By a show of hands; Stern Anchoring?

[JonJo]

We would never do it in a large anchorages with lots of room. We have done it in rivers (we have some so deep we do not have the rode to anchor without adding to it) so we tie bow and stern to trees (but maybe that does not count). In very tight anchorages where bullets turn the yacht through 180 degrees we would do it deploying the Fortress off the stern, or again tie to trees. We would set up a bridle off the stern cleats (its a cat) and fix the rode to the bridle and then to Fortress or tree.

We are not geared up for stern anchoring, whenever we need to do it we need to bring the gear from the bow locker to the stern. We would always set the bow anchor and then set it all up by dinghy. A Fortress is ideal to deploy from a dinghy. However we are always set up to deploy a second anchor (off the bow) its always ready in the bow locker, rode attached.

We do not often stern anchor.

Jonathan

[Hydra]

With my present boat, I had to anchor bow and stern only once, in a deep and narrow river with little wind, to avoid swinging in the river bank at the turning of the tide.

I anchored once by the stern only, while I dived to recover the fouled bow anchor.

Last year, I installed a stern roller that hasn't been used yet.

Alain

[hpeer]

Tacoma,

Congrats on your fortitude and good luck!

[senormechanico]

As Zee posted, Zihuatanejo is a good example of needing to use bow and stern anchors.
The only reason we might do it in the PNW is when we squeeze into a shallow and or tight spot.

[mikereed100]

On my monohull, cruising the Channel Islands of California, I used a stern anchor almost all the time. The anchorages can be very tight, with no room to swing, also, with a stern anchor, you can adjust the rodes so that the bow is always into the wind and swell, keeping rolling to a minimum. I used the same system when I spent 7 years living on the hook in Santa Barbara.

The easiest and fastest way to set a stern hook is to drop the stern anchor and motor slowly into the wind until you get to where you want to set the bow anchor. Cleat off the stern rode and put the engine in neutral. Walk to the bow and drop the bow anchor. By now the boat should be moving backwards so the rode won't pile up. Toss as much rode as you think you will need overboard cleat it off and walk back to the stern. Start pulling in the stern rode as the boat moves backward. The engine can be used in reverse if there is not enough wind. When the boat rounds up on the bow rode, set the bow anchor with the engine and cleat off the stern rode.

[MarkJ]

Bow and stern anchor together? Almost never. Marquesas I did as everone does in its rolly anchorage.

But stern anchor only, or mooring stern too. Yes! I havent actually done it but i see a number of people doing it so the get a nice view of the beach. Saw it last week with a hige super yacht (Limitless) stern anchored so the aft decks were viewing the beach.

As long as you dont drag there lots of creative ways to have fun.

[Pelagic]

Very rarely anchor fore and aft when cruising as with that configuration you ¼ your holding power if the wind hits you broadside in a strong squall.

I more often will use a long heavy poly beach line to shore when I choose to stay awhile in a very steep-to anchorage like this one in the Philippines.

Setting the bow anchor deep and laying chain up into shallow water, the beach line keeps anchor well set and boat pointing into any swell.

We are always prepared to let go stern line from boat, if we get caught in a dangerous situation, and retrieve later by dingy.

Gives you so much more access to normally poor anchorages which are too steep and coral strewn for enough swinging room.

The Grotos and coral there are far superior to the Baths

[gjordan]

I anchored bow and stern often when going down the California coast and in Mexico. Mostly because the other boats in the anchorage were already anchored that way. Usually they were anchored that way to keep from rolling all night when the wind went light and the boats would have turned sideways to the swell. All of the boats anchored off of the beach at Cabo were bow and stern, with most of them(including me) with 2 bowers and one stern(Remember Joshua). Arriving at Hiva Oa, in the Marqueses everyone was anchored bow and stern, so I did the same. Good thing since at night the wind would go light and roll anything that didnt have its bow into the swell. Used the bow and stern less in New England and the Carib, but it is a viable solution to rolling your guts out in an anchorage. Again, just my 2 cents worth. _____Grant.

[DoubleWhisky]

Anchoring from the stern with line or lines to the rocks is very popular in Baltic skerries (Sweden, Finland). Just reverse of the Med Mooring, the same technique, so You can call it Balt Mooring, I suppose.
Good to protect the rudder from rocks (as goboatingnow pointed out), but advisable only in very well protected anchorage.

