Anchor buoy forbidden in Greece?

[kingsebi]

So I was just told by the skipper of the 70 feet catamaran next to me that it is forbidden to put an anchor buoy on your anchor. He said it's a danger to passing boats. Anybody ever heard anything like that? I thought it was a sensible thing to do.

 

[AndersG]

Never heard that it would be illegal but you are not going to be popular if you use one...

 

[JFowler]

They are not illegal but are an absolute menace to other yachts!
You also run the risk that a charter boat will think it’s a mooring and try to pick it up- don’t ask how I know.

 

[stranded]

So I was just told by the skipper of the 70 feet catamaran next to me that it is forbidden to put an anchor buoy on your anchor. He said it's a danger to passing boats. Anybody ever heard anything like that? I thought it was a sensible thing to do.

It can occasionally be useful but imo it is inconsiderate if it prevents other boats using otherwise viable anchorages unless there is an high chance of snagging, and just selfish to use one routinely ‘just in case’.

 

[Irish Rover]

How exactly does an anchor buoy prevent other boats from using an anchorage and in what way are they a menace?

 

[pmagowan]

When you anchor in a small space you will often need to swing over the anchor of another boat. If there is a buoy you can not do this. The only consideration when no buoys is if your swing will bring you into contact with a boat. When there is a buoy you may entangle yourself, jam your rudder or prop etc.

 

[Irish Rover]

When you anchor in a small space you will often need to swing over the anchor of another boat. If there is a buoy you can not do this

Personally I try to avoid going over another boat's anchor and often ask others how many metres they have out before I put my anchor down. Boats mostly swing or settle in the same direction and it's a bloody pain when you want to leave in the morning and find another boat sitting on top of your anchor or closer. I've been abused a couple of times over the years when I've disturbed such nesters.

 

[pmagowan]

In a small bay the overlap of anchor swing is inevitable, particularly if anyone is sheltering from wind and need some scope. You don't know how much scope others use. If you are unlucky enough that the boats end up lying to the one point of the compass where another is over your anchor your options are to ask them to pull in a bit temporarily to allow you to up anchor or for you to pull in slowly and use a fender to prevent any collision. If we all draw big circles around our anchors within which nobody can lie then we run out of room pretty quickly

 

[Irish Rover]

In a small bay the overlap of anchor swing is inevitable, particularly if anyone is sheltering from wind and need some scope. You don't know how much scope others use. If you are unlucky enough that the boats end up lying to the one point of the compass where another is over your anchor your options are to ask them to pull in a bit temporarily to allow you to up anchor or for you to pull in slowly and use a fender to prevent any collision. If we all draw big circles around our anchors within which nobody can lie then we run out of room pretty quickly

As I said I've been abused for disturbing boats sitting on top of my anchor. As for fendering, I'm not sure how you can adequately fender the bow to enable you to literally push the other boat out of your way. Would you be happy with another boat deliberately making contact with yours.
Most of my boating is in the Aegean in Türkiye and Greece and I've rarely encountered an anchorage where there either isn't enough room for the boats there or there isn't another nearby suitable anchorage. Another issue in the Aegean is that many of the sheltered anchorages are in bays protected by hills. Many of these in turn are subject to strong katabatic wind gusts and it's not uncommon for boats 100m apart to be swinging in totally different directions or patterns.
For the record, I rarely use an anchor buoy. I would however deploy one if there was an indication the bottom was subject to fouling.

 

[pmagowan]

I would have no problem with someone pushing my boat with a fender (*) but then, as the boat that is sitting over an anchor, I would also have no problem with someone alerting me to temporarily move forward to allow them to depart.

(*) obviously there are considerations. I would expect effort to be made to raise me first. I would not be happy if conditions were rough and the forces could be large etc. Normally this happens in the morning calm and as you pull in chain you get quite close to another boat but since both on anchor it takes no significant force to keep apart, certainly less than when coming along side and rafting. Of course, I have never had it (that i am aware) that someone has had to do this as I would check when I hear a boat nearby and it is pulling in chain (no matter how deep in sleep I may be). I have regularly had boats anchor within my swinging circle and would only say something to let them know where my anchor is and if I was departing early or may need to disturb them.

You should, of course, try not to lie over someones anchor but you don't have full control. When dropping the hook you normally know what way you will lie now and if tide/wind are likely to have an affect overnight. You drop not directly in front.

 

[BobnLesley]

You also run the risk that a charter boat will think it’s a mooring and try to pick it up- don’t ask how I know.

Been there and had that; more than once and not all charter boats

 

[Irish Rover]

I would have no problem with someone pushing my boat with a fender (*) but then, as the boat that is sitting over an anchor, I would also have no problem with someone alerting me to temporarily move forward to allow them to depart.

(*) obviously there are considerations. I would expect effort to be made to raise me first. I would not be happy if conditions were rough and the forces could be large etc. Normally this happens in the morning calm and as you pull in chain you get quite close to another boat but since both on anchor it takes no significant force to keep apart, certainly less than when coming along side and rafting. Of course, I have never had it (that i am aware) that someone has had to do this as I would check when I hear a boat nearby and it is pulling in chain (no matter how deep in sleep I may be). I have regularly had boats anchor within my swinging circle and would only say something to let them know where my anchor is and if I was departing early or may need to disturb them.

