Stupid anchoring questions ;)

[RickyD]

I have regularly asked those already anchored where their anchor is. This can be not only be helpful but establishes a concerned report with your neighbor. I use the "drop behind them" technique only when there is a reasonably strong current or wind and all boats are similarly lined up to indicate direction. And, being in southern California with a fairly large boat I'm frequently anchoring out. Last week it was in 136 feet of water. It was a temporary anchor so I only went out a little over 2:1. I have 500 ft of all chain. Later in the day I anchored overnight in 110 ft. I was out 3:1. Calm conditions. One thing that happens regularly: The sailboat behind me seemed to end up too close for comfort after I settled in. I almost pulled up and moved. I know they are going to swing differently than I so that puts me on notice. However, once in my dinghy I could see that I actually had good spacing that looked questionable from the fly bridge. Perspective matters. We were anchored for four days with wind and currents spinning us and we were never at odds. So a suggestion is to go visit your neighbors. See your boat from their perspective and it also gives them a chance to tell you if they are uncomfortable. I'll admit that only one time did someone ask me to give them more room and I did accommodate them.

 

[psneeld]

different scopes for different depths, for different areas.....

 

[AlanT]

I agree you can get by with less than recommended scope at times, but this is the first time I heard that 3:1 (or less) is "normal". I would consider 3:1 a minimum limit and only in ideal conditions, and even then probably not overnight. For me, somewhere around 5:1 is more normal, 7 or more if storms are possible. Just last weekend I was anchored in a calm harbor with 2 sailboats nearby. Around dusk a sudden gust came up for about 30 secs and one of the sailboats dragged. I heard the other one yelling at them that they didn't have enough scope out. They motored to a different area in the dark to re-set. Would have been better to do it right the first time. I think they just didn't know better.

Different strokes for different folks I guess. We lived aboard 4 years sailing from the USEC-Caribbean, Bermuda, Azores, Portugal, then into the Med for 3 years before sailing home (FL). I never used more than 3:1 in fair conditions. Dragged once on sand over rock which was not a scope issue just a bad anchorage, and once in Annapolis in soft mud, with two anchors out and 5:1 scope in a rare tornado. Probably 600 nights at anchor over that period. There were two types of fellow anchorers that we looked out for. Those that put out little or no scope (talking less than 2:1) and those that put out excessive scope. Many anchorages are busier than ever and particularly with Canada being still closed the SJI is very busy. Excessive scope is IMO selfish.

 

[rslifkin]

I agree you can get by with less than recommended scope at times, but this is the first time I heard that 3:1 (or less) is "normal". I would consider 3:1 a minimum limit and only in ideal conditions, and even then probably not overnight. For me, somewhere around 5:1 is more normal, 7 or more if storms are possible. Just last weekend I was anchored in a calm harbor with 2 sailboats nearby. Around dusk a sudden gust came up for about 30 secs and one of the sailboats dragged. I heard the other one yelling at them that they didn't have enough scope out. They motored to a different area in the dark to re-set. Would have been better to do it right the first time. I think they just didn't know better.

Some anchor designs suffer worse at short scope than others. Anchor sizing is a factor as well. If you're a bit oversized, you can afford to give up more performance with shorter scope, which means more flexibility in anchoring in tight spaces.

Personally, in moderate or deep water, I typically put out 3:1 or 4:1 during the day, maybe 5:1 for overnight (but sometimes a bit less). But that's with a generously sized modern anchor. How much I put out depends on the bottom, whether swing room is a concern, expected weather, etc. In a good bottom, 3:1 is more than enough to hold 1000 rpm in reverse on both engines, which visibly puts more tension on the rode than 30 - 35 kts of wind.

 

[AlanT]

Am i correct in assuming all boats anchored in a cove will swing at the same rate?

No. It depends on a number of factors. Namely:
1/ if scope is not similar boats will not swing "in synch".
2/ in any cove subject to currents, the current will tend to enter the cove along one coast and leave on the other. So boats can be facing opposite directions although only a couple hundred feet away from each other.
3/ in general windage affects motor boats more than sailboats and high profile motor boats more than low profile. Fast planing hulls tend to be the most agitated at anchor.
~A

 

[RickyD]

I have regularly asked those already anchored where their anchor is. This can be not only be helpful but establishes a concerned report with your neighbor. I use the "drop behind them" technique only when there is a reasonably strong current or wind and all boats are similarly lined up to indicate direction. And, being in southern California with a fairly large boat I'm frequently anchoring out. Last week it was in 136 feet of water. It was a temporary anchor so I only went out a little over 2:1. I have 500 ft of all chain. Later in the day I anchored overnight in 110 ft. I was out 3:1. Calm conditions. One thing that happens regularly: The sailboat behind me seemed to end up too close for comfort after I settled in. I almost pulled up and moved. I know they are going to swing differently than I so that puts me on notice. However, once in my dinghy I could see that I actually had good spacing that looked questionable from the fly bridge. Perspective matters. We were anchored for four days with wind and currents spinning us and we were never at odds. So a suggestion is to go visit your neighbors. See your boat from their perspective and it also gives them a chance to tell you if they are uncomfortable. I'll admit that only one time did someone ask me to give them more room and I did accommodate them.

