Using a Diver to set an Anchor

[AndreasNYC]

Hello Everyone.

I am going to be sailing in good SCUBA locations. On previous live-aboard dive cruises I have participated in, the team used a diver to set the anchor in order to avoid damaging the coral.

They may have even tied off to some coral rock, I am not sure.

Does anyone out there have experience with this?

I am especially concerned about communicating with the diver to avoid injuring him.

Any ideas? experience?

Andreas

[Craig Smith]

Drop the anchor clear of coral, with the chain also clear, and do not drag the anchor a distance that will alter those conditions. If you are using an adequate anchor this is perfectly feasible.

You cannot (adequately) manually set an anchor, not above 4-5 kg anyway, and definitely not underwater.

In any case the diver should stay well clear of the anchor when any tension is being loaded on it, communication or not.

[St Anna]

Hi Andreas,
I firstly would say that 'one' would listen to Craig Smith about anchoring.

I think the only time to get a diver near your anchor is when you need them to retrieve it. Hopefully, you have chosen it and set it correctly (away from coral) and then it can be retrieved without a diver.

Anchors and chain on coral are a huge problem worldwide as they will destroy the coral.

Ok, saying all this, I hope you enjoy your boating and diving.

[sailingdog]

Setting an anchor underwater by hand, using a diver, is a ridiculous idea. Generally, a diver can check the set of an anchor, but doesn't have the strength or capability of setting one.

Also, tieing off to coral is a really stupid idea... and illegal in most places.

If you're in a location where you'd need a diver to "set" the anchor, then you really shouldn't be anchoring there. You need to anchor ONLY IN PLACES WHERE YOU HAVE ENOUGH CLEAR SPACE TO DO SO SAFELY.

[trailblazer1229]

Perhaps some of the confusion of setting an anchor with a diver is in the crossover of sailing and diving. As I understand and as I have read about deep wreck diving, the divers dive and tie the dive boat into the wreck on occasion. And perhaps some sailors who scuba or snorkle "check" the anchor when on the hook. However, I have not heard of a diver swimming an anchor out and scuring it properly on the bottom. Being both a sailor and I diver, I can see how this would be inherently dangerous

[erps]

I've been on a couple chartered boat dives in Hawaii. The charter dive boats there have mooring buoys set underwater about six feet. A crew member had to jump in with a mooring line and attach it to the mooring ring. The moorings were attached to coral with anchor bolts. I wonder if this is what the O.P. is referring to?

[sailingdog]

Ray—

That'd be tying off to a mooring, since the mooring buoy is PERMANENTLY INSTALLED... not anchoring.

[casioqv]

I wouldn't consider having another diver set my anchor, it doesn't make sense. I think it would be extremely dangerous at best, and a diver has no way to generate enough force to dig it in.

But if I'm diving from my boat, I'll usually dive by my anchor and inspect it- and sometimes pile rocks or dirt around it to improve it's holding power.

[IslanderGuy]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Ray—

That'd be tying off to a mooring, since the mooring buoy is PERMANENTLY INSTALLED... not anchoring.

Yes, but the OP possibly did not know exactly what they where doing down there as he said the may be anchoring or tying off to coral. I can see how hooking to an underwater mooring buoy could look like setting an anchor or tying to coral to someone on the surface.

I had never heard of underwater moorings, but it makes sense in some dive locations, thanks for the input. If I ever see that, I will likely know what they are doing.

Thanks,
Bryan

[AndreasNYC]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

And sorry if my ignorance was annoying.

I think maybe I mis-understood what the diver was doing with/near the anchor, maybe he was just setting it.

Just trying to make sure I know everything I need to know.

I will not try to manually set the anchor.

thanks again

Andreas