Tight Anchorage Spacing?

[noelex 77]

Boats can be anchored surprisingly close without causing problems.

In these situations its important that boats around you are anchored on a similar scope. I usually dive and check. This also tells you how well their anchor is set and where it is.
The later can be very important in a tight anchorage. It's vital to maintain adequate separation from your anchor to the other boats anchors.

8:1 is not what is generally used and therefore will create problems in a tight anchorage. Of course if very bad weather forecast (or a deserted anchorage) it may be appropriate, but not as a routine in a crowded anchorage.

Anywhere with charter boats expect them sometimes to use 2:1.

One advantage of a larger anchor is that get away with reduced sope in these sort of situations although in most cases it better just to re-anchor.

If the wind does pick up a lot of boats will let out more scope and if everyone around you does this, it works out fine.

Collisions at anchor with boats drifting into each other are quite rare, I can only think of couple of occasions in the last few years where this has occurred, or would have occurred without me fending off the other boat, or moving.

Collisions with boats dragging into you are far more common and result in a more severe impact. The other problem is that it frequently drags out the innocents boats anchor and the whole mess goes spinning down wind towards whatever obstruction is present. This is scenario to be concerned about

[msponer]

I'm not as comfortable packing in tightly as some folks are, and usually go somewhere else if possible. When there's no other option we don't stay as long as we otherwise would, since it's hard for me to relax and be comfortable in a tight pack. Usually just long enough to run shore errands for a day or two before we move on -- since the tight anchorage is often the one where you must stop to do paperwork.

We can often make our own new option. With experience I've gotten better at reading a chart and exploring little nooks and crannies to find an anchorage that's not in the guidebooks.

Also, some of the best deserted anchorages we've found are the ones that a popular guidebook says are 'bad'.

In crowded conditions, I am not good at getting the boat to settle into the precise place I want. Once we set the anchor and pay out the rode it seems like we are often ~50-100' off from where we want to be -- maybe we settle directly upwind or downwind of another boat (and I usually want to be a little staggered and to the side), or much closer to the one on the left vs the one on the right. So I usually have to reanchor once or twice to end up in the right place.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by foggysail

That does not always work especially when you don't know how much scope the other boat has out. In a 180 reversal, you could find your stern on his bow.

I'll lay you 10/1 that 19 out of 20 boats on an anchorage have not got a clue to within 20' of how much rode they have out...
Where I sail on my boats 180's are a way of life mate.. I just make sure I'm never downwind of powerboats.... this is the UK and Europe..

[Matt Johnson]

The issue I have seen cruising so far is not trying to anchor in shallow water, it's trying to find the one area with deep enough water to anchor. Unfortunately, when you have 20 boats trying to do the same thing, you cant just go and find deep water elsewhere (within a few miles).

[klem]

A big factor for me is whether a wind shift is possible. If you are anchored in the tradewinds in a place where backwinding is not a problem, you can get really close to other boats to the point where your anchor is under or ahead of the boat in front of you.

Anchoring in New England, I try to make it so that we can go stern to stern if possible but that doesn't work in many harbors. If a wind shift is expected, I tend not to like to drop my anchor closer than 50' astern of the boat ahead of me. If a wind over tide situation is possible, then you better know the behavior of the other boats really well or you need to allow for a stern to stern situation.

Another thing to keep in mind is whether people are on all chain or mixed rode. Scope really defines where a boat can go (provided it isn't dragging) but chain can cause a boat to swing around a point other than the anchor although in a very small arc.

If the anchorage is really tight, we often anchor for a few hours when the wind is pretty constant and dinghy ashore (no outboard so we need to be close) and then sail out to an outer anchorage as night falls to spend the night.

[Kettlewell]

Depends on the anchorage. In some place like Cuttyhunk, MA, on a busy weeked boats will pack in tight and I have learned it is better to just go with the flow. In a group like that I like to anchor behind most of the fleet for the prevailing wind so when the wind shifts in the middle of the night, as it often does at Cuttyhunk, I am now at the head of the fleet while everyone else drifts downwind in a tangle. There are places where you might have the wind against the current and there you need a lot more room around you because each boat reacts differently. In general, if you are the one anchoring, it is best to leave as much room as you can between you and the other boats, but if you are the one sitting there watching the new boat come in it is sure a nice thing if you can imagine yourself in that person's place. Do unto others...

[RabidRabbit]

I find its much better to inform others of what I have going on rather waiting till the wind or current brings us together. That said many cruisers about to drop the hook have their own systems dont want any imput from others, even if they are clearly in the wrong. I always anchor far from the pack, but people assume "must be good over there" and surround me. Its a mooring field, small creek mentality, even when there are acres of space. Anyone 50' from me is way to close.

[Kettlewell]

None of us own the water, and anyone can anchor as close or as far as they want from one another. As long as they don't hit you they are perfectly in their rights. Doesn't make it pleasant, but just a fact.

