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Old 26-04-2006, 12:52   #1
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Bahamian Mooring

Ok I've never done a Bahamian moor before. I understand the concept from reading one of Hal Roths books. Drop anchor, put out twice as much scope as needed for the water depth, drop second anchor, retrieve 1/2 scope from first anchor. Then attach the rodes together below the level of the keel.

So questions.

1) how do you attach the two rodes together

2) Will a slip knot in each of the rodes (assuming rope rodes) attached togetherby a piece of line work.

3) On chain rodes shackles will be neccessary right?

4) One rope and one chian slip knot in rope attached with a piece of line to the shackle on the cahin?

Anybody experienced withthis?

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Old 26-04-2006, 17:26   #2
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The cure for anchoring.

Is to stop reading complex books on the subject.

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Old 26-04-2006, 18:00   #3
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I thought you guys new everything

Isn't that complex and a good way to keep your swing room requirements down. Don't know as I could take a book on anchoring but a few paragraphs would be helpful.

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Old 27-04-2006, 02:00   #4
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Charlie
I have had to do this many times in the bahamas , wile anchored on the bank within a few miles of the drop off, the currents there gets very strong, sometimes as much as 4-6 knots & changes 180 degrees with the tide.although I never read "how to do it" I just simply did it as you explaned by " Drop anchor, put out twice as much scope as needed for the water depth, drop second anchor, retrieve 1/2 scope from first anchor. Then attach the rodes together below the level of the keel."

I just tied the two rodes together and let out more line. I have had on atleast one occation when the lines became slack ( i was sleeping) and got fouled in my rudder turning the boat broad side into the current & then the (delta) anchor dragged me about 150 yards. no harm done as i was the only one around.
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Old 27-04-2006, 07:06   #5
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Thanks Ram:

When you tied the rodes together how did you do it. Do you think my idea of tying a slip knot in the rode and then joining the slip knots together with a line would work. I don't see why "knot" but then again I've never done a Bahamian Moor before.

Here is a URL to an article in Good Ol' boat mag http://www.boatus.com/goodoldboat/anchor.htm in it he does not mention tying the rodes together. Given what you say about the rode catching on the rudder I think Roth was correct in keeping the connection below the keel.

I'm am going to be chartering a boat in FL soon and there are some places in the ICW where the currents get strong and switch directions. That is the exact reason I want to know how to do it.


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Old 27-04-2006, 10:41   #6
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How about a 20 lb free-weight (from a sporting goods store), with a 5' length of hardware-store chain through the center eye. Then you just shackle the bitter ends of the chain together, encircling your two rodes. Drop the weight/ chain combo to the bottom (do not forget to attach a retrieval line!), and you should be set.
Kind of like a...kellet?
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Old 27-04-2006, 11:09   #7
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Cool One more thing

I recall reading an article about Bahamian mooring that said you should let out more than 50% of each rode such that you have an angle of ~60 degrees, rather than 90 degrees, between the boat and each rode. Apparently this gives you optimal load distribution on each anchor and greater holding power.
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Old 27-04-2006, 13:07   #8
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Bahamian mooring should not be used for casual anchoring. It is a storm or extreme mooring type for uses where either strong winds or strong tidal flows swing through 180degrees. Although it is a simple technique, it can also go very wrong and when in the extreme situations, I don't believe this type of anchoring should ever go unwatched. If you ever drag an anchor and then the direction changes, (the combination below, whether it be two or three anchors), can become fouled and you end up with a mess you can't easily retrieve and reset with speed.
In saying that though, if you are going to do a Bahamian moor properly, you firstly need to carry out a few "ground rules" and I am approaching this from a storm anchoring point of view.
You firstly need two or preferably three identical anchors and all of a size suitable for you vessel. Work out exactly where you want your boat to sit and a GPS helps with being able to mark your position. Othewise take bearings. If you use two anchors, then take one "upstream" and one "down stream" of the wind or tide flow. Three anchors are better and is a true Bahamian moor technique. With three anchors, you lay them out in equal thirds of a circle. This system works best when you have a wind that can swing, yet exert force through out the 180 degree swing, ie, hurricane. So pulling loads are shared between two anchors at a time. Take the first anchor out to the distance where once it has set, you are going to have the correct depth/distance of rode to allow you to sit ruffly over your "marked" position. You may want to place a float on the end of the rode and allow the rode to float away from your work area, while you place the other one or two anchors. Then you don't have to worry about lines under and around your boat and prop. Carry out the same on the other one or two and then pick up all three lines via dinghy or if you can, by boat. Now the tricky part. You need a wieght. This can easily be done with a VERY LARGE galv shackle, I mean very large. Like a two inch or more galv mooring shackle. They are cheap, heavey and strong. Take all lines to this and the first knot you tie should be a Bowline. But take the line twice or even three times around the shackle before tieing the knot. It gives a greater loading area and helps reduce chaff. Tie the bowline, which gives the greatest strength and also allows you to easily untie the line, but imediatly after the bow line, tie the tail in a hitch or similar to ensure the bowline can not ever come loose. Do this with all anchor rodes. Now take a line directly up to the bow and secure in the normal heavey weather fashion.

