Is the Bahamian moor dead?

[Paul L]

When I sailed through the Bahamas 30 years ago when I was a wee whippersnapper most of the boats were using a Bahamian moor anchoring settup -- one anchor up current, one anchor down current, both off the bow. This limited the swing radius of the boat and avoided pulling the hook out when the strong tidal current changed direction. Back then I was using Danforth anchors.
Cruising through the same narrow anchorages over the last month I have yet to see any boat anchored using two anchors.
Maybe it is the new generation of anchors that do a lot better job of resetting. We are using a big Spade. Did the new gen anchor kill off the Bahamian moor?

[Kettlewell]

I still use a Bahamian moor a lot, even just to limit my swing in a crowded New England anchorage. For example, when a front comes through it is nice to place a second anchor that stops you from swinging all the way over to the other side of your swinging circle--as the boats all reshuffle inevitably someone drags or ends up too close to someone else. I'm talking about New England harbors where a lot of people have to short scope it in order to squeeze in. I have talked to lots of people who are afraid to anchor in these tight spots, because they just don't know how to use two anchors. Yes, you do have to be careful that your limited swing won't mean that someone else swings into you. Sure, their big modern anchor holds them just fine in the blow, but they are rockin' and rollin' outside the inner harbor protection while inside all is calm. I've seen even new-gen anchors drag in tight harbors when a sudden and violent windshift comes through and everyone is on short scope. Just on CF recently we read about boats colliding in Bimini harbor when wind was against the current. Again, the anchors weren't dragging, just people were swinging wildly all over the place--two anchors can drastically improve that situation. It is a technique and skill worth having in your arsenal.

[Hudson Force]

I think that your thought about the newer anchors causing the demise of the Bahamian moor is very likey true. In addition, it would not take much to change the plan for all. In close quarters it's pretty much obligatory for all the anchoring neighbors to behave in the same way.

[nautical62]

The reason I don't use it in the Bahamas has nothing to do with the anchor resetting. My anchor(s) tend to stay set.

The reason, I rarely use it, is that most of the time, I see nothing wrong with swinging in a larger arc with the tidal changes. Using two anchors takes longer to set and retrieve and if the boat arc is a 360, one anchor rode wraps around the other, making retrieval even more difficult. I see no reason to go through these extra time-consuming headaches, unless I'm in an area so restricted I need to minimize my swing arc. Since I prefer some distance from other boats anyways, I usually just opt for one anchor and a larger swing arc.

My guess, is that many like me, are seeing that while it's useful sometimes, it's really just not necessary much of the time, so why spend the extra effort?

[AnchorageGuy]

It may have more to do with the fact that many cruisers in the Bahamas have been over many times and find as we did early on that it's just not necessary most of the time and a pain to retrieve two twisted anchor rodes when it's time to leave. You will be able to tell the new cruisers that just read the most recent guide book that says you must use two anchors because they will set two no matter where they are. We will set two if weather conditions warrant but that's about it. Chuck

[Vasco]

No longer use it, but used often in the early nineties. Nowadays most folks have all chain and much better anchors. Also it is foolish to use a Bahamian moor in an anchorage where all the other boats are lying on one.

[Hudson Force]

As most are saying their anchors stay set, it seems to confirm the OP's idea. In strong winds I feel more comfortable on one long chain rode than two at angles from my bow.

[Sabbatical II]

An interesting thread for me since I'm about to set sail up the East Coast of Australia where we will stop in a few coastal rivers with reversing currents. I thought the Bahamian moor would be perfect for that but I haven't seen anyone else ever do it. I'm two sizes above spec with a Manson Ray (Bruce type anchor) and use plenty of chain. Should I forget it and just go to sleep with anchor alarm on?

[Kettlewell]

It depends on the anchorage. A Bahamian moor can be critical for positioning. It is named for long narrow channels between sand bars in the Bahamas where the necessary scope to get an anchor to hold is also enough to put you solidly on the sandbar if the wind goes cross channel. Hence the need to anchor one anchor up current and one downcurrent. They are also useful when you have other boats or obstacles around and the wind is strong and against the current. Boats will swing very differently in those situations, and I have seen numerous collisions as they swing around wildly in the current. A Bahamian moor can tame the situation. Another place I find them useful is if you are anchored off a steeply shelving beach. It is nice to be able to drop the main hook on all chain closer to the beach in a reasonable depth, but if there is a major windshift it might put you right up on the beach. Putting out another anchor offshore on a very long nylon rode can be a great safety valve. Even if your big anchor won't pop out with a major shift of wind and current a Bahamian moor can be a great positioning tool.

