Anyone using a laser range finder while anchoring?

[erps]

So we pulled into New Castle Marine Park on the weekend of the Nanaimo Bathtub race. The place was packed. We motored through the anchorage for 15 minutes before we found a spot to anchor. Afterwards, it occurred to me that one of those hand held laser range finders that hunters use might have been handy so when I anchor, I could annoy my new neighbors equally, instead of just one or two. Thought it might be handy for stern tying too, as you would have a pretty good idea on the amount of rode to lay out to minimize the row to the anchor tree or rock.

Anyone using one? Any other uses?

[jrd22]

We're anchored at Newcastle tonight Ray, and it's full. We anchored in one spot but ended up too close to a power boat behind us so we moved further out and found a good open spot. I'm wondering if the guy behind us had a laser rangefinder because apparently he felt we were too close to him and he moved. Now he is twice as close to the boat behind him as we were to him? I like the idea for stern tying, I hate it when the line ends up 20' short.

[sailak]

I use a range-finder when anchoring to measure distance from shore/obstacles (usually alone in an anchorage). I found I was horrible and estimating distance to shore, the laser takes the guess work out of it.

[lshick]

The rangefinder is helpful in assessing swinging-circle issues, too: i.e., if the wind shifts from NE to SW, and I have 100' of chain and 40' of boat, my stern will be 280' from where it is now, and will I clear that shore over there after the windshift? And by how much?

[arisatx]

Originally Posted by erps

So we pulled into New Castle Marine Park on the weekend of the Nanaimo Bathtub race. The place was packed. We motored through the anchorage for 15 minutes before we found a spot to anchor. Afterwards, it occurred to me that one of those hand held laser range finders that hunters use might have been handy so when I anchor, I could annoy my new neighbors equally, instead of just one or two. Thought it might be handy for stern tying too, as you would have a pretty good idea on the amount of rode to lay out to minimize the row to the anchor tree or rock.

Anyone using one? Any other uses?

Yup. Have never been great at judging distances. Just last week I knew that there'd be a a wind shift at o'dark thirty that would put us on a lee shore, but was able to check we had enough swing room by measuring our distance to shore and knowing our swing radius. Picked up a Leupold unit w/o the fancy "TBR" functions which are useful to hunters who need distance and relative height. If I need relative height at an anchorage then I have bigger issues.

[IronSpinnaker]

Just don't absentmindedly decide to check the range of a plane coming towards you.

[ParadiseParrot]

I use one because having only one good eye I have no depth perception "per se" and knowing the distance to the boat trying to steal my anchor position in a crowded anchorage helps since I have the wheel in one hand and a AK-47 in the other.Red dot the bastard..drop anchor...Sundowner time for me.....Seatow for him. (You didnt think I would actually shoot a person right?)

[IronSpinnaker]

Originally Posted by ParadiseParrot

I have no depth perception "per se"

That explains your political views

[ParadiseParrot]

and lack of mental disease

[cupper3]

Originally Posted by erps

So we pulled into New Castle Marine Park on the weekend of the Nanaimo Bathtub race. The place was packed. We motored through the anchorage for 15 minutes before we found a spot to anchor. Afterwards, it occurred to me that one of those hand held laser range finders that hunters use might have been handy so when I anchor, I could annoy my new neighbors equally, instead of just one or two. Thought it might be handy for stern tying too, as you would have a pretty good idea on the amount of rode to lay out to minimize the row to the anchor tree or rock.

Anyone using one? Any other uses?

A little trick I have used to judge distance is the fact that most power poles in a rural area are 100 yards apart (YMMV).

As such, if you look down a line of posts, you can see 100, 200 or 300 yards. Imprint that in your mind, and then try and judge distances based on that. In time, you can get pretty close.