Using an anchor marker

[Privleoplag]

I've read through topics on using an anchor marker, but would like anyone's thoughts about what I have done, and how to improve my technique. One thing I read that I will do next time is attach several feet of bungee to the weight to offset the waves.
Let me preface that I always try my best to determine that should other boats swing, they will not end up over my anchor.
Here's was my situation and the first time using a marker:
I was single handed on my cat, one that has the anchor drop from aft of the trampoline, as in from between the hulls. I was going to leave in the middle of the night, so thinking to make anchor retrieval easier in the darkness I would mark my anchor.. Three empty 1 gallon water bottles to a length of line attached to a weight, dropped near my anchor when I estimated my anchor to have hit bottom.
I had ruled out having it attached to the anchor as I had no idea how I might deal with the line when the anchor was coming up. I raise and lower the anchor from the helm, but also can make my way forward and raise and lower from the anchor locker on initial drop and to remove the bridle on lift and the last bit to bring the anchor. During daylight hours I may make several trips between helm and anchor locker to adjust for the chain going under a hull.
So, conditions turned windy and a bit rough. I fastened my nitecore light (love these!) to the pulpit rail, could spot my marker float easily. Retrieving the anchor went without incident and just as I had been envisioning. But that is where my vision ended. As soon as my anchor was free, of course I drifted, and of course the last bit of chain I brought up I did so from the anchor locker so by the time I returned to the helm, I had lost sight of the marker.
Well, finding the marker was easy enough but handling the boat, the boat hook, and staying close enough to the marker without wrapping up was a chore!
Had I not used my dinghy anchor as a marker weight I would have given up but eventually I hooked it, didn't get things tangled, didn't hurt myself or boat, or anyone elses,
but took like 15 minutes and was a bit stressful.
Maybe the simple answer is to use rocks for a weight and just leave it if retrieval is going to be so difficult. It kind of turned into a dangerous situation.

[a64pilot]

I will sometimes put a small white fender on 25' of 5/8" line and attach it to the rear of my anchor so that if I bury it too deep I can recover it by winching this line that will pull the anchor out backwards. I routinely anchor in 10' to 15' feet of water. I have never had a problem with it wrapping up around the rode etc. It works also of course as an anchor marker.
I have only done this for a Storm or two, forecasted hurricane, that fortunately missed

[Mike OReilly]

I don’t use anchor buoys as a general rule. It’s nice seeing where other anchors are, but they essentially act as unused moorings. In a busy anchorage, or a deep water one where people must use long rodes, they unnecessarily clog things up and block people from using the water. There’s nothing wrong with a boat swinging over a set anchor.

When I do use a buoy it is for a trip line, attached to the anchor. I only deploy this when I suspect there is serious fouling on the bottom which may snag my anchor (trees, logs, garbage). It is more awkward deploying and retrieving the anchor with trip line, but not a big deal. I toss it clear as the anchor goes over the side. For retrieval I snag the trip line with my boat hook as we come up on the set anchor.

I’ve never heard of someone using an anchor buoy that wasn’t attached to their anchor. That seems problematic to me. My trip line ties to the fore edge of my anchor (Rocna). It then loops through a block that is attached to my buoy, with a small weight attached to the other end. This keeps the trip line snuggly over my anchor so it doesn’t drift around taking up even more space.

[Privleoplag]

The trouble for me with tying to the anchor is that with about 30' or more of anchor marker line, there's a good chance it could get tangled on props or rudders when the anchor comes up.
I ruled out fastening directly to my main and possibly having some boat that goes close by without watching where they are going snagging my main anchor. Its only for marking the position of my anchor so I can maneuver towards it while retrieving, not for main anchor recovery really.

[Privleoplag]

I really try to avoid someone possibly swinging over my anchor, especially when I dropped anchor in the above situation.. I was leaving at 1:00 a.m in the pitch dark, last thing I needed was someone sitting over my anchor.

[Privleoplag]

Maybe there is a way to rig it to the anchor so as to somehow shorten the line as it is retrieved?? Hummmm. I shouldn't rule out attaching it directly to the main maybe..

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Privleoplag

I really try to avoid someone possibly swinging over my anchor, especially when I dropped anchor in the above situation.. I was leaving at 1:00 a.m in the pitch dark, last thing I needed was someone sitting over my anchor.

If the anchorage is wide open/not busy, then that’s fine. If it’s not, then you are occupying more space than you require (and more than is fair). The odds of a boat sitting permanently on top of your anchor such that you can’t retrieve it is quite small.

