Anchor allarm.

[Carlo N.]

Hi all,
Step by step how do you procede when get in a schelter bay and drop the anchor for overnight.
About the swinging circle and wp. on the GPS ?

[stormalong]

Set your anchor with at least five to one scope and relax. Unless you are expecting gale force winds, and providing that you have appropriate ground tackle for the size boat and bottom type you are good to go.

Too many people are looking for a high tech solution to a non problem. I have anchored at least two thousand nights and have dragged only a very few times. Always in rough weather that woke me long before the boat dragged.

Get good ground tackle, inspect it frequently and sleep well.

[Dsanduril]

If it's an anchorage not known to us:

• review chart (and/or cruising guides) to know general conditions, guess at best spot
• enter anchorage and select spot - depends on other boats present, depth, protection, estimated bottom....
• circle around and check the depths at estimated swing circle. We don't always do this, but will do depending on what we see on the chart, in the anchorage, etc.
• bring boat to a stop into wind/current at desired anchor location
• drop anchor. When the anchor hits the bottom we set waypoint on plotter (we actually use our AIS that has an anchor alarm function).
• start backing and lay out desired amount of rode
• back down on anchor
• attach snubber/bridle
• set range for drag alarm (usually rode length + ~20m, but very dependent on conditions, including recent quality of GPS fixes)
• relax