Friday afternoon, you get away from work later than planned for a weekend cruise with your family. You get to your anchorage at dusk to find it quite full. Darkness is falling and there are no other anchorages nearby, so you find a little corner where you can fit if you cheat on scope. You put out a scope of three to one (mixed chain and rope rode on your Danforth) and settle in for the night. About 2:00 AM the wind picks up and you hop out of your bunk to check on the anchor. Bad news. It isn't holding and you are dragging down on another boat that is now very close to you. What would you do? (Created by Gary Wyngarden)
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start the iron Genny and pull anchor
and go find a place i can anchor safely. I have a remote controlled spot light on my bow sprint that i found very useful for trolling down the ICW at night on a Norfolk to Fort Lauderdale ICW trip i made a few months ago.. I cant sleep in a unsafe anchorage, my so i might as well keep traveling until I'm in a spot that will allow me to sleep soundly. If its not a really really tight spot i may just reposition myself and put 2 anchors out, especially if the bottom is mud and not just sand.
and go find a place i can anchor safely. I have a remote controlled spot light on my bow sprint that i found very useful for trolling down the ICW at night on a Norfolk to Fort Lauderdale ICW trip i made a few months ago.. I cant sleep in a unsafe anchorage, my so i might as well keep traveling until I'm in a spot that will allow me to sleep soundly. If its not a really really tight spot i may just reposition myself and put 2 anchors out, especially if the bottom is mud and not just sand.
Had something similar happen in Cortez Bay...
on Cortez Island. The four of us (AMEE flotilla) were together enjoying dinner on a fellow skipper's boat. Belle-Vie was anchored a short distance away with 110 feet of rode with a 20 pound kellet and a 40 pound Danforth anchor in 30 feet of water. These 28 to 35 knot puffs came in about every five minutes. I would peer out to check to see whether the anchor was holding. It looked like it had slipped a bit, but not sure. Cortez Bay is noted for its poor holding because of a thin layer of mud on top of shale. After a particularly strong puff came in I looked up again and sure enough Belle-Vie is heading for Royal Vancouver Yacht Club's full out station dock at about one knot per hour. I dashed for my dink and rowed as fast as I could to Belle-Vie just in time to get her moving away from the other boats. This time I put out 230 feet of rode, but even so during the night Belle-Vie still slipped about 100 feet, but with ample distance from any other boats. I use our Loran anchor watch feature to alert me when she slips. Since then I've increased from 30 feet of chain to fifty feet. That incident happened last year. This year Belle-Vie did not slip once during the entire two month cruise. I still always use the 20 pound kellet regardless of weather conditions and I am very satisfied with the Danforth anchor. Terry That same night one of our flotilla's other boats used a Danforth and his was set so hard he was unable to retrieve it the next morning as we prepared to get underway. How we were able to salvage it is another story.
on Cortez Island. The four of us (AMEE flotilla) were together enjoying dinner on a fellow skipper's boat. Belle-Vie was anchored a short distance away with 110 feet of rode with a 20 pound kellet and a 40 pound Danforth anchor in 30 feet of water. These 28 to 35 knot puffs came in about every five minutes. I would peer out to check to see whether the anchor was holding. It looked like it had slipped a bit, but not sure. Cortez Bay is noted for its poor holding because of a thin layer of mud on top of shale. After a particularly strong puff came in I looked up again and sure enough Belle-Vie is heading for Royal Vancouver Yacht Club's full out station dock at about one knot per hour. I dashed for my dink and rowed as fast as I could to Belle-Vie just in time to get her moving away from the other boats. This time I put out 230 feet of rode, but even so during the night Belle-Vie still slipped about 100 feet, but with ample distance from any other boats. I use our Loran anchor watch feature to alert me when she slips. Since then I've increased from 30 feet of chain to fifty feet. That incident happened last year. This year Belle-Vie did not slip once during the entire two month cruise. I still always use the 20 pound kellet regardless of weather conditions and I am very satisfied with the Danforth anchor. Terry That same night one of our flotilla's other boats used a Danforth and his was set so hard he was unable to retrieve it the next morning as we prepared to get underway. How we were able to salvage it is another story.