For all the reasons that have been mentioned, anchor buoys are generally a bad idea. It complicates launch/retrieval, it unnecessarily blocks others from anchoring in crowded anchorages, and it threatens others with the potential for fouled props.

If you use the method I described you can at least ensure the buoy line remains as short as possible, and stays over top of your anchor.

[Dave_S]

Why not run a line from the marker back to the boat using a weight not an anchor on the marker and retrieve it before you bring in the anchor?

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I don’t use anchor buoys as a general rule. It’s nice seeing where other anchors are, but they essentially act as unused moorings. In a busy anchorage, or a deep water one where people must use long rodes, they unnecessarily clog things up and block people from using the water. There’s nothing wrong with a boat swinging over a set anchor.

When I do use a buoy it is for a trip line, attached to the anchor. I only deploy this when I suspect there is serious fouling on the bottom which may snag my anchor (trees, logs, garbage). It is more awkward deploying and retrieving the anchor with trip line, but not a big deal. I toss it clear as the anchor goes over the side. For retrieval I snag the trip line with my boat hook as we come up on the set anchor.

I’ve never heard of someone using an anchor buoy that wasn’t attached to their anchor. That seems problematic to me. My trip line ties to the fore edge of my anchor (Rocna). It then loops through a block that is attached to my buoy, with a small weight attached to the other end. This keeps the trip line snuggly over my anchor so it doesn’t drift around taking up even more space.

I agree, if there's lots of room, fine. But in a crowded anchorage, you just take up space that someone else needs.

[Stu Jackson]

Why bother?

Really, not meant sarcastically.

In all the threads I have read about these things, they are more trouble than they are worth and your post just proved it.

[Privleoplag]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

Why not run a line from the marker back to the boat using a weight not an anchor on the marker and retrieve it before you bring in the anchor?

I needed to have the marker in place while I retrieved the anchor, I was single handling and can only do so much at a time. Good thought though.

As to taking up space, I get that! I made sure no one would swing over me, everyone else was anchored in 20' of water or less, I was in thirty, well away from everyone as I was leaving in the middle of the night.
I would not have wanted some boat even close to me in the conditions I had, windy and wavey, rough..whether they drifted over and away from my anchor or not. Retrieving and dealing with this all single handling in the middle of the night, another boat over my anchor was not an option!

[Privleoplag]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Why bother?

Really, not meant sarcastically.

In all the threads I have read about these things, they are more trouble than they are worth and your post just proved it.

Hello Stu, the bother is because my anchor comes down between the hulls, not from the forward crossvbeam. Its common for the chain to get under a hull. With two persons, one can direct me at the helm where the chain is.. Single handed, at night, I used the float for that direction.

[s/v Moondancer]

In any crowded anchorage there is a lot of cooperative give and take between the cruisers. If you try and take a bigger space than necessary you will be very unpopular.

When someone anchors too close to our boat we put out fenders in case we touch and I tell them to pass me a beer if we do touch.

If someone swings over our anchor and might make it harder to leave we go over and explain when we are leaving. The last time it was a 100+ ft boat with a pro crew. The skipper said that we should wake him if necessary!

As to the OP's marker it could easily foul someone's prop, in our case our line cutter would just spit it out and leave the anchor on the bottom.

In almost 2,000 nights at anchor we have only met two selfish and uncooperative cruisers! Which is not a good way to be as we have helped to tow 5 boat in and out anchorages.

[Tetepare]

Like Mike, I've only deployed such a thing for a trip line.

However, I can see a use for a marker. Such as, if I'm in an area subject to idiots, and used a marker, they just might realize that's my anchor, and be able to estimate my arc of swing and then might give me enough room. All this though is "might" and is probably asking too much. That's probably why I've not bothered.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I will sometimes put a small white fender on 25' of 5/8" line and attach it to the rear of my anchor so that if I bury it too deep I can recover it by winching this line that will pull the anchor out backwards. I routinely anchor in 10' to 15' feet of water. I have never had a problem with it wrapping up around the rode etc. It works also of course as an anchor marker.
I have only done this for a Storm or two, forecasted hurricane, that fortunately missed

Do you mean snag, or over bury?

I did some testing with Fortress and found that the recovery force with a trip line was still ~ 80% of that with the main line. I would expect the same with other anchors, but I have not tested.

Where did you attach the tripping line (and type of anchor)? Most tripping line points actually lift the anchor straight up--in mud, at least, my testing showed it was worse.

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In my view, if you have "normal scope," everyone knows where your anchor is. I doubt the marker will change anything. I'm far more concerned about it getting snagged and tripping my anchor than me hanging up. That happens ~ 1:400 severely enough that a little maneuvering doesn't solve it faster. I'd rather dive.