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Looking for opinions on this "Anchoring Etiquette"

6K views 31 replies 12 participants last post by  DoubleEnder 
#1 ·
This was posted on another forum mostly visited by power boaters (of a specific region). I'd love to hear opinons of this practice from members of this group. Thoughts about if this is common practice, .... legality....... etc.

His post:

"This is what I saw this weekend. I'd like to get someone else's opinion on it. Friday evening I arrive in a cove to anchor overnight. In what I'd consider the optimal anchoring area, there is one spot where someone has anchored and attached a dinghy. In another spot someone has anchored and attached a buoy. No boats, just a dinghy and just a buoy. Friday evening and Saturday evening, the owners of the dinghy and the buoy motor up and anchor at those two spots. And every morning they leave for the day, leaving the dinghy and buoy to return to in the evening.
What do you think about this practice? "

Theres has been quite a variety of responses. As I said, I'd like to hear what "sailors" think about this practice.
 
#2 ·
Well, On one hand it seems like a great way to reserve a spot,,,, But, at the same time it's as said by the OP "Prime anchoring" there for really should be shared. So I'd say those people are being jerks about it.

I look at it the same as I do here in the mountains when people want to reserve a prime camp site. Instead of getting up early and treking out like the rest of us, they go out 3 days ahead and put up a "Saver tent"..


If I saw that going on and I really wanted to anchor there, I'd wait till they were gone and just do it... what are they gonna say? "We were saving that spot"? they might not say anything if I were up on deck cleaning my .45
 
#3 ·
Proper or not?

It all depends on if they are anchored or moored in a certain spot.

If they have simply dropped an anchor, then it's not proper for them to do that.

For definition: Use of a single anchor is termed "anchoring." Use of two or more anchors indicated by a buoy is not anchoring, but mooring.

If they have set out a mooring they are well within proper etiquette to hold that spot. In fact, NOT indicating they are moored by setting a private buoy endangers others anchored around them.

Setting up a mooring requires considerable effort past simply dropping and setting the hook. Buoys would not be proper to use for a simple anchorage and should ONLY be used to indicate a mooring setup.

There's another consideration to honoring a mooring buoy. Their boat is going to have a smaller swing radius. Be sure you allow for that when you anchor near them. Their swing radius will be based on the length of the painter, not the length of the rode. If they have a three anchor set, it may be a very tight swing of only a few feet.

Any time I have plans on staying in a location for a week or more, I set up a mooring rather than just anchoring. It lets me sleep better at night. I may even attach a portable dock to the mooring for easier access to the dinghy and to have a place to set up chairs and tables.

Short answer is YES, it is proper to honor a mooring buoy. You might even want to try that for yourself! A mooring offers better holding and shorter swing. If your anchoring close to shore or shoals, you definitely want to keep that swing radius down.

In a tight anchorage, those using a mooring setup are being considerate of others by keeping their space used to a minimum so more yachts can anchor there. If everyone moored, you could easily put twice the yachts into the same anchorage or harbor. They are being considerate. That consideration should be respected and returned.

I hope this helped! Fair Winds!
George Boase
 
#7 ·
In a tight anchorage, those using a mooring setup are being considerate of others by keeping their space used to a minimum so more yachts can anchor there. If everyone moored, you could easily put twice the yachts into the same anchorage or harbor. They are being considerate. That consideration should be respected and returned.
When anchoring you need to look at what other boats are doing. Using multiple anchors, only works when others are also anchored in a similar way.
Restricting your swing with multiple anchors will cause you to need far more room and is inconsiderate in an area where other boats are not anchored in a similar way.
 
#5 ·
Few people do, don't feel bad about not knowing. That's why I'm currently writing a book called "Anchoring with Style, Plain and Simple." I'm a writer and I found a great need for more information about anchoring. I learned a lot in the process of doing the research for the book myself. There are almost as many rules to anchoring as there are to sailing. Most of them are never discussed. I'm glad I could help!
Fair Winds!
George
 
#6 ·
I'm trying to imagine some of the more popular summer spots near me having a "saved anchor or mooring". Some spots can be a race to get there early enough to find a good spot, if any. I strongly suspect you would return to find your ball/dinghy washed up on shore, particularly if you tried to snug up against a paying mooring field. I've seen those guys try to chase away anchorages, even when they are aboard.

On the other hand, there are a few spots where private permanent moorings are common, ie Potters Cove.
 
#9 ·
I see rude people. They're everywhere and they don't even know they're rude.

No doubt there are rude people everywhere. I'm all too familiar with Potters Cove. I never understood the attraction of anchoring there. Last time I got eaten by the black biting flies before the anchor was even set. The Apponaug Yacht Club has several owned buoys there.