Start the engine and drag
the anchor a short distance away from other boats. If there is a second hand aboard get them on deck. There is a danger you will foul your prop with the anchor rode so steer perpendicular to it and stop the boat and shift to neutral before the rode approaches the underbelly of the hull. Having a lantern on hand will let you follow the rode. Get the anchor up as soon as possible and move to an area where you can re-anchor. A while back we were sailing in the Florida Keys and were headed for Snake Creek in Islamorada to cross over to the Florida Bay as we had a transient slip awaiting us at Plantation Marina (Hot shower and a Restaurant). We had not checked the chart and missed the comment that at low tide the entrance to the channel dropped to 3 1/2 ft. indeed we arrived on a falling tide and were unable to go in. We tried, but a soft grounding made us change our mind. The wing keel does not allow you to heel the boat and reduce draft. This was in the fall and having just one hour of daylight left we headed for Rodriguez Key. We had been there before a couple of years prior and had dragged anchor due to questionable bottom holding. We got there a little while after dark, found a nice spot and gave it plenty of scope with 4 ft of water under our keel. About 2:30 AM the wind picked up and the anchor alarm on our handheld GPS went off. I jumped on deck and seen that the depth under our keel was now 9 inches and a quick glance to the chartplotter confirmed we had drifted in position. I hollored for my mate to get on deck and bring me a jacket as it had started to rain. Turned the engine on and dragged the anchor out to deeper water. It was a squall with winds of 30 knots, plenty of rain and lightning. We got the anchor up and just held the boat pointed into the wind under power with very little headway. An hour later I'm sitting in the cockpit, wet and cold but with a stiff drink in my hand. The rain had stopped, the wind sat down and we re-anchored. I kept thinking about that slip that we missed. I made a resolution at that time, 1) always check the paper chart and 2) never go back to Rodriguez Key.
the anchor a short distance away from other boats. If there is a second hand aboard get them on deck. There is a danger you will foul your prop with the anchor rode so steer perpendicular to it and stop the boat and shift to neutral before the rode approaches the underbelly of the hull. Having a lantern on hand will let you follow the rode. Get the anchor up as soon as possible and move to an area where you can re-anchor. A while back we were sailing in the Florida Keys and were headed for Snake Creek in Islamorada to cross over to the Florida Bay as we had a transient slip awaiting us at Plantation Marina (Hot shower and a Restaurant). We had not checked the chart and missed the comment that at low tide the entrance to the channel dropped to 3 1/2 ft. indeed we arrived on a falling tide and were unable to go in. We tried, but a soft grounding made us change our mind. The wing keel does not allow you to heel the boat and reduce draft. This was in the fall and having just one hour of daylight left we headed for Rodriguez Key. We had been there before a couple of years prior and had dragged anchor due to questionable bottom holding. We got there a little while after dark, found a nice spot and gave it plenty of scope with 4 ft of water under our keel. About 2:30 AM the wind picked up and the anchor alarm on our handheld GPS went off. I jumped on deck and seen that the depth under our keel was now 9 inches and a quick glance to the chartplotter confirmed we had drifted in position. I hollored for my mate to get on deck and bring me a jacket as it had started to rain. Turned the engine on and dragged the anchor out to deeper water. It was a squall with winds of 30 knots, plenty of rain and lightning. We got the anchor up and just held the boat pointed into the wind under power with very little headway. An hour later I'm sitting in the cockpit, wet and cold but with a stiff drink in my hand. The rain had stopped, the wind sat down and we re-anchored. I kept thinking about that slip that we missed. I made a resolution at that time, 1) always check the paper chart and 2) never go back to Rodriguez Key.