[AnchorageGuy]

There are indeed places where the Bahamian Moor is useful and some places where it's probably a must. Having said that, we have been in the Bahamas for a couple of months and have not used it yet. Nor have we seen any other boats using it. Our anchor choice is the Manson Supreme. Chuck

[Tortuga's Lie]

When visiting Washington DC and anchoring out in the Washington Channel, it used to be a requirement to set two anchors but I do not know what the current status is or even it is still in practice to do so.

[FLLCatsailor]

I ran charters in the Abacos for awhile, and never once used bahamian mooring... The only people I ever really saw doing it where the gung ho bare boaters that followed the Dodge guide to a T.

It's way too much work, and in all the times I've sailed in the Bahamas I've never dragged once... Have to love the shallow depths, and sandy bottoms!

[rtbates]

Besides anchoring in a changing current, I use the Bahamian moor in areas where the current and wind oppose and this keeps the boat from swinging wildly when one over comes the other. Once when anchored off the backside of San Jose Island in a high current Lydia Anne channel and coming back to the boat after exploring the island I thought someone was stealing our boat as it was headed straight out from the beach. After getting close I knew the issue was the wind vs current changing it's bearing as one over came the other.

[rocksculpter]

When I started cruising, in 1980, in the keys and Bahamas everyone anchored that way and it became a habit with me. When I moved to the Pacific Northwest and continued the practice, I got yelled at alot because I didn't swing with the crowd. It did give me a sense of security with two hooks down. Around here when ther's limited swing room, a stern tie to shore is the equivelant.

Barry

[Mark Johnson]

I have anchored Bahamian moor style many many times, between close islands, in a narrow channel (= deep spot among 3' shallows), or up little creeks that were only about 3X the width of our boat. (We cruise a 34 X 21'w Searunner tri). This was more often than not with a strong reversing current.

For any anchoring, I ALWAYS use a 30' bridle with a ring on the end, that has a 3'tail made onto this ring. With this tail I attach the bridle to the rode with a rolling hitch. A rolling hitch works fine on the chain OR rope portion, up to a cat 1 hurricane strength.

When using multiple anchors, due to tight space, a reversing current, or approaching hurricane, I have 1 or 2 "extra" 3' tails that I shackle onto the ring at the end of the bridle. With these extra tails I use either a rolling hitch or bowline through a bight, to affix these tails onto the extra anchor rodes, either opposing the original primary "Delta", (= using 2 anchors)... or for really tight anchoring, I set them in a triangular pattern, using all 3 anchors. I have, on occasion, done this from deck in very shallow water, but find it easiest to rig up from the dinghy. I then putz over to the bridle's extra tail, (30' in front of the boat), and tie in the extra anchor. (anchors)

On the ICW, when I only need to contend with a narrow creek and reversing current, NOT a storm, I might run a small extra anchor to the boat's bow chocks, rather than the end of the bridle. This is easier, but when the tide turns, I am no longer laying to the bridle. In calm conditions, no biggie, but I may have to un-twist anchor rodes in the morning.

For hurricanes, (> a dozen so far), I often make a 3 anchor mooring, using very large Fortress "lightweight types". (generally stowed disassembled) Lightweight types of any brand, are never used "by themselves", as they don't re-set when they flip flop, with enough reliability, not enough to suite me!

I still lay to just a primary, the Delta, 95% of the time, but having the Bahamian moor in my bag of tricks, has been very useful at times.

Btw... Due to our trimaran's wide bridle, we stay pointed dead into the wind, without sawing around, even in a sudden gail! It cuts the load at least in half, vs a similar length monohull that saws back & forth. I can actually pull the boat forward in 35 knots of wind.

Thousands of nights on the hook later, so far so good!

(Top 2 photos below are anchored in 5'... The bottom shot shows our bridle in it's "stowed" position, bundled on the bow rail, ready to deploy).

Mark