Anchoring, Unmanned Boat Dragging -- What Would you Do?

[Matt Johnson]

Tie off to my boat or add one of our extra anchors (Fortress). Then, I just need to loop over their boat's cleat, and that is all I have touched on their boat. I've seen too many engine and windlass quarks on people's boats that I don't want to mess with (people's anchor chain not tied off or connected to anything). Did this in Cancun for a cat.

Matt

[zeehag]

we do not have seatoad, we have anchored or no longer there. we save each others boats, there is no other way.
seatoad is not international.
all you have is each other, pray your neighbors are decent souls.

here in barra, as i have no motor on my dinghy i called it to the other cruisers they saved the boat and dinner and drinks all around were provided by the grateful owner.

but this isnt why we save each others boats .

[noelex 77]

I once saw an unattended boat dragging in very busy anchorage. Maybe 60 boats. As the dragging boat went past a good Samaritan went out in his tender and attached a rope to dragging vessel. He cleated the rope to his stern.

It was only 25 knots so there as little problem, but as the wind had picked up suddenly there were a lot of witnesses, many of the 60 boats gave him a standing ovation.

First world countries are very litigious, but the rule of helping others is dominant in the sailing world. I hope this can remain the dominant force.

[estarzinger]

I agree with the general theme that you 'should help'. That's an integral element of the cruising community - we help each other.

I have done this three times - once tied the boat off with a line to my transom, once took my big fortress out and set it and tied the dragging boat to it, and once used two dinghies to push the boat forward/pulled up their anchor/re-anchored. Of those three incidents the first two went well. The reanchoring exercise was a bit of a circus and in the future It would be well down my list of options to try.

In the future my first choice would be to set the other boat on my fortress/kedge. That stabilizes the situation in the simplest possible way with as little potential for damage to either boat. We can then take time to figure out what else might be done - perhaps see how much scope they have out on their own anchor.

Each time I have done this I got big thanks from the other boat's owner's.

I would not bother calling the USCG (if in the USA) they do NOT have a mission to protect property (only lives) so will probably not care much.

[monte]

What's the day shape for towing another yacht at anchor like that? A 180 degree wind shift would likely clean up the anchorage like bowling pins...strike!!!

[noelex 77]

If the problem is not urgent involving the skipper of another yacht is a good idea. It reduces the chance that you could be accused of some sort of nefarious activity when boarding another yacht.

[monte]

Not sure what nefarious means but I agree..I think..

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

However, when I am anchored, the key is always in the engine and the anchor winch is always turned on. I'll run the risk of someone stealing the boat in order to make it easier for someone to help me if I'm dragging.

You might want to reconsider leaving your windlass turned on. One time while sitting in a marina berth, our windlass switch shorted and the windlass began all on its own, to try and bring in the anchor.

[misfits]

Originally Posted by monte

I think the easiest way to answer the original question is, what if it was your boat unattended, and what would you like other nearby boat owners to do?
Some might say keep off my boat or I'll sue! But personally I'd rather someone make their best effort to save and reanchor for me..

I totally agree with your logic. Standing by watching someone's boat run up on a beach or rock pile is like seeing someone's house on fire & not calling the fire department... I couldn't just sit there & watch it unfold

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

You might want to reconsider leaving your windlass turned on. One time while sitting in a marina berth, our windlass switch shorted and the windlass began all on its own, to try and bring in the anchor.

+1

Happened to me also once
Now I always remember to switch it off...

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

Tie off to my boat or add one of our extra anchors (Fortress). Then, I just need to loop over their boat's cleat, and that is all I have touched on their boat. I've seen too many engine and windlass quarks on people's boats that I don't want to mess with (people's anchor chain not tied off or connected to anything). Did this in Cancun for a cat.

Matt

Hmmm... Very good point that the same people who might have too small an anchor/not enough scope/bad anchoring technique might also be the type of people who haven't fixed the end of their rode! Might get a bit ugly if you go up to increase scope and the end of the chain plops in the water in front of you.

[JPA Cate]

cwykham,

Do you REALLY think any one's dumb enough not to mark the bitter end of their rode? That's a very scary thought!

Adding one's own kedge to the system risks losing it, if the guy takes off with it! Still, it sounds like a good way of stabilising the situation as estarzinger suggested.

In the past, we've gone aboard and veered out more of their rode, and also, once tied a dragging boat up astern.

It's only on those days when you hate humanity that you'd say, "Well, the boat won't get terribly hurt if it goes aground there, and the owner's gonna get a good lesson, let's let it be." Just kidding, guys.

I'm firmly in the camp that tries to save the boat.

A.

on edit.....
One time our boat dragged in a thunderstorm that began while we were off the boat. I'll never forget looking where our mast should have been and wasn't. We sped up the dinghy, and arrived just as Insatiable began thumping on the sand. We were able to motor off and retrieve the Bruce. I think she blew down so fast, it had no chance to reset. This was in a very shallow anchorage, about 12 ft. where we were anchored, sand and mud, 22k Bruce.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

cwykham,

Do you REALLY think any one's dumb enough not to mark the bitter end of their rode? That's a very scary thought!

You need to get out more.

[JPA Cate]

tomfl:

We do anchor out almost exclusively, though in a marina for various chores. But here, mostly the rich wankers stay all the time in marinas, and it's the one's who anchor out who are more financially challenged, and by golly, they mostly do mark and attach the bitter end one way or another.

But just how bad would you feel if you freed the dragging boat completely from its anchoring gear!!!!!!? That's why it was scary to me. The fear of being sued sort of comes afterward. And there's certainly been Good Samaritans who have been sued.

A.

[aquarian]

Originally Posted by accomplice

This wasn't hypothetical -- it actually happened.

In retrospect, I think what I should've done was to run a line from my stern to their bow with my dinghy. I trusted that my anchor was set well. It would have arrested their dragging before they hit the beach. The wind was relatively low, so I didn't have to worry about huge forces on that line. The water was shallow, so even if their ground tackle got tangled in mine I would've been able to dive on it and manage that.

I like the idea of calling the CG too. No harm in that.

I didn't feel comfortable boarding their boat. I didn't know if they left the keys in it. I didn't know how much water they drew -- what if I grounded it in attempt at re-anchoring? How many of you would feel comfortable boarding an unmanned boat, starting up the engine and re-anchoring it?

What actually happened was that as I stood there with my jaw down pondering what to do, a small speedboat (17'?) approached rapidly, tied up to the Beneteau and a couple boarded it, weighed anchor, and attempted to re-anchor. After a few failed attempts, the woman got into the speedboat and came along side us, explained that they lived farther up the harbor but were leaving their boat anchored here so that they could get an early start in the morning and not have to worry about it being low tide then. She gave us her cell phone number and requested that we call if they dragged again. I said I'd be happy to call, but suggested they leave one of their cellphones aboard and install an app that will text their other phone if their boat drags (I often do this). They proceeded to try to re-anchor -- only 150' straight upwind of me (!) for a while before they gave up and simply left the harbor. I'm not sure where they went.

Sounds to me like they didn't care very much about their boat or yours for that matter. If I were them, I would not have left my boat, and my boat is not your responsibility. If I were you, I would have made a toast to the poor vessel with my sundowner and, just because I'm a sucker, if I noticed (without missing any sleep) that their anchor was dragging, I'd call their cell phone number. Depending on their boats location I might also move my boat out of target range and notify those in the vicinity that they might want to do the same.