reset
considering that my new anchoring techneque of running the rode to the cockpit, I would do the following (which I should have done in the first place): 1) Start up engine 2) put in forward at idle (or what ever it takes to just go forward a tad...needs more gas depending on the wind). 3) reel in the rode as I go forward so that it never goes under the boat. 4) when I get to the chain, I go up on deck and pull that mostly in (leave a little in the water to wash it off) 5) go as far forward as possible but go slowly so the hanging anchor doesn't slap the hull. 6) when there, put it in neutral, drop the anchor and let out as much rode as I can while giving me a little room between me and the aft boat's rode (don't want to get it in the prop). 7) watch the GPS cordinates to see if I am still going backwards. 8) if not for 5 minutes, put her in reverse at idle and check cordinates again. 9) keep increasing RPMs up to 1800 and hold it there for a minute. 10) if at anytime the cordinates slip more then .001 (rode will stretch a tad) then I'm dragging again and need to go forward, pull up the anchor and get out of there because it's not safe. 11) if all is fine, put the engine in forward and reel in rode until you have enough space between you and the boat behind you. 12) deploy kellet if I have one or can make one up. 13) throw something over the stern to slow down the swing (swing adds a lot of pull on the rode and in different directions and that helps break an anchor loose) 14) kill the engine and watch the GPS for 10 minutes to memorize the cordinates of the swing. 15) set anchor alarm for 50'. 16) sleep in cockpit. Like I said before, you gotta know your cordinates. It's very hard to determine if your dragging by looking at landmarks in the middle of the night when your half sleepy, it's dark, wind is making a lot of noise to throw off your concentration. Each .001 cordinate is about 3' That's a very good measuring stick. Hand helds work great for this. Don't even have to go on deck to know if you've moved any at all.
considering that my new anchoring techneque of running the rode to the cockpit, I would do the following (which I should have done in the first place): 1) Start up engine 2) put in forward at idle (or what ever it takes to just go forward a tad...needs more gas depending on the wind). 3) reel in the rode as I go forward so that it never goes under the boat. 4) when I get to the chain, I go up on deck and pull that mostly in (leave a little in the water to wash it off) 5) go as far forward as possible but go slowly so the hanging anchor doesn't slap the hull. 6) when there, put it in neutral, drop the anchor and let out as much rode as I can while giving me a little room between me and the aft boat's rode (don't want to get it in the prop). 7) watch the GPS cordinates to see if I am still going backwards. 8) if not for 5 minutes, put her in reverse at idle and check cordinates again. 9) keep increasing RPMs up to 1800 and hold it there for a minute. 10) if at anytime the cordinates slip more then .001 (rode will stretch a tad) then I'm dragging again and need to go forward, pull up the anchor and get out of there because it's not safe. 11) if all is fine, put the engine in forward and reel in rode until you have enough space between you and the boat behind you. 12) deploy kellet if I have one or can make one up. 13) throw something over the stern to slow down the swing (swing adds a lot of pull on the rode and in different directions and that helps break an anchor loose) 14) kill the engine and watch the GPS for 10 minutes to memorize the cordinates of the swing. 15) set anchor alarm for 50'. 16) sleep in cockpit. Like I said before, you gotta know your cordinates. It's very hard to determine if your dragging by looking at landmarks in the middle of the night when your half sleepy, it's dark, wind is making a lot of noise to throw off your concentration. Each .001 cordinate is about 3' That's a very good measuring stick. Hand helds work great for this. Don't even have to go on deck to know if you've moved any at all.
Crank the Engine!
Been there, done that. This year at Georgetown SC we only found one place to anchor, dropped the 22 pound Bruce with 50' of chain and at least 20' of rode in 10' of water. A squal blew in with 30 knots of wind, checking my handheld we were dragging back and getting close to a 60' steel hull sailboat (naturally it was dark). Looking closely at his anchor rode I made the decision that we were clear so I ran the engine in gear to hold our position until the storm blew through. This was the only time this year that I almost turned green. After everything settled back down I pulled forward again and dropped the hook. Later I found some notes on Georgetown noting that it was hard to get a hook set.
Been there, done that. This year at Georgetown SC we only found one place to anchor, dropped the 22 pound Bruce with 50' of chain and at least 20' of rode in 10' of water. A squal blew in with 30 knots of wind, checking my handheld we were dragging back and getting close to a 60' steel hull sailboat (naturally it was dark). Looking closely at his anchor rode I made the decision that we were clear so I ran the engine in gear to hold our position until the storm blew through. This was the only time this year that I almost turned green. After everything settled back down I pulled forward again and dropped the hook. Later I found some notes on Georgetown noting that it was hard to get a hook set.
