How many of you sleep on the hook

If you ever want to take a break from polishing your boat, you can come over and do mine.
 
We have anchored out 5 nights in the last couple of weeks, all with genny and stern anchors. We will be anchoring out the next three nights. We all back into the barrier island (on the in-side), and throw out 2 stern anchors. We separate boats out by as little as 20 feet, but generally a little more. We have gas and diesels mixed in randomly. We run the genny all night with one SR CO detector, and 2 battery operated ones in the cabin. Had an alarm one time only - three boats at 90 degree angles, stern to stern to stern at the end of a dock.

We keep our systems in top condition, check them regularly, and sleep like babies. We do have huge storms roll through. Last week, the 420 on the end and a 50 in the middle drug their stern anchors during 45 knot winds. We got out and drug 'em back - it was like one more social gathering in the middle of the night.

We absolutely love it. I'll be dinghying to work tomorrow afternoon and back to the boat tomorrow evening to make sure we get a great spot for the weekend.
 
everthing's irie said:
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.
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If your generator is properly maintained and you have CO detector(s), I wouldn't worry :)

Make sure you use at least 4:1 scope on your rode/anchor line. Basically, if where you are anchoring is 10ft deep make sure you have at least 40ft of rode out. If there is any chance of wind, I perfer a scope of 7:1 or 8:1. In storm weather 10 to 12:1 never let me down even in 60+knot gusts.

You'll notice most boats who drag have a very short scope out. For example, with about 120foot chain out, in 10ft water I held firm in 30kt winds with gusts to 45-50kts with eight other boats (four above 45ft including a 57ft Viking) rafted up to us...and I slept like a baby that night :thumbsup:
 
osd9 said:
On very still nights, or even nights with just a slight breeze, your stern will be down current, but not necessarily down wind.
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Excellent point.......there's always something. But I guess, if you're in a protected cove doesn't wind winns over the slight current, if any?
 
Hampton said:
We have anchored out 5 nights in the last couple of weeks, all with genny and stern anchors. We will be anchoring out the next three nights. We all back into the barrier island (on the in-side), and throw out 2 stern anchors. We separate boats out by as little as 20 feet, but generally a little more. We have gas and diesels mixed in randomly. We run the genny all night with one SR CO detector, and 2 battery operated ones in the cabin. Had an alarm one time only - three boats at 90 degree angles, stern to stern to stern at the end of a dock.

We keep our systems in top condition, check them regularly, and sleep like babies. We do have huge storms roll through. Last week, the 420 on the end and a 50 in the middle drug their stern anchors during 45 knot winds. We got out and drug 'em back - it was like one more social gathering in the middle of the night.

We absolutely love it. I'll be dinghying to work tomorrow afternoon and back to the boat tomorrow evening to make sure we get a great spot for the weekend.
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John,

That's my kind of boating. It's great to hear you guys make a midnight situation in to social gathering. Way to go :smt038. I''ve got to move to FL.
 
Alex F said:
.......there's always something. But I guess, if you're in a protected cove doesn't wind winns over the slight current, if any?
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The short answer is....'it depends'.

Tides/currents run in twelveths...1/12, 2/12, 3/12, 3/12, 2/12 and 1/12. In the middle of the swing, the current will be at its strongest. Depending on where you are and the strenght of the current vs the wind will determine which way your boat lays.


Rivers, Lakes, Bays, etc, will all have their own characteristics and tables. In general, I would agree that your stern will be downwind, but my point was that it is not GUARANTEED that your stern will be downwind.
 
Boatingfool said:
Make sure you use at least 4:1 scope on your rode/anchor line. Basically, if where you are anchoring is 10ft deep make sure you have at least 40ft of rode out. If there is any chance of wind, I perfer a scope of 7:1 or 8:1. In storm weather 10 to 12:1 never let me down even in 60+knot gusts.
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Close. Very, very close. There are a few details left unsaid that are important. If you are in 10 feet of water per your depth finder and your depth finder is not set to offset to the water line, you need to add 2-4 feet since the sounder is on the bottom of the boat, a few feet below the waterline. Also, the anchor roller is a few feet above the waterline, so you need to add that in too. So if you're in 10 feet of water with the sounder 2 feet below the water line and the anchor roller is 3 feet above the waterline, then with 40' of line out you have about 2.5:1 scope, which is insufficient. Should be at least 60 feet.

