Anchoring - who is responsible?

[GHA]

Yes absolutely. We are all supposed to want to spend a nice moment at anchorages.
One night I was at anchor, rain and fresh wind, a smaller boat sails into the tight anchorage and begins looking for a spot to anchor with a tiny torchlight, the couple onboard wet to their bones, looking rather lost, I suggested them to raft to my boat, which they immediately did. 'If anything strange happens we might have to untie' - ok no problem they said. The guy spent the whole night at watch outside under the rain, the following morning they left early and I found a bottle of wine in my cockpit. Isn't life beautiful

So many times it's no big deal but our natural reaction when the world isn't the way we want it to be. Portimao, coming in after a pretty tough few days radar shows a lovely spot & just as the hook bites a huge power boat charges in pretty close to port, followed by a smaller one to starboard! Nooooo!!!! So chill baby, ain't going to change, hook up and out into the middle of the bay. Pulling in the anchor the guy with his family on the smaller boat with a huge smile hands together bows deep in thanks. And I'm suddenly in a very good mood, wasn't that hard was it??

 

[Bouba]

I assume that Col Regs apply at anchor....so if you have a chance to avoid a collision then you must take it regardless if you are in the right

 

[Neeves]

Well anchored in Catisle bay in Antigua hoping to stay overnight. First time on cat and/or this area. Secure anchor spot in 3m since only 25-30m chain provided with our (charter) cat, gusting 25-30 so I feel I need a bit scope, the few other spaces filled. Good anchor alarm, good night's sleep ahead. Or so I hoped.

New boat drops comes in, talking dostance, we point to our anchor, they wave it away, they proceed to drop almost on top of ours. "Not my first rodeo, mate" is the response. They are lying less tha n 1 boat length in front of us, on our chain, if they drag they will likely hit.

My response, "you're the second boat, mate, your insurance". But is it?

I made a video without them seeing, to document, as I do not want to be passive agressive - bit perhaps I should have been more assertive?

I got the usual, "we're leaving at 6am".

Reality is, I now need to wake up every couple of hours to check on them. What would you do?

Oh, and now the loud music. Sigh.

Boat name is a give-away. What a *****.

A common problem.

We encountered it frequently in the Whitsundays (to our mind a location destroyed by great marketing) and invariably moved. It was easier for us to move than persuade the miscreants they were in the wrong.

Longer term we gave up and moved our cruising destination from the Whitsundays to Tasmania. Bass Strait provided a suitable barrier to weed out the novices, idiots and downright boorish.

I agree with the sentiment defined by Bouba underpinned also by the idea that anchoring should not be confrontational, 'sailing' is meant to be a pleasure and if you have the skills, can reduce confrontation and keep sailing pleasureable - then do it. Being 'right' is not necessarily the best answer.

Jonathan

 

[webcraft]

I frequently think people have anchored too close until I get in the dinghy - from the water the actual distance is often a lot more than it looks from the deck of your boat. I would like to get a rangefinder to check distances as I think this would allay a lot of unnecessary anxiety - plus it would give real ammunition if some twat actually HAS anchored too close.

Not always, but more often than not, there is no real problem - particularly if both are deep keeled and therefore going to swing the same way. Cats can be an issue, as they will swing to the wind while you are still lying to the tide or current.


- W

 

[lustyd]

This is why I like having radar, I can measure the distance and I know where they are in relation to my anchor since I drop a pin on the chart when I drop the anchor. Usually boats are further than you think, and several times I’ve been queried but when I respond “we’re 80m apart and I have 30m chain out” all is good.

Lesson learnt, consider a floating thing above the anchor to help prevent others anchoring on it

Don’t do this. All it achieves is less space in an anchorage. Boats have to swing at anchor and will often go above your anchor. That’s not a problem at all since you both lay back from the anchor.

 

[lustyd]

I would like to get a rangefinder to check distances

Get radar, it’s much more useful!

 

[oldbloke]

To be a bit uncharitable, why leave somewhere between not quite enough and just enough space between you and the windward shore in a busy anchorage? If you had parked where he parked there wouldn't be a problem and you wouldn't have so far to swim for the snorkeling

 

[Boathook]

I frequently think people have anchored too close until I get in the dinghy - from the water the actual distance is often a lot more than it looks from the deck of your boat. I would like to get a rangefinder to check distances as I think this would allay a lot of unnecessary anxiety - plus it would give real ammunition if some twat actually HAS anchored too close.

Not always, but more often than not, there is no real problem - particularly if both are deep keeled and therefore going to swing the same way. Cats can be an issue, as they will swing to the wind while you are still lying to the tide or current.


- W

I have purchased a golf range finder for this reason earlier this year. Not used it in 'anger' yet but distance is difficult when on board I find.

@lustyd my radar is a few years old and in an anchorage it struggles to differentiate boats. At sea it works fine.

 

[GHA]

I frequently think people have anchored too close until I get in the dinghy - from the water the actual distance is often a lot more than it looks from the deck of your boat. I would like to get a rangefinder to check distances as I think this would allay a lot of unnecessary anxiety - plus it would give real ammunition if some twat actually HAS anchored too close.