There is almost unlimited space outside the cove proper. If you want a beach you can dinghy to, head to the other side of Prudence Island and anchor off Jenny Pond. More space there than will ever be used.

The question was about the etiquette when anchoring/mooring. According to PROPER etiquette, anchorages are not "held spots" while a mooring as indicated by a proper marking such as a buoy is.

I'll give another example of buoy use that is commonly respected. Lobster pots and other fishing gear is marked with ownership by a buoy. Others fishing the same area know they can not lay down gear in the same area.

When you get down to it, arguing over a "prime" anchoring spot is really very childish and downright silly. Thank God most of us are above that. Places to anchor are everywhere. Even in a place like Newport Harbor or Potters Cove you always have options. There's really no need to cause conflict over such a thing.

From a technical perspective, ALL buoys are private. The fact that you pay for one from a provider means you're paying for the equipment they laid down and maintain. You are NOT renting the space where they placed it. This is not to be confused with docks extending from a fixed point on land where someone actually owns the mineral rights to the property.

To answer the question of portable docks, there are several inflatable platforms and docks available. Check with West Marine for one such platform. My wife has a hard time getting into a dinghy from the boat. We're not youngsters anymore. By placing a platform alongside the boat we can place the steps we use at dock on the platform, and then enter the dinghy from the platform. It's also a LOT safer to do it that way. I hate using a swim ladder to get into the dinghy.

I'm a firm believer in "Monkey see, Monkey do." If you come into a harbor and see everyone mooring, then you should too. If you come to an area where no one is, then you should be considerate when mooring and keep your swing outside their swing radius. Under any circumstance, a mooring should be marked with a buoy to let others know you have a short swing.

Keep the water under you, and the sails above. Everything works out for the best when you do.
George
 
#10 ·
I only used Potters as an example of a place that has many private moorings within the inner cove. The outer cove is hardly a cove at all, its basically open to the Bay. BTDT with the bugs, but they seem to be worst at sunset, haven't been bothered during the day in a breeze. I never go inside with anything other than the dink for ride.

I did have a buddy anchor next to one of the outer mooring fields at Cuttyhunk. Kids kept coming by all weekend telling him he had to move, then telling him there was a rock he was going to swing into, etc, etc. I'm sure someone was sending them out. One story after another. There is a rock on the northern field (where I was actually on a public mooring ball), but he was next to the southern field. If he had left his anchor or tried to set a mooring, I'm certain those kids would have been told to cut it loose.
 
#12 ·
"I've been everywhere man" .... in my best singing voice

Just a suggestion:

I spent the last three years working on a guide book of marinas and harbors. I've docked, moored and anchored in every single spot in Rhode Island and the coast. Several times in places I actually liked.

When entering a harbor or area of congestion, your first call should always be the harbormaster. ASK him for a good spot to anchor. That's one of the reasons he has a job! I've yet to meet a harbormaster I didn't like.

Very often they can even tell you of a private mooring where he knows the owner is out to sea and not returning for months. He also knows what areas cause conflict or are dangerous to anchor near. He's there everyday and sees it all. USE that knowledge!

Wickford is my personal favorite. There are five orange mooring balls to port when you enter the harbor. They are FREE for 24 hours. Lots of things to see and do. There is also a FREE dock in town where you can tie the yacht to for two hours to do some shopping. If all the moorings are in use, the area to port before you enter the harbor has a downright sticky bottom. More room than will ever be used. There are three miles of wildlife estuary up in Mill Cove for the kids (or adults) to explore by dinghy or kayak. If you happen to be flush with cash or just like a good marina, there are several that accept transients. Rich or poor, I do love Wickford for a weekend stop.
 
#14 ·
Quick side note to taking up more space with a mooring v anchoring.

You enter an area with three other yachts on a single anchor. You have SV/Popeye, SV/Brutus and MV/ Olive Oil.

How do you know the scope of each of these yachts? Answer is ... you don't. For that reason alone you MUST allow more distance between yachts regardless of whether you anchor or moor.

If SV/Popeye is at 10:1, SV/Brutus may just as easily be at 5:1. Both of those yachts need to keep extra distance apart. If MV/Olive Oil is inexperienced at anchoring and has a scope of 3:1 you don't even want to be in the same harbor. The biggest issue is, you have no idea exactly how large any of their swing is going to be unless you're there long enough to witness a full circle.

By using a mooring technique, you and everyone else knows exactly what your swing is. Granted, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. If you're mooring, allow that you will not swing as much. The bottom line is, you will take up a LOT less room, and others by knowing that can adjust accordingly and anchor closer to you. If you enter a harbor after the others, anchor according to how they are anchored and with proper distance. If you happen to be the first kid on the block, others coming in can also anchor according to your swing.
 