Ok, an addition here. Many years ago I was anchoring in a very small area behind a reef. Room maybe for three boats and one was already there. I was in my sailboat and we needed two anchors as there was no room to swing. I motored towards the beach, dropped my stern hook, drove out towards the reef, dropped the primary and started working back. I looked over that the other boat and they were shaking their heads "NO". Sure enough I started drifting too close. So we pulled up and tried again. This time, after giving them more space, they again were shaking their heads "NO" as we drifted towards the rocks on the other side. Ok, third time was a charm. Many times later I was the one on deck shaking my head "NO". One of those times a boater anchored way too close to me. As I got in my dinghy to go over and ask him to move, a water taxi showed up and whisked him away. I had to adjust my position and even then fend off his boat for hours. Damn power boaters. Oh, yah, I had a power boat also.

 

[dhays]

Stupid anchoring questions ?

Our current cruising area (last 10 years) is the PNW. We carry 300' of chain. We have a number of anchorages available to us in the areas we like to cruise in (South Sound, San Juan Islands where we are now, Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound and further north). We rarely need to anchor in more than 40' and have never had to anchor in more than 50' of water in the PNW. Most we have ever anchored in (living aboard a 49' sailboat in Caribbean/Med) is 80' in the BVIs. This is not to say you can't find deeper anchorages if/when you have the equipment and feel the need/desire. Simply that you have choices.

Although the accepted norm ratio is 3:1 it is very often possible to anchor with less scope than this in fair weather, in protected waters, with an all chain rode. You can always let out more if the wind picks up. This is helpful to know when in a crowded anchoring field. Some folks will put out extreme scope in these conditions when it is entirely unnecessary and which impacts those anchored around them with the normal 3:1 scope.

Earlier this week we were in Reid Harbor on a mud bottom in 20' of water. This anchorage is protected from every direction, no fetch, wind 0-5kts and forecasted to stay that way for at least a week. We watched a trawler that was behaving weirdly at anchor. It veered all over the anchorage in the current, out of synch with other nearby anchored vessels and coming worryingly close to several. We watched them leave the next morning. Their chain was painted every 25' (I assume) and I counted 125' retrieved.

If I didn't reverse my anchor chain end to end every 3 years when the boat is hauled out half of it would never get wet.

~A

Alan, I’m also in the Puget Sound and normally anchor is relatively shallow water. However, further North, I have anchored in 60+ feet of water and had all 300’ of chain out and wished for more.

I would consider 3 to 1 as a bare minimum in mild conditions in a protected anchorage with a good holding bottom.

 

[Lou_tribal]

Alan, I’m also in the Puget Sound and normally anchor is relatively shallow water. However, further North, I have anchored in 60+ feet of water and had all 300’ of chain out and wished for more.

I would consider 3 to 1 as a bare minimum in mild conditions in a protected anchorage with a good holding bottom.

300' of chain, low hat I am impressed, I don't even have 300' in chain and rode!
Usually my wife is retrieving the anchor by hand while I go forward to give some slack, with 300' of chain she should have a good workout lol

L

 

[firehoser75]

I also anchor in BC coastal waters. I do not consider 3to1 to be an adequate scope in most cases. In calm conditions in a protected anchorage with good holding, 4 to 1 is fine. Usually I use a scope of 5 to 1 but will "settle" for a bit less. If anchoring in deeper water, say over 60 feet, then going to a "shorter scope" is probably OK. In very deep water 3 to 1 may be good for all chain.

 

[BruceK]

different scopes for different depths, for different areas.....

....and different anchors

 

[backinblue]

300' of chain, low hat I am impressed, I don't even have 300' in chain and rode!
Usually my wife is retrieving the anchor by hand while I go forward to give some slack, with 300' of chain she should have a good workout lol

L

Nobody needs all chain, especially if retrieving by hand. Cut your chain to 50ft and add a few hundred feet nylon. You'll remove some weight from the bow and have a better rode at the same time. What do you do in a storm?

 

[backinblue]

....and different anchors

Oh no you didn't! lol

 

[psneeld]

combo rode is most likely "better" if you don't have a windlass...otherwise it's entirely debatable with "performance" only being a point in the discussion.

 

[rslifkin]

Nobody needs all chain, especially if retrieving by hand. Cut your chain to 50ft and add a few hundred feet nylon. You'll remove some weight from the bow and have a better rode at the same time. What do you do in a storm?

In the northeast, that's mostly true. But there are plenty of places on the Pacific coast as well as down south, in the Bahamas, etc. where there are rocky bottoms, coral, etc. Letting anything other than chain touch the bottom in those places is just asking for trouble. Plus, even with a mixed rode, plenty of us have gear that would be damn near impossible to retrieve by hand. I've got 90 feet of chain, 300 of line and a 73 lb anchor. In 50 feet of water, when the anchor first comes off the bottom, that's 130 lbs to lift...

 

[cfm]

Does it really matter on my 42' Grand Banks if the anchor roller is 3-1//2" off center?
I want to put two rollers on the bow for two anchors

 

[rgano]

Does it really matter on my 42' Grand Banks if the anchor roller is 3-1//2" off center?
I want to put two rollers on the bow for two anchors

Nope. Had two on my GB42.