Not always, but more often than not, there is no real problem - particularly if both are deep keeled and therefore going to swing the same way. Cats can be an issue, as they will swing to the wind while you are still lying to the tide or current.


- W

Agree completely and love my radar/opencpn. But... It's not just the outside world, it's how you react to it. Even if there's plenty room if you feel uncomfortable then it's not very nice. Last year I moved to tuck in behind a breakwater with a wind shift coming swiftly followed by some friends. She called over "hope you don't think we're too close" & reply was "Yes, I do think you're too close, but you aren't so don't move, good to get some practice in with a boat I trust "

And how often are you in a nice spot alone in a huge bay and someone arrives anchoring right next to you
It's huge, so much room, why go here

 

[lustyd]

I have purchased a golf range finder for this reason earlier this year. Not used it in 'anger' yet but distance is difficult when on board I find.

@lustyd my radar is a few years old and in an anchorage it struggles to differentiate boats. At sea it works fine.

Good point, we have a modern set and I forget things didn’t always work this well. Ours even picks up pot markers so feel pretty lucky to have it on board. Quite a big upgrade so perhaps a rangefinder is a better option for a lot of folks. Those that have it though, use the radar in anchorages it’s a game changer!

 

[Keith 66]

A few years ago, anchored up in Stangate creek, a 30ft yacht anchors near us with a smaller yacht rafted up, far enough away, at HW naturally about 3am the wind has got up & we swing. I get up & look out the window, other yachts quite close. Our chain has stopped rumbling so i assume we are holding & go back to my bunk.
A short while later there is a thumping on the deck "Get up you are dragging".
Im already dressed & go on deck, I look around & we are still in the same place we were in relation to other boats & say so. The other lot dont want to believe this but get their anchor & start to motor away. At this point we realise that they have hooked our chain on their anchor & have lifted it. They are towing us after them. They round up to reanchor & we T bone them midships, fortunately not fast anough to do any damage. It took some time to free our anchor from their chain.
Usually its someone with ten foot of chain on a piddling anchor & 50 yards of rope bungeeing all over the anchorage!

 

[EugeneR]

I assume that Col Regs apply at anchor....so if you have a chance to avoid a collision then you must take it regardless if you are in the right

At the risk of becoming a colregs thread, is the implication that I go anchor where I want and expect others to move due to colregs? For me, there is a diffference between risk of collision, and one that will happen unless you take action. (Sadly, etiquette is not colregs).

To be a bit uncharitable, why leave somewhere between not quite enough and just enough space between you and the windward shore in a busy anchorage? If you had parked where he parked there wouldn't be a problem and you wouldn't have so far to swim for the snorkeling

No worries, it's a fair point / question. The bottom slopes gradually and he was just willing to go much shallower.

To be fair, I was hoping to be shallower myself, but our anchor comms was a bit less effective.

 

[mjcoon]

Get radar, it’s much more useful!

Come to think of it I could add my laser rangefinder to the list of toys I take on flotilla holidays. The red spot might make someone think I have a sniper rifle, too! Radar would be impractical in so many ways...

 

[Bouba]

At the risk of becoming a colregs thread, is the implication that I go anchor where I want and expect others to move due to colregs? For me, there is a diffference between risk of collision, and one that will happen unless you take action. (Sadly, etiquette is not colregs).



No worries, it's a fair point / question. The bottom slopes gradually and he was just willing to go much shallower.

To be fair, I was hoping to be shallower myself, but our anchor comms was a bit less effective.

Unfortunately laws are for the law abiding and not for the inconsiderate

 

[oldbloke]

At the risk of becoming a colregs thread, is the implication that I go anchor where I want and expect others to move due to colregs? For me, there is a diffference between risk of collision, and one that will happen unless you take action. (Sadly, etiquette is not colregs).



No worries, it's a fair point / question. The bottom slopes gradually and he was just willing to go much shallower.

To be fair, I was hoping to be shallower myself, but our anchor comms was a bit less effective.

I have anchored there myself, it can look very shallow when looking down and the shore looks nearer than it is. The other thing to worry about is the 1:1000 chance that the wind changes direction ( it won't, but what if....?).

 

[noelex]

A laser rangefinder is a valuable tool that offers an accurate and objective measurement of distances. After spending nights in secluded anchorages, boats appear significantly closer than they actually are, while in contrast, after spending time in a crowded anchorage, they seem farther away. The rangefinder provides a precise and reliable reading.

Radar is also occasionally used, but it can be challenging to determine which part of the boat is generating the signal. Rangefinders are more effective for short distances.

 

[michael_w]

The Quebecois are the worst for 'snuggling up'. Often I've wished for a lever to produce bodacia type spikes from my topsides.

 

[Bouba]

Unfortunately there is the reality of too many boats and not enough good anchorages.....the attitude of ‘I got here first so this is my bay’......is as bad as.....’I’ll just drop my anchor on top of yours’

 

[michael_w]

Or the people who insist on veering 7 times the depth of water.

 

[SaltyC]

Or the people who insist on veering 7 times the depth of water.

Hmmmm, guilty! (& some). But in 3m of water at LW & a 9m range it is not so clear cut.
This is where LW swinging circles become problematic with different boat profiles.