first time overnight anchoring?

Bosun Higgs said:
I was OK with this until I got to para 7. Forget sleep - you wont do much of that. Just lie down fully clothed and ready to run about checking if you are dragging. Dont have any booze - you might have to move the boat and in the dark amongst other boats that isnt easy. Have three decent bearings from the hand bearing compass on three easily identified landmarks on the horizon ie hilltop not half way up the hill. Have a clear plannned and noted down exit route.

Finally, have somewhere to stay when daylight comes up and you can finally get your head down.
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Don't understand this at all and can only assume it is an attempt at humour. If you have a modern HHP anchor that you have set correctly and checked under power then there is no reason why you should not sleep soundly. We do.

- W
 
webcraft said:
Don't understand this at all and can only assume it is an attempt at humour. If you have a modern HHP anchor that you have set correctly and checked under power then there is no reason why you should not sleep soundly. We do.

- W
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Yes, the original was a request from an anchoring beginner for information. I don't know why people try to make out that anchoring is somehow an unusual or risky activity. Do it right and you'll sleep fine.

Do it like some people appear to do it and sooner or later you'll create havoc during the night and wake me up as you come dragging by, swearing at your wife and trying to find your windlass handle!
 
Babylon said:
But did boats' crews not at least stand anchor-watches over the centuries? And if today we have anchor-drag alarms on GPS units (our fixed 10-yr old Garmin seems to have one, whereas my H/H Garmin GPS chartplotter doesn't) then why not at least get into the habit of setting this before going off to sleep?
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Yes, sometimes they did - but with the sort of anchoring in the sorts of benign conditions and locations that the OP ought to be anchoring in, I suspect that the only thing the GPS alarm will do is offer him(?) reassurance. Either that or he/she will set the thing to such a small circle that it will go off on the turn of the tide/wind and get them in a panic. If the thing can be set in such a way as to not give false alarms, and it will help give you confidence, then by all means use it. We don't usually bother...

People might be interested to know that on big ships, the swinging circle is often drawn on the chart - so that the position of the ship can be monitored within the predicted swinging area. But ships still set anchor watches and it gives the watchkeeper something to do... In benign conditions and a sheltered spot IMHO this would be complete overkill on a small yacht.

One point that is often overlooked when discussing anchoring for beginners is that swinging circles of yachts sometimes DO overlap in a crowded anchorage. This invariably DOESN'T MATTER - as you all swing at the same time. Many the time, I have found a yacht that has swung and is now sitting right over where my anchor is lying. When you are looking for a spot in a crowded place sometimes a polite enquiry about how much scope another yacht has laid out helps you decide where to go. Sometimes it gets interesting when yachts with different keel configurations and weights anchor close to one another. The small lightweight racy yacht will dance round her anchor (especially when its a chain/rope mixed rode) whilst the all chain anchored long keeled heavy yacht makes a rather more sedate turn.

The OP shouldn't worry about any of this - just anchor well clear of everyone else in a quiet spot on good holding with plenty of scope and you will have nothing to fear at all.
 
Am I the only person to mark my anchor with a small 'watch' buoy?

Actually an old de-ionised water bottle painted yellow and black with a ring in the cap and thin nylon line to the anchor.

I like to know where the anchor lies in relation to myself.
 
john_morris_uk said:
We have a friend who is a very experienced skipper whose anchoring technique consists of coming to a halt in a suitable spot and chucking the anchor over the side with plenty of scope. He does check the weather forecast, he does choose suitable places to anchor - like lots of mud etc, and he does check the tide tables - but don't we all do that as a matter of course?

He DOESN'T EVER reverse the anchor in to 'check its holding' - he just assumes that it will - and it invariably does.

Its a 36' long keeled classic boat and the anchor is a CQR.
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Ah! That sounds like the technique and the boat that took three attempts to anchor in Beulieu river the other weekend.
 
LadyInBed said:
I haven't read through all the verbiage but has it been suggested that it is good practice after deployment of anchor to don snorkelling gear and swim down the anchor chain to check and adjust the set of the anchor :D
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Hi
This was the thread that I had in mind.

"If there is not a lot of wind and you leave your boat or spent the night at anchor it is very reassuring to know it firmly holds; Yep, the best way to do this is pull on it with the engine in reverse. It will also make sure the anchor really digs in properly (sets). Often I dive on the anchor to make 100% sure it is set properly. If we stay on the boat for a lunch it is easier and you can just drop it; still keep a good look out though; if possible use an anchor alarm.

