Crazy Anchoring Day!

[DonJohnsMusic]

Wow, I never want to experience this again! Since boating almost a year ago, we’ve been having really good luck with anchoring. About 2 months ago we purchased another smaller anchor to help with keeping the boat from going back and forth while chilling on the boat, it’s been great, high winds, changing tides, but yesterday was almost a disaster! Looking back at this, we did everything wrong! We should have known better.

We always put the bow into the wind, but sometimes because of lack of courtesy of most boaters, we put the bow away from shore to keep from waves crashing into the stern. It was low tide and really shallow, but we knew tide was coming in, so I wasn’t too worried about it. Things were good for a while. As the tide started coming in, I noticed a huge amount of current, but being new to boating never thought about what that would do for pulling anchor. I tell this story as a warning to those new boaters.

As it got stronger, I told my wife, we need to go before we can’t pull anchor. My idea was we had to do it little by little because there was no way in that current we could pull up to the anchor like we normally do. We loosed the front first, I had my wife at the helm, the minute we got slack the current pulled us. I tried both sides, but no matter which anchor I loosened we were getting pulled by the high tide current coming in.

Here is the difference before I ask you seasoned sea dogs how you would have done this. We have been anchoring since purchasing the boat in areas where this is no ocean current coming directly into the channel, here the ocean was directly in front of us!

Here are my two cents that I know would have made it a lot better, first I should have had the bow into the current, not the stern, really bad, bad mistake on my part, but even if I had the bow towards the incoming high tide, the pulling of the anchors would still had been a huge challenge.

If you were in my situation how would you have pulled two anchors? Here is the set up. One in the bow, one in the stern. High tide is coming in, the stern was facing the incoming tide, again that was so wrong, how would you do it? What would be the safest way to do this?

 

[Dixemon]

I think i understand your problem being Anchor locked. I carry an anchor ball in the boat for various different reasons. I probably would have tied an anchor ball to the stern anchor line and dropped it overboard. Then the boat would have swung around in the current on the bow line. At that time i would have fired it up and retrieved the bow anchor. Then go back an get your stern line which is tied to the float. Hope that helps, if i am understanding your issue correctly.

https://www.amazon.com/KUFA-12-Diameter-Inflated-Size/dp/B07DM8V34J/ref=sr_1_25?keywords=anchor+ball+float&qid=1659782522&sr=8-25

 

[DonJohnsMusic]

Thanks for the quick response, let me try and understand the Anchor Ball. So by connecting the anchor ball it brings the anchor up no matter where it’s at? That would have been great, because I can’t move my arms this morning after pulling so hard on the ropes yesterday in that current, it was insane! I will for sure put that in the boat for emergency, I need to read up on the anchor ball for better understanding! I love this forum, I’v learned so much in here, I read stuff almost daily in here!

 

[Dixemon]

The anchor ball is only a marker for your line, you will still need to retrieve it and your anchor manually. The difference is that you are free to maneuver the boat without worrying about losing your anchor. The ball does not retrieve the anchor.

 

[DonJohnsMusic]

Just watched a video on the anchor ball, yes that would have helped tremendously! Also I think for safety I’m going to put some leather gloves on the boat, that line was slipping through my hands so quickly as the current was rushing and I”m lucky I didn’t get rope burns. That’s why I posted this, as a warning to those like myself who are new to boating. Thanks again for your help!

 

[zipper]

Exactly as @Dixemon said. You could tie an extra PFD to the line and retrieve it later. You will motor up to the bow anchor and retrieve it and then go back for the stern anchor. I have a dedicated trip line marked with an orange anchor ball but a trip line would not have helped in this case. When I use two anchors, I let my extra bow line out to retrieve the stern anchor and then power up to the bow anchor and retrieve it.

A good pair of sailing gloves will help with handling lines. Men's Short Finger Sailing Gloves | West Marine

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.

This may also help.

In a pinch you can also use a couple of traditional boat fenders in lieu of an anchor ball. A friend of mine had a good suggestion as an alternative to cutting an anchor line, use a rated carabiner to attach bitter end of the rode to the tie off in the anchor locker, if you have to abandon your anchor you can un clip the carabiner and clip it onto your anchor ball / fenders then come back to retrieve your anchor and rode later.

 

[Julian]

When I use two anchors, I let my extra bow line out to retrieve the stern anchor and then power up to the bow anchor and retrieve it.

His problem was he was stern into the oncoming current. I think I would have done the same thing though....let out the stern line to go back to the bow anchor, pull that, then take the stern anchor line and feed it out side the hull to the bow cleat, undo the stern and let the boat flip around. Then power up to the anchor and pull it.

Gloves are helpful. Also using the cleats helps as you pull.

