2011, 03:44   #21
S/V rubber ducky
 
sailorboy1's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: heading "south"
Boat: Hunter 410
Posts: 20,362
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use? Where to Anchor? - Block Island, RI

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tempest245 View Post
I know this is an older thread, but I will revive it to relate my recent experience last weekend...................
My advice to anchoring, besides having good tackle, is pretty standard. Spend some time on your vessel to make sure you've got good holding before you leave your vessel and head to shore... and observe how those around you are swinging and how much scope they have deployed.

Just to ask, but as you were there before most others showed up did anyone ask you how much scope you had out before dropping their anchor and heading to shore?
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
sailorboy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-07-2011, 04:25   #22
Registered User
 
Opie91's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: CT
Boat: C&C 34
Posts: 1,045
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use ? Where to Anchor ? - Block Island, RI

I am with Tempest on the town moorings if you can get one. Block Island just seems to be a magnet for everyone who can't anchor.

Two summers ago a 65 foot cabin cruiser anchored in front of me and ran into town 10 minutes after arriving. He was sitting right on top of my anchor. 15 minutes later the boat started dragging down on me and the only person on board was a woman who kept yelling she could not run the boat. I called the harbor master and let him know what was going on. Luckily I have a 400 ft rode and was able to let out another 150 ft (which kept me from having to cut it) The harbor master and a tow boat hooked up just as the captain came back to the boat. At that point the boat was about 20 foot off my bow.

About 30 minutes after that happened a trawler pulled into the harbor and tried to set his hook. First attempt he had no success, so he hauled in his rode about half way and left his anchor in the water about 20 feet down. After cruising around the harbor a while he collected a sail boat and could not figure out why someone was following him. It was ridiculous everyone was yelling at him and the harbor master had to make another trip out to straighten this guy.

This really made me think what happens out here when I am in town.

My preferred area to anchor is where doug86 recommends. Its a longer dingy ride, but the boat population is a lot smaller on all but the busiest weekends.

f
Opie91 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-07-2011, 05:16   #23
Registered User
 
doug86's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Between Block Island and Bahamas
Boat: Marine Trader 40' Sedan Trawler, 1978. WATER TORTURE
Posts: 715
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use ? Where to Anchor ? - Block Island, RI

Last weekend, someone reported a boat dragging down on them. It was in about 6' of water over near "dinghy beach". First I had to dive in the water to unfoul the neighbors rode from this guy's prop, then I pulled his anchors so I could tow him to safety (no one on board this 38' SeaRay).

The boater had put tow anchors out, a small Bruce and a Danforth, each connect to about 20' of chain, then a swivel, then another 60' or so of single chain rode to the boat. When I pulled the anchors, this is what I found. The owner insists his boat could not have dragged....
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_0150.jpg
Views:	274
Size:	54.1 KB
ID:	29839  
__________________
"When one is willing to go without, then one is free to go." - doug86
doug86 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-07-2011, 06:19   #24
Registered User
 
Tempest245's Avatar

Join Date: May 2008
Location: Piscataway, NJ
Boat: 34 Sabre Tempest
Posts: 960
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use? Where to Anchor? - Block Island, RI

Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Lucas View Post
Just to ask, but as you were there before most others showed up did anyone ask you how much scope you had out before dropping their anchor and heading to shore?
Nope! The guy who dragged, set his anchor from the cockpit on a windlass. I never saw him go to the bow. It also seemed like once the anchor hit bottom, I don't remember him paying out any scope. There was a pretty large circle or opening in the already anchored boats that he could have set in the center of; as it was he set on the edge of the circle nearest us. I thought for a moment to shout over and suggest he move further into that openng, but I didn't want to be the Anchor Nazi. Next time- I will be a little more pro-active

I was more worried at the time about the other vessel that came to rest almost on top of our anchor. He did not drag though.

Before this, I have either been lucky enough to grab a town ball, obtain a private ball from the harbormaster, or I have done the raft thing at Champlains for a night then grabbed a ball the next morning. So, I had only read about the anchoring difficulties. Now, I have seen 1st hand what goes on.

The time before this, I had heard that people were sailing over from the mainland during the week to grab a town ball, take the ferry home and return on the weekend to begin their vacation.
__________________
Tempest
Tempest245 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-07-2011, 14:35   #25
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Smithfield Va.
Boat: '72 Tanzer 28 "Her Idea"
Posts: 320
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use ? Where to Anchor ? - Block Island, RI

Just spent a week on Great Island...got to see alot of nice boats...and a bunch of folks who should not drive them...lol....I like watching the old Rhode Islanders do their thing on the water...the tourists..not so much.

Clams are good this year.
__________________
1972 Tanzer 28 "Her Idea"
zopi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-07-2011, 14:58   #26
Moderator
 
Pete7's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Solent, England
Boat: Moody 31
Posts: 18,398
Images: 22
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use ? Where to Anchor ? - Block Island, RI

Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING--absolute nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing,' he went on dreamily: `messing--about--in--boats; messing----

Ratty, Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Pete7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-07-2011, 15:22   #27
Registered User
 
Kettlewell's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Massachusetts
Boat: Finnsailer 38
Posts: 5,077
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use ? Where to Anchor ? - Block Island, RI

For some reason Block Island is particularly zooey in the summer, even compared to places like Newport that are even more crowded. Part of the problem is that it has a big party reputation that is well justified and half of the harbor is rushing ashore to get sloshed while the other half is onboard already sloshed. I tend to avoid it during high season. It is much more pleasant in September or October, or at least go mid-week during the summer and skip Race Week, when the craziness goes up a notch or two. I was there once when Kialoa went aground in the channel and kept everyone bottled up for a few hours--lots of fun.
__________________
JJKettlewell
Kettlewell is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-07-2011, 17:21   #28
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Smithfield Va.
Boat: '72 Tanzer 28 "Her Idea"
Posts: 320
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use ? Where to Anchor ? - Block Island, RI

Yeah, that is the conclusion we came to...Go to RI in like may, and september....miss all the tourons...
__________________
1972 Tanzer 28 "Her Idea"
zopi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-07-2011, 17:35   #29
Registered User
 
sabray's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Wash DC
Boat: PETERSON 44
Posts: 3,165
Quote:
Originally Posted by zopi
Yeah, that is the conclusion we came to...Go to RI in like may, and september....miss all the tourons...
Just go to the backside of Jamestown Dutch harbor or wickford, or skip over to cutteyhunk
sabray is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-07-2011, 19:17   #30
Registered User
 
Opie91's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: CT
Boat: C&C 34
Posts: 1,045
Re: Which Anchor NOT to Use? Where to Anchor? - Block Island, RI

Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Lucas View Post
Just to ask, but as you were there before most others showed up did anyone ask you how much scope you had out before dropping their anchor and heading to shore?
I have probably been to Block Island 35-40 times. No one has ever asked me how much scope I have out.

The place is a zoo on the weekend in the summer. I like to arrive Monday evening and leave by lunch on Friday. Half as many idiots that way.
Opie91 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
anchor

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:12.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.