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thinwater · 08-03-2019, 14:05

Slight drift.

How do you deal with the "My anchor is under your boat" problem when it is time to go?

Just posing the question for discussion, no correct answer implied.

I've had to gently push boats by hand before, but it was never a problem. I didn't feel guilty, since they came later. If the anchor had been deeply set and the owners were not home it would have been more complicated.

I've also been places we rafted up to a bulkhead 2-3 deep. Challenging.

Tayana42 · 08-03-2019, 14:22

Thinwater, in Southern California this is often a problem because the anchorages are small and the number of boats in summer is large. Many boaters don’t have experience anchoring or just don’t care about how they impact others.

When I’ve had another boat drop close enough to be over my anchor I have generally been able to talk to the other boater by calling out or dinghy over to them. Sometimes they have volunteered to move. Other times I’ve told them when I plan to leave and they agreed to move then. Sometimes with a wind or tide shift it became unnecessary. I also talk to them about the possibility of a change of plans and that I would use my horn to alert them if I needed to up-anchor sooner.

Only once did I have an uncooperative boater. He was in a big, poorly maintained power cruiser. His generator was running constantly spewing exhaust straight at our fore hatch. He said only one of his engines worked and he didn’t want to move. So I moved. No point in that case arguing about who was there first.

Simi 60 · 08-03-2019, 14:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Some people just seem to want as much room as possible, regardless. I particularly love those individuals that use 10 to 1 or more scope in a sheltered anchorage to ensure they have all the room they want !!

We are guilty of this to some degree* but bear in mind..

* we anchor away from everyone else, others then drop in on us and get their photo taken for insurance purposes.
* we swing different to most which is why we anchor away
* we generally anchor for the 2am storm which usually has a 180% wind shift with it so position at the back of the pack so as to be at the front of it when the wind shifts
* chain doesn't work when its sitting in a locker
* we always sleep very well, even when a storm and wind shift comes through, unless someone has anchored to close.
* we have never dragged an inch during one of these events, same can't be said for others.

*7:1 is more our norm

Go Wildcats · 08-03-2019, 14:29

I was expecting to read that you make your wife swim the length to get the actual distance...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

My spouse is an avid swimmer. She has a visceral understanding of pool lengths. So we measure our distance in how many pool-lengths away other boats are. When in doubt, or usually just out of curiosity, I use our radar to get an actual measure.

But mostly we just anchor where few tend to go, so it’s rarely a problem.

jump12k · 08-03-2019, 14:35

Ran into this situation...it was very strange for there were a number of vessels anchored much more closely together than the distance I had allowed from them.
I set anchor and had like three of those sailboats yelling over at me...I was like.. what the hell are you talking about?..I was confused....
Well after determining all was more than safe I remained where I set.
As I went about my evening, the sailboats anchored there all pulled up and moved following each other on to who knows where...
I came to the conclusion that it was a small group who must have wanted the cove to themselves for some after dark extra curricular activity and needed privacy...maybe, but that thought gave me peace as I went to sleep that night.

seadog47 · 08-03-2019, 14:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by CptCrunchie

Wow! $500 for a range finder? Those are expensive!

The GolfBuddy is only $113, and it is very accurate.

I use it at work to establish tie points as well so it has dual function. Although it measures to fractions of an inch I'm happy if it gives me to the inch given construction obliterates the site. BTW I'm designing septic systems so close enough is good enough, elevations are another mater entirely.
Bob

Pelagic · 08-03-2019, 15:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

The$ amount was considerable and the judge told me on the record that he held me and the vessel I was driving to a much higher standard of seamanship and watch keeping than the other unlicensed skipper/owner because I was a licensed Captain and the other guy was not!
I mention this story because it is important for licensed skippers to be sure to do everything by the book, write even the most insignificant things in your log book and be prepared to defend your actions in court before a judge who knows nothing about the sea or maritime conventions. Sure saved our ass!
Phil
,

Great point Phil and I don't know if this Judge's comment about holding you to a higher standard is universal or just a Canadian socialist mindset... but another comes to mind as I lived in Vancouver as a teenager thru to University then marine college.

Knight towing was bringing into False Creek a Cement barge with a brisk wind behind them.

Skipper shortened up towline to a controllable 150 feet behind him to negotiate that turn around the planetarium at a very slow drift so the line went slack.

A new boater and his son coming out of the creek at the last minute, decided to pass between the barge and tug and their keel caught the towline leading them under the bow of the barge.
I think one or both were killed.

Even though all witnesses said that the tug and barge were obvious and the scope of towline proper for that corner transition....

The judge rule the towboat Captain at fault..."because he should have known better that a new pleasure boat operator might get confused"
Skipper lost his license and ended his career!

Mike OReilly · 08-03-2019, 16:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Go Wildcats

I was expecting to read that you make your wife swim the length to get the actual distance...

