Best direction to lay an anchor?

[TSB240]

Aber Menai on a Bank Holiday? I have seen over 30 boats in there.

But tides can cause dreadful problems if anchored fore & aft in a drying anchorage.

Keep clear of me then Rushie as I am always fore and aft if drying out at Aber Menai

I can guarantee the boat will settle down on a patch that is level and has no big stones to damage my hull.


I could also argue for the use of two anchors off the bow if you are in the non drying tidal rode anchorage. Seen too many boats clashing or dragging on the tide change there. This was a common practice for the fin keeled regatta fleet of more than 40 boats which couldnt use the drying Viccy Doc before it was gated. We used to anchor opposite Morrisons in that way.

 

[noelex]

As long as everyone is anchored in the same way things are fine.
One of the big problems with boats that deploy fore and aft anchoring (in most parts of the world) is that invariably another boat will enter the anchorage and anchor conventionally, but perhaps far enough away from the first boat.
This takes up an enormous amount of room as subsequent boats have to anchor in such a way that they will not hit two disparate boats.

Another practical problem is that with a windshift causing a beam on wind fore and aft anchoring is very insecure, putting a large load on the anchors.

 

[Nostrodamus]

Leaving wind turbines on in marinas!

whoops..wrong post

 

[GrahamM376]

Some time back, HLB got some stick for saying that a good length of chain laid on the seabed will hold a boat even without an anchor on the end of it. He was quite correct for many sheltered situations. But I don't suppose any one will believe me either!

I believe you. It's easily demonstrated when using a trip line in fair conditions.
Quite often, the trip line buoy will be abeam quite a distance away, the boat being held by a horseshoe of chain.

Anchoring fore and aft where other boats are swinging is plain daft. We had the misfortune of sailing in company with someone who, due to lack of confidence in his ground tackle (or himself) always did that and for everyone to avoid hitting him it wasted a lot of space. Makes life far more difficult as well if having to move in a hurry.