How do you enter a anchoring spot with boats already there?

[FlyboyTR]

With the comments about dragging anchor and anchoring close in a tight area...I wanted to chime in. Around here, we have a plethora of anchoring options...as far as the bottom content; sloppy muck/mud, sandy mud, firm sand, mud and grass, sand and grass and lots of combinations of all of those. While we don't have rocks and coral to deal with, we do have oyster shells and clams that can prevent an anchor hookup in a heart beat. That said...

I am getting ready to do some testing on a fairly new anchor design by an American-made company. I have had the pleasure of using many different types of anchors in my lifetime. This one is different enough that it has got my attention. For "normal" anchoring you can get a hook-up with a 2:1 or 2.5:1 scope...according to the designer. The manufacturer will be shipping my test anchor in a couple of weeks. I will be providing my results (and my opinion) to this group first as well as the manufacturer name.

All of this was started because of several failed attempts and catching a good hook in a small cove with 20 MPH winds pushing us down on other boats that were already anchored. The bottom was sandy/grassy.

[FlyboyTR]

With the comments about dragging anchor and anchoring close in a tight area...I wanted to chime in. Around here, we have a plethora of anchoring options...as far as the bottom content; sloppy muck/mud, sandy mud, firm sand, mud and grass, sand and grass and lots of combinations of all of those. While we don't have rocks and coral to deal with, we do have oyster shells and clams that can prevent an anchor hookup in a heart beat. That said...

I am getting ready to do some testing on a fairly new anchor design by an American-made company. I have had the pleasure of using many different types of anchors in my lifetime. This one is different enough that it has got my attention. For "normal" anchoring you can get a hook-up with a 2:1 or 2.5:1 scope...according to the designer. The manufacturer will be shipping my test anchor in a couple of weeks. I will be providing my results (and my opinion) to this group first as well as the manufacturer name.

All of this was started because of several failed attempts and catching a good hook in a small cove with 20 MPH winds pushing us down on other boats that were already anchored. The bottom was sandy/grassy.

OH...around here...very few people communicate via VHF...even in tight and congested areas. I don't understand this mentality.

[Bilgemaster]

Although I have no practical experience with anchoring whatsoever, I still thought I should mention that Robert Burgess' book, Handbook of trailer sailing, offers what seems like the very sensible advice that wherever possible when approaching a crowded anchorage, to try to anchor upwind or up-current from others. That way if someone else's anchor drags, someone else will be in their path.

[BOAT]

Hey John! You are in Canada and there are no sharks in the water sprouts there. On TV they only had the shark tornado's in California and New York.

Hey bilgeman, Burgess has been around but really he has not sailed much of the modern boats - that's why he is not real keen on mooring shallow. The MAC and other modern boats can anchor where others can't - and the main reason to anchor shallow in a crowd is to protect you when the big boats drag anchor - they will hit bottom before they hit you.

Here’s the deal – why anchor where it’s crowded? Because you HAVE TO! Unfortunately the reason the bay is so crowded is because conditions are bad and everyone is trying to escape the bad conditions!

This is the catch 22 of: “How do you enter a .. spot with (lots) of boats already there” (paraphrased by me)

If YOUR looking for safe harbor it probably means things are not nice so guess what? Everyone ELSE is looking for safe harbor too! This is always my beef about anchorage - I get in early with a nice spot because I know it's gonna blow and then when it does blow the next thing I know I'm surrounded by a bunch of yaaa hoo cigar boats skippers that don't even know where their anchor light switch is. Sometimes the shallows are your only protection from the "elements" (the BAD "element").

[Catigale]

There are very few places you can't anchor a Mac away from everyone else.

In 4 feet of water no keelboat can get close, and in under two feet few powerboats will chance it.

With fins up, you are down to a foot of water and you should be alone.

[BOAT]

There are very few places you can't anchor a Mac away from everyone else.

In 4 feet of water no keelboat can get close, and in under two feet few powerboats will chance it.

With fins up, you are down to a foot of water and you should be alone.

EXCACTLY! and if the bottom is sand and you know the tides you can even rest on the bottom during the diurnal tide at night like we used to do in Mexico. That keeps the cigar boats away from you because they have props under their boats that get stuck in the sand. If your a river or lake sailor go pull up to shore and tie to a tree with the ski boats - those guys are usually pretty nice and always have some beer to share.

In many places touching bottom at low tide is no big deal as long as there is no swell and the bottom is soft. The boats like the MAC M with the fully retractable boards and the A23 and others that have fully retractable centerboards are able to rest on the bottom at low tide. The key is to anchor where there will be NO swell and a soft bottom and most important KNOW YOUR TIDES!

There are places in the Chanel Islands over here that look like great anchorage in 20 feet of water 1000 feet from shore but at low tide you will be on the rocks - knowing the tides is probably the most important thing about mooring if you going to go shallow. That's something the old guys like Burgess never talk about because in the old days you never cared. Burgess was never really a "trailer sailor" - he started out as a wooden boat guy and never really updated.

[Catigale]

Of course it has to be 1 foot of water at MLLW, with adjustments for local weather, moon and other factors, but its the same for everyone.

We put into Chappaquidick Bay and anchored with catamarans all around us as the only neighbors - visible sand bottom, all fins and motors up - we just pushed the boat out to deeper water to depart.

If you choose a really bad time you might have to wait 30 days for the moon cycle to get out, though.

[BOAT]

Of course it has to be 1 foot of water at MLLW, with adjustments for local weather, moon and other factors, but its the same for everyone.

We put into Chappaquidick Bay and anchored with catamarans all around us as the only neighbors - visible sand bottom, all fins and motors up - we just pushed the boat out to deeper water to depart.

If you choose a really bad time you might have to wait 30 days for the moon cycle to get out, though.

I myself don't like to park near catamarans - they get caught in the wind an drag anchor a lot and when a cat drags it's a real mess because they can't maneuver for crap. They just blow all over the bay fouling everyone else's lines. I have never seen a catamaran anchored properly against the current - not even ONCE! They seem to have no concept of the up-current hull or how to balance their bridle for the wind. And when they finally break anchor or drag - what a colossal mess they make.

Not for me - no way - I stay away from catamarans - they are nothing but trouble.

[Neo]

I enter side ways then use the mast and rudders to bunny hop over the boat next to me .... Works every time
Sorry I couldn't resist it.

Good luck mooring up
Neo