Watching my yacht drift out into the bay

[a64pilot]

I have an anchoring app on my cell phone that will send an alert to another cell phone if the boat is dragging, of course downside is it requires cell coverage and two cell phones

[ardenlester00]

An equally frustrating experience (to me). I was anchored with my 40' gaff-rigged ketch, Jubilee (I re-built her as a very shallow draft) - in one of the large pools next to the large stainless cross in St. Augustine.

She had lots of room to swing around on her hook. But...when we returned later in the day to row out to her - someone had stolen our dinghy. The frustration was to see our lovely boat/home OUT THERE! And, us OVER HERE!

We finally recovered the dingy before dark a mile away.

[JD-Odyssey]

Watching your yacht drift away is a very scary thought and is always something in the back of my mind when we leave the boat at anchor. Glad to hear everything worked out OK for you. A lot of times, people are oblivious to their actions assuming they did snag your rode or loosen your anchor. The Chesapeake Bay is notorious for having many very soft, sticky, muddy anchorages. A lot of folks use Fortress anchors here which tend to be very good and a lot better holding than many plow type anchors in mud. But, can be a bit difficult to stick under some other conditions.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by keepondancin

We had crossed over the Mona Passage from the DR, and anchored in Boqueron. Was there for several days, winds would come and go, seemed like everything was good. Went to do some errands, and was gone a good part of the day. When we got back, a couple cruisers came running up saying our boat was dragging. The boat was almost on the horizon, or so it seemed. One cruiser had a skiff with a bigger outboard and ran us to the boat, all the way, telling us how to anchor, what we did wrong, not enough scope, etc. Got on the boat and started taking up the all chain rode, and taking it up and taking it up. Our ride said something about more than enough chain. Anchor came up with the head of a mop wrapping the whole CQR. A good laugh, and for years, when we would meet up with friends, would be hailed as "KEEP on MOPPIN'".

Short form is that you likely did nothing wrong save for nailing that mop so exactly as to fail to set even when you had every indication you were firmly in.

You can't beat that, except it does suggest that skippers who dive on their sets to "make sure" might have a point.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Scary innit..!!!
I've never rowed as fast as I did one day in '96 when my boats anchor snapped at the shaft while anchored in Cascais.. luckily a fishing boat grabbed her as she drifted past and held her till I caught up..

Muito obrigado time, to be sure. I know that harbour...depending on the tide it could have been very dodgy for you trying to catch up.

[barnakiel]

Unless you have seen them dislodging your anchor, it is unfair to says so.

And, if it makes you feel better, it is not everywhere that people just watch your boat drift away. We saved a French boat in a much similar situation last time in Guadeloupe. Once we spotted and reported the problem two local boats immediately came to our aid and they towed the stray boat back to the anchorage.

It is often up to the legal system you have there in place to influence how willing other sailors are to help. In the anglo saxon world, one is often best advised NOT to touch someone else's property; up to the point of getting shot (e.g. in the US).

But it is not a universal thing, it is just a legally and socially based thing. YOU are the law. If you do not like you, change you.

Your boat probably just went sailing without you. Things happen. The other sailors maybe even were not aware of you boat drifting out there. Maybe they were just having their drinks or texting.

Take care. Deploy second anchor ;-)

Cheers,
b.

[hamburking]

I was using a friends boat at confederation basin marine, Kingston Ontario. back then there was one big bollard/cleat at the end of the finger dock, and another forward. They were to be shared by the two boats on either side of the finger. When my friend had put away his boat, he made down his dock lines on top of the lines already there, from his neighbour (a transient it turned out). After he left the boat, the transient wanted to leave, so undid my friends lines, then his own, and off he went. When I arrived, some hours later, his boat was held by a single headrope (on the side not toward the finger), the other docklines just hanging in the water. Luckily, it was a calm day, and there was no harm. But the idea that someone could cast off almost all the docklines of someone elses boat and just leave it that way, well, unbelievable.

[Foozinator]

I'm thinking of using something like Life360 (Google Play), with a dedicated cell phone on the boat. Either that, or one of those anchor watch apps that'll send out a text alert.

[1000 islands]

[QUOTE=hamburking;2295416]I was using a friends boat at confederation basin marine, Kingston Ontario. back then there was one big bollard/cleat at the end of the finger dock, and another forward. They were to be shared by the two boats on either side of the finger. When my friend had put away his boat, he made down his dock lines on top of the lines already there, from his neighbour (a transient it turned out). After he left the boat, the transient wanted to leave, so undid my friends lines, then his own, and off he went. When I arrived, some hours later, his boat was held by a single headrope (on the side not toward the finger), the other docklines just hanging in the water. Luckily, it was a calm day, and there was no harm. But the idea that someone could cast off almost all the docklines of someone elses boat and just leave it that way, well, unbelievable.[/QUOTE]

What time of year was it.....the Quebec construction holiday lets a few idiots loose to do the Rideau Canal loop.

