Anchor markers........

Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I have done a lot of ghunkholling in the Albemarle and Pamlico sounds. There are a tonne of very pristine coves to anchor in for the night. We are usually by ourselves in those coves but I will sometimes lay out a marker if I suspect someone may come in during the night. I use a Tropicana orange juice bottle because they are heavy duty and clear. I snap off a glow stick and put inside the bottle and now I have a lighted buoy. Wish it were my idea but I got that idea from someone here on SBO. On the off chance someone comes in at night they should be able to avoid running over my rode by simply not crossing between my anchor light and the buoy light.
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capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
It seems that a float in the water attracts boaters like a light draws a moth, or bears to honey.
You'd be surprised. Our mooring in Carriacou was fouled 3 times last season. Unfortunately, for those who did, it was pretty expensive because our mooring pennant is 1.25 inches of 3 strand nylon and when that wraps around a 3/4 or 1" shaft things get a bit out of true.
 
Nov 30, 2015
1,337
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
Whenever someone ends up on top of my anchor and I believe that I will want to pick up before them I will jump in the dink and mention when I intend to leave, nicely. I've never had anyone ignore this and leave the boat untended at the appropriate time.
Very common and often the best recourse when anchoring off of popular small islands in the BVI’s. Catamarans typically move in to the shallows in front of our Monohulls. Just pointing at your anchor usually initiates a pleasant conversation. No practical place for an anchor marker here.

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Nov 30, 2015
1,337
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
BMA... That is one big Water Condo trying to park in front of your boat.
You bet! Commonly referred to as a Condo-maran. The anchoring thing is no big deal, but sometimes the block of view is a PITA for beach goers and those left on the big boat for dinghy service.
 
Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
I have a short story about my experience in Mark Bay (Nanaimo) last year that caused no damage, but was an example of what became an issue when it was time to leave. Unable to at the moment. Gotta go.
Last year on our way north I dropped and set anchor in Mark Bay out away from other boats. I normally pay out about 110 - 140 feet depending upon weather outlook for the evening. Later, a large power boat came in and dropped anchor in front of our boat, and after he set, it appeared he might be over our anchor. No worries with plenty of room between us.

Next morning we prepared for a morning departure to catch the flood north. Fortunately there was no wind at the time, and as I was bringing in the rode, it appeared one of us was going to have to move. By the time our boat was right at the other's stern, husband and wife came up on deck. Husband helped fend off the two boats, his port our starboard as I finished bringing in the chain. Anchor is still down and his bow stem is right on top, so I asked the wife to release their rode and slide back so that I could finish bringing up the anchor.

By the time I got the anchor up, it was necessary to scoot our boat around his bow, but no harm, no scrapes, no foul. Had there been any kind of wind and/or current, matters would have been dicey. Perhaps an anchor float would have helped the other skipper to pick a less intrusive spot.

On a separate note, how does one lose their anchor short of cutting it loose or an unsecured bitter end? Several years ago our Mariposa (Cal T-2) boating buddy with a ten pound Danforth and no windlass was unable to bring his anchor up in Cortez Bay. He was about to cut it loose, when I offered to take his bitter end and try to release it. Was unable to in reverse, so I switched to a stern cleat and motored ahead slowly. Our boat weighs 35,000 pounds, and as the slack was picked up, the rode became as taut as a piano string. For a moment it seemed as though something was going to break, but then whatever it was hung up on released and the anchor was salvaged.

Just another among many experiences that come from the joys and challenges of cruising.
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
I asked the wife to release their rode and slide back so that I could finish bringing up the anchor.
Why would they not simply pull ahead on their anchor rode until you were out? Were they on 3:1 chain?

-Will (Dragonfly)
 

WayneH

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Jan 22, 2008
1,039
Tartan 37 287 Pensacola, FL
If you use an anchor buoy, make sure the pennant is long enough for the anchor to get to the bottom and/or your buoy does not have sufficient buoyancy to float your anchor. Don't ask how I came by this knowledge. :oops:
 
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Sep 30, 2016
10
Hunter 36 Westbrook, CT
Before you all say "No" to an anchor marker, please take a moment to look at this product - Elastather or at Elastatether Anchor Marker – Mark your anchor position. This product was specifically designed to deal with most of the issues you folks have raised related to fouling passing boats, pulling out your own anchor, etc. It uses an automatic/self adjusting line (like a giant elastic) that rises and lowers with the tide. It is made to break away under load so that it does not foul a prop or get wrapped around your rudder. It also helps by letting you know when you go to pull up your anchor, where to drive toward.

Full disclosure - My son who was manufacturing this product for the inventor now owns the company. We have been happy users of this product for about 4 years.

The product is available on Amazon here Amazon.com : Bartovation Elastatether (Tm) Self-Adjusting Anchor Marker : Sports & Outdoors but their website has lots of information about it including videos to help understand it and how to deploy.
 
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tjar

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Aug 8, 2011
166
Hunter Legend 35.5 Tacoma, WA
I'm not going to get into the argument about whether or not should set an anchor buoy, but if you do there are several comments in this thread about getting it the right length. You can solve that problem by passing the buoy line through an eye on the buoy and then to a weight. This will allow the buoy to rise and fall with the tide and stay over the top of your anchor.
 
May 7, 2012
1,338
Hunter e33 Maple Bay, BC
You can solve that problem by passing the buoy line through an eye on the buoy and then to a weight. This will allow the buoy to rise and fall with the tide and stay over the top of your anchor.
+1
Like that often used on prawn/crab traps.
 
Sep 30, 2016
10
Hunter 36 Westbrook, CT
Yes, this approach with the buoy line and a weight will solve the issue of the line adjusting but it will still have risks for fouling props as that type of line no matter how small the diameter will be unlikely to break away under load. Elastatether tries to address both of these issues.
 
Jan 5, 2017
2,263
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
I'm more interested in my ability to trip my anchor then where it is. A breakable line wouldn't address that. Mostly anchor alone, seldom in crowded anchorages. On the central and northern B.C. coast it is very uncommon to be joined by another boat let alone at night. In 65 years I've never been joined by another boat at night so I don't worry much about fouling someone else propellor.
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Pull the line down from bouy to anchor and back to boat, adjust to length from the foredeck, haul it down to the anchor to trip anchor loose.

-Will (Dragonfly)