13 to 1 scope. Tis a bit beyond needed....Mini rant
Just returned from Block Island. Anchored next to a guy who put out 130 ft of chain in 10 ft of water at high tide.
Crowded anchorage? Don’t be that guy.
dj
Urban Anchorages
- Thread starter Kings Gambit
- Start date
dj
Agreed! It's anchor hogging. And not without risks. That boat will not turn in harmony with its neighbors creating chances of bumping or rode entanglements. And the chance of someone going along and dropping a hook between his boat and his anchor are pretty good - especially in that part of the harbor. Out in the deeper anchorage where it's 25' that might be appropriate. Still a bit much with chain.
What were the current and forecast conditions? Have to consider the advisory reading material out there that recommends scopes of 10:1. Although it has also been pointed out that one gets a very small increment in additional holding power at scopes greater than 7:1. That is, holding power at 7:1 is effectively very near what you’d get at 10:1. So, there is rarely the need to deploy 10:1 in the practical setting, at least within protected anchorages and harbors. Moreover, with chain rode you can probably cut it down to 5:1. But if facing incoming seas a greater amount chain scope will dampen shock loads that the anchor might experience that could yank it out. It depends on the conditions, as always. But yes, such boaters are a nuisance in an anchorage when the conditions do not warrant that amount of scope (which is most of the time when boats are in it), IMO.Not quite 13:1 because the guy had about 4’ of freeboard at his bow. But regardless, 9:1 + was not called for.
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Hello again,
I returned last week from a three-week cruise to San Diego Bay where I paid no mooring or slippage fees. Much of that "relief" was due to visitation privileges at local yacht clubs going and coming with a few days stay at each, but once that was expended I investigated for the first time the "Cruiser Anchorage" of San Diego Bay listed as "A9" on the reservations link of the Port of San Diego. There is a process involved for access but once completed it offers a permit of 90 days per year (i.e., a year-long permit), taken in 30-day renewal increments, to stay there. (First 30, with two renewals and then that's it until next year). With proper planning for access and use of the anchorage it's a good setup for a lengthy visit to San Diego, a wonderful city.
Of course, there are drawbacks as well. The anchorage is open to the Bay toward the southeast (see below) so a "flopper-stopper" is recommended for maximum comfort unless you're on a Lagoon Cat, for example. I did not have mine aboard but I noticed one other boat (of three) had deployed one.
It's also very near the take-off and landing runway of the San Diego International Airport (Lindberg Field). Airport noise abatement is in effect between 2330 and 0730. The rest of the time you are hearing it loud and clear through the day.
As for sea life, it's the gulls squawking nearly all day rather than sea lions barking all night. The gulls are as loud with as many "voices" as I have heard them at the islands, and incessant it seemed.
However, you may sail "with impunity" San Diego Bay on various points of sail and return to anchor afterward. There is a dinghy dock and pump out nearby. You can walk to "Little Italy" for a feeling of cosmopolitan culture (w/o having to find and pay for a parking place). It's nice. It's not the wilderness but it is relatively quiet and still in the anchorage late at night and very pretty.
Top: View of San Diego skyline from A9.
Next: A9 viewed from an overlooking area near Balboa Park. The anchorage is just beyond the coast guard vessel of the mid-field and toward shore (turn rt to find the anchorage markers).
Bottom: Sidewalk restaurant of "Little Italy" of which there are MANY.
I returned last week from a three-week cruise to San Diego Bay where I paid no mooring or slippage fees. Much of that "relief" was due to visitation privileges at local yacht clubs going and coming with a few days stay at each, but once that was expended I investigated for the first time the "Cruiser Anchorage" of San Diego Bay listed as "A9" on the reservations link of the Port of San Diego. There is a process involved for access but once completed it offers a permit of 90 days per year (i.e., a year-long permit), taken in 30-day renewal increments, to stay there. (First 30, with two renewals and then that's it until next year). With proper planning for access and use of the anchorage it's a good setup for a lengthy visit to San Diego, a wonderful city.
Of course, there are drawbacks as well. The anchorage is open to the Bay toward the southeast (see below) so a "flopper-stopper" is recommended for maximum comfort unless you're on a Lagoon Cat, for example. I did not have mine aboard but I noticed one other boat (of three) had deployed one.
It's also very near the take-off and landing runway of the San Diego International Airport (Lindberg Field). Airport noise abatement is in effect between 2330 and 0730. The rest of the time you are hearing it loud and clear through the day.
As for sea life, it's the gulls squawking nearly all day rather than sea lions barking all night. The gulls are as loud with as many "voices" as I have heard them at the islands, and incessant it seemed.
However, you may sail "with impunity" San Diego Bay on various points of sail and return to anchor afterward. There is a dinghy dock and pump out nearby. You can walk to "Little Italy" for a feeling of cosmopolitan culture (w/o having to find and pay for a parking place). It's nice. It's not the wilderness but it is relatively quiet and still in the anchorage late at night and very pretty.
Top: View of San Diego skyline from A9.
Next: A9 viewed from an overlooking area near Balboa Park. The anchorage is just beyond the coast guard vessel of the mid-field and toward shore (turn rt to find the anchorage markers).
Bottom: Sidewalk restaurant of "Little Italy" of which there are MANY.
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