Pull up the anchors start the engine
A storm came through and we drug two anchors. A plow and a danforth. The wind shifted 180 degrees and that is what broke out the anchors. My wife went to the cockpit and said that "the other boats have left" At 4 in the morning that seemed strange so I asked her to check the GPS. She said 0.45 mile. I said no that must be a mistake please recheck. She did and I was then awake. Fortunately we had drug out into the bay and missed the other boats. I was afraid of wrapping the prop so pulled in both anchors before motoring. One rode was apparently around the keel .We then moved to a safer place for the rest of the night. The Danforth had speared a large conch stopping it from resetting and the plow was apparently sliding over the grass bottom. We have since purchased and use a 33# bruce knockoff called the "claw" and haven't dragged even using one anchor.
A storm came through and we drug two anchors. A plow and a danforth. The wind shifted 180 degrees and that is what broke out the anchors. My wife went to the cockpit and said that "the other boats have left" At 4 in the morning that seemed strange so I asked her to check the GPS. She said 0.45 mile. I said no that must be a mistake please recheck. She did and I was then awake. Fortunately we had drug out into the bay and missed the other boats. I was afraid of wrapping the prop so pulled in both anchors before motoring. One rode was apparently around the keel .We then moved to a safer place for the rest of the night. The Danforth had speared a large conch stopping it from resetting and the plow was apparently sliding over the grass bottom. We have since purchased and use a 33# bruce knockoff called the "claw" and haven't dragged even using one anchor.
Lighten up
My Irwin 10/4 has a 40 hallon water tank. I have emptied it and powered off in reverse as soon as I got bouyancy
My Irwin 10/4 has a 40 hallon water tank. I have emptied it and powered off in reverse as soon as I got bouyancy
Being a polite Canadian... 
Gary : We've all been there...or will be !! > About 2:00 AM the wind picks up...(the anchor is) dragging (&) another boat > is now very close to you...what would you do? First of all...given the cicumstances...it's MY fault that I'm in this dumb situation...so the "first thing" is to get back to where we should be & away from the neighbours. Since the anchor has already broken loose, I can't trust it to hold us in place, so I'd bring us back to where our original position & then re-set the anchor properly. Using the same scope (3X1...since it's crowded) I'd get a sturdy canvas bag & run a healthy few LBs of chain into it, shackle the ends & drop it over the bow, to act like a sentinal & then go back to sleep. Hopefully the Admiral will forgive me in time to be in a better mood by breakfast, or it will be Corn Flakes to start the day...(again).
Gary : We've all been there...or will be !! > About 2:00 AM the wind picks up...(the anchor is) dragging (&) another boat > is now very close to you...what would you do? First of all...given the cicumstances...it's MY fault that I'm in this dumb situation...so the "first thing" is to get back to where we should be & away from the neighbours. Since the anchor has already broken loose, I can't trust it to hold us in place, so I'd bring us back to where our original position & then re-set the anchor properly. Using the same scope (3X1...since it's crowded) I'd get a sturdy canvas bag & run a healthy few LBs of chain into it, shackle the ends & drop it over the bow, to act like a sentinal & then go back to sleep. Hopefully the Admiral will forgive me in time to be in a better mood by breakfast, or it will be Corn Flakes to start the day...(again).
Use a large Herreshoff anchor
I have always carried a large Herreshoff anchor for a storm anchor, but when I am in a doubtful situation, I put it down. Yes, it is heavy, but it will catch on almost any bottom and save a night's sleep! Being a worry-wort and a retired captain, I have a slightly smaller Herreshoff also, and can put them both down at a 30 to 45 degree angle to each other, if I feel it advisable. Dave Cobb.
I have always carried a large Herreshoff anchor for a storm anchor, but when I am in a doubtful situation, I put it down. Yes, it is heavy, but it will catch on almost any bottom and save a night's sleep! Being a worry-wort and a retired captain, I have a slightly smaller Herreshoff also, and can put them both down at a 30 to 45 degree angle to each other, if I feel it advisable. Dave Cobb.
american mariner
You did not say how close. So I'm thinging like 10 ft from the outher boat. You should grab the tiller and terun the boat away from the outher boat and tie it down. thin when clear let out some anchor line, and when the anchor holds, set a side ancher, If you do not have a second ancher and you do not have a moter. You are in for a long night, Or raft up to the outher boat. Ask ferst.