A number of years ago a friend, who is bi-ligual, had a disagreement with a couple of boats from Quebec that were hogging a whole dock so there friends would have a place to dock for the night. All docking is on a first come basis.

Well after some good words in both official languages the women stepped in and my friend got his dock space, but it was the last one on the finger and the current of the river can be pretty strong on the south shore of the island, for those who know it was Stovin, on the south west dock.

Anyway, after my friend and his wife got all their kids to sleep and they joined them. Sometime in the wee hours my friends bladder decided it wanted emptying and when he looked out from the cockpit he discovered that the boat was drifting down the river.

Lucky for him, it didn,t drift too far, so hee fired up the engines and decided to dock at the public dock in Brockville and call the police. They said that because it is a Federally owned island they can't do anything til morning.

But ya just never know what can happen in the world of boating.

[JPA Cate]

............and, come on, guys, you put your lines UNDER theirs if you have to share a cleat, for the reason that it is easier for them to leave and your boat will stay secure when they cast off............

Ann

[masonc]

I leave my AIS on and set up Marinetraffic.com to send me alerts when the boat moves. Every time we leave the anchorage I get an alert so it does work, plus it helps locate the boat if it were to blow out to sea.

[Shrew]

About 8 yrs ago, I had been anchored in the same spot for 4 days. On our last night we dinghy'd into shore to go to a waterfront restaurant that had a dinghy dock. About 10pm I'm puttering through the anchorage and find a boat where my boat used to be.

I look upwind, downwind, port and Stbd, and I'm certain my neighbors are the same boats I've been looking at for the last few days.

Your dinghy never feels so tiny as when you're in the anchorage at night and your boat is gone. We tool around for some time while I try to calm the wife. Eventually someone hollers to ask if we're looking for a boat.

They directed us to the emergency mooring that the local tow boat secured us to. Chain had wrapped around a 'danforth' STYLE anchor and fouled it when the wind shifted and kicked up. (I use a NG anchor now and haven't had that problem since).

[Kiwi.]

Sydney such a mixture when it comes to holding. I was servicing a winch one very quiet day in Blackwattle/Roselle bay when I dropped my favourite set of Allen keys over the side. No big deal as it was so quiet so I hoped over the side in my dive gear to look for them. I swear I could hardly find the bottom, it seemed to be muddy water that just got muddier and muddier until it had to be called very soft mud sort-of bottom. I never found the Allen keys so went to have a look at the anchor. I followed the chain down into the soft mud as far as I could until I got scared I was diving in quick-sand-like mud. We were just their for the afternoon so I hadn't backed the anchor down. I started the motor gave it a burst in reverse and dragged my anchor (then a CQR) and five times depth chain rode out into the harbour. At the time I loved that CQR so I blamed my depth sounder; it was reading the top of the muddy water layer and I probably only had 2 times chain scope to the real depth at the firm bottom. Now I'm in love with my Rocna which I think would have held in that soft mud.

[chris95040]

Originally Posted by Akapeterc

...

Really this conversation would be a lot more fun if you'd tell us what you've got for an anchor.

[PaulinOz]

Was involved in the rescue of a Manta Catamaran in Roselle bay a couple of years ago. After being on anchor behind us for a few days the boat started to reverse across the bay in windy conditions.

A quick phone call to owner revealed they were sightseeing at the Rocks quiet a distance away and boat was departing on it's own.

Long story short, boat rescued, owner returns, dragging caused by part of a black plastic garbage bag wrapped around tip of anchor, after staying put in the same place for days prior to the incident.

Not long after this incident a rather scruffy Power cruiser that was anchored some 50 meters away suddenly was trying to board us. Had to fend it off till authorities arrived to tow and re-anchor it.



Not long after that it it went walkabout again on it's own then promptly sank in the channel and was lifted back to the surface by a crane.



We spent 6 weeks anchored there, departing once a week at 6am to fill water tanks and pump out black water tanks then be re anchored by 7am.
We had no dragging issues ourselves, love my oversized modern style anchor (Rocna). There was no charge even with all the entertainment going on around us. Apart from the obvious issues a great place to hang in Sydney for a while.