What if Someone Anchors Too Close to Me ?

[Opie91]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

The best way to tackle folks who are "going off on one" is to be nice. and reasonable. It annoys them.

Truer words have never been spoken. Be nice and give it a few minutes for some guilt to set in.

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by Hillbillyfunk

Normally I wouldn't consider 100' too close, except that the other vessel put out a bow and stern anchor, I had a 150' swing radius, he had a 0' swing radius leaving a 50' overlap/collision zone.
.

Yes, mixing anchoring systems together in one anchorage can certainly lead to problems. In my mind, I put that in a different category of problem than 'too close' because there are different ways to solve it that simply having someone move.

Unless he really pulled the stern rode up bar tight, he would have some anchor radius. Hard to say how much. But if there is a 180 degree shift he could just slack his stern rode until he was far enough away from you.

The shift in wind (or current) would have to be exactly pointed toward him for you to get into trouble. If this was reasonably settled weather and the current is not going to be flowing directly from you to him. I would probably leave it be. If there is very likely to be a 180 degree wind or current shift I might row over and explain that to the guy and see if he plans to be staying on/around his boat.

One of the secrets of enjoying cruising is to learn to relax a bit about anchoring. You need to trust you own anchoring - both your tackle and your skill at positioning your anchor & boat in the right place. Then if the anchorage is crowded and people are close, just sit back in your cockpit with a nice cold drink and enjoy watching the boats swing.

If you really don't like boats so close go to some place like Chile or Greenland There are not many boats there and they all know how to anchor.

[barnakiel]

Sue them for damages?

b.

[osirissail]

Typically in anchorages with charter or bare-boat charter boats you will normally see them anchor about 50 feet from you. It is amazing to see them unconsciously locate the position of your anchor on the sea bottom and them drop theirs about 50 ft upwind. There scope varies from 2:1 to 4:1. It is just what they do.
- - Your choices are to up anchor and go somewhere else or hang out fenders on both sides of your boat before going to bed.
- - One less than polite way is to hang fenders on one side and then raise your dinghy on the other using a halyard and keep it at a level so it will impact their lifeline stanchions if the boats come together. Then they will have some real expensive damage to explain to the charter company and probably loose their $1K+ deposit.

[GeoPowers]

Originally Posted by sabray

On July 4th to close is touching in some anchorages. In popular July 4th anchorages. You have to be mindful that your rhode doesn't get sucked into a prop.
Anchoring on the 4th requires some skills that aren't seen at other times. July 4th technique. The anchor man stands in the bow and posess like a harpooner. The Shank of the anchor should be aft of the flukes. The helmsmen advances waiting fir the strike. What the anchorman sees I can't tell. What I can say is there is a moment when men are once men again. It is a savage spectacle the anchorman sensing the moment is near arches his back and using muscles that most of us will never use with good reason launches the anchor forward. The anchor man yells and the boat flys forward lurches spins around the anchorman starts realing in cable. The hunt is on I think. Others are arming themselves and yelling obsenities. Usually the line snarls their prop and they drift
off. A few a very few set their darts firmly in the ground. Many more I think hooked my chain and though I was certain I would have several anchors to harvest in the morning I had none. At this rate anchoring might become an OSHA regulated event and hard hats will be required

Hahaha! You must have been in Oak Harbor, WA last night!! I almost think watching everyone anchor was better than the fireworks! Beer, explosives, and people who rarely anchor are quite a spectacle. Add in 20-25 kts of wind and jockeying for the best fireworks viewing, and it was something to see!

[TabbyCat]

But WHY do the French like to anchor so close? that's what I want to know. We were anchored by ourselves, on a strectch of beach a half a mile long off Jumby Bay resort, Long Island Antigua. The French boat came in and anchored within a boatlength of us. They had a whole lovely long stretch of beach to choose from, but they had to be that close to us?! It was actually safe, but if possible, I like to have my private space. We glared, pointedly and noisily picked up our anchor, and moved 10 boat lengths farther away, and then glared again. I don't think they got it though. Or maybe they laughed.

[Jim Cate]

Yep, really true!