You did not say how close. So I'm thinging like 10 ft from the outher boat. You should grab the tiller and terun the boat away from the outher boat and tie it down. thin when clear let out some anchor line, and when the anchor holds, set a side ancher, If you do not have a second ancher and you do not have a moter. You are in for a long night, Or raft up to the outher boat. Ask ferst.
What a fool.
You cheated and got caught. Up anchor, find a safe anchorage and anchor properly, if you don't, you are endangering yourself and your neighbor. What a drag, what a fool.
You cheated and got caught. Up anchor, find a safe anchorage and anchor properly, if you don't, you are endangering yourself and your neighbor. What a drag, what a fool.
Wake up the wife ...
Mmm ... yes. I would wake up the wife. She's never seen a boating accident like the sort of which we're fix'n to have!
Mmm ... yes. I would wake up the wife. She's never seen a boating accident like the sort of which we're fix'n to have!
As always you cheat at your peril,
whether you are driving a car with bad brakes or anchoring on a short scope with inadequate ground tackle. You are betting your boat, the boats of others and perhaps your life that the conditions won't get bad enough to cause trouble. There is much discussion here about sails and sail trim and I venture that most boaters spend more $$$ for sails and running rigging each year then they spend on ground tackle for the entire time they own the boat.
whether you are driving a car with bad brakes or anchoring on a short scope with inadequate ground tackle. You are betting your boat, the boats of others and perhaps your life that the conditions won't get bad enough to cause trouble. There is much discussion here about sails and sail trim and I venture that most boaters spend more $$$ for sails and running rigging each year then they spend on ground tackle for the entire time they own the boat.
Your first mistake...
Your first mistake was when you purchased your ground tackle. Anchoring with a Danforth and rope rode is like walking through East LA with a fistful of $100 bills, you're just asking to get hurt. I think a Danforth is fine in some bottoms, but you can never cheat on scope with one. If you have a Danforth, you NEED to be at 7-10:1. Especially with a rope rode instead of chain. But since you're already in trouble, you can try a couple of things. Assuming no one has left the anchorage in the middle of the night, moving to another spot is not an option. You can try lifting your anchor and moving back to your original position. Re-anchor, this time with a kellet, that will help your pitiful Danforth get a better grip. Give yourself as much scope as you can and stand anchor watch. If that doesn't work, you can use your engine to help take some strain off the ground tackle. Lastly, you can pick up anchor and spend the night motoring back and forth until conditions improve or until the chandlery opens and you can buy better ground tackle.
Your first mistake was when you purchased your ground tackle. Anchoring with a Danforth and rope rode is like walking through East LA with a fistful of $100 bills, you're just asking to get hurt. I think a Danforth is fine in some bottoms, but you can never cheat on scope with one. If you have a Danforth, you NEED to be at 7-10:1. Especially with a rope rode instead of chain. But since you're already in trouble, you can try a couple of things. Assuming no one has left the anchorage in the middle of the night, moving to another spot is not an option. You can try lifting your anchor and moving back to your original position. Re-anchor, this time with a kellet, that will help your pitiful Danforth get a better grip. Give yourself as much scope as you can and stand anchor watch. If that doesn't work, you can use your engine to help take some strain off the ground tackle. Lastly, you can pick up anchor and spend the night motoring back and forth until conditions improve or until the chandlery opens and you can buy better ground tackle.
Sell It
I would sell the boat. If I were goofy enough to run a 3:1 scope on a over night anchor, I should be allowed to have a boat.
I would sell the boat. If I were goofy enough to run a 3:1 scope on a over night anchor, I should be allowed to have a boat.