#16 ·
How do you know the scope of each of these yachts? Answer is ... you don't..
In the more crowded anchorages boats are (they have to be) far more disciplined and if you are using an unreasonable scope you will soon be told that is not appropriate.
It is also very common for boats ask how much scope you have out (If from the USA make sure you answer in Metres).
In many spots the water is clear enough to see the neighbours anchor anyway.

If boats don't ask how do they know you are lying to 3 anchors and will swing very different? (The number of lines leaving the bow is not a reliable indicator. )

The bottom line is, you will take up a LOT less room, and others by knowing that can adjust accordingly and anchor closer to you.
If you are moored next to a boat lying to single anchor the distance between the boats has to much greater to prevent a collision
 
#15 ·
Talking about the Med, there are places where the etiquette says you should lay an anchor and tie the transom to land to provide space for others. If you come sooner you can just put your boat in the middle and be the only boat around because the swinging circle would not allow other boats. Of course you will know that all the cruisers that pass there to have a place will think of you: What a jerk :D . Some even will ask you, assuming your ignorance of the local etiquette to put your boat that way. You can always say no and you will know that they will think: what a soon of a bi**ch:D

There is also many places where in settled weather is usually not to respect the full circle but just to lay your anchor near the stern of the front boat, assuming all boats will rotate in the same direction. On places where inshore winds and freak currents rotate the boats in opposite directions normally some local sailor will tell you about that.

Regarding the issue of mooring they are only allowed if they are laid or authorized by the proper authorities and that means that you cannot lay your proper mooring and that moorings are or private or paid and that includes the space for the boat to swing around. You have to respect that circle and cannot anchor inside even if the mooring is not occupied.

Regarding letting the dingy there, it is not nice but eventually stands on the barrier of the acceptable (you will not know the size of the boat that have left the dingy and you know that you cannot let only the space for the dinghy alone) but to leave an anchor with a buoy is as illegal as to have an unlicensed mooring (an anchor and a buoy is in fact an unlicensed mooring).

Regards

Paulo
 
#17 ·
The discussion of "ownership" needs to include the Federal Trust doctrine. Individuals don't "own" the bottom. The Federal government does and has it held in trust with provision for states to administer its use.

I don't believe anyone who has staked a claim without regulatory approval under the appropriate state rules has a legitimate right to exclusive use for an indefinite period. An approved mooring provides for exclusive use of the mooring, but anchoring would come under the common understanding of "first come-first served" at the time of arrival. I would not agree that a buoyed anchor is a legitimate reservation of that bit of waterspace once the anchored boat has left the harbor.

What it comes down to, is that an anchorage is like a public park. Placing a safety cone in a public parking place wouldn't provide a legitimate reservation of that space for a private party, nor should leaving a buoyed anchor for use next week. My 2 cents' worth.
 
#20 ·
It always amazes me where a thread will go.

One thing that seems to be missed with the space issue is that under NO circumstance should a swing radius overlap another yachts.

I understand that this is seldom observed, I'm just saying this is what SHOULD happen, especially in a crowded anchorage.

Hypothetical situation: Slack tide and no wind. What happens to all the boats at anchor? All of a sudden there is no swing keeping all the yachts in a certain order. Any boat anchored within the swing of another can bump.

Both slack tide and calm winds happen on a regular and predictable basis daily. In coastal regions you have the slack wind conditions caused by the change from onshore breezes to offshore breezes. Here on Narragansett Bay we call that the 6:00 doldrums. Slack tide also happens twice per day. The problem occurs when both conditions happen at the same time.

Man goes into the doctor and says, "Doc, it hurts when I move my arm this way!" The doctor says, "Well, don't do that!"

If I come into an anchorage or harbor that is so crowded that I can't anchor with a high degree of certainty, I simply don't anchor there. It's not as if there is a shortage of places to anchor. They're everywhere. I understand the Med is pretty crowded, hence the term coined there called "Med Mooring" referring to a stern in position. As I said earlier, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

Nearly every issue I've seen brought up in this thread are the results of people not being properly aware of etiquette or worse yet not having a firm grasp of anchoring. Prime spot? What exactly is that? If the bottom is sticky and you have the correct ground tackle, every spot is prime. If you have to anchor out where it's a bit more rolly, drop roll attenuators in the water and deal with that.

Crowded anchorage? What in the world do people do at Christmas at the malls? They go somewhere else to park. Do the same on your boat.

No where is more crowded than Newport. I've never had a problem. You can raft at the docks, take a mooring or anchor in designated areas. There is one area in the main harbor, another north of Goat Island, moorings in Jamestown across the passage and anchorages galore within a few miles. Old Port services ALL these with launch service. There are water taxis all over the place.