Chatting with some (very inexperienced) bare boaters in the Whitsundays a few years ago. They said that they had asked the "instructor" who checked them out in the boat how to tell where to anchor. He told them "just look for a cruising boat - one with a lot of stuff on deck like jerry cans and solar panels - and anchor near them. They know where to anchor." He left the definition of "close" up to them!

As an aside, we asked what qualifications they had to have in order to charter the 45 foot yacht they were on. The answer? "A high limit on their credit card" But, they were nice folks and we had a good time drinking their French wines (imported from their home in Melbourne)!

Cheers,

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Manly Qld Oz

[osirissail]

On the silly side, I think the French are near-sighted and need to be close to see if your topless ladies are better than their topless ladies.
- - However, in actuality I think it is more probable that they are just normally used to up close and personal anchoring as it is a common situation in the Med with its limited good anchorage areas the are really packed with boats.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by osirissail

...
On the silly side, I think the French are near-sighted and need to be close to see if your topless ladies are better than their topless ladies.
...

On the serious side, I think the only sailing ladies I have seen topless were all French.

It's OK with me the way it is, mostly because the French people that I seen anchoring up close and ("too") intimate in the West indies were all very nice and those met in the more tricky anchorages of the Pacific and Indian were all very experienced - no problem ever.

b.

[Bash]

for the record, topless French cruisers are welcome to anchor abreast of me.

[Sandero]

Most sailors prefer room to company. Try to observe that rule and when someone doesn't and they appear to be too close suggest that they re anchor and if they don't, move to another location if possible. You'll be happier with the new scenery. It's that simple.

Now some times this is a PITA, and the decision for you to move is more difficult. But if you think your boat is threatened, that would be a bigger PITA.

So being nimble at the anchor is important. You want to be able to set and retrieve in a moment's notice.

[CAELESTIS]

Get the fenders out and ask them if they would prefer to raft up.

[svcambria]

the "instructor" who checked them out in the boat how to tell where to anchor. He told them "just look for a cruising boat - one with a lot of stuff on deck like jerry cans and solar panels - and anchor near them. They know where to anchor." He left the definition of "close" up to them!

That seems so true. I once came upon three little bights with only a charter boat in the largest. Looking for a little solitude, I anchored in the middle-sized one. About a half hour later, the charter boat moved over and anchored about 50' from me. I originally thought that I must have been where the little anchor was drawn on their chart, but I like the idea that they were looking for a cruising boat better...

Michael

[S/V Willow]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Yep, really true!

Chatting with some (very inexperienced) bare boaters in the Whitsundays a few years ago. They said that they had asked the "instructor" who checked them out in the boat how to tell where to anchor. He told them "just look for a cruising boat - one with a lot of stuff on deck like jerry cans and solar panels - and anchor near them. They know where to anchor." He left the definition of "close" up to them!

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Manly Qld Oz

We too were told the same thing many years ago with this sage piece of advice to go with it.

When you arrive early in an anchorage find that sweet spot with your name on it - you know the one. Then go and anchor right away from it. Just pop out a tiny bit of rode for the time being to sit it out and watch the action.
Charter boats arrive and you can hear the sigh of relief onboard as they spot you and the lesson comes to mind -'go and anchor where the cruisers are -they know what they are doing' and they happily snuggle up and drop as little or as much anchor as they want. Come 1600 hours and you are free cos charter yachts are not allowed to move once anchored after 1600hours. So they have to be all snugged down and set for the night when they do their radio skeds in the afternoon.

You are then able to up anchor and move to 'your spot' which is empty of charter boats and often you are all alone. Sweet! This may only apply in the Whitsundays but if your ever in a charter yacht area it may worth thinking about - oh and the look on their faces is priceless.

[Mariness]

Originally Posted by Opie91

Truer words have never been spoken. Be nice and give it a few minutes for some guilt to set in.

You're making quite an assumption that they can feel guilty ... they probably will just leave, muttering in righteous indignation.

Re French closeness/toplessness: Maybe they recognize you are a non-French boat, and want to make sure they are close enough for you to recognize that THEIR first mate is topless while YOURS is wearing that ratty old concert tee she wears for repainting the bottom.