Why can't people anchor?

[Nostrodamus]

What is the point in shouting at them. Usually they know they have anchored too close. Give most people a chance and they realise and move.
We recently had a boat anchor within a gnats pubic hair of us and eventually I passed a beer from my bow to their stern and commented that maybe he was a bit close.
To be fair to him he did say he was new to boating, was on a charter boat and wasn't sure what he could do (the anchorage was crowded).
After checking where both our anchors were I suggested taking in about 5m of chain would keep us apart. He duly obliged but still looked worried.
He had his family aboard and obviously wanted to go into the town but dare not leave the boat. As we were staying aboard that night I suggested he leave his phone number with me and if there were any problems I would ring him.
He was so grateful.
So, I made a new fried and karma says that one day someone will do the same for me.
There is a picture of the said boat anchored behind us here
http://www.cygnus3.com/sailing-in-a-greek-crisis-without-an-anchor/

 

[sailaboutvic]

What is the point in shouting at them. Usually they know they have anchored too close. Give most people a chance and they realise and move.
We recently had a boat anchor within a gnats pubic hair of us and eventually I passed a beer from my bow to their stern and commented that maybe he was a bit close.
To be fair to him he did say he was new to boating, was on a charter boat and wasn't sure what he could do (the anchorage was crowded).
After checking where both our anchors were I suggested taking in about 5m of chain would keep us apart. He duly obliged but still looked worried.
He had his family aboard and obviously wanted to go into the town but dare not leave the boat. As we were staying aboard that night I suggested he leave his phone number with me and if there were any problems I would ring him.
He was so grateful.
So, I made a new fried and karma says that one day someone will do the same for me.
There is a picture of the said boat anchored behind us here
http://www.cygnus3.com/sailing-in-a-greek-crisis-without-an-anchor/

So the moral of this story is , ?if f you want a free beer anchor as close has you can to Nost

 

[Nostrodamus]

So the moral of this story is , ?if f you want a free beer anchor as close has you can to Nost

Always willing to share a beer Vic ... especially if it is yours.

 

[sadlerbob]

They're on holiday to have fun?

And so many of those you meet in peak season in the Med are learning the hard way, by taking the big step - "being in charge" for the first time. Half have got a day skipper, the other half took a competence test on their home ground. All have done quite a bit of sailing or racing in home waters.

Typically, they're cash rich/time poor, snatching their 2 or 4 weeks with family in sun, starting to add experience to theory. The combination of no tides, GPS, predictable winds, warm water, good vis, no commercial traffic has removed nearly all the barriers to entering the class "skipper". Mistakes can be made with few dangerous consequences.

So they do learn, relatively safely, by going out there and making mistakes, rather than spending hours of research. Great for time poor people; sometimes a bit hard on family! Entertaining for others . . . including other new skippers who see the mistakes and learn from them too.

Jim
How true.
Having owed some sort of boat since 9 and sailing most if my life, fixing, maintaining, planning, weather watching etc etc etc., I was given the opportunity to charter in Greece.
Flotilla instead of bareboat. Those who chartered were diametrically opposite to me, they were time poor but good jobs which easily catered for the holiday.
Their learning curve from the first to last days was a true delight, but the mistakes did annoy the locals somewhat.

 

[jacaldo]

Blimey, you must have long arms to pass a beer from your bow to his stern?

So the moral of this story is , ?if f you want a free beer anchor as close has you can to Nost

 

[sailaboutvic]

Blimey, you must have long arms to pass a beer from your bow to his stern?

No problem Jacaldo , I have a long fishing net , he can just put it n here for me

 

[GHA]

What is the point in shouting at them.

Well said!
Nice to know there are still people who can try to resolve issues in a relaxed manner without immediately turning into a Mr Grumpy Shout-a-lot. Hopefully it's contagious

 

[Nostrodamus]

Well said!
Nice to know there are still people who can try to resolve issues in a relaxed manner without immediately turning into a Mr Grumpy Shout-a-lot. Hopefully it's contagious

You don't have to shout with a shot gun under your arms.. just smile.. they seem to get the point!

