What constitutes an anchorage...and can I anchor elsewhere ?

[Tally Ho]

I am primarily a day- sailor, but once a year I head out over the Labor Day weekend for an over-night. If the weather is favorable, I prefer to anchor rather than spend the night in a Marina.

This year, I anchored off the south shore of Lake Michigan off the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Spent a quiet night on the hook, and sailed home the next day. A friend at the Marina asked me if it was an anchorage area...and I said, I don't know.

Here is a snapshot of the the area I anchored in...


And here is a snapshot of an area off the shore in Chicago known for anchoring...


One is clearly marked, but the vast south end of the Lake is not....does that mean I cannot drop the hook and spend the night out there?

I always thought if you were in a marked anchorage, you did not need to light an anchor light, but you did if anchored elsewhere...but maybe I am completely wrong.

Can anyone shed some "light" (pun intended) on my anchoring locations?

Thanks,

Greg

 

[quadrille38]

I don't know about the issue of designated areas out in the lake, more familiar with them in the harbors. But there is no way I'd anchor out in Lake Michigan over night. There is absolutely no protection and wheather can kick up unpredictably and quickly.
I prefer to be inside one of the harbors along the lake or at least in one of the bays along the shoreline. Where you've described is basically open lake with no coves or protection.

 

[Tally Ho]

I choose my weather window very carefully before deciding to anchor out. You are right that there is little protection, especially at the south end of the lake.

But the night I spent out was light south breeze, and I was close to the south shore.

I would not anchor out if any weather or winds were predicted.

Greg

 

[quadrille38]

We are on White Lake and at the north end of the lake when you pass through the narrows the charts show an area designated as an anchorage. It's basically the whole northern end inside the narrows.

Several other bays and spots in White Lake make terrific anchor spots depending on wind direction but none of them are designated as anchorages on the charts.

Not that I've studied every inch of every chart on the lake but I can't recall seeing any designated anchorages out in the open lake.

 

[centerline]

you are correct that in a designated anchorage as shown on a chart, you dont need to show an anchor light, but anchored outside a designated area, you do have to have an "approved" light visible....in the daytime, it has to be a day shape/anchor ball...
the chart may show little anchors or boats in a designated anchorage, or it may show a "bordered" area on the chart with the word anchorage written in it.....
some charts will show an anchorage and when you arrive, you find it being used by large commercial ships.... and this type of anchorage may be called a "rodeway", but whatever its marked as, dont anchor near large ships unless you are in near shore in very shallow water where they could never swing/veer into you....or run over you in the night when leaving or arriving..

as for anchoring out in an unprotected open area, its not uncommon, and if you know the area and your boat well, there should be no surprises as to what to expect or what you need to do if the wind picks up suddenly.... BUT, if you dont know the area or your boat, be very aware that you could be caught in an irreversible situation if the weather suddenly changes....

 

[woodster]

here on mobile bay it's best to not anchor out in the open bay there have been people run over by tugs doing this and never found again ....wreckage was found but no bodies ever recovered

 

[shemandr]

To answer the second part of the OP - you can anchor outside of a designated anchorage, and you would need to display proper anchoring lights. You also cannot be in a channel - which is a Doh. If you had a breakdown, let's say the engine failed, in a channel and you needed to anchor, you can. You should broadcast Securite on the VHF to that effect. And, of course display the proper lights or day shapes. What are they?

 

[heritage]

here on mobile bay it's best to not anchor out in the open bay there have been people run over by tugs doing this and never found again ....wreckage was found but no bodies ever recovered

 

[heritage]

I remember that tragedy. It was a sailboat with two people aboard. They had selected a spot in the bay that was outside of the marked ICW route. Unknowingly, they had anchored where the barge drivers cut a dog leg across the bay. The impact pushed the boat deep into the muddy bottom where it stayed for, I think a day or so. The tug pushing the barge reported that he had no idea that he had hit anything. No way to tell if they had an anchor light on.

 

[Tally Ho]

Q38, I would clarify that to say that I am anchoring close to shore, in 10 feet of water. Not a lot of room for boats between me and the shore (although 1 power boat pulling a skier sped by on the shore side).

Here is a shot from the beach.


Shemandr, I run an anchor light at the top of my mast all night, but I don't put out a day shape during the daylight hours. And I stay clear of channels, other congested areas.

Thanks for the confirmation.

Greg

 

[woodster]

I remember that tragedy. It was a sailboat with two people aboard. They had selected a spot in the bay that was outside of the marked ICW route. Unknowingly, they had anchored where the barge drivers cut a dog leg across the bay. The impact pushed the boat deep into the muddy bottom where it stayed for, I think a day or so. The tug pushing the barge reported that he had no idea that he had hit anything. No way to tell if they had an anchor light on.

yes that is the one

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Q38, I would clarify that to say that I am anchoring close to shore, in 10 feet of water. Not a lot of room for boats between me and the shore (although 1 power boat pulling a skier sped by on the shore side).