Danforths
If you get one set REALLY good in mud, it is extremely hard to trip. Now I'm not saying that if the wind rotates 180 degrees and is blowing that it will not trip. I do know though that once I've had it set so good that it took me 2 hours to retrieve it. Maybe one day I will go out and actually experiment with it. What do you think about the following idea? Go out and set the anchor with 7:1 scope on a lee shore with lots of room. Mark the cordinates and then roll up to a 4:1 scope and try to pull her out at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 degrees at full RPMs. Now that would be a good test, right? Unfortunately, we only seem to have mud with a clay mix so I can't test for other bottoms. Like I said before, my danforth has never failed me when I got it set right (once it did when I didn't get it set right and that was scary). There are a lot of people who say they don't reset and I will not argue with that, but I wonder if they trip in the first place if set good.
If you get one set REALLY good in mud, it is extremely hard to trip. Now I'm not saying that if the wind rotates 180 degrees and is blowing that it will not trip. I do know though that once I've had it set so good that it took me 2 hours to retrieve it. Maybe one day I will go out and actually experiment with it. What do you think about the following idea? Go out and set the anchor with 7:1 scope on a lee shore with lots of room. Mark the cordinates and then roll up to a 4:1 scope and try to pull her out at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 degrees at full RPMs. Now that would be a good test, right? Unfortunately, we only seem to have mud with a clay mix so I can't test for other bottoms. Like I said before, my danforth has never failed me when I got it set right (once it did when I didn't get it set right and that was scary). There are a lot of people who say they don't reset and I will not argue with that, but I wonder if they trip in the first place if set good.
Danforths
I have to agree with Franklin about Danforths. We've always needed either a trip line or to power out our Danforth IF its set properly. My goodness those things dig into mud! As for the original post - I don't know how anyone could sleep on only a 3:1 scope.
I have to agree with Franklin about Danforths. We've always needed either a trip line or to power out our Danforth IF its set properly. My goodness those things dig into mud! As for the original post - I don't know how anyone could sleep on only a 3:1 scope.
Up here
in the Pacific NW, 3:1 is not uncommon in crowded anchorages. The trick is to first set the anchor at 7:1 or so, then reel in on the rode. If this is impossible then I would deploy a kellet to help keep the rode flat on the bottom. Danforths consistently rate high in Practical Sailor tests and I have had great luck with them. In their last test they specifically tested for short scope and they worked well. Also there is nothing wrong with chain/rope rodes for most uses. Sometimes it takes a bit to set a Danforth or Fortress, but once set they are really secure. When direction is shifted they tend to corkscrew in deeper rather than pull out and reset. (Pays your money--Takes your choice.) The key here is that they work best in mud and sand. If the bottom you are anchored in is rocks or weeds, time to break out the plow. So back to the scenario where you have broken loose. Turn on the engine; wake the Admiral; move to safety and think through why the anchor dragged: 1. Danforth in rocky/weedy bottom? --------Deploy your plow type anchor. (You do have more than one anchor aboard--don't you) 2. Bottom mud or sand but anchor set at 3:1? ---------Reset the Danforth at 7:1, add a kellet, and reel in to 3:1 or so. 3. Stand anchor watch until you are certain you aren't dragging.
in the Pacific NW, 3:1 is not uncommon in crowded anchorages. The trick is to first set the anchor at 7:1 or so, then reel in on the rode. If this is impossible then I would deploy a kellet to help keep the rode flat on the bottom. Danforths consistently rate high in Practical Sailor tests and I have had great luck with them. In their last test they specifically tested for short scope and they worked well. Also there is nothing wrong with chain/rope rodes for most uses. Sometimes it takes a bit to set a Danforth or Fortress, but once set they are really secure. When direction is shifted they tend to corkscrew in deeper rather than pull out and reset. (Pays your money--Takes your choice.) The key here is that they work best in mud and sand. If the bottom you are anchored in is rocks or weeds, time to break out the plow. So back to the scenario where you have broken loose. Turn on the engine; wake the Admiral; move to safety and think through why the anchor dragged: 1. Danforth in rocky/weedy bottom? --------Deploy your plow type anchor. (You do have more than one anchor aboard--don't you) 2. Bottom mud or sand but anchor set at 3:1? ---------Reset the Danforth at 7:1, add a kellet, and reel in to 3:1 or so. 3. Stand anchor watch until you are certain you aren't dragging.
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