Anchoring

I have spent more than 600 nights at anchor and if you and your crew want to be safe and/or have a good nights sleep, here are a few tips to know.

It’s all in the planning

Procedure

  1. Motor against the wind/tide toward your preferred anchorage.
  2. Stop, and before the boat begins to drift back, drop anchor and pay out the anchor whilst drifting back. If there is no wind or tide, use the engine and gently go astern.
  3. Pay out 5x times the depth, if there is strong wind or current let out 7x times (or more).
  4. Check that the anchor holding. You may tell by what’s around you but the best way is to take some transits. Look out both sides of the boat to see 2x fixed points. The first transit may be a navigation mark, tree, or post, something in the foreground. Now identify something in the background that is in line with the first point. The background mark needs to be further away and can be a hilltop, tree, chimney. Whatever is in line with you and you can see easily.
  5. If the anchor is holding, the transits will stay in line. If there is little pressure on the anchor, you can simulate strong wind by putting the engine gently astern. If the transits separate, then you are dragging and need to lift and try to reset the anchor again.

Tips from the experienced

Have

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