Med Anchoring

[CharlesM]

Hello All

As one who wishes to do a season or so in the med (plan is for summer next year) with some visits this year, I have a few questions regarding anchoring.

I intend to try keep costs down, and as such plan to spend most of the time anchoring rather than in a marina (moorings or pontoon/wall).

My question is - When you go exploring for a day what do you tend to do. Leave the boat at anchor or into a marina?

For me, I would imagine as long as I am in view of the boat, I would not be to concerned about leaving her at anchor, but I dont know about a full days exploring..

thanks
Charles

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[snowleopard]

lots of people leave their boats at anchor when going ashore for a day. in the med you have no change of tide to worry about, only possible wind shifts. in some places you may find the boats so crammed in that any change of direction will cause collisions so either check the weather forecast before leaving or put fenders out (or both)

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[boatless]

Which bit of the Med?

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[LadyInBed]

When you have spent 24hrs at anchor and got a feel for the anchorage, then knowing the weather conditions, it’s just a psychological battle to leave the boat for the day. It’s a bit like getting a good nights sleep the first night in a new anchorage, the fact that you have been there most of the day doesn’t stop you worrying as soon as you get your head down.

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[tcm]

After sitting on a boat at anchor for a while after dumping the anchor, I would have no prob with leaving the boat for a day but following is relevant.

1. In busy anchorages, things happen. Others will drag over your anchor and so on. If you can, leave someone on board. If not, buoying the anchor with a larger than normal float is an idea to keep others away.

2. Near beaches, there is a tendency for adventurous swimmers to swim out. So stay a good distance out.

3. I have direct experienece of a snazzy boat (not mine) being "found" by another boat and then triumphantly restored to the owner, for a fee of course. This happened in a bay near the marina in Formentera. The boat simply could not have been where the "finder" saidf it was cos the wind was in the other direction.

4. In french marinas and i think some others too you can stay for a lunch stop free of charge. You should arrive about 11ish and depart before 5 in most places.

5. The stuff about chain out only 3 or 4 times depth should be seen as a minimum, not the "right" amount, imho.

BTW, good places for long stays in the south of france include Villefranche and Millionaires Bay just east of St Tropez. Days or even weeks at a time.


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[colvic]

One thing to be aware of is that a lot of Insurance Companies have a limit to how many hours you can leave the boat un-attended at anchor. Make sure you check.

Ours was stolen in Mallorca last year and I got a real dressing down from the Guardia Civil for having the name of the boat on the tender; they do not advise this. There are not a lot of boats stolen, but more than you would think was the reply I got when talking to the loss adjuster.

When anchored off Ibiza at Port San Miguel year before encountered some VERY strong winds and seas for 36 hours and between 4 and 5 times chain worked very well. Video makes us quite sea sick when we watch it!

Phil

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[Talbot]

<Ours was stolen in Mallorca last year and I got a real dressing down from the Guardia Civil for having the name of the boat on the tender>

posted about this earlier. I have the pt 1 register number carved into the transom of my tender and etched into the outboard cover. Thus it has a unique number clearly visible, but the parent boat cannot quickly be identified by the thief. Of course if you have your SSR number proudly displayed on the outside of the hull of your yacht, you will have to think up some other method! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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[CharlesM]

Hi Boatless

Initially I would say the ballerics, and mainland spain, but next year the plan is to go further afield. Felicity loves Greece, so most likely there, and we think we would prefer to get into the eastern med sooner rather than later.

Charles

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[boatless]

Charles, Hi

Reason for asking is that the two ends of the Med are very different. Know Greece v. well and Turkey pretty well. Big difference is very few marinas this end.

In bays, once anchor is in, and line ashore if you want, (and as rightly said above, forget 3 X depth, use 5) I'd happily leave my boat. There is very little theft out among the islands. Weather is really quite predictable - when it's behaving itself, and you'll get a feel for that pretty quickly. In harbours the same is true, never had any hint of theft, although I'm sure it happens occasionally.

Felicity is quite right btw!

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[CharlesM]

Re: Felicity is quite right

hehe - she usually is

and right for me 2 !

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