Anchoring too close
- Thread starter med2463
- Start date
So...?????.....what did you do?
When I anchor I am always thinking I am going to piss someone off .... I try to make eye contact to see if I get a nasty look...
However I always try to leave lots of room... But some people want the whole area to themselfs and they will always be pissed off....
What should be the proper procedure for both party's ??
When I anchor I am always thinking I am going to piss someone off .... I try to make eye contact to see if I get a nasty look...
However I always try to leave lots of room... But some people want the whole area to themselfs and they will always be pissed off....
What should be the proper procedure for both party's ??
Yelled at him when his itty bitty anchor dragged. By then it had become a party boat. Couple of guys in dinghy pulled the boat up a few ft. It was late in day so we chose to stay, but checked several times during the night. If he doesn't leave today we'll probably move.
Depends where you are but up here in Maine that would not be considered close unless there were only two boats in a huge anchorage.... If he had plenty of other space to anchor then what he did was just tacky...
I suspect it is similar to the definition of "close" between racers and cruisers....
I once pulled into one of my home turf anchorages and lowered anchor into what I considered a very fair distance from another boat. The owner came on deck and started raving that I was too close and sitting over his anchor. I told him to chill that we were there for lunch and would soon be out of his way. We had to yell, that is how far apart the boats were. It was then I realized it was a visiting boat most likely not familiar with local custom. What got me was that he had let out some real excessive scope for the protected and calm conditions of the small anchorage. He had no float on his anchor so I don't know how he expected me to know it was there. I guess anchoring courtesy need work both ways and this guy showed poor seamanship and a bad attitude. Lunch was great and I looked for our new friend to inform him of our departure but he had gone below deck never to be seen again.
Tacky has been running his stinky diesel generator 24/7. Must have 110 lighting as well as heat.
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These are recurring issues and pop up regularly. You might want to do a search here on "anchoring too close" - you'll find some great discussions. Comes up, too, on www.cruisersforum.com.
After reading them for many, many years, the only conclusions I can draw are:
1. Everybody has their own sense of "space"
2. Yup, there are idiots out there, just like on the roads
3. Many (not all) powerboaters simply have no clue
After reading them for many, many years, the only conclusions I can draw are:
1. Everybody has their own sense of "space"
2. Yup, there are idiots out there, just like on the roads
3. Many (not all) powerboaters simply have no clue
a. Do you need a float?
b. How much scope?
c. Doesn't see too close to me, though I would have moved farther assuming the draft was enough.
Often folks underestimate how far they are going to come back on their rode. But this is not close enough to justify moving, not unless strong wind is expected.
There are a few places I anchor where you place fenders over the side since folks will swing into you. I don't like it, I would move on if I had not been settled there first, but that is how it is.
As for the generator up wind... just clueless.
Does getting there first imply rights? No answer to that question.
b. How much scope?
c. Doesn't see too close to me, though I would have moved farther assuming the draft was enough.
Often folks underestimate how far they are going to come back on their rode. But this is not close enough to justify moving, not unless strong wind is expected.
There are a few places I anchor where you place fenders over the side since folks will swing into you. I don't like it, I would move on if I had not been settled there first, but that is how it is.
As for the generator up wind... just clueless.
Does getting there first imply rights? No answer to that question.
ive been in anchorages that having as much space between the boats as shown in the photo, you should expect someone to anchor between you.... or at least make an attempt til they find out it wont work too well...
there are so many variables that dictate whats too close..... depth of water, weather conditions, scope, size of the anchorage, how protected the anchorage is, running an engine or not, friends or foe.... and the most important, experience.
we never know how much experience our new neighbor has in anchoring.
sometimes, and quite too often, we think we are the only ones doing it the right way.... without enough experience to know any better.
but when you have a situation like the one you describe and it irritates you, all you can do is weigh anchor and move elsewhere, or keep repeating the serenity saying over and over..
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom the know the difference".
there are so many variables that dictate whats too close..... depth of water, weather conditions, scope, size of the anchorage, how protected the anchorage is, running an engine or not, friends or foe.... and the most important, experience.
we never know how much experience our new neighbor has in anchoring.
sometimes, and quite too often, we think we are the only ones doing it the right way.... without enough experience to know any better.
but when you have a situation like the one you describe and it irritates you, all you can do is weigh anchor and move elsewhere, or keep repeating the serenity saying over and over..
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom the know the difference".
Anchoring
This last summer we were on a bouy at John's Island in the San Juans. The place was pretty fun with a few boats dragging but everyone was settled in for the night. About 9 pm a 50 foot crusing sailboat came in a put his anchor down. His CQR looked to be very under sized for the size and weight of his boat. About 11 pm he drug into another boat. He then put out about 300 foot of chain.
This last summer we were on a bouy at John's Island in the San Juans. The place was pretty fun with a few boats dragging but everyone was settled in for the night. About 9 pm a 50 foot crusing sailboat came in a put his anchor down. His CQR looked to be very under sized for the size and weight of his boat. About 11 pm he drug into another boat. He then put out about 300 foot of chain.
Once, not too long ago, I anchored in Prevost Harbor, Stuart Island in the San Juans (WA). I was there first, no one else around in a cove just opposite of the park dock. I had thirty feet of chain and a Danforth anchor that I had used many times before. The sun was out (this is the northwest, hooray!) and I was content.
Pretty soon another sailboat came in and anchored on the other side of the cove. He's cool. Then a power boat came into the cove and anchored between us two sailboats. It's okay but not a lot of room. I shortened my rode a bit--how much I don't remember.
