The Scoop on Scope

[Gary Wyngarden]

Yes, John. You're right!

It's difficult to live smack in the middle of one of the world's best cruising grounds and be crowded out of local anchorages during the best weather months.Weekend before last we headed out for Sucia Island Marine Park around noon on Friday. The forecast was for 5-15 knot southwesters making the big bays on the east side of Sucia good anchorages. The reality was 20-25 knot southeasters which turned those big bays into washing machines. We headed for Shallow Bay on the west side of Sucia and anchored in 15 feet of water with the wind still blowing at 20 knots. The tide would take our depth up to 22 feet. I put out our 35 pound cqr, 40 feet of chain and 70 feet of rope rode which I thought was responsible without being piggy. We were in early with no swing room problems.That bay should probably handle about 25 boats tops. By evening there were at least 50 boats in there. One late arrival came in on a sailboat towing a sizeable Boston Whaler. He dropped the hook near us without setting it and let out what he later told me was 40 feet of chain and took off to go fishing in the Whaler. With wind shifts overnight and in the morning, we drifted close to him, and he says to me, "gee you've got a lot of line out, and you were up the other way when we came in."Next summer we plan to return to the (so far)uncrowded West Coast of Vancouver Island for the summer months and will cruise here when everyone else goes home.So yes, John, the quiz arose from personal experience as most of these do. But I figured I wasn't the only one running into these situations.Gary WyngardenS/V Shibumi H335

 

[DMJ]

2 Anchors

Paul,Your response is appropriate if the conditions call for a single anchor. The only condition that you relate is anchoring in tight spots. It could be that swinging (from changes in wind or tide) would make resetting the single anchor unlikely or problematic. In that event, it might be appropriate to set two, even though the anchorage is neither crowded or tight.I was taught that one should check to see what the prevailing anchoring technique was in the anchorage and follow suit. You do not want to be swinging, when no one else is, and you don't want to prevent swinging if everyone else is planning on it.Finally, if in doubt, besides setting an anchor, set an anchor watch. It sucks, but when conditions have dictated, I've done it.Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)

 

[John Nantz]

Gary - and Map of Sucia

Thanks for the answer, Gary. Gee, how did I guess. Let's see, it's August and.....Attached is a link to Maptech's map of Sucia so one can see what bays Gary was talking about. These are really popular and when I was in Echo bay last it was wall-to-wall boats. Depths are in fathoms and tide ranges can be 16 feet.The late afternoon winds can really whip up as the hot land mass sucks in the cooler air from the Pacific. The Strait of Juan de Fuca becomes a wind tunnel.Also, I've noticed that the holding in Echo Bay isn't the world's greatest which makes heavy ground tackle good to have.Lunch call! gota run.

 

[Johnny]

Question? Stretch Rode

Has anyone, or does anyone have data and or information on the use of those Stretch Lines,(saw them advertized in a magazine ) and was wondering if any have ever used them.

 

[R.W. Landau]

Todd and Holly

Todd, It would be nice if the boating community would quit taking people for an outing. These people buy boats and take our moorings. As far as the Jet skis, If you have a video camera. I would tape the problem, send it to your local authorities, it may help. It is sure worth the try. Holly, This has become the boating nightmare. People used to be quite nice in the boating community(30 years ago). Part of good boating is being smart enough to know when enough is enough.You could chose to be like them or keep your dignity and find a better place. Almost always, when someone is rude, it is better to move and find a better place. It is also better to just do it that to get upset about it. That ruins your day instead of a few minutes. good anchoring, r.w.landau

 

[Carol]

Holly...rude boaters

Gee, right up my alley!Keep in mind that power boaters have fewer brains than we sailors do. Okay, not all, but most. All they have to do is say, (get in, sit down, hold on, and shut up) Once that has happened, all they need to do is throw the throttle down. No sails to hoist, no sheets to trim, for the most part not being concerned with the weather conditions. I could go on and on. The best advise I can offer you is to always keep the safety of the passengers, and vessel in mind. A few weeks ago my club had a raft-up going on in a VERY large area. (14 boats) All of a sudden here comes three power boats with full throttle opened. Zipped by us only about 20 feet away. Not once, not twice, not three times, but four times!! Needless to say, they were successful in rockin' the raft-up. What did that achieve? I guess what I'm saying is, sometimes you're at their mercy. I've also heard of putting on a Marilyn Manson CD (VERY LOUD) to run captains out of the spot you previous tossed the hook. That's not what I'd do....I would relocate. Or, if it's someone you'd enjoy spending sometime with, invited them to raft-up. Have a boat drink, and enjoy the company. After all isn't sailing a form of stress relief? It is for me! You will always have rude boaters. On the water, in the harbor, and for over night stays. Be a bigger person, and don't allow them to hender you adventure.Smooth Sailing.....and enjoy your new journeys!!

 

[Joe Springer]

Everyone Swinging Together

Paul has a good point, it seems to me. Is there no generalized convention for crowded anchorages?It seems to me that if everyone in a tight anchorage has a bow anchor set at 7:1, then everyone swings together as the wind or current changes. And the boats with 2 anchors will get bumped into.Most of us in central Nebraska leave our boats at a slip and go home for the night. When we anchor out on the lake, most often we are totally alone.The last time I boated in the San Juans was 25 years ago over a 4th-of-July weekend, and even back then it seemed that every anchorage was crowded. My wife and I are hoping to retire up there in a few years and then we can really worry about this issue.

