# only using achorages



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Anyone just cruise only using achorages? I don''t hear of it much, docking gets real expensive.


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## GordMay (Dec 19, 2002)

Yes, my guess is that most cruisers spend much more time at anchor than docked. As you say, dock fees can really add up. 
Anchoring also seems to more closely fit the lifestyle envisioned by many cruisers; tho’ this will, obviously, speak to a personal preference (you can probably infer mine). 
It would be interesting to hear the motivation behind your very comprehensive (& non-specific) question. 
Regards,
Gord


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

hah, Well I just didnt know how safe it was, I didnt know many cruisers used anchorages that much, i thought most were docked.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Ive read many stories about people being hit while at anchor


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

When we''re cruising, our average is 3 nights out and then into a marina for a night. This allows us to re-water and pump out, do laundry and provisioning of parishables (meat). We also wash down the decks, eat dinner out and hit a bar. Most importantly, we have a real shower.

Then we''re good for a few more days. We never anchor near waterways, thus we don''t get into any traffic. We try to pick spots away from other boats to avoid snagging anchors or dragging problems (them or us). I''ve never seen anyone "hit" by a boat while at anchor.


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## magnusmurphy (Jul 7, 2000)

On a recent charter in the BVI (one month long) we found that in many areas it was actually difficult to find any anchoring spots. Many bays are so full of mooring balls it is almost impossible to anchor. I''m hoping that is not the rule in the rest of the Caribbean (I''ve only chartered in the BVI). I know the BVI is very charter oriented and for most people on the typical week charter moorings are a godsent. We tried to anchor when possible but the spacing of the balls made that a challenge in many places. Happy exceptions were Cane Garden Bay, Anagada (we chose a ball as a result of very strong winds when we were there), white bay and others. These are however the exception rather than the rule.

On the plus side, with the balls, more boats can fit in so the chances of finding a spot is better. However at 25$ per night a longterm cruiser will not be able to do that all the time.

What''s the situation in the rest of the Caribbean?

M Murphy


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Don''t know about the Caribbean...suspect that the ability to live solely at anchor is getting to be less and less. 

On the other side of the continent, though, one can still live at anchor. Baja and the Mexican mainland on the Pacific side is full of plenty of anchorages, both in out of the way places and in towns. Likewise on down the Pacific coast...western Caribbean as well.

Perhaps the determination to live at anchor--which is indeed MUCH cheaper than including marinas in the equation--must influence the itinerary.

Trish Lambert
www.takehersailing.com


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## Magic_Moments (May 15, 2003)

I prefer to anchor out most of the time. The problem I have is people anchoring too close to me. I understand when it is crowded, but I feel uncomfortable when I have to shorten my anchor scope to 3 to 1 to avoid swinging into someone that came in and dropped next to me.
Where I live Anchoring is free, state park moorings are $7 a night max of 3 nights. State docks are $11 for up to a 36 foot boat and rafting is required. Marina''s charge $27 to $45 a night for a 30 foot boat, my attraction is to anchor because of the price and the quiet.

I have never been hit, but I did anchor once in Ganges next to where the seaplanes take off and land and it was pretty loud and wet.

Ken


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Magic_Moments

I am with you.. When I sail the last thing I want is to be in a crowd. And anchoring seems to be the best way to get away from 90% of the people while crusing the coasts. Do you have a kettle? That seems to be the best way I know of to be able to anchore under short scope and not worry (Too Much) about dragging. There is no way to stop someone from dropping a hook so close you need fenders when there is no wind and currents and slack. I don''t understand what they are thinking. I think I would rather spend a night under sail than anchore that close. But if they worm in.... You need a kettle...


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

what''s a kettle? besides the obvious tea kettle thing...


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

A kettle is a weight lowered down the rode on it''s own line to drop the angle the anchor feels. Allows less scope to appear to the anchor as a longer scope.


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## GordMay (Dec 19, 2002)

The aforementioned kettle, is actually called a "kellet" or sentinel weight.


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## wcshedd (Nov 14, 2001)

Does the Seven Seas group hold its getogether every year? The last one I remember was about November at Melbourne FL and they had excellent electronic communications seminars,among other topics. Bill


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

You are right but it will still help in tight anchorages...


