Anchoring: Hints on how to Pick a Spot?

[JPA Cate]

If you're the first boat in, anchor where you will be safe with a sudden 25 knot wind from the opposite direction. This will put you a bit offshore, like barnakiel's excellent advice.

We tend to anchor deeper than most, and way off to the side of the mob, too. Also, we often will put up with a bouncy beginning when the contrary shift is expected in the middle of the night. If you know the holding is good, you anchor on the lee shore, and then, when it's pitch black out, and the shift comes, you're already in good protection and now you're comfortable, too. YMMV

Ann

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

:-)

Seriously though, is giving some consideration to the next guy a good thing, or should you just take the best spot and not worry about making room?

Surely you're kidding? What do you do in a parking lot? (with your automobile?)

Courtesy does count.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

:-) Offshore it is then!

Seriously though, is giving some consideration to the next guy a good thing, or should you just take the best spot and not worry about making room?

Well, in the real world of cruising, if you don't take the best spot (assuming that there is an identifiable "best spot") this next guy, the one that you are worrying about, will take it. It will then be occupied, just like it would have been if you took it, and you would be in an inferior place.

In reality, there are not so many anchorages where the "best spot" is all that precisely defined. What seems best for you will not necessarily seem best to the next chap into the bay... differences in boats, in drafts, in anchoring philosophy all come into play. So, IMO, you do indeed take what you think is the best spot. However, you don't put out excessive scope nor anchor bow and stern or any such unusual practice that will confuse a later arrival or take more than your share of the available space. You use an anchor light (or more) that is bright enough to really stand out, and if you are as paranoid as we are, you hoist a black anchor ball as well. You don't run a gen set at night, or play loud music on external speakers.

You know... just behave like a considerate neighbor

Oh... if you expect that any other CF members should be coming in, for sure use the right anchor !

Cheers, and happy anchoring.

Jim

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Surely you're kidding? What do you do in a parking lot? (with your automobile?)

Courtesy does count.

It seems exactly like parking: at a temporary lot or field you park as close to the next guy as feasible to cram the maximum number of cars in the lot efficiently. A lot of you talk like you are likely to start parking at the far end and we've all seen what happens if too many intersecting lines get going and then try and line up.

I guess what I meant specifically was I am generally more comfortable moving away from others but as a result generally take up more space cutting down the total number of available spots.

[Cheechako]

I tool slowly thru the anchorage paying attention to depth readings. If there's a perfect spot left in a crowded anchorage... recheck the chart! that often means a shallow hump or sunken wreck is there! While tooling thru, watch for people indicating where their anchor is.. some will get up on the bow and give an indication. Others will scowl at you... avoid them as they are anal asses. or as an option, for fun anchor close to them and drive them crazy!
Beware though, they probably have two anchors out and 10:1 scope. when the wind shifts and the rest of the fleet swings properly, they will be crying "foul" and messing everyone up!

[Vasco]

Just look for my boat and anchor 30 feet off. That's what most folks do.