U4
Well-Known Member
How liberating...!
Second night at anchor..
- Thread starter U4
- Start date
crazy4557
Well-Known Member
I tried it one time and was up and down all night like whores draws! Give me a berth that I can tie up to any day.
wipe_out
Well-Known Member
I definitely want to experience anchoring over night when I get a chance (and the weather plays nice).. 
Bazzer
Well-Known Member
Where did you stay ?
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
If you want to feel more relaxed about anchoring, fit a larger anchor, in fact as large as your bow roller can accommodate. Most anchors fitted by mobo manufacturers are woefully undersized. Then increase the size of chain to the maximum that your anchor winch can handle and carry enough of it to ensure that you can put out at least 5 times the depth in the deepest anchorage you envisage using, which generally means in excess of 50m. If you sleep in the forecabin and you are likely to be woken by the noise of the chain grating in the bow roller, fit a chain snubber like this http://www.osculati.com/en/cat/Scheda.aspx?id=249. Lastly ensure you know how to set your plotter's anchor alarm and for the icing on the cake download an anchoring App for your smartphone like https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/dragqueen-anchor-alarm/id489294173?mt=8
There is nothing quite so conducive to a good night's sleep on the hook as having your boat swing to a load of heavy chain with a big f**k off anchor at the end of it
PS regularly check the shackle or swivel between the chain and the anchor because if any component is going to fail, that is it
There is nothing quite so conducive to a good night's sleep on the hook as having your boat swing to a load of heavy chain with a big f**k off anchor at the end of it
PS regularly check the shackle or swivel between the chain and the anchor because if any component is going to fail, that is it
U4
Well-Known Member
First night we were in studland and second shipsstall point in Poole harbour. Tucked up in the marina now ready to head west tomorrow
Bazzer
Well-Known Member
could you not use the Banks Inn buoy at Studland ?
James L
Well-Known Member
If you want to sleep soundly at anchor, I found the best thing is one of the Anchor Watch apps for your phone.
Alarm goes off if you move plus you have it right beside you and can check how far you've moved any time you wake.
They do eat your phone battery though.
Alarm goes off if you move plus you have it right beside you and can check how far you've moved any time you wake.
They do eat your phone battery though.
James L
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I see that Deleted User has already mentioned the Anchor Watch apps.
Do check your phone battery before you nod off though - I woke after a great nights sleep to find my phone was dead.
Do check your phone battery before you nod off though - I woke after a great nights sleep to find my phone was dead.
U4
Well-Known Member
Nope, they were taken.
freddy the frog
Well-Known Member
anchoring, whats the problem
Dont see the problem with anchoring, lay it down correctly and no problem often spent 2-3 nights on anchor at studland and pottery pier.
Dont see the point in whizzing off from one marina to the next, barbi on the beach and a few beers what could be better.
Dont see the problem with anchoring, lay it down correctly and no problem often spent 2-3 nights on anchor at studland and pottery pier.
Dont see the point in whizzing off from one marina to the next, barbi on the beach and a few beers what could be better.
U4
Well-Known Member
I agree, I wasn't saying that there was a problem, it was my first time experiencing sleeping at anchor and found it great.
freddy the frog
Well-Known Member
my coment wasnt aimed at you, glad you enyoyed it , in nice conditions i can think of nothing better.
I personaly never use the boys at Banks arms as i only trust my own ground tackle. some fantastic anchoring around the back of brownsea island. enjoy
matm
Well-Known Member
That sounds like great advice. I've only been at anchor once - tidal in the Siolent. Not pleasant. Apps aside, do you really get a good night's sleep? And have a decent evening with a glass of wine or two the night before? All the crew happy? People on board other than your immediate family i.e. greater responsibility ( I know - but we calculate that way..)
I've been on buoys (i.e not anchor) before outside Yarmouth and Alderney and been up at 2,3,4,5 - might as well get up at early o'clock 'cos "we" didn't feel safe. I understand the attraction of lots of chain in a sheltered, shallow anchorage but with a not-so-boaty crew, is this really an option?
I guess I trade my boating days/weeks for a sheltered buoy/marina at the end of the day and a water taxi/dinghy to shore.
Would love to experience what this thread is about but not sure I can get there..
oceanfroggie
Well-Known Member
1st time one can feel rightly cautious or anxious, but as Deleted User says the right size anchor properly dug in as a hook with enough chain on a bottom with decent holding (mud and/or sand), is NOT going to budge an inch in the right weather conditions.
You risk missing out one of boatings greatest pleasures, sleeping like a baby, in some awesome locations, away from crowds and slapping halyards, to wake up in your own private beauty spot to awesome sunrises. Personally we find it the highlight of our cruising experience.
- Scope 5-7 times max depth using chain (ie taking tide high water into account)
- Good anchor dug in properly (ie both engines at tick over in gear reverse without dragging)
- Use shore transits and/or GPS to confirm dug in
- Anchor in lee of island or shore (ie wind blowing off island) for smallest wave action and comfort.
