Anchor Watches

[webcraft]

Anchor watch

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Have only set one once after a dragging incident (on another boat, long ago) in a crowded anchorage where we couldn't set enough scope for comfort.

Nowadays its simple - if the weather is bad enough to wake me up I check we are still in position and sometimes even go up on deck for a quick look round. If the weather isn't bad enough to wake me up then we aren't going to drag.

Of course, if you are one of those people who can sleep through anything this might not work for you

- W

 

[Billjratt]

I'm with Webby. I have complete faith in my (quite) oversized ground tackle, and ability to set it. Experience in previous boats indicates that 'something' wakes me as soon as the bow starts to fall away from the regular sheer. Probably was in "standby sleep" mode already.

 

[jellyellie]

We haven't anchored much on Milestone but when we have, I've always set an anchor alarm on the GPS and set the clock alarm for tide turns during the night where I'll get up - or nudge James.

It definitely does always sound worse down below, especially sleeping in the forepeak, and especially with a bobstay (on our list - need to setup a snatcher on the end of the bowsprit)!

So far I haven't slept very well whilst we're at anchor, very alert to new noises, often found wandering the foredeck with a torch. Also very very grumpy the next day, James will more than testify to that, so until I get used to it, it's nice to have a mooring warp or four in use!

 

[Poignard]

So far I haven't slept very well whilst we're at anchor, very alert to new noises, often found wandering the foredeck with a torch.

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No harm in being extra alert on a boat. Might save your life one day

 

[Ruffles]

The only time I've ever dragged I was woken by the characteristic sound from the chain. Which is amazing really since I was in the stern cabin and I'm a heavy sleaper.

It had dragged because I'd set the scope at low water. Pillock.

I really must make up an external alarm for the GPS.

 

[DogWatch]

Is this an anchor watch?

New fangled designs! I prefer my delta.

 

[Roaring Girl]

Absolutely agree about confidence in the tackle, and in your technique. But even then, things can go wrong, or other people drag down on you. We set a GPS alarm at a distance which will wake us on significant swing. Currently, in the Med, not a tidal issue but wind can change dramatically, and we always used to like to check the situation as the tide turned.

Only actually done anchor watch one and a half times. Once when in very deep water in a cala in eastern Spain and close to rocks, where we were not comfortable. (turned out we'd hooked a rock and probably were as safe as we've ever been!) That was only an quick overnight stop to let swell subside before tackling the Golfe de Lyons and certainly wouldn't have done for any longer stay.

The otehr time was at Le Grazie, Italy, just last weekend; I didn't believe the guy just upwind had set enough chain; I sat up and watched him for 2 hours, then decided he was ok and went to bed. Five MINUTES later (honestly) lots of yelling and noise, I shoot on deck and there is he 10 feet away. Fortunately he went and anchored a good distance from us and I could go back to bed.

So - yes - anchor watch on other people's boats has been interesting too! But we generally don't and we spend 75% or more of our cruising time at anchor.