Anchoring and Dragging

[smj]

Is there a need to stay up day and night? If you set your anchor well and dive it to check the set you shoulda be fine unless the wind really pipes up. No doubt when the wind pipes up I would be awake and aware with or without and alarm. Never had the experiance of dragging in light air.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

The drag alarm on my chartplotter is so quiet that it can't be heard in the cabin. I have a backup handheld that I use for that purpose. I can put it right next to my head when I sleep. But I also move away from the pack, and to the lee. Unfortunately wind shifts, so I like to have a backup plan.

Most can be fitted with an external alarm, but it is an important point to check when buying. You can get simple 12v alarms from electronic stores or a few dollars.
Don't make the mistake of getting a loud one. Mine was so deafening I had to reduce the voltage then wrap it in closed cell foam behind the nav panel and it will still wake the dead.

[rover88]

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.[/QUOTE]

Like you I prefer to keep my "greenhorn" mentality no matter many how many miles I put under my keel.

Only a fool would reject advancements in technology that have become ridiculously inexpensive compared to their value - especially on the safety front. Yeah, my granddad went to sea without a GPS, radar or EPIRB and died of old age. That said, I will add that no amount of technology is a substitute for knowledge and skills.

For a novice sailor here is my only real advice: One of the biggest dangers in cruising is the "Arrogant Anow-it-all Sailing Twit" who thinks he is the reincarnation of Joshua Slocum and has an "expert" opinion on everything (not being sexist with the "he", but sailing ladies generally don't qualify to be an AKIAST").Fortunately we run in to far fewer of those types on the water than we do on internet forums and around port-side bars.

[R2boat]

'Don't anchor on the 'anchor'....it invites trouble...by that I mean those 'anchor' symbols we have all seen in the cruising guides.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by smj

Is there a need to stay up day and night? If you set your anchor well and dive it to check the set you shoulda be fine unless the wind really pipes up. No doubt when the wind pipes up I would be awake and aware with or without and alarm. Never had the experiance of dragging in light air.

There are a number of situations where the anchor can appear to well set, but is not. Anchor often enough and these situations will bite you.
Just one example.

You set your anchor with full reverse and it holds beautifully. Unfortunatly the chain became caught around an isolated rock that holds the boat. The anchor has had no force on it and is unset. The wind slightly changes direction the chain unhooks from the rock and the anchor drags. Not common, but these and many other situations occur.

Even diving is no guarantee. While you are ashore another boats snags your anchor then dumps it back unset.
An anchor alarm is cheap insurance.

[smj]

Originally Posted by rover88

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.

Like you I prefer to keep my "greenhorn" mentality no matter many how many miles I put under my keel.

Only a fool would reject advancements in technology that have become ridiculously inexpensive compared to their value - especially on the safety front. Yeah, my granddad went to sea without a GPS, radar or EPIRB and died of old age. That said, I will add that no amount of technology is a substitute for knowledge and skills.

For a novice sailor here is my only real advice: One of the biggest dangers in cruising is the "Arrogant Anow-it-all Sailing Twit" who thinks he is the reincarnation of Joshua Slocum and has an "expert" opinion on everything (not being sexist with the "he", but sailing ladies generally don't qualify to be an AKIAST").Fortunately we run in to far fewer of those types on the water than we do on internet forums and around port-side bars.[/QUOTE]

From what I've read of your writing maybe you could be one of those arrogant twits? I mean you are the one who said these ARE the minimal requirements.'and you are the one giving the advice to the novice sailors. Just saying.

[smj]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

There are a number of situations where the anchor can appear to well set, but is not. Anchor often enough and these situations will bite you.
Just one example.

You set your anchor with full reverse and it holds beautifully. Unfortunatly the chain became caught around an isolated rock that holds the boat. The anchor has had no force on it and is unset. The wind slightly changes direction the chain unhooks from the rock and the anchor drags. Not common, but these and many other situations occur.
An anchor alarm is cheap insurance.

If you dive your anchor this will not occur. Also with experiance you can usually actually feel the anchor digging into the bottom. I repeat I'm not against an anchor alarm but over our 20 years of cruising have never felt the need. Each to his own.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by smj

If you dive your anchor this will not occur. Also with experiance you can usually actually feel the anchor digging into the bottom. I repeat I'm not against an anchor alarm but over our 20 years of cruising have never felt the need. Each to his own.

Sorry I modified my post, before yours, to include an example ( which I have seen) where a boat dragged when the anchor was OK after a dive.

Modern new generation anchors set in less than metre so they feel just like snagging a rock, it's hard sometimes not to fall over when they bite.

[Dennis.G]

How to guarantee that you get yourself pissed at everyone:

• Enter popular small anchorage early in day
• Position youself in middle of best protection
• Lay out your "always 10:1 minimum" scope on anchor, basically laying claim to entire anchorage
• Sit it cockpit and scowl at everyone that comes into anchorage after you, as they are located "too damned close"

[rover88]

From what I've read of your writing maybe you could be one of those arrogant twits? I mean you are the one who said these ARE the minimal requirements.'and you are the one giving the advice to the novice sailors. Just saying.[/QUOTE]

MY minimal requirements! Do as you please just please stay away from me at anchor or sea. Anyway, what makes you think I was targeting you with that comment? There are enough arrogant twits on this forum to form a navy.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by smj

. Each to his own.

It sounds like you know how to anchor which together with good equipment is 95% of the answer.
Crusers are an independent lot and its difficult to change their mind, but maybe if you anchor in front of me you could turn on the anchor alarm just to keep me happy.
If you come around to my boat I will even shout you a beer and when your away from your boat that will save the few Ahrs the anchor alarm will consume.

[smj]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Sorry I modified my post, before yours, to include an example ( which I have seen) where a boat dragged when the anchor was OK after a dive.

Modern new generation anchors set in less than metre so they feel just like snagging a rock, it's hard sometimes not to fall over when they bite.

I understand. My only gripe is for someone to come onto this forum and tell the world these ARE the minimum requirements for cruising. That is plain wrong.

[smj]

Originally Posted by rover88

From what I've read of your writing maybe you could be one of those arrogant twits? I mean you are the one who said these ARE the minimal requirements.'and you are the one giving the advice to the novice sailors. Just saying.

MY minimal requirements! Do as you please just please stay away from me at anchor or sea. Anyway, what makes you think I was targeting you with that comment? There are enough arrogant twits on this forum to form a navy.[/QUOTE]

Sorry your words were these ARE the minimal requirements. Don't really care who you were targeting your twits remark to. Seems to me like you were the one insisting these were the way things should be done. I don't have a problem if you have all the electronics in the world it doesn't substitute for good anchoring tackle and the ability to use it

[elliebell]

Originally Posted by bruce smith

pity the "cruiser" that tells me I have to move cuz too close.

Hope you have all chain

[smj]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

It sounds like you know how to anchor which together with good equipment is 95% of the answer.
Crusers are an independent lot and its difficult to change their mind, but maybe if you anchor in front of me you could turn on the anchor alarm just to keep me happy.
If you come around to my boat I will even shout you a beer and when your away from your boat that will save the few Ahrs the anchor alarm will consume.

Sounds good. Now all I have to do is buy one!