- Use anchor drag alarm set near a window of your seeping cabin (ie HH GPS or mobile phone app) plugged into 12v power source rather than just depend on batteries
- Start by choosing very safe sheltered anchorages in perfect weather to build technique & confidence, especially for ones soul mate.
- Sleep well and wake up to stunning secluded scenery often in privacy.
Many mistake an anchor for a glorified paper weight, it's not, it is a hook and must be pulled in tension only on the horizontal place. The weight of chain ensures this horizontal force. Some also fail to really dig their anchor in using power mistaking thinking they will drag it out if using reverse tick over power. If the anchor doesn't hold in reverse gear don't anchor in that spot.
Liberation - agree 100%. Free from bland noisy white caravan park crowds.
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
Well I can't pretend that I have always had a good night's sleep at anchor. Obviously movement of the boat and the grinding of the anchor chain in the bow roller will wake most people up especially if they are sleeping in the forecabin where the movement and the noise will be worst. I remember one particular night at anchor in a Majorcan cala when a light offshore breeze changed to an unforecast strong onshore wind around 1.00am and I spent the rest of the night on the flybridge ready to start the engines in case the anchor dragged which, amazingly, it didn't but we had a hell of a job getting it out of the seabed the following morning. This brings me to another tip. Before you go to bed make sure that everything is stowed ready to go to sea immediately including the tender and have a route already plotted on your chartplotter to get you out of the anchorage in the dark to the open sea, in case your anchor does drag. I must admit also that i am fortunate with my SWMBO. She is happy to stay up late reading or whatever and keep watch and I am happy to go to bed early and rise early so usually there is only a period of 3-4hrs when nobody is on watch.
The key to a good night's rest at anchor is to be satisfied in your own mind that you've done everything you can to make the boat safe. You've chosen a safe anchorage with plenty of room to swing (and drag), you've got a big anchor well dug in with plenty of chain and you are in a position to up sticks and get out at short notice plus you've got some kind of anchor alarm device. Even better if you can persuade your crew to stagger bedtimes such that somebody is on watch at least some of the time and an inexperienced watch person is better than nobody
James L
Well-Known Member
And remember if your anchor holds when you reverse on it, there's no wind that you'll sleep through that will pull it out.
Line up a couple of markers on shore so you can tell with a quick glance if you're moving.
And accept the first couple of times you won't sleep well, you're probably safer than picking up a visitor mooring where you don't know what's underneath, but you'll feel more responsibility.
Line up a couple of markers on shore so you can tell with a quick glance if you're moving.
And accept the first couple of times you won't sleep well, you're probably safer than picking up a visitor mooring where you don't know what's underneath, but you'll feel more responsibility.
julians
Well-Known Member
I also think it depends on how often and what your experiences are when you anchor during the day as to how apprehensive you'll be anchoring over night.
We anchor a lot during the day, and have very few instances where the anchor does not hold first time, and it the stays holding for the duration of our stay (apart from 4 weeks ago when the swivel holding the anchor on failed). I think if you dont anchor much generally then you're naturally going to be aprehensive overnight.
So practice anchoring for extended periods during the day when you're awake and aware of everything, get a few of succesful days under your belt and you'll be much more confident for overnighting.
We have some friends who will not anchor anywhere (day or night) , seems kind of pointless owning a boat if you dont spend some time in places you cant get to by car. They're just not confident to do it, and are unwilling to go through the slight pain barrier/risk to obtain the confidence.
We anchor a lot during the day, and have very few instances where the anchor does not hold first time, and it the stays holding for the duration of our stay (apart from 4 weeks ago when the swivel holding the anchor on failed). I think if you dont anchor much generally then you're naturally going to be aprehensive overnight.
So practice anchoring for extended periods during the day when you're awake and aware of everything, get a few of succesful days under your belt and you'll be much more confident for overnighting.
We have some friends who will not anchor anywhere (day or night) , seems kind of pointless owning a boat if you dont spend some time in places you cant get to by car. They're just not confident to do it, and are unwilling to go through the slight pain barrier/risk to obtain the confidence.
MapisM
Well-Known Member
LOL, you must be joking.
Of course I can't, as Deleted User said, pretend to have always slept like a baby while anchored.
But if I should make a top ten of the most peaceful nights and great sleeps I've ever had, at least half of them, and at the very top of the ranking, would be while anchored.
It's just a matter of finding a well sheltered place (on top of all the other technicalities which were already mentioned).
Incidentally, right in the last weekend I've had a couple of these nights, in spite of a F5/6 NW wind constantly blowing.
And I made this short clip while playing a bit with the GoPro, if you want to have a look.
You might think it was a bit shaky at first, but that's only due to shortening a 1+ hour in less than a minute.
The only bit which is at normal speed is the one right when the sun sets behind the coast, and it has been like that for the whole night. Bliss.
Imho, the whole boating experience is significantly diminished without overnighting at anchor.
freddy the frog
Well-Known Member
places like yarmouth for anchoring is a waste of time to much passing trafic etc
The mistake i see so many people do is interfering with the anchor once its set, see a lot of this in newtown come back from the pub just going to check the anchor luv give it a few pulls on the chain and away she goes and all hell breakes loose.
as said plenty of chain and a decent hook
