throw the anchor!!
Buddy of mine had a boat, inherited from his father, the WWII fighter pilot guy, so he knew how to anchor. Taught his son that you have to THROW the anchor out to set it (luckily it was only a 26' boat). We are at the air show. Hundreds of anchored boats. Watching the newbies come up, everyone went close to the boat in front of them, dropped, not tossed, the anchor, then backed up to snug the line, then pulled on the rode to equlaize the rode length so most everyone swung together. My buddy didn't observe a thing. He told me to "throw the anchor" so I dropped it. We werre about 40 feet from the nearest boat, the last one in line. Now I am a big guy, but tossing a anchor 40 feet? So I told him to pull up and I would drop theanchor. He accused me of being an idiot, not following directions, and besides, his daddy told him "You always throw the anchor". Heated discusion followed with voices raising on his end. The last boats were big boats, expensive yachts. And when they heard "Throw the anchor" they all came on their sterns to see THIS fiasco. Finally I won out, we got to within 20 feet of the nearest stern, DROPPED anchor, then he proceeded to back up. And back up. And back up. When I told him it was too much rode...well you get the picture. Same buddy. My first time on his boat. Pulls up to the dock (slip really), kills the engine, and says "Lasso the post and pull us in" with the authority of someone who did this all the time and thought this was normal. I wondered why the people at the cottages across the little channel asked "When are you coming back?" At precisely that time (another story) they started pulling out lawn chairs, cocktails in hand, chit-chatting to eachother, as if THEY did this before. Arguement: Turn the motor on and pull in. This is how you dock. It may be how you dock, but not anyone else! Well just lasso the pole. I will if you get me closer than 30 feet away! He restarts the boat, gets to within 10 feet of the pole, then kills the motor. I am dumfounded. Raised voices from both ends. His mother joins in "How dare you tell my son what to do. This is his boat and he is captain and you follow his orders, etc. etc." Laughs from the peanut gallery. He tells his mom, sweet thing, that I have a 37' sailboat, and have been docking boats for 25 years. I finally take the helm, more raised voices, start the motor, pull into the dock, kill the motor. The boat rests 1' in any direction from any obstical. Clapping and cheering from the peanut gallery. Thank god, they sold the boat soon after, and, he has never been on mine, although he has been invited every weekend for 5 years. The point? Sometimes people need to realize their limitations.
