First Nights at Anchor

[denverd0n]

I don't know about the rest of you all, but I can still vividly remember the first night I spent anchored out in my own boat. Good anchor, well set in a firm bottom, and I slept like a baby. That was almost 35 years ago now, and I can still remember it like it was yesterday.

[rwidman]

The first time anchoring alone can be stressful but there are several things you could have done in advance to make it less so. You should have calibrated your depth sounder, you should have known what the markings on your rode indicated and you should have known that your GPS had an anchor drag alarm.


Chapman Piloting has a lot of good information on anchoring. Not just how, but the reasoning behind the how.


Being prepared and understanding the principles takes a lot of the stress out of anchoring.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

I don't know about the rest of you all, but I can still vividly remember the first night I spent anchored out in my own boat. Good anchor, well set in a firm bottom, and I slept like a baby. That was almost 35 years ago now, and I can still remember it like it was yesterday.

Yeah, I remember. I had a 5000# 24' boat with a Danforth 20H out on 50' of chain and 250' of 5/8 nylon on the bow and a Danforth 12H with the same rode out on the stern, in 25' of water. Dead calm, and I still woke up every hour to check it! I was only 19 and I had read all the stuff on anchoring I could find and figured if 7:1 was good scope, 10:1 was what I'd use, just to be safe!

[Sea Dreaming]

We have never anchored in the ocean. Just on inland lakes and we have never had an anchor really adequate for the rocky bottom of our lakes. I know too well the internal anchor alarm that prompts you to wake when you are dragging anchor. Its like waking just before the baby starts crying....
I think you did really well!
Im also learning a lot from others comments. Good stuff.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

We have never anchored in the ocean. Just on inland lakes and we have never had an anchor really adequate for the rocky bottom of our lakes. I know too well the internal anchor alarm that prompts you to wake when you are dragging anchor. Its like waking just before the baby starts crying....
I think you did really well!
Im also learning a lot from others comments. Good stuff.

I don't think anyone anchors in the ocean. Harbors, bays, creeks, rias or what ever so don't worry about the difference from the lakes. Good ground tackle and scope you will be fine.

[Sea Dreaming]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I don't think anyone anchors in the ocean. Harbors, bays, creeks, rias or what ever so don't worry about the difference from the lakes. Good ground tackle and scope you will be fine.

Nit picky comment.

[Sea Dreaming]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I don't think anyone anchors in the ocean. Harbors, bays, creeks, rias or what ever so don't worry about the difference from the lakes. Good ground tackle and scope you will be fine.

Too nit picky. Im pretty sure my meaning was clear.

[CaptRory]

The difference between lakes and "ocean edges" anchoring is one has tide changes and current. Kinda significant.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I don't think anyone anchors in the ocean. Harbors, bays, creeks, rias or what ever so don't worry about the difference from the lakes. Good ground tackle and scope you will be fine.

Few people anchor in the ocean except to fish. And the ones that do probably never do it again. Most folks traveling along a coast duck in to an inlet and find a marina or a protected anchorage. Folks traveling across an ocean generally keep going.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Few people anchor in the ocean except to fish. And the ones that do probably never do it again. Most folks traveling along a coast duck in to an inlet and find a marina or a protected anchorage. Folks traveling across an ocean generally keep going.

Perhaps true in the US ICW, but on many coasts, anchorage is commonly found in open roadstead anchorages... a bit of protection, but definitely part of the ocean. I'm not sure what the poster was meaning, but in these open anchorages, there is a huge difference compared to even a large lake: tidal depth changes, tidal currents, oceanic currents, ground swells, wind waves of significant size, and nasty ol' salt water!

Examples on the east coast of Australia: Twofold Bay, Sugarloaf Bay, Trial Bay, Byron Bay, all of which we've used countless times (well, I guess that you could count them...).

Jim

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Perhaps true in the US ICW, but on many coasts, anchorage is commonly found in open roadstead anchorages... a bit of protection, but definitely part of the ocean. I'm not sure what the poster was meaning, but in these open anchorages, there is a huge difference compared to even a large lake: tidal depth changes, tidal currents, oceanic currents, ground swells, wind waves of significant size, and nasty ol' salt water!

Examples on the............

..............west coast of the US:

Havens Neck/Fish Rock north of Bodega Bay, CA

Shelter Cove, CA

Port Orford, OR

Destruction Island, WA

Jim's quite right. Ain't all peaches and cream.

Travels with Aquavite: San Francsico Bay to British Columbia 2016

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

Too nit picky. Im pretty sure my meaning was clear.

I must have phrased it wrong with two people thinking it was nit picky. It was meant to be positive. If he can anchor on the lake anchoring on the "ocean" should not be a problem. My error, sorry.

[groundtackle]

Roadsteads, onshore breeze with prediction to build, I just don't have the nerves anymore.
I'm a retired surfer. Back in the 80's, late teens. A buddy and I took a piece of junk nothing worked 30' and did a west coast Vancouver Island month long expedition. Very few surfers up here back then and most of the breaks had not been discovered. We would anchor right in front of the impact zone and jump off the transom into a break that was never seen from shore. Trying to figure out where and when to find something to ride. Sitting on my board and watching our only way out of thse very remote areas while the boat rode up these huge feathering peaks was really stupid.
Unlike Don, I safely had out 75' 1/4" and 300' rode on my itty bitty anchor. I've done even stupider things...
ce

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by groundtackle

Unlike Don, I safely had out 75' 1/4" and 300' rode on my itty bitty anchor. I've done even stupider things...
ce

There must be a thread somewhere, but if not we really need one titled "the stupidest things I've ever done...." I have a few too!

[groundtackle]

Well be my guest Don, let me hold the door for you. You can have the very first post bragging rights, make it a goody.
ce