 

[Trident]

I'm always polite but often a shout is needed for them to hear over the engine or rattling chain and sadly this is often mistaken for aggression. Best just to scowl and shake ones head in a reproachful manner - or a loud tut just so they know one is English as well as disapproving

 

[Trident]

And for this mornings entertainment - the French cat that comes in, the skipper goes forward to the anchor locker leaving a clearly inexperienced and frightened wife on the helm - drops anchor, lets out too much chain so hits a boat behind, shouts at the wife to go forward whereby she then catches the boat they hit's chain with theirs (or their drive leg) and drags it unnoticed behind them for 20 yards until I manage to get their attention. Then hit again, then as he retrieved his chain finds it brings up another anchor, which belonged to the boat he'd just dragged along and hit, so he chucks the anchor (now not attached to anything) overboard and heads as fast as he can for a different part of the anchorage hoping no one noticed as the owners of the dragged boat were not on board. I of course dived over board and went to rescue the anchor, finding thank goodness that the boat had a V set out and its primary anchor is still attached and well dug in so his boat is safe... All this with 25 knots blowing and many other boats coming in to anchor. I feel rather sorry for the French guy as he was clearly trying to be sensible and had probably convinced his wife to come sailing because its always calm and easy in the Med summer; though chucking the anchor he pulled up overboard was not the way to go!

 

[RichardS]

And for this mornings entertainment - the French cat that comes in, the skipper goes forward to the anchor locker leaving a clearly inexperienced and frightened wife on the helm - drops anchor, lets out too much chain so hits a boat behind, shouts at the wife to go forward whereby she then catches the boat they hit's chain with theirs (or their drive leg) and drags it unnoticed behind them for 20 yards until I manage to get their attention. Then hit again, then as he retrieved his chain finds it brings up another anchor, which belonged to the boat he'd just dragged along and hit, so he chucks the anchor (now not attached to anything) overboard and heads as fast as he can for a different part of the anchorage hoping no one noticed as the owners of the dragged boat were not on board. I of course dived over board and went to rescue the anchor, finding thank goodness that the boat had a V set out and its primary anchor is still attached and well dug in so his boat is safe... All this with 25 knots blowing and many other boats coming in to anchor. I feel rather sorry for the French guy as he was clearly trying to be sensible and had probably convinced his wife to come sailing because its always calm and easy in the Med summer; though chucking the anchor he pulled up overboard was not the way to go!

Why was the anchor he dragged up not attached to anything?

Richard

 

[Trident]

It had a couple of feet of chain or rope still attached - couldn't tell which from 30 feet away - but my guess is that it was rope and cut by the prop or just snapped from the full throttle escape they tried to get away from towing the mono...

The owner of the mono and the French cat skipper have since dived together and recovered the anchor so it seems le Francais wasn't all bad

 

[rotrax]

I have not read all the posts, but it reminds me of the Yanks on a charter out of the US Virgin Islands.

They phoned the Charter company from an alongside berth and asked why the boat only had one anchor and what were they to use for tonight.

Apparently they had undone the bitter end and left it behind when they left an anchorage earlier that morning..................................

 

[sailaboutvic]

And for this mornings entertainment - the French cat that comes in, the skipper goes forward to the anchor locker leaving a clearly inexperienced and frightened wife on the helm - drops anchor, lets out too much chain so hits a boat behind, shouts at the wife to go forward whereby she then catches the boat they hit's chain with theirs (or their drive leg) and drags it unnoticed behind them for 20 yards until I manage to get their attention. Then hit again, then as he retrieved his chain finds it brings up another anchor, which belonged to the boat he'd just dragged along and hit, so he chucks the anchor (now not attached to anything) overboard and heads as fast as he can for a different part of the anchorage hoping no one noticed as the owners of the dragged boat were not on board. I of course dived over board and went to rescue the anchor, finding thank goodness that the boat had a V set out and its primary anchor is still attached and well dug in so his boat is safe... All this with 25 knots blowing and many other boats coming in to anchor. I feel rather sorry for the French guy as he was clearly trying to be sensible and had probably convinced his wife to come sailing because its always calm and easy in the Med summer; though chucking the anchor he pulled up overboard was not the way to go!

and for this morning entertainment ??? well the news is there isnt any , and there hasnt been for quite a few weeks , since we got North in the Aegean , both on the Turkish and Greek side has been very quiet , anchorage very empty , we even started to use to odd quay has there dont seen to want to charge us , has one guy said , we happy to see a boat ,
looks like the greek problem has hit home around these parts .