No need to force her to go swimming. Most of the time I can’t keep her out of the water

. If I believed in reincarnation I’d say she must have been a dolphin in another life.

RaymondR · 08-03-2019, 16:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Great point Phil and I don't know if this Judge's comment about holding you to a higher standard is universal or just a Canadian socialist mindset... but another comes to mind as I lived in Vancouver as a teenager thru to University then marine college.

Knight towing was bringing into False Creek a Cement barge with a brisk wind behind them.

Skipper shortened up towline to a controllable 150 feet behind him to negotiate that turn around the planetarium at a very slow drift so the line went slack.

A new boater and his son coming out of the creek at the last minute, decided to pass between the barge and tug and their keel caught the towline leading them under the bow of the barge.
I think one or both were killed.

Even though all witnesses said that the tug and barge were obvious and the scope of towline proper for that corner transition....

The judge rule the towboat Captain at fault..."because he should have known better that a new pleasure boat operator might get confused"
Skipper lost his license and ended his career!

Provided the profesional skipper was displaying the correct day and night signals on the tow and the towing vessal this is the sort of thing which should never occur. If it was an incident which had occurred on the highway it would not have been relevant whether or not one was licensed in relation to their profession we are all expected to know the rules of the road and comply with them. This sort of thing just illustrates the ignorance and arrogance of many in the legal industry.

CptCrunchie · 08-03-2019, 16:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Great point Phil and I don't know if this Judge's comment about holding you to a higher standard is universal or just a Canadian socialist mindset... but another comes to mind as I lived in Vancouver as a teenager thru to University then marine college.

Knight towing was bringing into False Creek a Cement barge with a brisk wind behind them.

Skipper shortened up towline to a controllable 150 feet behind him to negotiate that turn around the planetarium at a very slow drift so the line went slack.

A new boater and his son coming out of the creek at the last minute, decided to pass between the barge and tug and their keel caught the towline leading them under the bow of the barge.
I think one or both were killed.

Even though all witnesses said that the tug and barge were obvious and the scope of towline proper for that corner transition....

The judge rule the towboat Captain at fault..."because he should have known better that a new pleasure boat operator might get confused"
Skipper lost his license and ended his career!

Interesting outcome. I thought that as long as the two were marked (which I'm sure they would have been), it was illegal for any boat to pass between them.

Mark Johnson · 08-03-2019, 16:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peeew

Here is my question as to how you handle this; pulling into a fairly crowded harbor to anchor and I find the best hole available for me. While dropping hook and backing etc the closest boat folks begin yelling that I need to move elsewhere. I assess that we are a safe distance apart and pretty much the whole harbor is similar spacing. This is not really a privacy option there are a lot of boats, safety seems to be the only real valid concern here. Everyone is going to be near their next boat. I looked and honestly decided this is as big a hole as I will find and there is no risk of meeting when tide/wind shifts that I see. I do respect that the first to anchor deserves proper space and if this were a private open area I would always stay far from other boats.
I decided to be polite and respond that I think we are safe and I understand his desire for more room but that’s really not an option in this crowded harbor.
How do you handle these situations? This trip is now 4 months of anchoring and despite some crowded places I have never really felt that I upset someone else before. I just can’t see moving because this one wants more space than everyone else has.
Am I wrong? Would you move if you felt you took the best space available and it was safe? I’m sure that a dinghy ride to explain my position would not be a good idea. Fairly sure we need to agree to disagree.

Anchoring etuiquite is that whom ever was there first makes the call as to how close is too close. Many times I have moved out to the very outer edge of the anchorage to accommodate this rule, or moved on entirely, making an over nighter to the next anchorage.

Boats all behave differently, and have different tackle, like those with mostly line rides, requiring 7/1 scope. This is why what looks like enough room to another, a newcomer, is irrelevant.

I have been in an anchorage between the Majors in the Bahamas, with 30' depth and swirling currents, with about 200' of 1/4" chain and rope. Even in howling winds, our anchor was right below the boat, which I knew, from days in this spot, but new cruisers, 75' away, did not.

When they refused to move, not believing me, I pulled up the hook as the sun went down.

When you spend 10 years building your own boat, you can not afford to be right, when some jerk refuses to abide by this rule.

Tony Roberts · 08-03-2019, 18:17

Easy solution which is absolutely foolproof and always works! Simply get naked and go on deck. Suddenly you will have more than enough room to swing!

senormechanico · 08-03-2019, 19:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by RaymondR

Provided the profesional skipper was displaying the correct day and night signals on the tow and the towing vessal this is the sort of thing which should never occur. If it was an incident which had occurred on the highway it would not have been relevant whether or not one was licensed in relation to their profession we are all expected to know the rules of the road and comply with them. This sort of thing just illustrates the ignorance and arrogance of many in the legal industry.

Hang the judge !