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I like to trailer boats to vacation spots, typically its is the Casco Bay in Maine, but it could be Toms River or Liberty State Park. Until last year I took my West Wight Potter 15 up to Maine and anchored out to where low tide was still a foot of water. Sometimes I even kept it in close and let it settle down on the muddy bottom near the shore. I could use almost any anchor with that boat. So light, small and if the worse thing did happen (and it had!) it was no problem to retrieve a beached Potter 15 and shove it back out there.

Last year I took the Mac (posted a story regarding trailering it to Maine which was quite an adventure in itself with a Honda Odyssey) up to Freeport, Maine. Same house and location on the bay as always. I was nervous about anchoring the Mac. So large, so high above the water, so wiggly on the hook. I bought a 15 pound mud anchor at the advice of one of the locals. I also bought another 15 pound fluke. For both I added a 6 foot heavy chain.

For the most part it was fine. I couldn’t leave the boat out there with only the mud anchor, but wondered if it would have been best to use it alone. Instead I would throw the fluke in as well for good measure. In hind sight I wonder if it didn’t mess up the holding action of the mud anchor. Anyway, the last day we were there the family was to get on the boat early in the morning and sail to Jewel Island. My stomach dropped when I saw the boat was already well close to shore! The tide was going out and it was near rocks and weeds…yikes! I quickly lowered the motor to just below the water line and started it. The admiral did a great job getting us moving as I hauled in these two anchors and pointed the way around rocks. Sheesh!

So, do any of you have a temporary mooring that you bring with you when you trailer the boat? Is there any such thing? I always think about a gallon bucket of concrete with a chain through its middle… or is that ridiculously heavy and awkward? I could use your help on this one. Thanks. Bob

or is that ridiculously heavy and awkward?

Are you going to permanently leave it there?

I have often wondered about this very thing. Can I leave a couple of containers of concrete on the bottom of a lake I occasionally go to overnight. Attach a chain to it and just pull it up the chain with a boat hook. With me it would not be legal, so I have always shied away from the idea. Do you own the house, or at least have permission from the owner of the land.

Ray

We do not own the land. Infact, no one does as far as I know. He has a mooring out there, but it is not maintained. He is afraid it will break with my boat.

Let's just say it is legal and can be done. Would a 5 gallon bucket of concrete be sufficient to sleep well knowing the boat is safe and won't drag it? Seriously, this boat seems a dificult one to secure. Perhaps some rebar poking out from the sides?

50 pounds of concrete has a boyancy factor in water, but I don't offhand know what it is.

Increase the chain to 25 feet will help. See threads on bridal.

Check for local knowledge and ways to put in a mooring as it may not be leagal in some areas.

I wrestled with this issue: local lake is in the care of the corps of engineers. One's land can stretch close to the water edge, but does not include the lake shore. Certain properties were assigned decks (by a mysterious fiat, in some mystic bygone days) and no new legal decks can be built anymore. That's it, folks.

Th permanent buoys also are under the full control of the same corps of engineers. They do not allow new permanent ones to be instaleld other than the ones already in place at the Marina--which are already overcrowded, or else we would not be bitching. Deal with the marina, folks, or else. If it's overcrowded, that only goes to show that most people are savvy enough to follow our rules, as they well should.

You can anchor at night anywhere you please as long as you're not in the way (the navigable canals) and as long as you are on the boat at night. You cannot anchor and leave your boat unatended. You cannot drop a permanent buoy either, but you can use your personal anchors and hope you don't drift.

If you begin to drift, you're on board, so deal with it. If you don't deal with it and drift into the canals, you get a fine (happened to me once) If you point out that a permanent buoy would solve this issue, especially in little coves away from the beaten track, the answer is Nay.

If you point out that some houseboats are permanently moored to the shore already, the answer is: "Ah! We did not notice that! We'll talk to the owners and let them know that you, with the white sailship that is oftentimes left at anchor at night, were kind enough to notify us."