ok, some one has to enlighten Me, where is that place you you talk about that requires stern anchor. Stern anchors make no sense to Me unless there are special conditions. either it is in Honduras, Belize, Curacao or Malaysia etc... no one uses stern anchors. Some places like Placencia, where the wind can come from all 360 degrees a stern anchor would be useless. In Canada where the tides can be 13 to 30 feet depending how far north you go, stern anchor are also useless. Only one place I ever used a stern anchor was in Tulum in between reefs in 7 feet sand over rock bottom, and that was because I did not want to swing into the reef but the wind never goes that way, it was purely a safety. I have well over 80,000 miles sailing, and protocol always remain the same. when anchoring always make sure your swing will clear others, and that you do not obstruct on others swing. If I am there first, and some one obstruct My swing, they are at fault. That is the bottom line. I could write an encyclopedia from all the stupidity I have seen in My 40 years of sailing, people that either claim they are professionals, or that is how we do it here.
Anchoring Etiquette Clashes with Local Culture
- Thread starter Kings Gambit
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This assumes that the swell and wind directions are always aligned, which is not always the case. For example, there are times at the Isthmus (Catalina Island) where the swell will be 90-deg. to the wind and it is more comfortable to hold the bow into the swell with a stern anchor.Your bow should always point into the wind, that is how you get a good hold, and it is the most comfortable. Getting hit sideways even in modest sea id most annoying uncomfortable, noisy, and breaks a lot of stuff LOL. Stern anchors prevents that when the wind changes direction.
Thanks KG. Appreciate the insight. :theman:
BTW, I found this which agrees with your philosophy !!
http://cruising.coastalboating.net/Seamanship/Anchoring/Etiquette.html
That's a great article, both insightful and fun to read.Thanks KG. Appreciate the insight. :theman:
Alan and others, as I'm sure you know--but for the others, the typical daily pattern of wind (also, wind waves and significant wave heights) in summer in California is light and variable in the early morning but mostly offshore (easterly), followed throughout the day with building onshore (westerly) wind plus seas that peak in mid- to late afternoon, or early evening, then begin to die, or die completely, after sunset with a return to light and variable near mid-night, etc. The energy (ocean motion) left over after the wind dies each night is evidently expressed as waves, wavelets, and/or mild swells that invade the open roadsteads (exposed anchorages) along the California Channel Islands, as well as the coastline. Regrettably, this often sets the anchored boats to rocking, sometimes rather extensively, during most or part of the early evening, or even later, there being no wind pressure to maintain the boats into the principal direction of the "swells" which may even be tiny, less than a foot. This accounts for the widespread use of bow and stern anchors, as well as “rocker stoppers”, which attempt to keep the boats more stable at night. Also, if anchored close to shore, to prevent the yacht from swinging ‘round and possibly striking the shore or outlying rocks. Southern California does not have the extensive system of quiet, protected anchorages of most of the US eastern seaboard and British Columbia in the lee of Vancouver Island. Use of stern anchors in comparatively small anchorages to increase “access” is a secondary application arising, I believe, from the first one just mentioned.
True enough. I offered my comment because it seemed that there was some question being raised (not by you) about whether there was *any* use for a stern anchor. I was simply offering one reason that people use them, i.e., to keep the bow into the swell when the wind does not cooperate in doing so.
Absolutely correct. If you use a stern anchor....you had better know the weather.
Stand on Admirality Law all you like, you'll always be the bozo if you close out a popular SCI anchorage swinging on one hook. Always. Expect the locals to comment and maybe offer to help correct your error. It's standard practice at LS to switch from one to two hooks as boats arrive. Ask around your Marina or the VYC, KG. While you were technically "right" you were also "wrong" according to long-established, local practice. You must've seen or heard of this happening before in that exact spot? It's a well-known issue.
Did the NPS do anything? Lol...
Did the NPS do anything? Lol...
Chris,
You, like many others, completely miss the point. You may want to go back and reread this entire thread. KG was THERE FIRST.
And his location and conditions didn't warrant a stern anchor.
He didn't close out the anchorage, there WAS plenty of room for bozo to anchor.
Bozo essentially "stepped on" KG's toes.
What's so hard to understand?
Perhaps you can explain yourself. How can one be " technically "right" ...&... also "wrong"??? at the SAME TIME??? That's simply impossible.
That's like saying if you're on starboard tack you have to give way to a port tack boat because he is bigger or has a yellow hull. Yup, let's let go of Admiralty Law any time it suits you?
Nonsense.
Besides, while KG was aware of local conditions, how do you explain your position if a boat is from "out of town?"
I just don't get your "logic" or lack thereof.