Then ANOTHER power boat came into the cove and anchored behind closer to shore. Whoa! I shorted rode a bit more but I didn't stand on the bow and give then that look. What the heck--we'll see what happens.
You're not going to believe this when i say another power boat slips into the cove and anchors. Now things are tight and I pull in more anchor line and start checking on the tides--going up or down? I've been boating for some time and feel good about my anchoring techniques but at that moment I was wondering if I should up anchor and move somewhere else. My wife says that as we pass the other boats in our swing maybe we can ask for a cold one. That has possibilities, we're that close.
THEN it happened. I suppose I should have been waiting for it--we started to drag. I had triangulated my position and we were definitely dragging. I had pulled so much scope in on the anchor line that the Danforth just couldn't do its job.
Before I could decided what to do, the first powerboat that had anchored between us two sailboats called over and said, "Come on and tie up to us--leave your anchor where it is and you can spend the night. We've got drinks and fresh crab." So we did!
We had a very pleasant afternoon and evening and met the nicest people from Bellingham. And I learned more how to catch crab--he was the master of crab catching. I still use his techniques to this day. The power boat skipper had seen what had happened as I kept shortening my rode and he decided it was unfair but we could make lemonade out of poor situation.
I still like my space but if someone anchors nearby my wife is apt to say to me, "See what they are having for dinner if we get close first before moving." Aye aye, Admiral.
Pretty soon another sailboat came in and anchored on the other side of the cove. He's cool. Then a power boat came into the cove and anchored between us two sailboats. It's okay but not a lot of room. I shortened my rode a bit--how much I don't remember.
Then ANOTHER power boat came into the cove and anchored behind closer to shore. Whoa! I shorted rode a bit more but I didn't stand on the bow and give then that look. What the heck--we'll see what happens.
You're not going to believe this when i say another power boat slips into the cove and anchors. Now things are tight and I pull in more anchor line and start checking on the tides--going up or down? I've been boating for some time and feel good about my anchoring techniques but at that moment I was wondering if I should up anchor and move somewhere else. My wife says that as we pass the other boats in our swing maybe we can ask for a cold one. That has possibilities, we're that close.
THEN it happened. I suppose I should have been waiting for it--we started to drag. I had triangulated my position and we were definitely dragging. I had pulled so much scope in on the anchor line that the Danforth just couldn't do its job.
Before I could decided what to do, the first powerboat that had anchored between us two sailboats called over and said, "Come on and tie up to us--leave your anchor where it is and you can spend the night. We've got drinks and fresh crab." So we did!
We had a very pleasant afternoon and evening and met the nicest people from Bellingham. And I learned more how to catch crab--he was the master of crab catching. I still use his techniques to this day. The power boat skipper had seen what had happened as I kept shortening my rode and he decided it was unfair but we could make lemonade out of poor situation.
I still like my space but if someone anchors nearby my wife is apt to say to me, "See what they are having for dinner if we get close first before moving." Aye aye, Admiral.
This is very close if this is Pelican Bay. I have counted over 100 boats in here on Memorial Day weekend. The attached picture will give you an idea of what half of the bay looks like.
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I think, if you are anchored first, you have squatting rights and so if someone else drops their hook too close, or they drag on top of you, there is not way you are obligated to move to get out of anyone's way who comes in after you. I remember one trip to the Dry Tortugas. We were one of the few boats in the harbor across from Ft. Jefferson. The weather was great. I was with a buddy and we both are SCUBA divers. We even dove to check out anchor while exploring the area's bottom. We were in firm. Then the weather changed and it got nasty outside of the reef. Of course anyone in the area came in to anchor to get out of the bad seas. The place filled up fast. A Morgan Out Island 40 something dropped their hook just to weather of us and to port. He was so close that when he swung, his stern nearly hit my boat. My buddy was disturbed over this and suggested we move. Everyone had a hard time setting a hook because of the winds and I simply said, "we were here first, so we are not moving" and I went back to my book. My friend continued to watch things unfold and kept bugging me about it and I kept telling him we weren't going to move. He got more insistent and I finally said, "I am sorry, but I am pulling rank on you here. This is my boat and we are not moving". End of story. He jumped in the dinghy and motored over to the other boat and helped them re-anchor a little further away. Nice solution, I thought. It is also a good idea to anchor the way every one there before you does. Some like one anchor and some like two. But, you don't want to use two, if it is congested and others are using one. You won't swing the same way and will get tangled. That's my 2 cents.
The guy is just a social dude I guess. Probably the same type of guy that picks the stall next to you in a public restroom when you're taking a dump and there are other stalls available. He doesn't know the proper buffer zone etiquette.
i had a cruiser buddy tell me once (an alcoholic go figure) that if any boats were close enough that he could whip a wine bottle onto/into their boat then he would put a note in it and send it on its way...the guy spent alot of time living in mooring fields and was very disturbed and angered with ignorant power boaters and "benny boaters" lol. personally i will see how the newcomer behaves and if the swing gets close enough i will ask who their insurance is so i can have my lawyer contact them and confirm coverage before i decide to stay or not. this usually produces a hurrumph and a safer night. otherwise if i have friends nearby we are likely rafted up and people usually dont stray too close to rafted cruisers.
Having been in the service and more specifically basic training, where toilets are lined up down the whole latrine with no separators, there is no buffer zone etiquette. You just sit, crap and chat. No big deal (and it wasn't considered weird).
I must be the weirdo then. I always give a buffer if possible. I guess I need to be more social when it comes to taking a dump