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## Magic_Moments (May 15, 2003)

I should add something like that. I am going to buy a new anchor soon, if I don''t get the new boat I have my eye on. Right now I have 2 Danforths and I am thinking that I may get a Bruce or something that will have better luck resetting after it gets tripped. I have dragged twice this summer and both times it has been in the morning when the breeze comes up opposite from the way I set and both times I have nearly run down people who anchored very close just upwind only to find themselves my target the next morning. The first time I started my motor in time and hauled up a huge salad with my anchor. The second time I dragged I was not able to start my motor until I was past my target (it was very windy), but thats what happens when people anchor 90-100 feet from you (in 32 feet). It takes almost a full minute to pre-heat my engine.
Anyways I heard a story about 8 boats piling up in Shallow Bay on Sucia once when a strong westerly came up so I know others are not set either, so in future I will stick to Echo Bay there where I know my anchor is down to stay. 
I already have some new chain for the new anchor. I have never dragged in 11 years with this danforth but twice this year is making me think I should get a different type.

Ken


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

The salad is the problem. I always swore by my Bruce anchor until I anchored in a grassy area. You need something with a point like a Delta or CQR to penetrate a weedy or grassy bottom. That being said resettining in weeds is tough for any anchor.


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## dtfm (Sep 23, 2002)

Folks I know who anchor in the San Juans swear by their CQRs. In fact, a guy I know who works for a charter company up there and has sailed the islands extensively for 15 years says it''s the only type of anchor he''s never had drag.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

CQRs are the only way to go in the Guld/San Juan islands. Kelp grows the fastest here of anywhere in the world. A point is need to get in and hold. In some anchorages the bottom has been turned up so much there can be little holding power. Sucia has mooring bouys in Echo and fossil bay whic are great if the power boys have not taken them all by beating all the sail boats in. Roche harbour was about $30.00 US for a night $50.00 CDN ( I can saty ing a hotle for that! This was a 28 foot Catalina so we anchoured the next few nights. Put fenders out when one couple got too close, Full moon, full tide & current.CQRs work in sand too. Best bet, a CQR, Bruce up front and a Danforth on back. many marines have expanded, so there are less anchourages, and mooring bouys, more boats stored in the old quaint harbours at the new docks. I believe all the Charter Cos use CQRs as the primary.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Here is yet another horror story about dragging the hook. All I heard was the wind screams and breaking glass and a few four letter words. I sprang to my feet and out the hatch to see a mass of boats heading my way. The squal had blown through about one oclock in the morning and one boat drug his hook a Dansforth and in the process hooked several other anchors and they pulled free and the mass of boats blowing through the anchorage was a hell of a mess. I got my dink motor fired up and the old Sea Gull slowed the mass of seven boats to a point that other people had a chance to get their dinks fired up and we managed to keep them off the rocks. I have two CQR''s a dansforth and an old yachtsman that weighs two hundred pounds I would guess,chain well I don''t know but allot the boat is fifty feet so maybe I have 600ft of chain and that much rope.


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## jayhop (Oct 13, 2003)

Hi all,

To step back a bit and address Jim''s original question...while cruising the Gulf, Caribbean and N/S Pacific I got away with anchoring out almost all of the time. Exceptions were clearing in and out, heavy provisioning, fueling, picking up charter guests and some maintenance work (replacing engines, etc). In the cases were I had to go in it was usually just for hours or a day or so...and quite often that was free (this doesn''t apply in the USA though!).

More often then not, a place to tie the dinghy up was problematic...don''t get cheap here...immediately find who''s responsible for the dock/wall/land and work some sort of payment out. The respect paid in that act may be all that''s asked of you, or, maybe it''ll be just a few bucks, or, patronizing the waterside business may be fine. This is a huge goodwill thing for those of us that can not afford dockage.

Thinking ''outside of the box'' is also wothwhile. I''ve gotten away with anchoring in places were people just don''t...like just outside/inside marina breakwaters (assuming your not violating nav rules), along (but outside of) entering channels and even hanging off drop-off reef (considering you can hand set the anchor to avoid coral damage). Just because the other boats tend to group together in an area does not mean options do not exist. More so it is your draft that''ll restrict ya. 

That said, you have to be extra watchful on the weather and having oversized tackle is a big plus. I used a 44kilo Delta with all chain on a 38'' cat and never had a problem. The effort to dive and check/set/rig the gear outweighs the annoyance of close company and/or a dragging worry to me. This can actually be creative fun.

Jim, you can save tons of money (to avoid nasty things like work) by simply picking out cruising areas that''ll work with the plan of anchoring out. Your cruising kitty will sort this out...

Good luck! - Jay


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