I would never trust an anchor otherwise. It is amateurish if you do not do this.

Eric "

What I didn't appreciate is that English is not the poster's 1st language. I therefore humbly withdraw my sarcastic comment, it was an attempt at humour:o
 
john_morris_uk said:
One point that is often overlooked when discussing anchoring for beginners is that swinging circles of yachts sometimes DO overlap in a crowded anchorage.
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We had that during a lunchstop anchor at EH in May this year - we had to be back at Northney fairly promptly for our guests - so motored slowly forwards whilst winding in the chain (electric windlass) - got to about a foot off the stern of the boat - with their skipper looking a bit clueless (didn't even put his helm over to swing his vessel clear of my anchor!) - so put in in reverse and dragged the anchor out leaving bemused skipper on the other boat to ponder about his inaction!

One HUGE advantage of a cheapo CQR copy!! ;)
 
mattnj said:
So, we have been cruising the solent for 5years, but never actually anchored overnight.
Can someone advise the best place to give it a go for the first time and what we need to do ( specifially) and what to look out for, i guess i just dont like the thought of the tide turning and pulling out the anchor :-)
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I'd suggest just off Portland Bill near the race during a spring tide with a CQR on a 30' rope would suit!
 
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fireball said:
We had that during a lunchstop anchor at EH in May this year ......... so put in in reverse and dragged the anchor out leaving bemused skipper on the other boat to ponder about his inaction!
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Ah! ... but which of you arrived first :) . If EH means East Head then not surprised you could drag it out .... I've always considered it one of worst places for holding I've ever come across.

Vic
 
Not sure about solent but i dragged a few weeks ago and ended up on rocks, (no damage but still life boat came out at 3 am) plenty of scope and set gps drag allarm is my advice or take it in night watches if you have crew.
 
VicMallows said:
Ah! ... but which of you arrived first :) . If EH means East Head then not surprised you could drag it out .... I've always considered it one of worst places for holding I've ever come across.

Vic
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I did ... EH = East Head and yes - rubbish holding - although we managed to set first time - which surprised me somewhat!

Drag out - well - we must've been only a meter or two behind the anchor - with (at a guess) 4meters of water - so plenty of up force ...
 
I anchor out almost every weekend here in northern spain. We dont have strong tides but it certainly blows.

Dont think its been mentioned so far but as part of my anchoring routine i put my hand round the chain whilst the motor is gently reversing, giving more revs little by little..... with practice you can feel almost everything thats going on on the bottom, taking up chain slack, chain pulling through weed, anchor skipping, tripping or gripping.

Ive never dragged..... anchoring is common sense and probably the most rewarding part of sailing without the sails up..... and free!!! Pour a glass of wine and watch the sun go down.....
 
And check the depth on both sides . . .

This was last night at a favourite overnight spot, I just happened to pick the very edge of the pool! Fortunately it was pretty close to LW so it was easy enough to put up with til the tide came back in a couple of hours.
 
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Searush said:
And check the depth on both sides . . .

This was last night at a favourite overnight spot, I just happened to pick the very edge of the pool! Fortunately it was pretty close to LW so it was easy enough to put up with til the tide came back in a couple of hours.
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Thats the very problem I warned of in my post at the start of the thread. Just shows even someone with loads of experience can miss judge at times.
 
Searush said:
And check the depth on both sides . . .

This was last night at a favourite overnight spot, I just happened to pick the very edge of the pool! Fortunately it was pretty close to LW so it was easy enough to put up with til the tide came back in a couple of hours.
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Happened to me in the pool near Chateau Roche Jagu whilst waiting for the tide to go up to Pontrieux. I wasn't there long enough for it to be a worry but I had to poke the boat away from the bank with the boathook. (One of the adavantages of having a small boat! :D)
 
parsifal said:
Happened to me in the pool near Chateau Roche Jagu whilst waiting for the tide to go up to Pontrieux. I wasn't there long enough for it to be a worry but I had to poke the boat away from the bank with the boathook. (One of the adavantages of having a small boat! :D)
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It must be lovely, being able to have a poke while waiting for the tide.;)
 
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