Anchoring while motoring in forward?

[thomm225]

Come to think of it, I'm usually moving forward also when I drop my anchor.

Since I never have backed down on an anchor yet, I usually drop when still moving forward either under sail or having just put the outboard in neutral

[Kim Klaka]

I have just been told that the RYA Day Skipper practical does not include an anchoring exercise (though it is in the syllabus). The ICC course does not include anchoring in the syllabus (as shown on the Sunsail website). This might go some way towards explaining a lot about charter boat anchoring techniques.

[Palarran]

The French and Italians anchor this way all the time. It isn't just charter boats, it can be full time cruisers. For quite a long time I had the same reaction, especially when they would free drop their chain and let the boat go sideways to the wind. Then they use the brake to slow the boat and set the anchor.

This is what I do now except from a stop then backwards. It works.

[Lihuedooley77]

In many areas throughout the planet, bare boat charter companies require their
charterers to anchor or moor using certain procedures. That could involve anchoring or picking up moorings. Or even docking or not using slips in certain weather conditions.
As in Gustavia Harbor, St. Barts.

We have sailed Greece on a two week sailing trip in the greek islands. We originally were going to bare boat on our own. However, even tho we have extensive experience sailing australia, tahiti , tonga, mexico, southern california coast and islands, much of the caribbean, and Ireland ( motor vessel ), we had not sailed greece, or been to greece, or read or speak greek, and obviously have no local knowledge in greek waters.

So, instead of bare boating, we paid for a nice cabin on the lead flotila 60 foot sailing vessel with skipper and cook. We wanted to sail and stand watches, helm and crew and help with anchoring or docking. And that is what we did. Others wanted to bask in the sun and relax.

In Greece, We mostly med moored, bow anchor out, and backed down to the dock. Problem was sometimes the already med moored vessels were in a long line filling the dock spaces, and about three or four deep. We had to tie our stern lines up to other vessels and tromped over their boats to get ashore.

My observation was that those many, many, bow anchor lines were all criss crossed like a gigantic spider web. To me that was NUTS ! And a huge mess.

If we were bare boating those wonderful islands we would have stayed clear of all of that, anchored off and dinked to shore .

We have trained many, many sailing club members as to anchoring, both under power and under sail, as well as departing docks under sail and docking under sail. Standard procedures.

We anchored bow first, bow and stern, and bahamain more , both under power and undersail.

In the BVI, the bare boat charter out fits wanted every one, cats or monohulls to use double bridles off the bow when mooring overnight. In the Bahamas, we used bahamian moors when anchoring and we anchored under sail. No engine power.

Although after anchoring under sail , we did use the engine to firmly set the anchor or anchors. At White Bay, Jost Van Dyke, in the BVI, I snorkel after the mooring pick up to check out the clearance between the keel and the sandy bottom. Very shallow.

The largest vessel that I docked undersail , was one of our sailing club boats. It was a 55 foot sailing vessel into a dead end slip, that was actually a few feet shorter than the boat. Docked under the luffing main, and at the last minute, hauled up on the topping lift to scanalize the main sail. I also rigged a breast line so that we could gently slow the vessel so the bow did not run up onto the docks. Slow , easy and quiet.

From their fist basic lessons at the sailing club, I had my students , dock 30 ft sailing vessels, under sail. And they later followed that procedure on their own, even when returning after day sails or from Catalina Island. The were then were qualified to sail our boats on their own.

Generally, those were several different types of sailing vessels from 30 to 37 footers.

When my sailing lessons were completed for the day, I would pull my bones up to a bar stool at the dock side bar, order a rum on the rocks with a splash of water, and watch our CLUB members sail their vessels into the docks after a day sail under sail.

I was proud of them, and they took pride in being sailors.

Does that mean , all of the members did that. No, but it was interesting, as my students , many of them, would sail into the docks, and the dock master would have them tie up , douse the main, and motor back out astern and return to dock stern to. He wanted the bows pointed out in side of the lagoon, so the next day, the boats made easy departures, Especially for those who chose to depart under sail.

As to the OP..... if that many bare boats were anchoring going forward with the bow anchor, I would say that the charter companies were requesting that. I never recommended or taught that procedure. Or have seen in any other areas that we have sailed.

But, in certain situations with a minor change or two, it might come in handy.
Again, we have never used that method of anchoring and probably never will.

Skippers or charter company's choice on that one.

As as we all know, Laying out the bow anchor, and going astern , the vessel will have prop walk, port or starboard depending the prop itself. And also the wind on the bow will act on the main mast and cause the bow to swing off .

I never taught my students of laying out the bow anchor down wind, and spinning a 180. but they were bloody well good at all other methods of anchoring. Oh, I forgot one. Bow anchor out, back down , and tie a long line off the stern to a palm tree. That was in the Windwards and Grenadines. We used the dink to take the long line to the beach. I had about 10 boats in our flotilla and the party was on at the Frangipani. That was long, long ago. And fun.

On the other side of the dabloon.....not all of the sailing club members were excellent sailors and into seamanship. But the ones that were, turned out to be excellent .
Some eventually purchased their own vessels and set out sailing the world. Many for several decades . Some wound up cruising the caribbean and some stayed local.

What is great to me, is that some of them are still close friends after 30 or 40 years and are still sailing. Some with their own boats and some with sailing clubs.

We have done both, Erica owned a Pacific Sea Craft Crealock 37, and in later years we were partners in a Olsen/ Ericson 34. When not boat owning we sailed boats with different sailing clubs here in southern california. But yearly, we flew to great cruising grounds and bare boat chartered on our own, Just the two of us. 36 -37 ft monohulls.

Now, we have pretty much given up any day sailing or local sailing clubs and head back down to the BVI. Next BVI trip in May of 2019 will be BVI # 17.

So we are sailing club trained people and I am a USCG lic. capt, now for vessels up to 500 tons. Never skippered anything of that length. On my 5 th issue of the 100 ton lic., the U.S.C.G. boosted my 100 ton to 500 tons, near coastal. I had to renew my license every 5 years.

I started out about 40 years ago with a sailing club and being taught by demanding instructors. But, I also worked hard and took those lessons very seriously. Not all members did. Yep, we have some sea stories about some of those folks.

However, I continue to be extremely proud of the club members who I trained and have become darned good sailors and seaman- sea women .

Sailing has been a grand and very wonderful part of my life. Would not have missed it for the world. The sea, the ocean, the islands, the people , the loves and the friends.
All very special.