 

[SailboatOwners.com]

Final results

Final results for the Quick Quiz ending August 17, 2003:In mild conditions and a rode that's chain and rope, the least scope I'll use is:41% Five 26% Six or more 23% Four 11% Three or less

 

[funset]

one anchor or 2

I HAVE DRUG ANCHOR AND HAVE BROKEN NEW 3/4 IN ANCHOR RODE (CHAFFED ON CORAL). I'VE DONE SOME CRUISING AND HAVE LEARNED A PLOW WILL PLOW , A BRUCE MIGHT NOT RESET IN A GOOPY BOTTOM. A DANFORTH OR SENTINAL WILL BEND A SHANK AND BECOME WORTHLESS IN A RESET, AND THAT A DEPTH FINDER IS A GREAT INSTRUMENT TO VERIFY A GROUNDING. BOTTOMS ARE DIFFERENT WINDS CHANGE CURRENTS AND TIDES CHANGE. STORMS COME UP UNEXPECTEDELY. A STORM CELL CAN PUT YOU IN FULL CIRCLE OF YOUR ANCHOR IN JUST A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. I HAVE SET HOURS IN THE COCKPIT ON ANCHOR WATCH. I WILL NEVER SLEEP ON ONE ANCHOR. AND I WILL NEVER SET TWO OF THE SAME TYPE ANCHOR. MY BOAT IS 36FT 4 IN WEIGHS 16000. MY PRIMARIES ARE A 44LB BRUCE ON 175 FT OF 5/16 CHAIN AND A 27LB SENTINAL (DANFORTH TYPE)ON 60 FT CHAIN AND 150 FT 3/4 IN BRAIDED RODE AND SOMETIMES USE A 16 FORTRESS AS A STERN ANCHOR WHEN WINDS AND CROSS CURRENTS ARE A FACTOR. I WILL TAKE BOTTOM CONDITION, CURRENTS, WIND DIRRECTIONS. RODE SCOPE AND ANGLE OF OTHER BOATS INTO CONCIDERATION BEFORE I WILL MAKE A DECISION. I WILL ASK OTHERS IN THE ANCHORAGE IF I DON'T KNOW THE BOTTOM CONDITION. IF I THINK THE ANCHORAGE IS TOO FULL I WILL MOVE TO A LESS COMFORTABE AREA OF THE ANCHORAGE TO HAVE THE SET AND SCOPE I THINK I NEED. SOMETIMES IT IS BETTER TO BOUNCE A LITTLE THAN STAY UP IN FEAR OF DRAGGING. THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK ONE ANCHOR IS ENOUGH MAY LEARN AN EXPENSIVE LESSON. AND JUST A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: NEVER TAKE A SLEEPING PILL AND A LAXATIVE AT THE SAME TIME.

 

[Gord May]

Funset

Funset incates a willingness to "bounce" in order to get the set & scope he needs to be safe.Bounce or jerk is a major cause of anchor pull-out.Always (what a dangerous word) try to anchor out of the "chuck", as wave-action is your anchor's enemy.OMOGord

 

[barrett]

La Paz Waltz...

In LaPaz Mexico,one of the most 'dancin'" crowded anchorages I have ever been in you would see folly quite often...Because of 4 plus knot currents 4 times a day(in twice,out twice) sweeping through a narrowish channel and anchorage, opposing winds, the world famous La Paz "Waltz" has boats laying different directions, and swinging hard and fast.The "La Paz Waltz" has been written about often, but it has to be seen first-hand to really appreciate. Perhaps due to the shallow harbor, the La Paz tide flows in and out at four knots or so. Meanwhile the north wind rushes down the Sea of Cortez and into the harbor, often at 20 knots. A boat at anchor points south into the out rushing tide, flowing north, while the less powerful wind blows at her stern. The result is a boat that dances around its buoy or anchor rode, sometimes quite animatedly. Imagine dropping a wood chip into the water, and watching it flow rapidly INTO a 20 knot wind! That's what happens. Everyone used chain everytime I've been there, with the exception of an occasional smaller boat, and you will see the boats straining on that chain everyday... You cannot lay to two anchors, because no one else does... You can't let out more scope than the others (last time I was there, everyone used 4 to 1..If you used 7 to 1...well,you get the picture)...The biggest single thing there, was that if you anchored within 150 feet of someone,the whole anchorage let the new comer know, via VHF, that he was too close..."Have you ever heard of the La Paz Waltz?" would ring out over the radio...many people who aren't familiar with the Waltz, didn't understand until,they were told... then they REALLY understood when the "Waltz" began...While there are many anchoring 'tricks', in a crowded anchorage you need to know what others are swinging to, as you can't just swing to 100 meters when everybody else had 25 out...The only CERTAIN way to protect your boat in a crowded anchorage is to keep people out of your swing area,( and watch for dragging) or move. If someone snuggles up to tight to you, you've got to tell them to move...As we all know the last to arrive is the one who is suppose to move, but if he won't...you should...

 

[dan]

no doubt

first time I only set one anchor I woke up banging on a pier. the next time I only set one I didnt wake up in the same spot I went to sleep in. now I never even think of going to sleep with just one anchor out!