Mooring Etiquette : Questions

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You guys have me worried, I try to avoid crowds like the plague.
Funny thing is, they always anchor in the same spot, doesn't matter at all if its a lee shore. Its the anchoring spot you know.
I never anchor within 100 yds of someone, and if someone anchors close to me, I move. I have lots of rode and can accept a less than ideal depth and spot to be by myself.

I guess I will have to learn to live with people on top of me, but I'm not looking forward to that.

I agree! In fact, from now on I'm following you away from everyone else so we can be alone... together.

[Hud3]

The first time I was out cruising full time was in the eastern Caribbean. I started off worrying about other boats being too close or being over my anchor. I slowly came to realize, through experience, that nothing horrible was going to happen. By the time I got to Les Isles des Saintes, where the French boats anchored a half boat length off my beam, I was pretty nonchalant about the whole thing.

I came to the conclusion the only real issue to be concerned about is a boat dragging down on you in an anchorage with poor holding when the wind pipes up, and tried to avoid putting myself in a vunerable position in those situations.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Good plan but not always practical unless you limit yourself to truly isolated locations. The problem is that rules out a lot of great areas and may force you to do an offshore passage when you might prefer day hops.

Example: If you are going up and down the ICW, there are areas where all the decent anchorages in an area are crowded. There is no reasonable anchorage where you can anchor 100m from any other boat...and as described, there is nothing to stop the next boat in from anchoring 50m from you, so even in an isolated anchorage, you can't count on 100m open space.

I know, I have done that, and tend to leave after first light, Wx permitting.
I have stayed in a few mooring fields too, I really dislike those, reminds me of a KOA campground too much, except for the one in Key West, thank God I have never been in prison, cause if I had, I'm sure the showers there would have given me flash backs

I could tell it had the wife worried, she was thinking if living on the boat is going to be like this, she didn't want any part of it.

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

We got so tired of people anchoring & then ending up on top of our anchor or rode that we started attaching a float to the anchor. It seems to help although there are some that are just oblivious.

It seems that most here like to do that.

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by CareKnot

You may have to resort to a float with a Diver Down flag.

What's that?

[weavis]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I know, I have done that, and tend to leave after first light, Wx permitting.
I have stayed in a few mooring fields too, I really dislike those, reminds me of a KOA campground too much, except for the one in Key West, thank God I have never been in prison, cause if I had, I'm sure the showers there would have given me flash backs

I could tell it had the wife worried, she was thinking if living on the boat is going to be like this, she didn't want any part of it.

I tend to never go to the popular places to be be inundated with other boats. Here in Spain and the Islands, Ive been lucky to be able to find smaller coves and areas to anchor out. You do have to be careful in Mallorca with the lack of shelter from onshore winds at times but generally, there are quiet places away from the maddening crowds. A good tender and fast outboard makes up for the distance..

[kmacdonald]

When cruising in my small boat I always can find a sheltered secluded anchorage. Not being hindered by draft makes a huge difference. I enjoy watching the larger boats buck like wild horses while anchored for what was to be a peaceful night.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Hud3

The first time I was out cruising full time was in the eastern Caribbean. I started off worrying about other boats being too close or being over my anchor. I slowly came to realize, through experience, that nothing horrible was going to happen. By the time I got to Les Isles des Saintes, where the French boats anchored a half boat length off my beam, I was pretty nonchalant about the whole thing.

I came to the conclusion the only real issue to be concerned about is a boat dragging down on you in an anchorage with poor holding when the wind pipes up, and tried to avoid putting myself in a vunerable position in those situations.

To some extent, you can't blame Europeans: when Med-mooring, you're packed in cheek by jowl, like sardines in a tin! They are accustomed to closer quarters than people from the US. So, it is something we from the US have to get used to. Fortunately, the desensitization does occur, especially when you have learned that it is dragging boats that are the problem, not so much others swinging more or less in concert. Some friends with a tri used to use a small drogue, when anchored in a tidal stream, so as to swing with the monohulls.

Ann

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You guys have me worried, I try to avoid crowds like the plague.
Funny thing is, they always anchor in the same spot, doesn't matter at all if its a lee shore. Its the anchoring spot you know.
I never anchor within 100 yds of someone, and if someone anchors close to me, I move. I have lots of rode and can accept a less than ideal depth and spot to be by myself.

I guess I will have to learn to live with people on top of me, but I'm not looking forward to that.

It depends on where you sail, but most warm areas will have unavoidably tight anchorages from time to time, especially islands (BVIs) and coasts without a lot of shelter.

In colder places there are fewer problems, especially where there are plenty of coastal features/islands giving lots of choices for shelter -- like the Baltic, where there are so many feasible anchorages that no one bothers to mark them on the chart, and there are no guides to anchorages.