Here is a shot from the beach.
View attachment 127974

Shemandr, I run an anchor light at the top of my mast all night, but I don't put out a day shape during the daylight hours. And I stay clear of channels, other congested areas.

Thanks for the confirmation.

Greg

Have anchored in many many non "anchorage" areas. Make sure you have the lights. I hang mine from backstay,, since I don't anchor where ships (or tows) move, and I want the late night and early morning fishermen to see the light.

If it's open public waters, you have every right to anchor. Well, Florida is fighting that but still

I don't think I've EVER seen a day shape on a small sailing vessel

 

[woodster]

maybe this will help

 

[shemandr]

Yeah, I agree about rarely seeing day shapes. That's why the last part of my post was asking if anyone knows what should been flown - I don't without going to a reference. Nevertheless, if you are anchored outside of a designated anchorage, and want to be legit, you should fly them. We have several mega yachts that visit our area; I'm saying 160' sailboats, and they do not ever miss on the legal requirements.

 

[RoyS]

I saw a 35' or so Canadian registered sailboat anchored in a channel between a couple of Boston Harbor islands one day. That boat remained there for several weeks. I never saw anyone on the boat and it was locked up. After a couple of weeks it was gone. The most likely explanation is that the people on the boat sailed down from Canada, anchored their boat, took the free island ferry to Boston, stayed there for two weeks, and then paid one ferry fare to return to the island to retrieve their boat. Worked for them I guess.

 

[duality]

i seem to recall that a "anchorage" had to be an approved site by the secretary of the interior, if you anchored outside such a site you would loose your right of way. this may fall under dept of homeland security now. im sure someone with more knowledge of me will chime in.

bty, you couldnt anchor there last night!

 

[Tally Ho]

Pretty rough with the North winds. Next 2 days sound near perfect though!

 

[Kings Gambit]

you are correct that in a designated anchorage as shown on a chart, you don't need to show an anchor light...

This might be an "old sailor's tale." I think we here at this forum decided a year or two ago that this is not true in its common understanding. The confusion evidently arises from a lack of notice of the difference between a "Special Anchorage" of inland waters (i.e., within harbors) and a so-called "Designated Anchorage" taken as one marked on a chart typically with the symbol of an anchor (e.g., see post 5 above). Here it is from Coast Pilot 7 2016, Ch. 2.

(992) 
 Part 110 – Anchorage Regulations

(993) 
 § 110.1 General.
(994) (a) The areas described in subpart A of this part are designated as special anchorage areas for the purposes of rule 30 (33 CFR 83.30) and rule 35 (33 CFR 83.35) of the Inland Navigation Rules, 33 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter E. Vessels of less than 20 meters in length; and barges, canal boats, scows, or other nondescript craft, are not required to sound signals required by rule 35 of the Inland Navigation Rules. Vessels of less than 20 meters are not required to exhibit anchor lights or shapes required by rule 30 of the Inland Navigation Rules.

Here's the rule itself found under Inland of COLREGs: (g) A vessel of less than 20 meters in length, when at anchor in a special anchorage area designated by the Coast Guard, shall not be required to exhibit the anchor lights and shapes required by this Rule.

Within Dana Pt Harbor, for example, there is a special anchorage defined under §110.93 of this document (CP 7) where you would not need to display the light or shape. However, if you're anchored in a location marked on a chart only by the anchor symbol and where the international COLREGs apply, it would not fall under the Inland Rules, so the provision for the Special Anchorage specific to Inland Rules would not even apply. That's it. If your hook is down outside a Special Anchorage as defined in Coast Pilot for Inland Waters, you need to display an all round white light where it can best be seen--i.e., Rule 30(b) for vessels under 50 m length.

PS: The OP's Special Anchorage can be found in Coast Pilot 6, 2016:
§ 110.205 Chicago Harbor, IL
(526) (3) Anchorage C, shore arm. South of a line parallel with and 150 feet southward of the shore arm of the exterior breakwater; west of a line parallel with the south extension of the exterior breakwater, 100 feet westward of the east end of the shore arm; northwest of a line perpendicular to the Lake Shore Drive revetment and 300 feet northwest of the northwest corner of the filtration plant; and east of a line parallel with and 600 feet lakeward of the Lake Shore Drive revetment.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Rules or no, the only time I don't show an anchor light is if I'm hanging on a mooring in a mooring field.. Far better to be seen

 

[Kings Gambit]

Rules or no, the only time I don't show an anchor light is if I'm hanging on a mooring in a mooring field.. Far better to be seen

It may be that lights are required there as well; not clear on this.