IMO, if you have differing anchors, or anchors that are too small for you boat and the weather you are expecting, you should use a totaly different technique. The importance of Bohemian mooring is that your anchors must never drag too much, or it all goes pear shaped real quick. If tide or wind never changes, then effectively, the anchoring technique will allow anchor to drag into a two or three way holding set that would become very strong indeed. But the danger is the change in direction and the resulting swing over them allowing them to drag, reset and come together in a tangle.
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Old 27-04-2006, 14:16   #9
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Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler
The importance of Bohemian mooring is that your anchors must never drag too much, or it all goes pear shaped real quick. If tide or wind never changes, then effectively, the anchoring technique will allow anchor to drag into a two or three way holding set that would become very strong indeed. But the danger is the change in direction and the resulting swing over them allowing them to drag, reset and come together in a tangle.
Wheels
when you Bohemian Moor do you have to wear black clothes? Snap Your fingers? And say "Hey Daddio?"


OTH what is proper attire for Bahamian Mooring?

The system that you describe sounds like it would be good in a storm.What I'm looking for is something that will keep me secure in a changing tide/wind situation and decrease the amount of swing that is required. Look at the article on URL I posted and give me your opinion.


Will
the article that I posted had that same info except he said that 60 degrees was optimal. Plus by going through the process of letting out twice the rode dropping the second anchor and then retrieving half the rode that was initially let out you end up with an equilateral triangle which by definition has 60 degree angles.

John
I like your idea. I think that some sort of chafe guard may be in order on the chain. I will set up something like that for my boat. I live in CA and am chartering in FL. Do you think the TSA and the airlines will let me bring a 20lb weight on as carry on?


Fair Winds,
Charlie

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Old 27-04-2006, 16:21   #10
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Charlie...I forgot to add: you can get plastic weights, if you look. I used steel, as it was available, but I'll keep looking for plastic-encased.
As for chafe, I bought a 3' length of re-inforced water hose, I think 1.5"ID . This slid perfectly over the chain ( I used 5/16") to serve as chafe protection.
Re airline travel, probably no problem if you check luggage...I'm not sure they'd appreciate 5' of whippable chain on-board.
HIH,
John
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Old 27-04-2006, 16:32   #11
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No, you have to stand on the bow and sing a "rapshody" when you Bohemian moor.
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Old 27-04-2006, 21:35   #12
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What me sing?

I guess I won't be able to do a Bohemian. I can't sing. In fact my kids are afraid that the tide would go out if I started singing. One of my ansestors sang once and it parted the Red Sea. Part of the family was sent to live in the High country of New Zealand The MacKenzie country b/c he was caught humming. They say it was for rustling sheep but thats not true. LOL
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Old 28-04-2006, 00:44   #13
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Arrr I see, so he didn't steel the sheep he sung and the sheep up and ran

Charlie, can you explain just a little more about your anchoring situation. It may allow some other ideas to flow as well. In your situation, using two anchors would be fine. But be aware of mooring using this technique when in a crowded mooring. It may reduce your swing area, but the bottom gets a little crowded below. So others can easily get entagled in your anchor system below. Especially if someone comes in behind you in the night and drops their anchor. Then the other issue is that you won't swing as far as somone else may. So you also have a possiblity of someone dropping in on you uninvited like, in the middle of the tide/wind change. So although it is a great concept, there are still limiting factors you have to consider.
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Old 28-04-2006, 03:45   #14
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Charlie,
its not all that complicated just
Tie 2 bowlands & join with a shakele or even a short piece of rope. I have also just tied the 2 different rodes to the 2 seprate bow cleates & let that go.
I have used a delta & danforth both different anchors one size larger than what was recommened for the boat and that has not seemed to make a difference, I ran dive charters over there for about 10 years aboard my trawler (over 40 trips) and never really had any troble.
I did encounter what Alan mentioned, other people dragging down on me, or my anchor dragging a few feet so-

On the Banks -The bottom very's a lot from what seems like flat hard coral with pot holes/sand to areas covered by a few inch's of sand to just nice soft sand.
I found that if I was anchoring in the hard bottom -that was where I had trouble if not careful, because the hook had a hard time finding a place to set, sometimes it would set with only the tip of the anchor grabbing an inch into a crack -so I just went over and set it by hand , a lot of other boats would not do that and would drag , sometimes into you if you were unlucky.

One thing that happens is the anchor line twists around each other so if your there for say 2 days its possible you could have 8 turns winding your 2 rode's together, sometimes a pain in the ass to unwind.
And like Alan says someone could come in & drop a hook in your line where things are a bit tight, I have had this happen along with others boats dragging into me at night, but then that could happen anywhere.

You will need to drop 2 hooks at some places , just make sure there both grabbing 180 degrees from each other and that you take a look if your on hard bottom.
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Old 28-04-2006, 06:53   #15
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Thanks Ram:

Makes good sense. I guess if it is a crowded anchorage it wouldn't hurt to buoy my anchors either.
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