But sooner or later, you will have to dig up one of the charts posted above, and grit your teeth and bear it. Case in point -- Havalet Bay, next to St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands, where the only reasonable anchorage is this rather small bay, and the alternative is the lock-constrained and very expensive SPP marinas.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Hud3

The first time I was out cruising full time was in the eastern Caribbean. I started off worrying about other boats being too close or being over my anchor. I slowly came to realize, through experience, that nothing horrible was going to happen. By the time I got to Les Isles des Saintes, where the French boats anchored a half boat length off my beam, I was pretty nonchalant about the whole thing.

I came to the conclusion the only real issue to be concerned about is a boat dragging down on you in an anchorage with poor holding when the wind pipes up, and tried to avoid putting myself in a vunerable position in those situations.

Exactly

I don't believe I've ever seen a boat swing into another one, and if it ever happened, it wouldn't be much of a big deal.

But charterers who don't know how to set an anchor are a menace. And a crowded anchorage with poor holding in an overnight squall can be a nightmare. Don't ask me how I know

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

When cruising in my small boat I always can find a sheltered secluded anchorage. Not being hindered by draft makes a huge difference.

Indeed. One of several cases where a small boat and/or swing keel are huge advantages. In fact in your case you could probably just unhook the rudder and pull the boat up on the beach.

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

I enjoy watching the larger boats buck like wild horses while anchored for what was to be a peaceful night.

I guess if anyone had any doubts about your character or temperament . . .

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I guess if anyone had any doubts about your character or temperament . . .

Where's your sense of humor?

I think there would be a lot less anchor dragging if people would use the manufacturer recommended anchor size for their boat. It's really not that hard.

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

To some extent, you can't blame Europeans: when Med-mooring, you're packed in cheek by jowl, like sardines in a tin! They are accustomed to closer quarters than people from the US. So, it is something we from the US have to get used to. Fortunately, the desensitization does occur, especially when you have learned that it is dragging boats that are the problem, not so much others swinging more or less in concert. Some friends with a tri used to use a small drogue, when anchored in a tidal stream, so as to swing with the monohulls.

Ann

Dragging anchors are a problem for everyone, at least those to the lee of the culprit or culprits, but the problem occurs more rapidly when the boats are close together. That is not my concern here. I am truly curious as to what happens to/among theses closely anchored vessels if an unexpected and vigorous squall hits in the middle of the night. I someone who has been there and personally seen the result or non-result, as the case may be, please post what you saw. Thanks. I've made it a habit to depart when things are too crowded.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

1. Where's your sense of humor?

2. I think there would be a lot less anchor dragging if people would use the manufacturer recommended anchor size for their boat. It's really not that hard.

1. Might be from your previous posts.

2. If you go back to your last response to mine, the chart does show that the manufacturer's recommendations for the size for MY boat does include what I selected. I also provided a link that showed exactly WHY and HOW I selected what I did. It included, in that link, a discussion from that very manufacturer. If you'd read it. Seems you might not have, but you could have.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

Dragging anchors are a problem for everyone, at least those to the lee of the culprit or culprits, but the problem occurs more rapidly when the boats are close together. That is not my concern here. I am truly curious as to what happens to/among theses closely anchored vessels if an unexpected and vigorous squall hits in the middle of the night. I someone who has been there and personally seen the result or non-result, as the case may be, please post what you saw. Thanks. I've made it a habit to depart when things are too crowded.

Been there, done that. And more than once.

Of course, and obviously -- the more crowded the anchorage, the bigger the problem you have if someone drags. If bad weather threatens, get out of a crowded anchorage, especially if there are charterers about.

The worst case of this I ever experienced was in the beautiful Croatian port of Hvar, on one of the islands outside Split, an incredibly beautiful natural harbor under high hills. It was the height of the season in August and the harbor was packed with boats, most of them Italian charterers. The holding is notoriously bad and the ground is foul (harbor is thousands of years old).

Recipe for disaster? You bet. The weather was supposed to be calm, but with the high ground all around the harbor, there is a strong tendency to katabatic storms from thermal inversions during hot weather. Well, about 02:00, we got one, and every boat in the harbor dragged. It was pure madness, with wind gusting in the 50's, thunder and lightning, horizontal rain, no visibility whatsoever, boats flying around everywhere, in every direction, trying desperately to stay off the rocks and off each other. We were on a chartered Salona 45 racer/cruiser with a crappy fake Bruce anchor which of course had no hope of holding. We dragged into an Italian boat (only time this has ever happened to me), but everyone was on deck with fenders and no damage was caused, and the Italians were very good-humored about it.

Some lucky boats managed to get out of the harbor to go out to sea. But this was 15 years ago or so, and we did not have a chart plotter, and it was pitch dark, with rocks and hazards along the entrance, so we didn't dare try this.

It was a rough night. Amazingly, there seem to have been no collisions, no damage, no losses.

Believe me, you do NOT want to be in a crowded anchorage in a storm like that.