Anchoring and Dragging

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by Cormorant

I should've added "if no radar on board."

My inclination is to use a regular power flashlight just to avoid the dark boats.

Often a flashlight is not a good idea as it will effect your dark adaptation, but :

No anchor light = no sympathy

Some of the LED torches are very bright and colimated shine it through all the windows and wake them up if you can they deserve it

[chuckr]

Originally Posted by casual

Years ago I,came to the conclusion,that Anchorages are dangerous places,Having a 2 am squall come thru one night in the Bahamas and having to pick up and move to avoid dragging boats,next morning 4 boats ashore hard aground.After that I,always anchor farther out set out at least 10 to 1 scope and display 2 anchor lights battery powered one on each forward lower about 6 ft above deck no fancy arrangement just electrict tape to the lowers,mast head anchor lights are not seen who looks up in the air when approaching an anchorage,I,don't.Late arrivers,some who have had a few sundowners before anchoring add to the mayhem,No sense getting all worked up when its easier to avoid the sitituation.

a 10 to 1 scope -- you certainly screw up a lot of nice anchorages i bet -

just our opinion
chuck patty and svsoulmates
on the hook prickly bay grenada

OH - we are currently on a 6-1 surrounded by boats probably 50m away on all sides except in front of us

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Cormorant

I should've added "if no radar on board."

My inclination is to use a regular power flashlight just to avoid the dark boats.

Understood, but consider this another great reason to install radar. I use my radar even when approaching an anchorage in daylight. Since my radar overlays with the chart plotter, I can determine the depth in which each boat is anchored, and measure the distance between boats and the spot in which I hope to anchor.

What I really don't understand are the powerboats who come into a dark anchorage with their remote-controll, 5,000 lumen searchlights sweeping every inch of the site even though they've got an operational radar. What's up with that?

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by Bash

What I really don't understand are the powerboats who come into a dark anchorage with their remote-controll, 5,000 lumen searchlights sweeping every inch of the site even though they've got an operational radar. What's up with that?

Well, when was the last or first time you saw a sailboat with a remotely-controlled 5,000 lumen searchlight? If sailboats had them, wouldn't you expect them to use them in dark, close-quarter situations? Not a sailboat and having remote-controlled searchlight:

[noelex 77]

Some of the larger led torches put out a brighter spot than the searchlights, although the overall light output is usually less. 2000 lumens is not unusual for the bigger led torches and these are genuine verified numbers not made up.
They will typically wake up a sleeping crew when shone from a several boat lengths away. Very useful if there is a yacht dragging down on you.

[w1651]

Here's a thought!
Why don't you just use five or six solar lights with good rechargeable batteries in an anchorage off the beaten path. If you were in a anchorage not normally used you would use the right scope and have a better nights rest because no one else is there.
But everyone goes to the same place to anchor all the time. Think outside the box and gunk hole it use that fold up bike for once, you might have a great time and learn more about the people in the country your visiting.
Just my 2cents.

[simonmd]

Seems i'm not alone in anchor frustrations. The boat world is a funny old place, people seem happy to risk their boat at night all for the sake of a 15quid solar garden light (not ideal but if they've got no spare battery power and limited resorces, i've seen these things work very well). I bet these same people are the type to put their hazard flashers on in their car when they park outside a shop in broad daylight!

Well, i'm now in another bay and have been battered by a F6 coming from the sea all day and i'm pleased to say, i've not budged an inch. This time i've got the whole 40 meters out and she's holding firm!

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by w1651

Here's a thought!
Why don't you just use five or six solar lights with good rechargeable batteries in an anchorage off the beaten path. If you were in a anchorage not normally used you would use the right scope and have a better nights rest because no one else is there.
But everyone goes to the same place to anchor all the time. Think outside the box and gunk hole it use that fold up bike for once, you might have a great time and learn more about the people in the country your visiting.
Just my 2cents.