A couple years ago, I cruised over 3500 miles down the river systems to Mobile, and then across the Gulf to Key West, and on up to Maine. In the rivers, I always anchored fore and aft, to avoid swinging into the bank or the channel. I had to point into the current, regardless of the wind direction.
When I got to salt water; I also found it advantageous sometimes to use a stern anchor. My draft was less than 4 feet, and that sometimes enabled me to anchor very near to shore in tight anchorages. I would set a bow anchor, and back up about 100 feet. I would drop a stern anchor, and pull forward about 50 feet. I set both anchors tight, and didn't move much at all. I did this in the lee of the shore, only when the forecast was favorable. I was out of the way if someone else wanted to also anchor. It never caused any problems, as I was close to shore and not in anyone else's swing radius.
This method allowed me to anchor in shallow anchorages with obstructions that might get in the way if I swing too much.
When I got to salt water; I also found it advantageous sometimes to use a stern anchor. My draft was less than 4 feet, and that sometimes enabled me to anchor very near to shore in tight anchorages. I would set a bow anchor, and back up about 100 feet. I would drop a stern anchor, and pull forward about 50 feet. I set both anchors tight, and didn't move much at all. I did this in the lee of the shore, only when the forecast was favorable. I was out of the way if someone else wanted to also anchor. It never caused any problems, as I was close to shore and not in anyone else's swing radius.
This method allowed me to anchor in shallow anchorages with obstructions that might get in the way if I swing too much.
Stu--
I guess I can best desrcribe my logic as "When in Rome...". I read the whole post, I get that he was there first, and I know that technically gives him rights. As a regular visitor to the same island, which has many fine anchorages, I suspected KG's story took place at exactly the spot it did. Why? Because I've seen this exact situation occur there. It's one of the only spots on the island where one would be expected to go from one to two hooks as boats arrive. I've had to make that adjustment there myself. The local old salts with decades more experience in these cruising grounds gave me the same caveat about that particular anchorage. "Fine on one hook by yourself but expect to need bow and stern as boats arrive there."
So maybe it's not about the logic as much as it is the locale. If I've learned one thing cruising, local knowledge and practice almost always supersedes what's in the book.
I guess I can best desrcribe my logic as "When in Rome...". I read the whole post, I get that he was there first, and I know that technically gives him rights. As a regular visitor to the same island, which has many fine anchorages, I suspected KG's story took place at exactly the spot it did. Why? Because I've seen this exact situation occur there. It's one of the only spots on the island where one would be expected to go from one to two hooks as boats arrive. I've had to make that adjustment there myself. The local old salts with decades more experience in these cruising grounds gave me the same caveat about that particular anchorage. "Fine on one hook by yourself but expect to need bow and stern as boats arrive there."
So maybe it's not about the logic as much as it is the locale. If I've learned one thing cruising, local knowledge and practice almost always supersedes what's in the book.
It's good that you acknowledge that two separate things are relevant to this discussion--local knowledge and practice, assuming that "local knowledge" does not simply mean [to you] a knowledge of local practice. Sailors respect local knowledge b/c it might help them avoid blundering into hazardous or unsafe situations in an unfamiliar setting. Such as:"The holding is poor where you are, try over there." Or: "Be careful going in that direction b/c there's a submerged rock not on the chart." However, suggesting, or even demanding, bow-stern anchoring for someone at LS so boats that have not even arrived might find room is NOT an expression of "local knowledge." It's an attempt to influence a naiive boater into a local practice which, unlike the useful advice one might gain from "local knowledge", has little to no value in the context of good seamanship.
The situation at LS is particularly egregious in this regard. Many boats arriving in the afternoon anchor with bows facing west b/c that's the prevailing wind direction, and if also anchored by the stern, the stern faces easterly. That's the "culture" and the "practice." In my example, I would have been anchored with stern facing easterly. Moreover, the anchorage is fully open to sea from easterly quadrants, and a strong east wind can bring significant wind waves and swell into the anchorage. Although mostly seasonal in late fall through early spring, the easterly Santa Ana winds can blow at anytime with little advance warning, according to guide books cited herein. "Local knowledge" is well aware of this; however, someone from out of area, a charterer for example, might not be. Imagine being anchored by the stern close to the rocks or even close to other boats, following local practice, when a 40 to 50-kt Santa Ana blows in from the east in early evening, after dark, and you need to LEAVE because you are now on a lee shore of ROCKS. If you loose the stern line, you're swinging around into whatever is there, etc.
Naiive boaters arriving to LS in November or December, for example, should be advised by "local knowledge" to anchor with plenty of scope and adequate room to swing around in the off, but realistic, chance that a Santa Ana wind could blow in. NOT be advised (or pressured) to put out a stern anchor toward east to make room for non-existant boats "because that's the way we do things here."
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