Anchoring

[tinkicker0]

This is posted on a thread on the Mobo forum, but it occurred that I'd find more wealth of experience re river conditions here.

Apologies for dual postings.

I am on a river, no tides, but a one - two knot current, tourboats going up and down, channel only maybe 80 feet wide and a requirement to anchor close to the bank.
Often the wind is either from the portside or against the current which blows the boat into the bank or upstream.

Also the possibility of being blown out cross current into the channel during the night does not fill me with happiness.

Tried once, using my main anchor and got blown all over the place, had to abandon the plan and return to the marina, wasting precious drinking time; so got a second one at a boat jumble for the stern.

I have a 7kg Danforth with 5 metres of 8mm chain, then anchor warp as a main anchor and a folding 3kg grapple on 3 metres of 6mm chain and then anchor warp to throw off the stern.

20ft boat.

River close to bank would be around 6 feet deep and the bottom is mud / treeroots/ sunken branches, very smelly stuff.

Never got the courage up to anchor up all night before, providing the breeze is reasonably light, would my setup be enough to prevent the swing?

Don't fancy causing an obstruction and getting yelled and pipestem waved at by Captain Percy Bligh the Intolerant on his Seamaster 27.
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[Cliveshep]

We invariably anchor, Danforth plus around 4m of 10mm chain then rope rode off the stern, CQR on Lowfrans winch with 8mm chain off the bow. Always use two anchors on rivers, settle around 8-10ft off the bank so out of channel, can't b e set adrift by passing yobs, anchor light means not getting run down, buoys with anchor symbol or ropes as tripping lines on both anchors, buoy line set to just greater than depth of water to indicate anchor position and hopefully ward off concerned passing boats who want to know if we have "broken down" otherwise.

Never had any problems on River Wey or Thames.

 

[Brayman]

We invariably anchor, Danforth plus around 4m of 10mm chain then rope rode off the stern, CQR on Lowfrans winch with 8mm chain off the bow. Always use two anchors on rivers, settle around 8-10ft off the bank so out of channel, can't b e set adrift by passing yobs, anchor light means not getting run down, buoys with anchor symbol or ropes as tripping lines on both anchors, buoy line set to just greater than depth of water to indicate anchor position and hopefully ward off concerned passing boats who want to know if we have "broken down" otherwise.

Never had any problems on River Wey or Thames.

But then again, we've never seen you anchored and if we did we may very well ask you to "move along there please" and most definitely "rescue" you whether you needed it or not.

 

[tinkicker0]

Thanks Clive.
Have made an 25w (equivalent) LED anchor light, put wiring and an IP67 AMP connector in the portside fishing rod holder, to connect the lead to and a switch up on the dash, so I can hang the light on me telescopic boat hook, hang a black ball off the light too and switch it on at night.
Damned american boat had the existing anchor / pole light on the dead (stbd) side.


Just need to convince SWMBO that we won't float over the weir and drown in our bed now.

 

[Cliveshep]

But then again, we've never seen you anchored and if we did we may very well ask you to "move along there please" and most definitely "rescue" you whether you needed it or not.

I'm only interested in being "rescued" by members of any Ladies Under-30 Rowing Club thank you! In any event, we've anchored in Cliveden several times, at Runnymede, up various weir streams, above Windsor etc. For the past 3 years, for financial reasons, we've been stuck on the River Wey, still anchor on the wider river sections there as well - can't get out of our bad habits. Our favourite spot was made "No Mooring" which is why we now anchor.

BTW - years ago I cruised the Arun, that's pretty quick when the tide turns. This was in a Norman 20 and we only had one old fisherman's anchor. I used to pass the stern rope around part of one of the bridges upstream of Arundel and attach the rope to the stern having laid out the anchor off the bow. Spent some quite comfortable nights that way! Never notice the change of tide much.