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Old 06-11-2021, 10:07   #16
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

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This may be true in the US but it's not the same everywhere. In Canada, for example, we may anchor anywhere providing we do not interfere with navigation and the area, for one reason or other, is not designated as a "No Anchor" area.

I've left Scorpius at anchor for two weeks not fifty yards from the Government dock (read municipal marina) without concern, interference, or comment.
Which is why I’m very much looking forward to coming up your way the next summer that I can. Ha ha
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Old 06-11-2021, 10:08   #17
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

I left my boat in Black Sound (Green Turtle Cay) for lengthy periods, admittedly on a mooring. If the mooring hadn’t been available, I’d have left her at anchor, as there were folks keeping an eye on things. I had crew at one point who’d leave his boat at anchor for months on end way up a North Carolina river. It worked for him.
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Old 06-11-2021, 10:11   #18
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

For the Feeling comfortable part, it’s always a little bit in the back of your head about the boat dragging or something when you are away. However, having lived at anchor for decades, logically, it’s safe to leave it for weeks at a time. Much safer than leaving it on a dock or on moorings in my opinion. I’ve never sustained damage at anchor. I sure have in marinas. Experienced theft in both types of cases. I think theft is the biggest danger of all. The last hurricane my boat went through, I removed it from the marina and anchored it out for a direct hit of the eye of a category 4 hurricane. Left for several days while the boat rode out the hurricane.. It made it. Popped a window out. That was about it.
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Old 06-11-2021, 10:15   #19
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

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Although I anchor well, and have never knowingly dragged once properly set and dug in, and I am loath to leave my boat unattended for even a few hours. I would if I had to, but I would not feel "comfortable."
Mike
Same as you.
I did leave my boat for five days once in Saint Mary’s Georgia, but I had a friend keeping an eye on it. I still did not feel completely comfortable leaving her there.
I guess it is a personal thing and how much you value your boat.

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Old 06-11-2021, 12:44   #20
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

We spent last 2 winters in Sarasota and marathon on the gulf side and there were many boats anchored that I never saw anyone on then one day they would be gone. I’m assuming owner came back to boat and went somewhere else.
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Old 06-11-2021, 13:26   #21
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

there are no particular laws about it here, although our insurance lapses if boat left unattended at anchor for more than 24hrs

despite this, we would never ever leave the boat at anchor for longer than daylight hours. always return home before dark (and unless it's flat calm still don't feel comfortable if out of sight !)

different if on a mooring of course

on the other hand we've seen boats anchored - unattended - for 3 years or more.

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Old 06-11-2021, 14:04   #22
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

The charter boats I worked on lived on moorings of all descriptions. I frequently dove, to inspect and maintain them. Some were nothing more than a single anchor, chain, floated by a big fender, with 2 lines to the boat, in 100' of water. Exposed to north trades, west and south storms. Sometimes boats would break from there moorings, usually because the short scope would come tight and put extreme strain on the line, chafing thru or ripping the cleat out. The ones with longer scope in shallower water with enough flotation in the buoy had far less strain, and their anchor, if set in deep sand held just fine. I had my gulfstar 50 on such a mooring for a whole winter, and stayed aboard during one really nasty storm, totally exposed to open seas, and became a believer in anchors. i just have to dive every time I set it and see how it's set, in what material, what obstacles are around, and what my neighbors have down. With those images in my head, I can sleep peacefully and not worry. I still dive my anchor almost every time, and have yet to be surprised by dragging unless I already saw the possibility and had no better option.
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Old 06-11-2021, 14:57   #23
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

In a low theft area, with winds less than 20 knots, and good holding, we have left the boat in the daytime, for up to 4 hrs., but when you live on the hook, you spend time with the boat when frontal passages are expected and especially when they are forecast to be "vigorous." It is wise to stay with the boat when thundershowers are forecast, too, because you can get 180 deg. wind shifts of high wind strengths in the storm cells. Oddly enough, in the last two months leading towards Christmas, one does expect an increase in theft activities.