Safe anchoring is not that difficult. Respect others is the prime rule. Don't over-anchor another and if there's not enough room, go where there is. Be properly equipped!

The wind blows, the boat moves and life is good.
George
 
#22 ·
One thing that seems to be missed with the space issue is that under NO circumstance should a swing radius overlap another yachts.

I understand that this is seldom observed, I'm just saying this is what SHOULD happen, especially in a crowded anchorage.

Hypothetical situation: Slack tide and no wind. What happens to all the boats at anchor? All of a sudden there is no swing keeping all the yachts in a certain order. Any boat anchored within the swing of another can bump.
In reality it just doesn't work like that. If there is Slack tide and no wind there is no force to drag the chain along the bottom. The boat will not drift about over the whole of its swinging circle.

I anchor over 300 days a years and in summer in most locations there is just no possibility of having my swinging circle to myself. If you anchor in a spot with this much room it will be filled with more boats. To ask them to leave because you "SHOULD under NO circumstance should a swing radius overlap another yachts" would be rude, inconsiderate and totally unnecessary .
Despite boats continually anchoring so close to me that they violate these " rules" I have never had a boat swing into me. Dragging is another matter I get 1 or 2 boats colliding into me each year because they have dragged.

If an anchorage is un-crowded please give the other boats as much room and privacy as possible. There is no need to herd together like sheep, but there is no marine law that guarantees you to exclusive right of your swinging room and in many places, boats can anchor much closer than this safely with a little bit of cooperation.
 
#21 ·
If a dinghy is left as a mooring minder then presumably as long as you have allowed swing room for the dinghy then all is well and good. Surely if someone comes along and dumps a 40'er where the dink has been then it is there problem if they don't have enough swing room.

Mind you, if your boat is 25' and you have a 40' stinker on said anchor then its an uneven struggle for you.
 
#29 ·
If a dinghy is left as a mooring minder then presumably as long as you have allowed swing room for the dinghy then all is well and good. Surely if someone comes along and dumps a 40'er where the dink has been then it is there problem if they don't have enough swing room.

Mind you, if your boat is 25' and you have a 40' stinker on said anchor then its an uneven struggle for you.
If you did that with my mooring and you leave your boat and it come in too close, you may find your boat somewhere else when you come back, as I bought and paid for the mooring, and paid the town for the space, if your boat is going to hit mine you move. Some of the fishermen may just cut it free. But in most harbors there are mooring fields and anchorages, if you anchor in a mooring field the people with the moorings won't be happy
 
#28 ·
We just need to take lessons from the French. They are the experts at squeezing a quart of boats into a pint anchorage.

I was thinking back onto the odd coming together and while I have often felt a French boat to be close it has always been other nationalities that I have finished up fending off. Sailboats of course mobos don't count!
 
#30 ·
I'm not sure what planet gboase is on, but PCP is right on when it comes to unauthorized "mooring".

Sometimes you arrive in a crowded anchorage ahead of a storm and don't have time to mosey on over 10 miles to the next harbor. If there isn't some kind of consistency in the anchorage, you may find yourself in extremis. This isn't about slack tide and no wind. If those at anchor are using similar methods, including single anchors and limited scope (i.e., no more that 7:1 on nylon rodes) then there might be equity. If some jerk has a 20:1 scope and is using 2 or more separated anchors, then you might find yourself squeezed out by someone occupying 3-4 times the water area appropriate to conditions. I agree with noalex77 on this point and consider the gboase approach to be unrealistic--particularly in places like Block Island and Newport. It's a fact of life in southern New England that many harbors are overcrowded. Many harbors, ( my favorite example is Falmouth, MA) have mooring fields designed with the notion that everybody swings more or less in an equivalent manner. This means that moorings are placed within the swinging circle of adjacent moorings. It is only equitable that the same philosophy apply to anchoring in crowded harbors. We may adjust for the fact that some boats have chain only and most others have chain/nylon on others, but it is inconsiderate for some boaters to have excessive scope and/or multiple anchors in a crowded anchorage. These folks are the ones who ought to seek another harbor!
 
#32 ·
There are some really good tips here.;)

I often use an anchor sentential. It's one of those 15# mushroom anchors I have on a roller that slide down my rode. It helps to keep a better angle on my main anchor. But in tight situations if I'm near permanent moorings with my usual 5:1 or7:1 scope I let it go right to the bottom (In light winds) and it helps to limit my swing circle. So far it works great.

Also as has been said it's often a good idea to ask your anchoring neighbors what they have for rode out. It can make both of you more comfortable. And if they are rookies at anchoring it can be an educating experience for them. :D

I anchor most of the time as rental moorings these days are getting way to expensive sadly. And I know what I have for ground tackle!

Thanks for all the great ideas........keep em coming!
 
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