How many of you sleep on the hook

E

everthing's irie

New Member
Jan 20, 2008
889
Georgia
Boat Info
2006 290DA
Engines
Twin 6's
We have found that very few folks, other than us, stay out on the hook on Allatoona. At least on our end of the lake. At raftups, people pack up after dark and head back to the dock to sleep. We seldom see more than 3 or 4 boats overnight.

We have asked one boater why the go back and they stated that they are not comfortable running the generator overnight.
 
We stay out occasionally. We will this weekend but it usually cools off enough here that AC is not needed at night.

However, we prefer staying at marinas. We boat with 2 big dogs that don't like to swim and we need some place to let the dogs do their biz and then run. Also I have no inverter yet and my refer is only 110v.

We will anchor overnight more when I get the inveter and additional batteries installed.
 
I get nervous on the hook because of drifting. The other week I was anchored during the day near a beaching location and I somehow became unhooked and started drifting directly towards the beach. I am semi-paranoid this could/would happen at night.

How do you people deal with this?

Doug
 
Alot of GPS's have an alarm (I think it's called a drift alarm) you can set it so that while your anchored if you drift more the X from where you set it, it sounds an alarm.
 
Morpheus said:
Alot of GPS's have an alarm (I think it's called a drift alarm) you can set it so that while your anchored if you drift more the X from where you set it, it sounds an alarm.
Click to expand...

I have it. No way in hell I'd hear it. :smt009

Doug
 
We used to comeback to our slip after a day out, but that we have upgraded and have everything we need on board, I'm planning to stay on the hook overnight. The first thing is being comfortable with the protective spot, make sure the hook is settled, set the alarm zone. I'm not planning to run genny overnight (at least for now), rather cool off the cabin prior going to bed. If the weather is nice (not too hot or humid, no overnight rain) I'd keep the ports open to get some breeze. I would check to make sure there's no other boat near by with genny running, so it's CO wont get in to my cabin.
 
Anchors are hard and pointy; they make terrible beds. I prefer to drop the hook and sleep in the forward berth area. But to each his own.

Best regards,
Frank
 
We sleep on the hook almost every time we take her out. Lake Keowee in upstate SC is usually cool enough in the evening to make it bearable. We normally hang out near the waterfall and watch the craziness during the day. But you are right; as the sun goes down everyone leaves. It's a rare evening that we find any other boats staying out with us after the party crowd leaves.
 
I'm sure he's on his way. The door has been opened, after all.
 
I did this for the first time two weeks ago and it was great. Picked a quite well protected spot (Silver Bay for you Barnegat guys)The night was cool and breezy so I did not run the gennie, which I dont think I would really want to do for the entire night anyway primarily due to noise. I used a hand held GPS in the stateroom with an anchor alarm. Suprizingly the GPS worked very well though the deck which I did not expect. Best of all we left the kids and the dog with the inlaws. I will plan on doing this again for sure.
 
We do it all of the time. It's great. When you live with a mass of people like I do, the last thing I want is to be 4' from another couple on their boat (like billandamy running around in their birthday suits). We don't have a Gen, 1 battery bank lasts 3 days. I've never had my anchor pull loose, even in roughish water (knock on teak).
 
I have never been concerned with running the gen while anchored. The exhaust is at the rear of the boat and the rear of the boat is always downwind. Now if you are in a big raft up or anchored off a beach and not able to spin then I would have some concern and probably not run the generator.
 
Silver Bay is a great place for dropping the hook overnight. The only problem is those dang 280SS's coming home from Water's Edge W.O.T. at 11pm! Especially if they decide to lap Silver Bay before bringing the boat back to the dock!

The key to setting the hook is to NOT do it after dark. If you aren't drifting before dark, you won't after dark unless a storm comes up. And if a storm does come up. . then you won't be sleeping much, because you will be worried about the hook!

I have slept a number of times on the hook. Broke loose once during a midnight blow: That wasn't pretty. We like to ensure at least one able bodied person (i.e. boat savvy) person is sober at all times. While it is tempting to get skunk drunk once the boat is anchored and secure; you still have to ensure that on the off chance a storm does come up and messes up your anchor. . .you have someone who can respond appropriately.

Rafting up on the hook is fine. AS LONG AS you don't expect storms. I have been in a raft ups where the decision is made to break up the raft after dinner because of threatening clouds.
 
admin said:
........ The exhaust is at the rear of the boat and the rear of the boat is always downwind. ......
Click to expand...

On very still nights, or even nights with just a slight breeze, your stern will be down current, but not necessarily down wind.
 
I've only done it once or twice...I'm not comfortable with it. But..Lake George has at least 30 or so public islands you can rent as campsiteswith docks... I like to tie to a dock...Rarely do you see anyone very close by.
 
Each time we are out on the boat we stay at least one night, most times 2 or more nights. Every one of those nights have been spent at anchor (on the hook but not literally). I enjoy sleeping on the hook.... some of the best sleep I get. I set the anchor drag alarm after setting the main anchor and a stern anchor (to prevent wind spin). We have never come un-hooked or had anchor drag. We will run the gen at night as temperatures require.... but most nights are pleasant. We keep several portable CO detectors on board and place them around the berth we sleep in. I will listen to the Wx report/forecast in the evening and ensure the boat is anchored in a manner where the wind will be blowing the genset exhaust away from the boat. We have never had the CO detectors show above zero when anchored.
 
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