 

[BobnLesley]

"...since we got North in the Aegean , both on the Turkish and Greek side has been very quiet...looks like the greek problem has hit home around these parts..."

No Vic, it was always much quieter up that end of the Aegean; off the beaten-path (especially for the Brits) and a great area to be in July/August when the hordes are in the Saronic/SW Turkey/Cyclades; a bit like heading into either the Patras/Corinth Gulfs or S/W Pelopennes when you're in the 1-onion.

 

[sailaboutvic]

"...since we got North in the Aegean , both on the Turkish and Greek side has been very quiet...looks like the greek problem has hit home around these parts..."

No Vic, it was always much quieter up that end of the Aegean; off the beaten-path (especially for the Brits) and a great area to be in July/August when the hordes are in the Saronic/SW Turkey/Cyclades; a bit like heading into either the Patras/Corinth Gulfs or S/W Pelopennes when you're in the 1-onion.

I suprose you or any one else would know it we can clear out in Guemruek ? Looks like it got an custom office there but it not listed , we want to check out as far as we can North some where close to the Greeek border .
Guemruek

 

[BobnLesley]

Sorry, can't help; we checked out (2011) at Ayvalik - a bit of walking around, but straightforward and no agent needed - then checked into Greece at Mitilini on Lesbos - good, very efficient, but do not visit there if you're not yet checked out of Turkey; they will check your paperwork/passports and get arsy/throw you out and send you back to Turkey. We had some friends check-out in Canakkale on their way out of the Bospherous, I don't recall the precise difficulties, but I do remember them saying it was a PIA there.

 

[bacon4]

I'd wager that majority of people on here have dragged at least once but respect/credit to you if you havent.
To my eternal shame the last time my anchor dragged it was past Noelex of all people.

 

[truscott]

Arrived in the anchorage today to find 4 boats already in place. 1 stern to, 3 free swinging. The free swingers all pointing away from where the wind usually blows from. Having had issues here in the past, we chose to bootleg around and get the lay of the land. The German boat happily responds to my query, pointing out where he has dropped, and informs me he has 35 meters out. Cool. That's handy to know. Eventually we pick our spot, downward of everyone, and on the 3rd go we are sorted. On with the mask and fins and off we go to check. We are dug in (Rocna). And so is the German (a Spade). The Italian has a Claw/Bruce type. Lying on its shank with a nice big circle of chain around it. I let him know and he says thanks and proceeds to sort it out. My immediate neighbour has a Delta. Also sitting upside down. Also with a big circle of chain. When told about this, he responds that he's aware of this and will let the wind sort it out when it comes. He has been coming her since he was 15 and this has always been a difficult anchorage. Hmmm..... I remark that I should probably move then And am chastised by my wife and told "Would you like to be told by someone how to anchor?".

So I am now waiting for him to bash in to me, so I can then be allowed to move By the admiral. No doubt this'll happen in the dark after the rest of the anchorage is full!

PT

 

[ribrage]

Brother you are not alone. I am laid here awake - surrounded by close proximity boats most with badly laid anchors and some night arrivals that have no idea where the anchors are laying as the wind has shifted and died.

I KNOW I will be up around 03:00 when its REALLY dark spotting unlit boats that are swinging my way - can I sleep ? Can I hell !

Techniques vary from 5 knots ahead and chain wrapped around the bow as they scream at each other to stationary in a windless anchorage and dropping a big pile of chain for Mother Nature to lay for them.

So now I wait for the inevitable .... Sigh