Why is it That

I'm anchored at Titusville FL for two nights waiting for the weather to turn favorable for continuing north to CT. I've noticed that in most anchorages that I frequent traveling up and down the ICW, the vast majority of anchored boats are sailboats. Right now at Titusville I am the only anchored powerboat among a number of sailboats. I see many trawlers traveling the ICW but they disappear at day's end.

Don't powerboaters appreciate the privacy and tranquility of a pleasant anchorage? Sure we go to marinas at times but mostly anchor out. Why is it that we we are among a small minority? With all the threads on anchors, where is everyone?

hmason said:

I'm anchored at Titusville FL for two nights waiting for the weather to turn favorable for continuing north to CT. I've noticed that in most anchorages that I frequent traveling up and down the ICW, the vast majority of anchored boats are sailboats. Right now at Titusville I am the only anchored powerboat among a number of sailboats. I see many trawlers traveling the ICW but they disappear at day's end.

Don't powerboaters appreciate the privacy and tranquility of a pleasant anchorage? Sure we go to marinas at times but mostly anchor out. Why is it that we we are among a small minority? With all the threads on anchors, where is everyone?

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We powerboaters with our trophy wives in stiletto heels that would rather prance down a dock than deal with getting in and out of a dinghy. Not to mention we need to plug into the dock to keep our multiple refrigerators and wine coolers at ideal temps so our drinks are served at the correct temp.
Asking our wives to don topsiders to allow for agile dinghy boarding would surely cause them to go into a tirade as their latest pedicure would be under cover and not displayed for all the world to admire.
:lol:
HOLLYWOOD

Because folks would rather tell you how you are anchoring wrong than show you.

Here's my trophy wife (without stilettos) at the helm in 5' seas, 30 knot winds (notice the pony tail)...

BTW, we anchor out a lot.

Wifey B: I don't wear them at the helm, but sometimes stilettos are nice. Hollywood left out a key part in his post, he failed to mention the husbands who liked looking at their wives dressed to kill and wearing stilettos. Something tells me Hollywood looks.

hmason said:

I'm anchored at Titusville FL for two nights waiting for the weather to turn favorable for continuing north to CT. I've noticed that in most anchorages that I frequent traveling up and down the ICW, the vast majority of anchored boats are sailboats. Right now at Titusville I am the only anchored powerboat among a number of sailboats. I see many trawlers traveling the ICW but they disappear at day's end.

Don't powerboaters appreciate the privacy and tranquility of a pleasant anchorage? Sure we go to marinas at times but mostly anchor out. Why is it that we we are among a small minority? With all the threads on anchors, where is everyone?

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Nothing to do with my wife's stilettos, but we prefer marinas. We don't just go to shore occasionally for provisions. If we're in a town 3 days, we'll probably go to land or to the boat from land at least 6-9 times and if there are 7 people aboard they will do so at different times. If you're looking at landmarks, visiting museums and art galleries, going to historic sites, then the convenience of a marina is nice. We're not bothered by other people being around. Bother can happen at a marina or an anchorage. Noisy sailboats can be annoying.

There are many powerboaters on this site who prefer anchoring. However, keep in mind that in many ways cruisers on this site have evolved from sail boat owners or at least still much the type, the 5-8 knot type. You still see a good portion of them at anchorages. You're not going to see as many of the 31' Sea Rays with a family of four at anchorages.

It also depends a bit on cruising area. In the Bahamas you see a lot of powerboats anchored. In the PNW too.

dvd said:

Here's my trophy wife (without stilettos) at the helm in 5' seas, 30 knot winds (notice the pony tail)...

BTW, we anchor out a lot.

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The worse seas in the San Francisco bays/estuaries are in eastern Suisun Bay (west of Pittsburg) when the winds counter the tide. Waves are steep and much worse than pictured in your photo. Requiring me to slow down from a normal cruise speed of 6.3 knots with spray going overhead the boat and seas pound against pilothouse windows. Fortunately, things calm down upon reaching Port Chicago.

I think money is a factor in why so many sailors anchor out rather than stay in marinas. Sailing is a relatively inexpensive way to boat. Sailors often have less money than powerboaters therefore are more likely to stay in free anchorages than a powerboater.

It's not that sailors prefer to anchor more than powerboaters, it's just that fewer can afford the dockage.

There is an impression in the marine industry that sailors are cheap. A common saying attributed to sailors by the marine industry goes "The wind is free and everything else should be."

My personal opinion is that they are just trying to enjoy being on the water with a smaller budget than most powerboaters. I think this is one reason you see more sailboats at anchor than powerboats.

Some prefer to be at anchor rather than in a marina, regardless of the cost. Many don't understand that.

"Some prefer to be at anchor rather than in a marina, regardless of the cost."

You bet , I lived aboard full time for over 22 years in marinas.

Seen enough marina life to only use them for food, fuel , garbage disposal and laundry.

From CT to south of Daytona is is possible to cruise marina free if desired.

HopCar said:

I think money is a factor in why so many sailors anchor out rather than stay in marinas. Sailing is a relatively inexpensive way to boat. Sailors often have less money than powerboaters therefore are more likely to stay in free anchorages than a powerboater.

It's not that sailors prefer to anchor more than powerboaters, it's just that fewer can afford the dockage.

There is an impression in the marine industry that sailors are cheap. A common saying attributed to sailors by the marine industry goes "The wind is free and everything else should be."

My personal opinion is that they are just trying to enjoy being on the water with a smaller budget than most powerboaters. I think this is one reason you see more sailboats at anchor than powerboats.

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Kind of like cross country skiers vs snow mobilers...
CC skiers pack a lunch & drink water...snow mobilers stop for a burger & beer(s) and spend most of the PM in the bar.

