Anchoring for long periods
- Thread starter Franklin
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If you do much cruising you do.
You don't do it that often but when other business must be taken care of a few days away should be fine. If you have another boater friend they can keep an eye on it. They make an anchor light that only comes on after it is dark. Just like when you are away from home a light left on helps to make it look occupied. Solar panels have no problem keeping up with several lights left on.
You don't do it that often but when other business must be taken care of a few days away should be fine. If you have another boater friend they can keep an eye on it. They make an anchor light that only comes on after it is dark. Just like when you are away from home a light left on helps to make it look occupied. Solar panels have no problem keeping up with several lights left on.
Revised question....
Anything I need to think of or lookout for besides battery capacity? Advice? Granted...the reason I asked is nolonger valid due to the Gulf gale warnings for Wednesday but it's a good learning experience question. I've volunteered to help somebody bring their boat home thru the ICW and thought I might sail to the start point now that I fixed my generator. That idea is off because of the gale warning. I have no desire to head for 11' seas in the Gulf.
Anything I need to think of or lookout for besides battery capacity? Advice? Granted...the reason I asked is nolonger valid due to the Gulf gale warnings for Wednesday but it's a good learning experience question. I've volunteered to help somebody bring their boat home thru the ICW and thought I might sail to the start point now that I fixed my generator. That idea is off because of the gale warning. I have no desire to head for 11' seas in the Gulf.
batteries
I've kept a boat anchored for well over a month; it was essentially a temporary mooring. I am a fan of using only one anchor, to allow the boat to properly swing with the elements while minimizing the risk of fouling any of the tackle. Either a storm-sized CQR (preferrably) or fisherman well-set to the prevailing winds or to the direction of the winds that would pose the greatest threat are best. Given plenty of chain to drag around, those two anchors accomodate the shifts best. Considering the batteries, as it were, I did not run a light at night because I had no way to turn the light on. So KENNYH, please post a link or the brand name of the automatic anchor lights you mentioned. Also important are working bilge pumps, with their own battery to draw from. I've found one starting battery can sustain a bilge pump for a long time, longer than I even calculated it to. As far as choosing that bilge pump, use the one that uses the least amount of power to pump a given amount of water. Obviously larger capacity pumps will not run for as long, and smaller pumps draw less current; up to some length of time, the large pump unnecessarily uses too much power, after which the smaller pump eventually drains the battery without draining the bilge. For a week's time, this isn't a huge consideration but nonetheless good practice.
I've kept a boat anchored for well over a month; it was essentially a temporary mooring. I am a fan of using only one anchor, to allow the boat to properly swing with the elements while minimizing the risk of fouling any of the tackle. Either a storm-sized CQR (preferrably) or fisherman well-set to the prevailing winds or to the direction of the winds that would pose the greatest threat are best. Given plenty of chain to drag around, those two anchors accomodate the shifts best. Considering the batteries, as it were, I did not run a light at night because I had no way to turn the light on. So KENNYH, please post a link or the brand name of the automatic anchor lights you mentioned. Also important are working bilge pumps, with their own battery to draw from. I've found one starting battery can sustain a bilge pump for a long time, longer than I even calculated it to. As far as choosing that bilge pump, use the one that uses the least amount of power to pump a given amount of water. Obviously larger capacity pumps will not run for as long, and smaller pumps draw less current; up to some length of time, the large pump unnecessarily uses too much power, after which the smaller pump eventually drains the battery without draining the bilge. For a week's time, this isn't a huge consideration but nonetheless good practice.
Location
Franklin, I can think of very few places around this area were I would feel comfortable leaving my boat unattended for any period of time. The most secure from a weather standpoint are poor for security and those that someone could check easily are not great for the wind shift on a frontal passage. Offats would be my first choice but the holding is poor, the northern shoreline would put you in the lee during a north wind. There is a boat thats been on the hook there for over a year. The area inside the Clear Lake floodgate has been used off and on by many people and may be an option, I talked to a friend about that location being used for extended periods by sailors just this past weekend and they said Seabrook Shipyard tried to force them to leave but could not. Double Bayou is a great location but isolated and it would be a lot of trouble for someone to check on the boat regularly. If you have anymore spots in mind let me know.
Franklin, I can think of very few places around this area were I would feel comfortable leaving my boat unattended for any period of time. The most secure from a weather standpoint are poor for security and those that someone could check easily are not great for the wind shift on a frontal passage. Offats would be my first choice but the holding is poor, the northern shoreline would put you in the lee during a north wind. There is a boat thats been on the hook there for over a year. The area inside the Clear Lake floodgate has been used off and on by many people and may be an option, I talked to a friend about that location being used for extended periods by sailors just this past weekend and they said Seabrook Shipyard tried to force them to leave but could not. Double Bayou is a great location but isolated and it would be a lot of trouble for someone to check on the boat regularly. If you have anymore spots in mind let me know.
Panama City ,Watson's bayou
I used to keep my boat at Watson's Bayou Marina in Panama City,FL. There were always boats anchored in the bayou. A few ended up on the beach. Some didn't have anchor lights but most did. A solar panel to keep the bateries charged and a trust in human nature that stuff won't be stolen are required. Even at the marina we had some boats broken into and stuff stolen. One guy said that twice someone had tried to steal his outboard but were twarted by a heavy chain and lock. Unfortunately for florida ther are owners that anchor their boats and never return. It really sucks to go to a beautiful place to anchor but it is full of derilect boats. Last spring there were a couple in Ingram's bayou a favorite anchorage of people traveling through the area on the ICW.
I used to keep my boat at Watson's Bayou Marina in Panama City,FL. There were always boats anchored in the bayou. A few ended up on the beach. Some didn't have anchor lights but most did. A solar panel to keep the bateries charged and a trust in human nature that stuff won't be stolen are required. Even at the marina we had some boats broken into and stuff stolen. One guy said that twice someone had tried to steal his outboard but were twarted by a heavy chain and lock. Unfortunately for florida ther are owners that anchor their boats and never return. It really sucks to go to a beautiful place to anchor but it is full of derilect boats. Last spring there were a couple in Ingram's bayou a favorite anchorage of people traveling through the area on the ICW.
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