You should, of course, try not to lie over someones anchor but you don't have full control. When dropping the hook you normally know what way you will lie now and if tide/wind are likely to have an affect overnight. You drop not directly in front.

Rafting alongside with both boats fendered is a lot different to the pointy bit with a metal protrusion making contact with the unfendered transom of another boat.
But it's all so easy to avoid - and if the boat that's there before you has an anchor buoy deployed even more easy.

 

[pmagowan]

You can still control your boat when at anchor! You don't need to ram another boat! If they are directly over your anchor and unresponsive you can come alongside, put a fender or two in appropriate places and take your anchor up. Since they are not on a dock or fixed there will be virtually no force exerted.

 

[Irish Rover]

You can still control your boat when at anchor! You don't need to ram another boat! If they are directly over your anchor and unresponsive you can come alongside, put a fender or two in appropriate places and take your anchor up. Since they are not on a dock or fixed there will be virtually no force exerted.

Sounds like an interesting manoeuvre coming alongside another boat while your anchor and chain are under his stern, props and rudders. I'd love to see it demonstrated. Any volunteers?

 

[pmagowan]

They wont be under his stern. What is difficult about coming alongside another boat in calm weather? If it is really a worry for you to potentially touch a fender to another boat at speeds less than 1kn then perhaps you could use your dingy to push the other boat aside and gain your freedom. I have on occasion had to get out from a raft at a dock, all of which is far more hassle and far more likely to end up with a hard contact than pulling up an anchor. Your alternative is to await their attention or a change in the wind/tide.

 

[Irish Rover]

They wont be under his stern. What is difficult about coming alongside another boat in calm weather? If it is really a worry for you to potentially touch a fender to another boat at speeds less than 1kn then perhaps you could use your dingy to push the other boat aside and gain your freedom. I have on occasion had to get out from a raft at a dock, all of which is far more hassle and far more likely to end up with a hard contact than pulling up an anchor. Your alternative is to await their attention or a change in the wind/tide.

If they weren't under his stern there wouldn't be an issue in the first instance. Anyway, I'll be happy to subscribe to your YouTube channel if you want to demonstrate it for us.

 

[pmagowan]

LOL, I said they 'wont be' under his stern. If watching a boat come alongside or near another boat is your thing I am sure there are lots of demonstrations on YouTube already. I don't have a channel. What about having an anchor deployed do you think complicates this maneuver significantly. I would presume you would be smart enough not to keep the chain taut if it is under the rudder etc of another boat.

What I will predict, however, is that you will find that you have a complication many more times when an anchor ball is deployed than you will find yourself in the situation where you have another boat directly over your anchor at 5am when you are desperate to leave.

 

[noelex]

I don’t think they are illegal, but try and avoid using an anchor float where possible, especially in a crowded anchorage when they unfairly restrict where other boats can anchor.

It is a little like taking up two spaces in a parking lot.

That is not to say that anchor floats can never be used, but they need to used with caution rather than routinely, with an appreciation for the restriction you are placing on other boats. The other factor to take into account is that you are creating a hazard for boats that may be entering at night. The anchor float is an additional (usually unlit) object that other boats need to avoid.

 

[Irish Rover]

LOL, I said they 'wont be' under his stern. If watching a boat come alongside or near another boat is your thing I am sure there are lots of demonstrations on YouTube already. I don't have a channel. What about having an anchor deployed do you think complicates this maneuver significantly. I would presume you would be smart enough not to keep the chain taut if it is under the rudder etc of another boat.

What I will predict, however, is that you will find that you have a complication many more times when an anchor ball is deployed than you will find yourself in the situation where you have another boat directly over your anchor at 5am when you are desperate to leave.

My actual experience doesn't bear that out. As I said I rarely use an anchor buoy and the only time I had a problem with one was when my own boat drifted over it at night and the line got caught on the rudder. Snorkel on and an early morning dip and solved in a couple of minutes. On the plus side I did have a situation where the trip line helped me escape from an abandoned chain in around 8 metres.
It does amuse me why so many boats anchor too close to others when there's absolutely no need to. My practice is to move as far as I can from others - that way I avoid having to listen to their generator, conversation, music etc and they mine. I appreciate sometimes it's unavoidable and then we all need to be tolerant of each other and help each other. A few weeks ago I was anchored in a narrow bay on Gaidharos [I think] island just off Syros. I have a shallow draft so I was well in towards the beach. A medium sized motor yacht anchored around 200M further out. A sail boat came later and went to anchor more or less midway between us. I had 25M out in 3M and the motor yacht was in 6/7M so I imagine he might have had up to 60M out. The sail boat was going to anchor in around 5M so would probably have put out 30/35M. All good you'd think, except the owner of the motor yacht started screaming at them first from his bow and then on Ch16 - would it be racist to disclose he was Italian. As they were about to leave I beckoned to them and suggested they anchor much closer to me. I had overnighted there a couple of times before and I knew the holding was exceptional and we wouldn't swing too much.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Last time I anchored and ended up sitting over the anchor of the boat behind us, when they wanted to go I simply started our engine and motored (still anchored) to one side while they retrieved their hook. We then turned the engine off and allowed our boat to swing back into place. Stress free and simple.