 

[DonJohnsMusic]

Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.

This may also help.

In a pinch you can also use a couple of traditional boat fenders in lieu of an anchor ball. A friend of mine had a good suggestion as an alternative to cutting an anchor line, use a rated carabiner to attach bitter end of the rode to the tie off in the anchor locker, if you have to abandon your anchor you can un clip the carabiner and clip it onto your anchor ball / fenders then come back to retrieve your anchor and rode later.

I watched this same video! Very good video!

 

[DonJohnsMusic]

All good stuff! It’s also got us thinking, we might not ever anchor somewhere in a channel that the ocean is directly coming in, at least during high tide. One thing my wife noticed, we were the only ones anchored as high tide was coming in. Now we know why!

Another thing I will check from now on...in my Navionics app it shows current, that is something else I need to be aware of from now on. Since getting the boat (almost a year now) we have been anchoring in the same spot, so we’ve had no problems, but from now on, whenever I anchor I will check the currents in that location in both high tide or low.

Thanks again everyone for the great info! Another great lesson learned!

 

[Bluewater272]

I rarely deploy two anchors in tidal water, but when I do I keep the bow at least partially in the direction of current (and reposition if we are there for the tide change). Unless you're in a super crowded anchorage, the boat swinging with the current/wind/tide is fine.

 

[DonJohnsMusic]

I rarely deploy two anchors in tidal water, but when I do I keep the bow at least partially in the direction of current (and reposition if we are there for the tide change). Unless you're in a super crowded anchorage, the boat swinging with the current/wind/tide is fine.

The reason we started using the two anchors is to control the shade and constant waves from boaters who don’t slow down in small channels. That way we can anchor the boat in the best direction to get the best shade and it keeps it there in place. I think what we learned from this is exactly what you said and that is to be prepared to move when the tides shift. So much to learn about boating, but we love it!

 

[DonJohnsMusic]

His problem was he was stern into the oncoming current. I think I would have done the same thing though....let out the stern line to go back to the bow anchor, pull that, then take the stern anchor line and feed it out side the hull to the bow cleat, undo the stern and let the boat flip around. Then power up to the anchor and pull it.

Gloves are helpful. Also using the cleats helps as you pull.

I’m going to print this response, laminate it and keep it on the boat! This is text book helpful! I think I will draw a diagram of this as well so I can wrap my head around this in future anchoring!

 

[adrianp89]

How deep of water were you in?

 

[DonJohnsMusic]

We got there at low tide and it was maybe 3 foot, but as the tide came in, I could barely touch the bottom. I’m about to post an animation of the great advise I got on how to pull the anchors. I had to make this for me to wrap my head around how to do it. That way I’ll remember next time, hopefully there won’t be a next time, but it’s always good to be prepared in any situation.

 

[DonJohnsMusic]

His problem was he was stern into the oncoming current. I think I would have done the same thing though....let out the stern line to go back to the bow anchor, pull that, then take the stern anchor line and feed it out side the hull to the bow cleat, undo the stern and let the boat flip around. Then power up to the anchor and pull it.

Gloves are helpful. Also using the cleats helps as you pull.

Here is an animation I put together trying to understand what you’re saying, is this close to what you had in mind for pulling two anchors in the wind and current?

 

[adrianp89]

Here is an animation I put together trying to understand what you’re saying, is this close to what you had in mind for pulling two anchors in the wind and current?

Great animation, but this doesn't work if you don't have enough rope. Also the guy in the video sucked up his anchor rope lol. You would need some to watch that stern anchor line and keep it above that boat, probably easier said than done based on the animation. After grabbing the bow anchor, I would move the stern anchor line to the bow cleat. Then you can have someone pull in rope as you move towards it, BAU.

If possible with a 3 foot tide swing, I would probably back up to 2-3 feet depth , walk the boat back to knee depth and set my stern anchor by hand in less than 1 foot of water if possible. I would then reset every foot on depth gained. So then when I go to leave, I can pull out my rear anchor in a foot or two of water, and then BAU on bow anchor. That is essentially how we all do it at the sandbar, which can be brutal with wind and current.

 

[Bluewater272]

BAU?

 

[Julian]

Here is an animation I put together trying to understand what you’re saying, is this close to what you had in mind for pulling two anchors in the wind and current?

Yes....that is what I would do, and I wouldn't have the engine running in the first step, and then as I suggested, switch the anchor to the bow and retreive the rope as you drive towards the anchor. Yes....you'd need to be sure you have enough rode.

I agree with Adrian, I don't put my stern anchor far from my boat - IF I ever use one. Mostly I just swing in the breeze.

 

[adrianp89]

BAU?

Business As Usual - whatever your standard practice is.