Garden lights are a good suplliment, particularly for boats with just a masthead anchor light, but they are not adequate on their own. Even at full brightness they are not good enough in many situations, but enter an anchorage at 3am (or drag and try to re-anchor) and the solar powered lights are dim glow at best for much of the year. Upgrading their batteries sometimes helps, but most garden lights do not have a large enough solar panel to supply enough energy to keep the led fully illuminated all night.
I have just repaired, for a freind, a purpose built marine anchor light with 6 LEDs and a larger solar panel it lasts all night, but it's still not bright enough on its own despite a much higher output than most garden lights.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Cormorant

As a side issue, what's the etiquette on scanning a flashlight or a spotlight over an anchorage when arriving at night? I've only arrived in the complete moonless dark once or twice, and did not want to disturb other boaters with a monster spotlight. But as mentioned above, a dark boat can be nearly invisible. I suppose it's better to light people up briefly than to bump into them. Is there an accepted practice on this?

Am quite surprised about the negative comments on using a spotlight, let alone substituting Radar for that (not to say that using everything you've got isn't sometimes useful).

Whilst I can agree that shining 100,000 candlewatts through someone's porthole from 10 feet might be unwelcome (for those without curtains - and perhaps also not simply sleeping ) - nonetheless being lit up is IMO a small price to pay for not getting T-boned or someone anchoring (even more?!) on top of you........certainly I would not think twice about using my Spotlight whenever I felt it is neccessary (i.e. when I can't see eff all and I know that stuff is floating around in the gloop), etiquette grumblings or not from others .

[rover88]

I just returned from 4 months in the Bahamas, single handing most of 2000 miles and I know exactly what you are saying. First, I agree with the comment that people are "herd" animals, which pretty much answers your question. Second, although I wanted to be a "minimalists" when I began sailing I would tell anyone who would listen that radar and a chart-plotter with an anchor drag alarm ARE minimal requirements for cruising.

[smj]

To me minimum requirement for cruising is substantial ground tackle and the skills to correctly set it. Chartplotter and drag alarm maybe for those that don't feel comfortable with their anchoring equipment. To me all these electronics some how take the adventure out of cruising.

[rover88]

Originally Posted by smj

To me minimum requirement for cruising is substantial ground tackle and the skills to correctly set it. Chartplotter and drag alarm maybe for those that don't meet the requirements?

Cruise as you please with what you feel is appropriate, but I'll keep my chartplotter and radar thank you. There are far too many anchorages in the Bahamas that care nothing for your best ground tackle and perceived anchoring skills.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by smj

To me minimum requirement for cruising is substantial ground tackle and the skills to correctly set it. Chartplotter and drag alarm maybe for those that don't feel comfortable with their anchoring equipment. To me all these electronics some how take the adventure out of cruising.

There is enough adventure crusing without trying to deliberately increase the risk.

[smj]

Seems to me that chart plotter and anchor drag alarms didn't come into play until about 10 years ago. How did we manage before then? Don't get me wrong you should use whatever you feel comfortable using but to call them minimum requirements for cruising? Give me a break. That is just another monetary obstacle to put in front of someone who wants to go cruising. Good ground tackle and anchoring skills in my book are minimum requirements.

[waterworldly]

"This is directed especially at those who for some reason think a boat shouldnt be white and have dark blue hulls, like the Bene' 40cc and the UK flaged ketch anchored in Portinatx last night, you know who you are! Nearly motored right into the Bene' as I had no idea he was there!"

ANYONE who comes into a busy anchorage after dark and "nearly motored right into" a boat has no business being in an anchorage after dark! Sounds more like bad technique then the fault of the other boaters. We anchor almost exclusively from the Bahamas to New York, and have managed it on 8 trips with no incident. Perhaps our original "greenhorn" status made us more prudent about the safety of our boat that prevails to this day. I see many just throw the hook and just go below. I have also called to boats that are too close and asked them to move.