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Old 06-11-2021, 16:34   #24
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

I left mine on a mooring at Dinner Key marina once for a month when we had to return home for an emergency. I never quit worrying about it the whole time. It was in July, so there was the hurricane thing to worry about, too.
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Old 06-11-2021, 18:54   #25
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

I anchored 2 of the 39 foot trimarans in the Indian river (Intracoastal water way) for as long as five years while building. Had two 33 pound Bruce anchors and a big danforth type all hooked to a swivel and bridle. I worked on the boat several days a week but one of them did not move for years. A few years later one broke loose because he did not use a swivel and after a 360 turn every day his anchors wound up so much they pulled. Really watch the first few days until they sink in then do not worry as much. Anchored twice in St Maarten for a week at a time using one 65 pound Delta on 3/8 chain and never dragged.
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Old 06-11-2021, 20:32   #26
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

It depends. I've been in bullet proof anchorages where no foreseable weather problems could be anticipated. In those situations I'd feel comfortable leaving the boat overnight. Barely. For a weekend? Only under duress.

Otherwise, in the kind of anchorages we seem to wind up in, where protection is from one direction only and strong 180 degree winds are possible, we need to get back to the boat before night, and only feel comfortable if we are close enough to see what weather is developing, where we can see the boat while off the boat. We like to be where we can see it. I rarely worry aboutr theft, it is the weather that concerns me.

Virtually ALL the anchored boats which I've seen wrecked were un-attended.

I have zero sympathy for someone whose unattended boat is lost (it is sort of a Darwin event, in my view).

Leaving a friend to "look after" it is useless. When conditions get bad that friend has his own stuff to look after. Your boat is secondary, at best.

When I see an unattended boat in a risky location I think the owner doesn't really care about the boat, and I have little respect for him as a boat owner. Owning a boat carries some responsibility.

From a legal perspective I think the local authorities should require name and contact details for who is responsible for the boat at all times, and hold that person, liability wise, financially to account for any damage caused by the boat. Further, proof of liability insurance should be a requirement before granting a permit to anchor. Lacking that, a bond should be required.

Sorry, I have little regard or syumpathy for people who leave thier boats.

I that is how I feel, if it offends anyone, sorry.
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Old 06-11-2021, 20:44   #27
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

Not leaving the boat, but frightening anchoring.


I used to do tourist fishing trips to the outer great barrier reef. I would anchor a 45Ft trawler type launch in underwater lagoons over night. The coral would always be under water, a few feet at low tide, & up to 20Ft at a big spring high. It is quite remarkable how much shelter these reefs give, even in heavy weather.


With no reference with in 50 miles, it is impossible to know if the boat drags a little, so I would anchor a 5 gallon jerry can on a reef pick about 50 yards to windward of my intended anchoring point, as a marker buoy.


One windy night with a fair chop running my marker buoy dragged. It came bobbing merrily back past me. I now had no idea if my anchor was also dragging.



With 7 tourists on board, I had to give the impression that everything was normal & OK, but I did not get much sleep that night.
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Old 06-11-2021, 21:33   #28
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

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Originally Posted by Hasbeen View Post
Not leaving the boat, but frightening anchoring.


I used to do tourist fishing trips to the outer great barrier reef. I would anchor a 45Ft trawler type launch in underwater lagoons over night. The coral would always be under water, a few feet at low tide, & up to 20Ft at a big spring high. It is quite remarkable how much shelter these reefs give, even in heavy weather.


With no reference with in 50 miles, it is impossible to know if the boat drags a little, so I would anchor a 5 gallon jerry can on a reef pick about 50 yards to windward of my intended anchoring point, as a marker buoy.


One windy night with a fair chop running my marker buoy dragged. It came bobbing merrily back past me. I now had no idea if my anchor was also dragging.



With 7 tourists on board, I had to give the impression that everything was normal & OK, but I did not get much sleep that night.
Now a days we use GPS based anchor watches and a plotter which shows if we are moving.

But the worse problem is that in darkness surrounded by underwater reefs, moving to reset the anchor is really scary.
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Old 07-11-2021, 00:28   #29
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

I have left a boat anchored in the San Juan Islands for a summer, checking on it from time to time, without worry. Totally depends on the location. I never lock my boat here. Would never do that in most places.
I had confidence in my ground tackle. I have anchored in 50 knots and slept well. A bit bumpy.
These are inland waters and very protected anchorages.
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Old 07-11-2021, 02:12   #30
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Re: How long would you feel comfortable leaving your boat on anchor

For what it’s worth. There is large multihull that has been anchored in the ICW for two years now almost to the day out in front of my house. It’s a nice big boat and has survived everything thrown at it since November 2019. It sit just out of the channel in unprotected water. As far as I know the owner passed away on the boat and it’s been unattended ever since.
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