[RabidRabbit]

Sure its their right, but isnt it better to speak up and avoid the possible crunch in the night? In 3 years I have witnessed 5-6 boat collisions at anchor during slack tide and wind. Most were marina folks dropping a lunch hook between well anchored cruisers and heading into town minutes later. On a side note the folks in shiney new boats seem not to feel even slightly responsible for damage however small, to a dirty working mans boat.

[David_Old_Jersey]

IMO very much an "it depends" answer. Sometimes way less than ideal is good enough.....especially in a lunch anchorage where many of the boats will have crew onboard.

If I was somewhere that I considered a potential problem, i.e. was going ashore or overnight, especially if doubts on the weather I would have no problem with dinghying over to folks for a chat about what they have out (scope and rope or chain) and their plans for staying and / or adjusting there set up - and to share my own plans, including that if neccessary not a big problem to move if another spot appears. Certainly not in a confrontational way! even if I think the other person is a donut . Depending on how the conversation goes, dropping in a Gallic shrug and saying yer never too worried about a few dings puts ball into their court.

But an anchor chat a decent enough way to start a conversation with folks on boats that might even lead onto beer .

For collisions, a couple of car tyres hung out and fender boards work well - including as prevention .

[RabidRabbit]

I've had a bouy on my anchor for 2 weeks now, just cause I like to be able to look out and see where I am in relation to the strong current. This morning a 40ish boat circled twice, started grabbing at it with a boat hook. When I approached he stated that he thought it was the city mooring field. Talk about being lost, he thanked me for directions and motored off. If I had gone in for the paper he would have tied off to my trip line.

[Kettlewell]

Don Street used to say that you should mark your anchor float, "Danger, High Explosive!"

[Vasco]

In popular anchorages in the Bahamas it is not uncommon to be a boatlenghth or so from your neighbour. In these circumstances I usually ask my neighbour how much he/she has out before I anchor. After I have anchored I ask my neighbour if he/she is comfortable with where I'm at. Ninety percent of the time they say it's fine, if it's not I'll move. It's just common courtesy.

In anchorages where there is a strong tidal current and wind and tide can oppose I always inform new boats anchoring close by what the situation is and that extra separation is required.

However you do run into idiots occasionally who anchor on top of you, jump into the dink, and bugger off ashore even before the anchor has set. Ah well, it's all part of cruising.

[daddle]

Yachties just need to relax about all this anchoring crap. If a problem arises deal with it. There are not certainties. No guarantees. If there is coral or rocks the CF armchair scope reasoning may go out the window. 10 to one becomes one to one.

If things go bad boats might touch. If it is really bad it is your obligation to move to keep your boat safe no matter what the other skipper is doing.

And most important why do people cruise to crowded anchorages? 99.999% of the worlds fine anchorages are vacant. A recent one month's cruise thru the PI, for example, encountered exactly 3 other yachts in anchorages. Only one was within a mile of us. Vote with your rudders.

[svmariane]

Originally Posted by F51

I would like to have lots of space between me and my neighbor, but that is rarely practical, so how close do you feel comfortable? Do you express that as a percentage of your deployed anchor rode or some arbitrary number? Thanks.

When possible, I prefer that there be enough space that we don't bump when tides/breezes drift us stern to stern. That usually means having a chat with the other boats about depth/scope when we arrive, and before dropping our hook, or with a boat coming in before they drop. If I've got 5 or 6 to 1 deployed, and so does the nearest neighbor, and it appears to the eye that we won't bump then all's good. Hard to judge based upon some percentage.

Can't tell by looking. Gotta ask where the other boat's anchor lies. He might be anywhere along the deployed rode after a light breeze.Sometimes means re-anchoring on day two because a little beer makes people "forget" exactly where their anchor lies. They usually mean well. Just part of cruising.

If I'm first, I'll hail and welcome the incoming boat, then let 'em know about my anchor position and scope out. Most people (in my experience) take that info and act accordingly. There was this one guy who "knew better". Dropped hook and rode and ended up almost a'top us. He re-anchored, not very happily, when I pointed out that his boat was nice and new, mine not, and held aloft my boat hook with its pointed metal tip that I use to fend off drifting boats. (Well, that's what I said I used it for. I wouldn't really do that if the other person made best-efforts in anchoring but happened to drag anyway. Kismet, ya' know?)

One boat length apart during high winds can still be "comfortable" IF the upwind boat has 8:1 (or more) scope with lots of chain. And that anchor has been down for a few days. Been there; done that. Anchor watch during weather events helps a lot.

Don't understand people who put out less than 4:1 scope. Never have, never will. If the anchorage is THAT tight I'll go elsewhere, thank you very much.

Ever notice how close the next boat looks when you're in your cockpit, but get in the dink or go ashore and the distance twixt boats seemingly expands?
Love to have a laser range-finder!