dropping anchor

[thamesS23]

We have often dropped the anchor as an additional safety aspect when moored up along banks, but have never actually dropped anchor in a secluded spot on the river when not tied up to the bank.
I would like to maybe drop anchor more this season, as an alternative to having to find a free mooring when just wanting to stop for a quick lunch break, but I have never had any tution on how to do this.
Is there a formula to how much chain you should let out in relation to the depth? what's the best method, drop the anchor and then let the current take the boat before the anchor catches?

any advice would be appreciated

 

[sailorman]

pay-out 3 x depth minium chain (& not in one heap on the river bed) drift back when the anchor "bites" select a short burst astern & bed the anchor in. then have lunch & a "Happy Arrival " beer

 

[Geoffs]

I did this on my trip last year. Found a nice anchorage above Days for lunch. Obviously you must keep out of the main channel and not obstruct navigation. Also pick a spot where the wind is in the same direction as the stream, otherwise you'll end up swinging around, poss getting too close the bank or the channel. Not too close upstream of a wier, in case anchor drags.

It is a good for a lunch stop, but wouldn't think it's a good idea for an overnight stop on the river. Overnight fine on the sea, in the right spot, done it loads.

 

[thamesS23]

Don't know if I would ever be brave enough to anchor for an overnight stay, simply because I would be to paranoid to sleep for fear of not staying in one spot!

Just think it would be handy for when we want to stop for lunch quickly, even if there are mooring spaces free, it sometime seems a waste to use them in poplar spots when we are only stopping for 30 mins or so.

Any good spots for anchoring that people want to share? I have always liked the idea of dropping anchor on the large bend downstream of Windsor marina. It an seems an ideal spot for us when we just want to pop out on small winter run, but she can't be bothered to go through any locks.

 

[apollo]

We used to do that a lot when we moored in Bray.

We would leave early from Cookham on a Sunday to get back through that "poxy lock", and sling the anchor out by Bray Studios, knowing we could be back in the marina in ive mins when we wanted to go home.

Some days others would do the same, max we ever saw was four boats anchored.

 

[pheran]

I trust you all remember to hoist your black ball when anchored!!

 

[ianc1200]

.....& a tripping line if any danger of getting the anchor embedded in tree roots.

IanC

 

[IFS]

Nice idea, remember the river bed could be private land, consider a mud weight(s) rather than the anchor, nice in low flow conditions. I see nothing wrong in anchoring over night if you are sure of your anchor. on a slow moving river I would put a mud weight down at the stern to keep me steady as well. Anchor light strongly advisable but not compulsury on upper thames. Could upset fihermen and scullers if done wrong/right.

 

[ebbtide]

Don't forget to set an Anchor Watch, sharing it round the crew in 3-hour stints with strict instructions to take bearings on fixed marks and plot position every 15 mins, waking you only after brewing a cuppa.
Sleep tight!

PS There are suitable courses offered by many training centres where you can learn just this sort of seamanship.

 

[NickSlater1972]

NB: Always check that the anchor chain/rope is properly connected to the boat first. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[teddington_lock]

Thats a favourite with the narrowboats when they break down on the tideway ...

Chuck the anchor out and watch the chain and a hundred feet of rope disappear over the side never to be seen again.

 

[Gavi]

This is an interesting post. I have dropped many things in my life, but never my anchor. Must have a go.

 

[byron]

[ QUOTE ]
I trust you all remember to hoist your black ball when anchored!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Last time you anchored Chris your Anne told me that your black ball had been extracted from between your legs and was black because she had kicked you there first.

 

[pheran]

I probably deserved it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Cliveshep]

Being an anti social bunch and also running a generator we pretty much always anchor up for the night. We have a Danforth with 3m of chain and a long rope rode we lob over the stern in line with where we want to be and pay out all the rope as we move up. We then drop our CQR off the bow with a chain rode and haul back on the stern whilst paying out chain until we have 2 to 3 times depth of chain off the bow. We have an anchor buoy we attach to the crown of the anchor with approx the same amount of rope as water depth so we can see where the anchor is lying. This can also act as a "tripping" line to recover the anchor should it become too fouled to haul.

