Anchoring etiquette questions...

[JPA Cate]

I think experiences like the OP had are common when one moves from lightly populated with boats areas to ones that are heavily populated. After a season spent crossing the South Pacific to New Zealand, we had anchored out at Great Barrier Island, near Aukland.

There was another offshore cruising boat, some Dutch people, at the anchorage when we got in. We anchored in roughly 45 ft., well offshore. It was perhaps a week from Christmas time, and we were not aware of how long Christmas holidays are outside the US. About 1600, the anchorage started to fill up, with people anchoring in about 10 ft., and working their ways into deeper water, as they all lined up in neat, tidy rows. It is good thick mud holding in there.

But, the rows of other boats keep getting closer. Pretty soon, they are anchoring "too close" to our uninsured home. Just as Jim had worked his way up to saying, "You're a little too close, don't you think?", someone anchored between that boat and us. ...And, then Jim did say it.

The response, "Why don't you come over and have a drink, and we'll talk about it." We did. Then we were invited to stay for dinner. And by now we were friends. When it was time for us to go home, their boat had drifted under our bow pulpit, and I walked aboard, over their pushpit and our pulpit. Our new friend shortened up scope.

We did have contact during the night, but it was a very protected anchorage, and only a slight thump. Didn't worry us, they were friends.

**********

It turns out that roughly 80% of families in NZ have a boat of some sort or other, and that the Christmas holidays last from about a week before Christmas to the first of February. Of course, GBI is a major holiday destination because of its many very sheltered anchorages, and excellent hiking trails.

Offhand, looking back on this over the years, our hosts handled the situation with such grace that we all wound up feeling good about each other. I wish I had that kind of social skill.

Ann

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

I think experiences like the OP had are common when one moves from lightly populated with boats areas to ones that are heavily populated. After a season spent crossing the South Pacific to New Zealand, we had anchored out at Great Barrier Island, near Aukland.

There was another offshore cruising boat, some Dutch people, at the anchorage when we got in. We anchored in roughly 45 ft., well offshore. It was perhaps a week from Christmas time, and we were not aware of how long Christmas holidays are outside the US. About 1600, the anchorage started to fill up, with people anchoring in about 10 ft., and working their ways into deeper water, as they all lined up in neat, tidy rows. It is good thick mud holding in there.

But, the rows of other boats keep getting closer. Pretty soon, they are anchoring "too close" to our uninsured home. Just as Jim had worked his way up to saying, "You're a little too close, don't you think?", someone anchored between that boat and us. ...And, then Jim did say it.

The response, "Why don't you come over and have a drink, and we'll talk about it." We did. Then we were invited to stay for dinner. And by now we were friends. When it was time for us to go home, their boat had drifted under our bow pulpit, and I walked aboard, over their pushpit and our pulpit. Our new friend shortened up scope.

We did have contact during the night, but it was a very protected anchorage, and only a slight thump. Didn't worry us, they were friends.

**********

It turns out that roughly 80% of families in NZ have a boat of some sort or other, and that the Christmas holidays last from about a week before Christmas to the first of February. Of course, GBI is a major holiday destination because of its many very sheltered anchorages, and excellent hiking trails.

Offhand, looking back on this over the years, our hosts handled the situation with such grace that we all wound up feeling good about each other. I wish I had that kind of social skill.

Ann

That's almost identical to this old story:


https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ain-86277.html


The moral, maybe, is that some human contact leading to some kind of understanding solves a raft of problems, and can even be fun in the process.

[Eder]

Anchored above 2 sailboats rafted together in Monteque Harbour....same area as OP.
They suggested I was drifting back on them (which I wasn't.



I suggested we all raft together but after the predictable dirty looks I told them I had great insurance and to deploy some fenders.


All good now as I am much further north and away from the weekend crowd but it was fun trolling them.

[kmacdonald]

I checked into a marina in Bimini to wait out a gale. The first morning I was met at daybreak by a gentleman in the sailboat next to me. He said his wife didn't sleep at all last night because my halyards were slapping. He offered to show me how to fix it. I told him that was going to be a problem because my wife cant sleep unless they are slapping. Needless to say, they moved to another slip.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Disputing ethics with charter boats is casting pearls.
b.

Thanks, for a new [to me] phrase, barnakiel.
TIL: “Casting pearls before swine” means that they are wasting your time, by offering something, that is helpful, or valuable, to someone who cannot appreciate, or understand it.

