Anchoring - who is responsible?

[BobnLesley]

Sometimes people reply 'it's you going forward'

Some years ago we anchored upwind though well clear, of a British flagged Vancouver 27 in Torrevieja on the east side of Spain, whereupon one of the two rather stiff ladies of a certain age aboard it came onto the foredeck expressing concern that we were too close especially as the holding was poor. I didn't think there was a problem, but I was in a good mood and there was ample space elsewhere, so we upped anchor and resettled ourselves , perhaps 30-40m behind and slightly to starboard of them.

Barely half an hour later we were sat in the cockpit with beers when we noticed that the Vancouver was dragging; it was going to pass comfortably to port of us, but I wandered up onto the foredeck and hailed the two ladies to let them know. The response was immediate: "Don't be so stupid! We've been here five days... It's you who's dragging... We warned you the holding was poor." My countering that 'we couldn't drag upwind' was not well received

I shrugged my shoulders, returned to my beer and three or four minutes later their cockpit drifted past ours and though I remained silent, I couldn't resist giving them a little wave. Both ladies and their two Newfoundland type dogs were all now sat in their cockpit (it must've been cosy down below on wet days?) with arms folded (only the ladies) and glaring at us; eventually one of them again called '"It's you... we've been here for five days!"

That yacht must've dragged for another ten minutes/100m, passing a couple more yachts along its way - both of whom also advised that they were dragging - before the ladies admitted defeat, started their engine and lifted the anchor. As the yacht motored back to the front of the fleet, I raised a toast with my beer bottle and requested "Please don't anchor too close, or directly upwind of us... I've been told that the holding's very poor."

They did comply with my request, but it scored me an even bigger glare than the earlier ones.

 

[Bouba]

Some years ago we anchored upwind though well clear, of a British flagged Vancouver 27 in Torrevieja on the east side of Spain, whereupon one of the two rather stiff ladies of a certain age aboard it came onto the foredeck expressing concern that we were too close especially as the holding was poor. I didn't think there was a problem, but I was in a good mood and there was ample space elsewhere, so we upped anchor and resettled ourselves , perhaps 30-40m behind and slightly to starboard of them.

Barely half an hour later we were sat in the cockpit with beers when we noticed that the Vancouver was dragging; it was going to pass comfortably to port of us, but I wandered up onto the foredeck and hailed the two ladies to let them know. The response was immediate: "Don't be so stupid! We've been here five days... It's you who's dragging... We warned you the holding was poor." My countering that 'we couldn't drag upwind' was not well received

I shrugged my shoulders, returned to my beer and three or four minutes later their cockpit drifted past ours and though I remained silent, I couldn't resist giving them a little wave. Both ladies and their two Newfoundland type dogs were all now sat in their cockpit (it must've been cosy down below on wet days?) with arms folded (only the ladies) and glaring at us; eventually one of them again called '"It's you... we've been here for five days!"

That yacht must've dragged for another ten minutes/100m, passing a couple more yachts along its way - both of whom also advised that they were dragging - before the ladies admitted defeat, started their engine and lifted the anchor. As the yacht motored back to the front of the fleet, I raised a toast with my beer bottle and requested "Please don't anchor too close, or directly upwind of us... I've been told that the holding's very poor."

They did comply with my request, but it scored me an even bigger glare than the earlier ones.

Your whole story only proves one point....that people don’t buy boats to pick up women

 

[lustyd]

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...

You mean you don’t pack a radome and plotter for holidays?!

Yes there are scenarios where it’s impractical, but for those with modern radar on their own boat it’s well worth using and makes anchorages much less stressful.

 

[Wansworth]

Some years ago we anchored upwind though well clear, of a British flagged Vancouver 27 in Torrevieja on the east side of Spain, whereupon one of the two rather stiff ladies of a certain age aboard it came onto the foredeck expressing concern that we were too close especially as the holding was poor. I didn't think there was a problem, but I was in a good mood and there was ample space elsewhere, so we upped anchor and resettled ourselves , perhaps 30-40m behind and slightly to starboard of them.

Barely half an hour later we were sat in the cockpit with beers when we noticed that the Vancouver was dragging; it was going to pass comfortably to port of us, but I wandered up onto the foredeck and hailed the two ladies to let them know. The response was immediate: "Don't be so stupid! We've been here five days... It's you who's dragging... We warned you the holding was poor." My countering that 'we couldn't drag upwind' was not well received

I shrugged my shoulders, returned to my beer and three or four minutes later their cockpit drifted past ours and though I remained silent, I couldn't resist giving them a little wave. Both ladies and their two Newfoundland type dogs were all now sat in their cockpit (it must've been cosy down below on wet days?) with arms folded (only the ladies) and glaring at us; eventually one of them again called '"It's you... we've been here for five days!"

That yacht must've dragged for another ten minutes/100m, passing a couple more yachts along its way - both of whom also advised that they were dragging - before the ladies admitted defeat, started their engine and lifted the anchor. As the yacht motored back to the front of the fleet, I raised a toast with my beer bottle and requested "Please don't anchor too close, or directly upwind of us... I've been told that the holding's very poor."

They did comply with my request, but it scored me an even bigger glare than the earlier ones.

Wonderful story

 

[LittleSister]

Both skippers are responsible, but one or more may also be irresponsible!