Same here, we can see boat at anchor during the day, having a drink of taking a bath in the river, but starting 4PM everybody start to move back home in our last and first season last year we spent every weekend at the anchor and never ever we seen another boat. I am not complaining at all as it is a gift to be able to be alone with just the bird sing to wake you up. But this was really a surprise for us.
Talking to our neighbors at the marina they all told us the same. They like to go out for a trip and be back for the night and when it is multi day trip it is to go to another marina or to some hotels that have marina and restaurants.
I had always wondering how they can have such shiny anchors, now I know

L.

If you are full time cruising and moving from place to place every 2-3 days, marinas are expensive. The average daily transient price at marinas is about $1.50/ft. So with a 35' boat anchoring for 30 days at daily transient rates will cost $1,575. You can cut that down a bit if you stay in one place for a week or more, but I rarely do.

When full time cruising I stay at marinas at most a couple of times each month, the rest anchoring. That costs $105 each month. Big diffference.

So, it is money, but it is also the charm of anchoring in a secluded cove (well with a few boats around you) sipping a drink as the sun sets over the distant horizon. Heaven!

David

Actually all kidding aside I believe that the reason sail boaters tend to anchor more is a combination of factors. Freedom from sounds, crowds, being closer to nature and the feeling of self sufficiency. These are all the same reasons many choose sail vs. power in the first place.


Wifey B: You may be on to something.. I guess my issue is I did marry a amazing sailor girl who prefers topsiders over anything else.. but one can dream!

HOLLYWOOD

self sufficiency when we sailed.

Wifey B, your problems are solved. I hear Jimmy Choo is designing for Top Sider.

So if I'm seen anchored sitting in a deck chair with my feet on the stern rail, sipping a Bourbon, and smoking an Upmann while the BBQ slow cooks ribs, and I watch the sunset, other power boaters think I'm cheap or down on my luck? Or maybe they think I don't have a trophy wife?

I wonder what the sailors think. Oh wait a minute, the sailors, must be saying "f'ing generator."

If the cost of fuel for the genny is more than or close to the cost of a stay at a marina, why bother?

Woodland Hills said:

If the cost of fuel for the genny is more than or close to the cost of a stay at a marina, why bother?

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I boat mostly in LI Sound. I am going to guess that avg dockage is $4 per foot or more PLUS electricity.

Plus we like the solitude at anchor.

Oh yes, then there are the "anchor follies" which is great entertainment, all for free.

Woodland Hills said:

If the cost of fuel for the genny is more than or close to the cost of a stay at a marina, why bother?

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I agree, while anchoring is nice if I am near a town I may want to visit and it costs as much to run the genny(She's all electric, Icemaker both Frigerators Etc) I prefer the marina for ease of access.

Woodland Hills said:

If the cost of fuel for the genny is more than or close to the cost of a stay at a marina, why bother?

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I've never come across a marina that inexpensive.

For a typical long weekend at anchor, we only have to run the genset for a couple hours each morning and each late afternoon.... coinciding with our cooking times... and we might as well make hot water at the same time. So maybe 4 gallons of diesel for a couple days?

It'd be more if we have to run the ACs during daytime hours, but generally we don't have to... and even then, marinas around here still don't come that cheap.

-Chris

Woodland Hills said:

If the cost of fuel for the genny is more than or close to the cost of a stay at a marina, why bother?

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First, it's not about the $$. I like being at anchor. Second, on the Long Island Sound you could not find a marina at less than $4/ft and some are up to $7/ft plus electric ranging from $30/night to $50/night for 50Amp.

When we are not cruising we are docked in Stuart FI at Sunset Bay.Marina in th winter, or at Saugatuck Harbor YC where we have been members for 24 years. At both places we are in a slip with electric and water. When we cruise we love being at anchor. If we need a break from anchoring w go to a marina.

I know many cruisers who are afraid o anchor overnight or the they would. . We are not those people.

I'm with you on this one Howard.

Why pay good money to stay at a marina when good anchorages are available?
To me, its like living in a trailer park. It's what people do if they don't know how to anchor.
The only time we use them is when the weather conditions make it unsafe to anchor. Cost is not a factor.

The idea of leaving your marina to park overnight at another one doesn`t make a lot of sense.
Where we boat, there are many secluded bays with 4 or so National Parks moorings, free to pick up,for 24 hour use. Some of the bays are 50-60 ft deep making anchoring a little difficult, it deters many boats which find the moorings all occupied from squeezing in, though there are other more anchoring friendly places.
We are happy to anchor out. Using marinas,except for a specific need, seems a "WOFTAM" (waste of time and money) to me.

Real ground tackle can pay for itself quickly on the cruising grounds....Of course you have to get it wet.

so if it costs $4 a foot per night for guest moorage on the east coast how much is it per month??
HOLLYWOOD

BruceK said:

The idea of leaving your marina to park overnight at another one doesn`t make a lot of sense.
Where we boat, there are many secluded bays with 4 or so National Parks moorings, free to pick up,for 24 hour use. Some of the bays are 50-60 ft deep making anchoring a little difficult, it deters many boats which find the moorings all occupied from squeezing in, though there are other more anchoring friendly places.
We are happy to anchor out. Using marinas,except for a specific need, seems a "WOFTAM" (waste of time and money) to me.

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Bruce - you left out what the "F" stands for in WOFTAM

Brisyboy said:

Bruce - you left out what the "F" stands for in WOFTAM

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Well spotted George, I did. Why bother the cuss filter unnecessarily?

Any boat tied to a dock will not ventilate like one on anchor that can swing into the wind.

Canned air from the dock powered air cond , or fresh air , you choose.

Sailboaters are cheap.
Power boaters may not be.
For 14 years I was cheap.
Now I may not be.