[SuW]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

I checked into a marina in Bimini to wait out a gale. The first morning I was met at daybreak by a gentleman in the sailboat next to me. He said his wife didn't sleep at all last night because my halyards were slapping. He offered to show me how to fix it. I told him that was going to be a problem because my wife cant sleep unless they are slapping. Needless to say, they moved to another slip.

Oh. You seem nice.

[SuW]

In the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence it's really busy, especially during July and August, especially on weekends.

There's a lot of noise, water skiing, sailboat regattas, cigarette boats doing poker runs, rental kayaks, rental house boats, rowing boats, zodiacs zipping through with massively crowded anchorages. And up to seven large tour boats gliding through at regular intervals.

Public docks are a zoo. The waters off Gananoque and Clayton are like a washing machine.

These days we smile and wave at everyone, and put out the fenders when anchored. It's worked so far.

Roll on September...!

[sailingharry]

This is why commercial mooring fields are so good. Short, uniform scope, well laid out.

Of course, I despise them! But regardless, they can triple (or more) the number of boats that can fit in a small harbor.

[Greg K]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

If you are concerned someone anchored too close to you, then you move. If the other boat thinks he is a safe distance then why would he move?

Because he may be wrong and will be responsible for any damage to your boat in the event of a collision.

We cruise in the Balearics, and I have lost count how many times idiots have come on top of us in the middle of the night because they refused to move when requested.

[ScottMeilicke]

Anchoring in someone's circle, hopefully near the edge, is fine. When I'm in that situation I will ask nearby boats about their scope and anchor location. Both are key pieces of info to be safe and good neighbors.

When I had a different boat with 1:2 chain:rope rode, I used a kellet to sorta match the all chain rode boats around me.

I too think you did the right thing by moving.

22m! The only time I did that was in... the gulf islands.

[argonauta1]

A lot of anchoring issues arise from inexperience. First off, the raft up was done incorrectly. Rafting vessels should have dropped an anchor ahead and backed down on the anchor and rode to the vessel to which they intended to raft. That way no rafted vessel ends up relying on only one anchor for the raft. Vessels anchoring within a swinging circle of another are usually OK until the wind drops. Then random drift in no current can lead to collisions. So avoiding anchoring within the swinging circle of another is good practice. The worst thing that can be done to really pose a problem is if one vessel then drops a second anchor which of course modifies the swing making that vessel an obstacle to others swinging with the current and/or wind on one anchor.

No one wishes to have a collision at anchor but the inexperienced often unknowingly put themselves in a vulnerable position to both themselves and others. When in doubt, it is better to move and anchor elsewhere. Either that or drop fenders and maintain an anchor watch

[eheffa]

To this other boater’s credit, he did ask where our anchor was & after pointing out that we were on top of our anchor, volunteered that we had 70m of chain out (in ~22m of water). Boho Bay is pretty deep further away from the head of the bay.

He then anchored in even deeper water beside us with 200 ft (61m) of rope rode (<3:1 scope on a Delta) and looked to be drifting even closer than the 22m I measured on radar. I wasn’t even confident he had an adequate set since he hadn’t tested the previous 2 attempts in any way.

Moving made the most sense as we could easily anchor further out in deeper water away from the crowd.

What prompted my post though was witnessing a number of late arrival boats, seemingly all yacht club members, happily dropping their anchors well within other boats’ swing: (assuming a minimum scope of 3:1 for the depth).

With care, these late arrivals could have found spots in the anchorage away from other boats’ swing circles but didn’t seem to feel it necessary. .

I saw this as a demonstration of poor seamanship and disregard for the other boats already there; but, then wondered if I was mistaken in thinking that staying out of another boat’s swing was a basic imperative.

[senormechanico]

Long time ago, somewhere in the San Juan Islands in Washington State, an obvious noob dropped his anchor very close to us.
When I asked how much scope he had out, his answer was,


"What's scope?"


We moved.

[Amapola]

I agree that the "Bennies" lacked common courtesy and safety concerns. We always attempt to anchor far away from other boaters. Our Amapola is a 48' trawler with a lot of windage. She does not always swing in the same direction as other anchored boaters. When someone attempts to anchor too close, we nicely let them know the amount of chain we have out and our swing. If they don't move, we often do. Although it makes me angry, I try to overcome it and not let it ruin my day.

[desodave]

As a regular user of the Boho Bay anchorage, I've followed this thread with interest ... and amazement. As the OP has said, it's a very deep anchorage and but usually one that attracts only bigger boats with serious ground tackle. Frustrating situation that is all too common in the summer, especially in the big popular anchorages, but the only realistic option is to move yourself ... you are the one who's worried about it. They obviously were not.