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Old 21-01-2022, 11:54   #1
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Anchoring -- sort of

So we have just bought a waterfront house. There is insufficient water alongside the pier for our boat, but there is plenty of water if we med-moor stern to the tip of the pier.


We could get permits and install pilings out at the bow. But that's slow, and all the headache of permits (and one piling would be inside the 25-foot property line offset, requiring a platted agreement to be filed at the courthouse!). And there's yet another issue, in that code limits us to a total of 6 pilings, and there are 5 there already, so one would need to be pulled. Not to mention $1K plus per piling.


The thought crossed my mind (some of you know I ponder strange thoughts.....) that I could put one, or perhaps two, anchors off the bow. One would be straight out, two would be better at say 45 degrees either side.


Several problems come to mind.
* Unlike a conventional anchor, where dragging 2-3 feet in a storm is irrelevant, when used to tie off at a pier 2-3 feet is a disaster. It has to STICK!
* Pilings give much more positional accuracy than an anchor and 20-30 feet of rode.
* Screw anchors would be awesome, but I'm being quoted $5K each.
* The thought occurs that in this application, traditionally "poor" anchors, like say a Danforth, might excel. There is zero risk of changing the pull direction (my feeble mind believes that Danforths were designed to pull LST (Navy Landing Ships) off the beach -- the ultimate in single-direction pull). Bruce has similar heritage.


The bottom is a fairly decent sandy mud.


Anyone have experience using "anchors" (yacht anchors, mushrooms, cement blocks, helix, etc) as tie offs in permanent pier moorings?


Harry
Circe, Saga 43 #019
Mill Creek, Annapolis
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Old 21-01-2022, 11:58   #2
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Re: Anchoring -- sort of

Are there limits to how far out beyond the seawall you're allowed to place pilings or a boat?

Will the anchor rode impede navigation for other vessels?
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Old 21-01-2022, 12:30   #3
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Re: Anchoring -- sort of

I think there are limits, but 200' sticks in my mind -- with a 70' dock and a 43' boat, it's a non-issue.


The creek is about 700' wide here, almost 600' between 6' contours, so there is a LOT of "channel"


Mooring type anchors typically use 2.5:1, so in 10 feet of water I'll need 25' of rode (well, closer to 40 counting height of boat). Still, not unreasonable.


The alternative is a perfectly normal and legal mooring ball in mid-creek, which is a bigger impediment to navigation. Although, curiously, on this creek there aren't any moorings -- but on the other creek in the harbor, there are several. The Maryland Department of Environment is clear -- there are NO permit restrictions and only vague "play nicely" restrictions for a mooring.
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Old 24-01-2022, 05:44   #4
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Re: Anchoring -- sort of

I'm kind of amazed at the lack of responses!


It seems to me a reasonable idea for my situation. And I would have thought others would have pursued similar situations.


My parents had a waterfront house on Boot Key Harbor. They kept the boat on the canal side, so it was impossible to "tie off" and the boat lay perpetually on the fenders. They could have put it on the harbor side, but chose not to. But I always thought the harbor side would allow them to set one or two anchors to hold the boat off the bulkhead.


Does no one have experience using anchors as part of a pier-side mooring? In a Med-Moor configuration is my exact situation, but any related experience would help.


While we close in February, we won't move to the new house until our return from our summer cruise, and on Day 1 (and for at least the first 6 months -- permits are SLOW!), it will be either anchoring out or trying this. So hopefully, I'll come back to this post and update on how it works out.

Harry
Circe '98 Saga 43
Mill Creek, Annapolis
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Old 24-01-2022, 06:00   #5
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Re: Anchoring -- sort of

Quote:
Originally Posted by sailingharry View Post
The bottom is a fairly decent sandy mud.


Anyone have experience using "anchors" (yacht anchors, mushrooms, cement blocks, helix, etc) as tie offs in permanent pier moorings?


Harry
Circe, Saga 43 #019
Mill Creek, Annapolis
i buy in local shop 400 kg like this anchor https://www.ysmarines.com/products/d...r-tw-type.html

normally neighbor calls port authority. i say I am on anchor and show captain. hi laugh and say move a couple meters east,i pull anchor( hard) with my 1500w lofrans and move. today anchor is totally in mud and i use like mooring because neighbour big fishing ship is moved.
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Old 24-01-2022, 06:14   #6
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Re: Anchoring -- sort of

Quote:
Originally Posted by sailingharry View Post
The thought crossed my mind (some of you know I ponder strange thoughts.....) that I could put one, or perhaps two, anchors off the bow. One would be straight out, two would be better at say 45 degrees either side.

Several problems come to mind.
* Pilings give much more positional accuracy than an anchor and 20-30 feet of rode.
* Screw anchors would be awesome, but I'm being quoted $5K each.
* The thought occurs that in this application, traditionally "poor" anchors, like say a Danforth, might excel. There is zero risk of changing the pull direction (my feeble mind believes that Danforths were designed to pull LST (Navy Landing Ships) off the beach -- the ultimate in single-direction pull). Bruce has similar heritage.

I think it could probably work, Harry, but... the cost of two FX-125s may be high enough that a screw mooring could be competitive...

And then there's that whole "peace of mind" thing. How will you feel about the "Med-Moor" (?) set-up if heavy weather comes through -- e.g., the semi-recent tornado that ripped through our neighborhood and then West St. Well, OK, can't do much about tornados, but imagine something slightly less then that...

Finally, how much fiddling would it take to unhitch and the rehitch when you decide to take the boat out? Floats on the mooring line? How to pick those up? Do you single-hand? Et cetera.

Just observations...

-Chris
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Old 24-01-2022, 06:20   #7
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Re: Anchoring -- sort of

For your application mushroom anchors might be the answer. Once set they don't generally move much. They do need to be inspected every few years for corrosion & wear. You might be able to use one - or more - while waiting for your piling approval. The piling, though pricier, might last longer without the additional inspection costs piling (pun intended) up.
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Old 24-01-2022, 07:12   #8
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Re: Anchoring -- sort of

I do think that 2 pilings at around a thousand a piece might well be the best answer if I can negotiate the hoops. The 25-ft offset from the property line does worry me. I look forward to meeting my next-door neighbor and getting a feel for his willingness to sign off on a formal recoded plat (a requirement of the permit). Given that his lift for his 30 foot powerboat is about 5 ft off our property line, he should be very agreeable to pilings 20 ft off our property line!


Ranger42 -- that tornado passed within a quarter mile of my son's house! Your comment about fiddling to pick it up definitely is on my mind. Would probably be fairly easy with a pickup pole if I used a single anchor -- as I back towards the dock, I only have to ensure that the pickup buoy passes close aboard on one side. I already do that in our current slip, where I make sure the weather piling passes close enough for my wife to grab the bow line. But if I use two, (on each side like pilings), it would be a much more challenging effort!
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