[eyschulman]

In many of the very protected anchorages in the Pacific NW where the shore is steep with deep water close to land and crowding a stern line (not anchor goes ashore) allowing for more boats to anchor and is very common.. There are other times in the NW with great depth close to shore its the only way to keep an anchor biting into the bottom. Bow and stern anchors very rare in my 50 yrs experience on both east and west coast..

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by gjordan

I anchored bow and stern often when going down the California coast and in Mexico. Mostly because the other boats in the anchorage were already anchored that way. Usually they were anchored that way to keep from rolling all night when the wind went light and the boats would have turned sideways to the swell. All of the boats anchored off of the beach at Cabo were bow and stern, with most of them(including me) with 2 bowers and one stern(Remember Joshua). Arriving at Hiva Oa, in the Marqueses everyone was anchored bow and stern, so I did the same. Good thing since at night the wind would go light and roll anything that didnt have its bow into the swell. Used the bow and stern less in New England and the Carib, but it is a viable solution to rolling your guts out in an anchorage. Again, just my 2 cents worth. _____Grant.

With the exception of the New England/Caribe bit, this exactly mirrors our experience. There are indeed anchorages where the local practice is bow and stern for everyone, and woe to he who fails to follow suit... whether or not his previous experience or education says it is a bad idea.

The locals know the prevailing conditions and have done their best to accommodate to them.

Cheers,

Jim

[Talbot]

Most of the boats in Norway are set up for anchoring from the stern. Some even have a chain locker and electric windlas at the stern.

I would have thought that this would be more prevalent in hot climates as it would allow a better breeze into the boat.

[Jimbo485]

Yes, it makes sense, but it is not common.

Also handy when you want to weigh anchor and sail off without an engine when singlehanding because everything is right there and the r/f jib pulls immediately.

[noelex 77]

I don't anchor with both a bow and stern anchor very often. The most common reason is to align the boat with the swell (there are other ways of doing this, but in nil or light wind a stern anchor is usually best). With this application the stern anchor can be small. If the stern anchor fails in this application it is unimportant and may even be desirable if the wind becomes strong.

In most other applications where two anchors may be needed (such as to reduce the swing radius) then two anchors from the bow are preferable. This will allow the boat to align with the wind direction reducing the wind drag. With both bow and stern anchors deployed any crosswind places a a high load on both anchors.

Tying the stern to shore, if possible, rather than using a stern anchor is often better as the large rock is more secure than an anchor ( I have broken surprisingly large rocks, but I usually use two stern lines, so there is a reserve)

A stern anchor on its own is often useful when "Med mooring". Boats handle better in forward making docking easier when a stern anchor is used.(rather than reversing in with a bow anchor) If tying to a pier, bow in also provides more privacy. This is the most common reason for sophisticated stern anchoring equipment on European boats that may have a large stern anchor with lots of chain and a stern anchor winch primarily for allowing Med mooring bow in.

Anchoring in conventional anchorage with just a stern anchor(rather than a bow anchor) is rarely seen and should be used more frequently. It has been suggested as a technique for stronger wind to reduce the swing, or sheering (which it does), but the wind drag and wave action is higher and I would not recommend it for this application.
In light wind it worth considering. In some situations it can give you a nicer view, or breeze, or even just to align the solar panels better. This is often done just by walking the a snubber around and tying it from the stern, rather than actually deploying a stern anchor.
Be prepared for many boats asking "what is the problem", but as a side benefit they always anchor a long distance away from the strange boat facing the wrong way At night or with any threat of strong wind the rear snubber can be released and the boat will swing and face the conventional way.


When anchoring in any unconventional way that is different from other boats in the anchorage consider if your different swing pattern will create conflict.

[careka]

Originally Posted by Talbot

Most of the boats in Norway are set up for anchoring from the stern. Some even have a chain locker and electric windlas at the stern.
.

Well, i would say 50% of al (25-50fot) sail and motor boats in Norway and Sweden have this set-up.
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Due to anchoring at the stern, and bow into the, Cliff, Rocks, or even the pontoons, This way you also have more private in the cockpit. and nearly al boats have shallow draft in the bow .