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Conference unifix::sailing

Title:	SAILING
Notice:	Please read Note 2.* before participating in this conference
Moderator:	UNIFIX::BERENS

Created:	Wed Jul 01 1992
Last Modified:	Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2299
Total number of notes:	20724

42.0. "anchoring story" by MOTHER::BERENS () Mon Aug 06 1984 14:32

All of you serious sailors have no doubt read endlessly about anchoring
in Cruising World and in the books of the masters (Roth, Griffin,
Hiscock, the Pardeys, etc). Or have you? 

Julie and I sailed into Bucks Harbor in Penobscot Bay one day last week 
and anchored in 30 feet with 7:1 scope and ample swinging room. Took us 
maybe 5 minutes. OK, we'd been there before and we've anchored a few 
times before. 

Between the time we anchored and sunset another 15 or 20 boats arrived. 
One (!) anchored. The rest got out dock lines and fenders, tied up to 
the yacht club dock, were told where the guest moorings were, and went 
and moored. The late arrivals got to raft up to the not-so-late 
arrivals. All this took a quarter to half an hour. A number of boats had 
no anchors at the bow, and one middle aged couple in a beautiful wood 
yawl (flawless dark blue topsides) seemed surprised we were anchored. 

I thought it all quite amusing. The next morning we couldn't resist. We 
picked up our anchor under sail and beat out the narrow entrance. If 
anyone noticed they probably thought our engine was broken.

T.R	Title	User	Date	Lines
42.1		MKFSA::MONTIVIRDI	`Tue Aug 07 1984 09:43`	3
	this question may sound dumb but, does it cost you anything to anchor off a yacht club, as in your case?
42.2		MOTHER::BERENS	`Tue Aug 07 1984 10:03`	10
	One of the joys of sailing in Maine is the relative lack of other boats. I don't know of anywhere that anchoring is prohibited (except of course in buoyed channels and the like) or of any place where anyone attempts to charge anchoring fees. We have used yacht club moorings twice in five cruises in Maine, both times for free. Even rental moorings are inexpensive -- $10 or less per night. Alan
42.3		FRSBEE::CORKUM	`Mon Aug 13 1984 09:41`	7
	I always moor when the opportunity exists. As mentioned, the cost is minimal and I find that I sleep better at night! If you do prefer to anchor in a populated harbor, I suggest that you stay clear of a mooring area. Your anchor will require much more scope than the moorings and the swing radius will be larger. I have seen cases where an anchor line became tangled through the night leaving the owner with a pleasant surprize.
42.4		MOTHER::BERENS	`Mon Aug 13 1984 10:38`	22
	Re moorings: There is always the assumption that moorings are safe. Not necesarily so. First, you don't know how heavy the mooring is. The guy renting the mooring is in the business of making money. He may well rent you a mooring that is ok for normal conditions but inadequate should a thunderstorm or squall pass by. Yacht clubs are trying to make folks happy. Folks aren't happy when told that the vacant guest mooring is too small. Second, you don't know when the mooring gear was last checked for wear and corrosion. We once were offered a mooring (free) by the owner who was leaving for the season. We picked up the mooring in a strong wind, and the eyebolt tying the mooring chain to the float and pennant stripped its badly rusted threads. We went adrift. Fortunately we had the engine running and there was no problem. Imagine what could have happened had the bolt failed in the middle of the night. At least when you anchor you have some assurance as to the size and condition of your ground tackle. If you aren't sleeping soundly when anchored, your ground tackle isn't heavy enough or you have picked a poor anchorage. We carry three large anchors and three 250'+ rodes -- we sleep well. We'll sleep better next year after we get 300' of chain and a windlass. I will grant that moorings are less work and more convenient.
42.5		FRSBEE::CORKUM	`Tue Aug 14 1984 09:43`	4
	Your comment on trusting foreign moorings is well taken. Though I only carry two anchors and have no need for a windlass, I still sleep better on a mooring and probably always will.