Unattended at Anchor

[sunblock]

Working on a plan for a departure date. something that would help would be to get my boat and anchor her closer to an inlet the weekend before as my marina is 8 hours away. Holding and current protection in that area is supposed to be great. I have two anchors I could put out. Would you leave your boat sitting unattended for a few days ?

[captain58sailin]

Depends. If in an unpopulated area (no people at all), good holding ground, that I had confidence in, bomb proof cove, then yes. There are several places in Alaska that I would do it, I don't know about the lower 48.

[Stu Jackson]

Why not just get on the boat and stay there before you go? Sailing to a "schedule" has always proven to be rather unhealthy for the boat and you? Is there some scheduling issue you're not sharing with us?

[Kenomac]

My personal limit with our present boat is 8 hours at a good anchorage to go ashore to explore or buy supplies. On our previous boat, I'd go ashore for 24 hours at a time, but that was when the boat was anchored inside the breakwater in Los Angeles harbor.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by sunblock

Working on a plan for a departure date. something that would help would be to get my boat and anchor her closer to an inlet the weekend before as my marina is 8 hours away. Holding and current protection in that area is supposed to be great. I have two anchors I could put out. Would you leave your boat sitting unattended for a few days ?

No! Sure would not. Especially in tidal waters of NC.

[redsky49]

Originally Posted by Vasco

No! Sure would not. Especially in tidal waters of NC.

I'd have to say "it depends".

There are several spots in NC where I would feel confidant leaving my for extended periods. Even did so for hurricanes. Just have to be careful about getting the anchor well set.

As for two anchors, after an extended period, especially with reversing tides, you could have a nightmare untangling the rodes.

It would be nice if there was someone who could at least keep an occasional eye on things for you.

[Hudson Force]

Tide, current, fetch, holding, weather forecast, neighborhood.....? I've left my boat at anchor for a maximum of three days in a place that I felt very secure regarding the physical conditions and the community. Some other places I was wary leaving my boat for a short trip to the grocery store. The location is a huge factor!

[Pelagic]

Ask your Insurance company

[sunblock]

Yeah you guys are right. It is a schedule thing so I could head out a day earlier. I should learn to trust my gut. Just sounds like a bad idea.

[BandB]

We have a very low tolerance for leaving our boat at anchor, unattended. Now, however, if we were going to then we'd only do it with a good security system that would notify us in the event of movement or boarding and allow us to see on board through a web cam.

Now, I know people do it all the time and are comfortable doing so.

Your comfortable choices would appear to be leaving earlier or a marina.

[TheLostGirlsMom]

Left ours for three daysin Wrightsville Beach, NC. Was a stressful three days. We dont/wont leave her again.

[Sailorman Ed]

left ours for months at a time in the ICW on 2 anchors. with the wind and current, got all twisted up and really only one anchor was holding

[blewett_john]

I had to leave my boat on the hook for six weeks. I was in 7 feet of water (trimaran) and used two anchors in series. The first was a danforth then 35' of chain, then a plow, and finally 35' of chain to the boat. This was in an open bay in RI with some significant wind/waves at times. No dragging. No tangles.

[sailorboy1]

It is always amazing that with all the anchor talk we have on the site that people don't have much faith in them.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

It is always amazing that with all the anchor talk we have on the site that people don't have much faith in them.

I have a lot of faith in my anchor. It's just that a boat unattended in an unfamiliar spot is just looking for trouble. Especially where there is traffic and those NC inlets are not fun. Didn't somebody say "trust but verify"?