We don't go astern to set the bow anchor unless the river is running hard and if we do we have to watch the stern warp is kept taut to avoid getting it near the prop. That way we settle nicely and the wind doesn't swing us all over the river, into the channel or bankside trees. We have successfully anchored as close as 2 metres from the bank where water depth permits using this method but 3 metres is preferred. We always use an anchor light, we have one of those LED ones that is sold by a chap here on the forum who runs a chandlery. They are around the £30 mark but don't flatten the battery and give more than adequate all-round light for the night time nutters to see. (peeps who want to cruise when the rest of us are asleep). Those who use the River Wey will see us regularly at anchor just below Newark lock, otherwise on the Thames we use Runneymede section, the Old Windsor lock weir stream, main river above Windsor, and indeed anywhere reasonably pretty and quiet.

BTW, getting under way again, unless the river is running hard we let out all the stern warp, haul or motor up to the bow anchor, (we admittedly do have an electric anchor winch to pamper my bad back), haul until the anchor is hanging off the bow and drift back hauling in the stern anchor. Once that is hauled we are off, my crew helm whilst I clean and stow for next time. However, if the river is running hard the technique is to pay out enough chain to the bow anchor, haul the stern anchor and stow it before motoring up to and hauling the bow anchor. However, this leaves me at the bow and one of the kids at the helm so I am too far away from the helm if the crew get into a fix.

Don't worry about the anchor pulling, if you see you are moving backwards just pay out a little more chain until she holds and tighten up the stern warp to compensate. We've been doing this on various boats since the 70's and never had a problem. We have peacful nights and it is lovely to get up in the morning early to find a peaceful river scene all around the boat and with no-one alse to spoil the peace and beauty. Give it a go, you'll be hooked (no pun intended)!

 

[exfinnsailor]

Just set the alarm for the change of tide .. Wait till you turn .. Check the anchor is holding and back to bed .. SWMBO does it all the time .. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ADLS]

If you have a GPS set the achor watch and see if you drift during lunch, all good training for when your at sea.

 

[ianc1200]

I wish they would make these with louder bleeps or sockets to link to loudspeakers. Slept through even when the GPS was on the pillow (I set it to go off when the tide turned to see if it would wake me)

IanC

 

[Urquhart]

Anchoring is a much-underrated activity on the Thames!

But in response to the earlier useful guide, might I suggest another technique may be preferable?

The vital thing is that the bower anchor is set right; the kedge is there simply to prevent swinging (some upper Thames clubs may have customs which would suggest that setting a kedge is not the right thing to do, but that is none of my business).

Therefore:

First, find the spot you wish to occupy;
then motor upstream twenty metres or so;
drop the bower anchor and drift back on it, paying out chain until you are some metres downstream of your desired spot;
lower the kedge and release its rode;
haul up on the bower until you are in your desired spot (you have confirmed that your bower is holding);
haul on your kedge until it's sufficiently taut, and shown to be holding.

This technique relies upon working the anchors, and never involves the props turning while either rode is in the water.

Another useful technique is kedging the stern out into the river, to get the bow against the bank in a tight spot, but I think I'll leave the full description for another day.

Regarding scope, the classic 'three times the depth' is fine in deep water, but in fast shallow water I never like to lie to less than the boat's length plus three times the depth, or so. Experience has taught me that the boat lies to the chain, not the anchor, which is simply there to keep the end of the chain in the right place.

 

[Cliveshep]

Quote:

"................but in fast shallow water I never like to lie to less than the boat's length plus three times the depth, or so. Experience has taught me that the boat lies to the chain, not the anchor, which is simply there to keep the end of the chain in the right place."
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Very valid point, as my comment notes, if it drags pay out more chain. Indeed, it is the chain that the boat lies to and you are absolutely correct. On your other point though, on heavier craft where not everyone has a powered winch, hauling by hand to the bower may be more than some are capable of physically if any sort of stream is running. Even if one has a winch, winches aren't really supposed to haul the boat along but lift merely the chain and anchor, which is why a short rope bridle with a chain stopper should be used to hold the boat when the vessel is finally brought up to and the winch slackened off to take load off of the gypsy. It probably looks crazy to set the stern or kedge first and pay out all the warp, but one is not hauling up for the bower but powering away from the kedge, only at the point where you judge the bower should lie is neutral engaged and the pawl slipped. Once the bower is laid it is simple and physically easy to just drift back and take up the slack on the kedge or stern anchor, and pay out more chain off the bow as required, none of it taking any physical effort.

As for Upper Thames Cruising Clubs ................errr..........what possible reason could they have to impose different ideas on a non-member? I didn't understand that bit.