Best regards,
Frank
 
I went out yesterday and had to calibrate my radar (never have done it after moving it last year) and my fluxgate (don't get me started on that) and wanted to drop anchor to make sure my Windlass was not broken. It worked... well... it'll work when I really don't need it to work but will not work when I need it to work.

I have found that a 4:1 scope ain't going to hold my boat anywhere. If I don't have 7:1 out, the boat will break free if pushed. The problem with an all-chain rode is that it is so heavy it gives you a false sense of security and if something does push you enough you may find out your anchor really isn't set. I like to back down in reverse some and make sure that I have tension on the chain and know the thing has dug in. The boat will then come back to a neutral position and if there is no wind or tide, that chain is pretty vertical to the bottom and the boat doesn't even use the anchor.

I broke free once last year and, unfortunately, it was at an Aquapalooza event up on the Chester River and it almost ended in disaster for me. I didn't have enough chain out due to room available nor was I able to back down and dig the anchor in.
 
yeah, i'm a little nervous about tomorrow. we want to go see the macy's fireworks on the east river. it's going to be packed i'm sure, not much room to put out enough scope and a wicked current to boot. I also believe that during the time i'm planning on being there, the tides will change so everyone will swing and i'm sure with the limited scope, people are going to break free or at least swing different ways. And it will be dark, forgot to add that.
 
douglee25 said:
I have it. No way in hell I'd hear it. :smt009

Doug
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Agree. I always laugh when I turn my anchor/drift alarm on. I give myself room on the GPS to swing on the anchor. I do it because it's "available". I know there is no chance it would actually wake me. :grin:
 
My wife and I have been traveling so much lately, when we fly back into town we usually race to the boat and enjoy it. We go home and then spend time with our animals or else we'll feel guilty. When we first got our boat in late February and March we spent some nights out in a cove and it's funny but my wife DEMANDS we run the genny (it was cold then - to her). therefore, we ran it. I have no problem with that. Have a CO monitor it the cabin and I actually find the genny "soothing" while I'm in the cabin and hear the gentle rumble at the stern. I don't know why.

Now that our other trips are coming to an end and we start to spend more time around our home, we will be back on the water overnight with the generator running because I know it is now warmer weather and she will want the AC running. She's fairly new to boating and I want her to enjoy it and if it's available I run every convenience we have on the boat. Hell, I'll run the genny just so she can run the microwave at her leisure and keep the hot water on if that's what it takes!!!:grin::grin:

another point that is interesting with my wife is that she would RATHER sleep on the hook than at the marina. She is more comfortable on the hook (not literally) because she likes to not hear people walking all over the dock. It's also in her thought process that someone might try to board the boat from the dock while she sleeps. she'll get used to it all eventually, but for now if she sleeps on the boat, we have to be away from the dock:lol::lol:

And Jay, if you read this, you know not to board my vessel without me knowing. We both know I pack heat. A .45 caliber that would be:smt043:smt043:smt043:smt043
 
Four Suns said:
I have found that a 4:1 scope ain't going to hold my boat anywhere. If I don't have 7:1 out, the boat will break free if pushed. The problem with an all-chain rode is that it is so heavy it gives you a false sense of security and if something does push you enough you may find out your anchor really isn't set. I like to back down in reverse some and make sure that I have tension on the chain and know the thing has dug in. The boat will then come back to a neutral position and if there is no wind or tide, that chain is pretty vertical to the bottom and the boat doesn't even use the anchor.
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Gary's right. I also meant to add that 4:1 is only recommended by some for a "lunch hook". Otherwise the typical anchoring recommendation is 7:1. Chapman references between 5:1 and 12:1 depending on conditions.

Best regards,
Frank
 
And Jay, if you read this, you know not to board my vessel without me knowing. We both know I pack heat. A .45 caliber that would be:smt043:smt043:smt043:smt043[/quote]


You won't be asleep anyway...you can hear my blower from the other side of lake.:thumbsup:
 
Good news/Bad News.

I dinghy'd to work, but I'm at work. If you guys do let out a good amount of scope, a trick is to mark your anchor line. The more scope, the more line is within striking distance of a prop. Our friends have used a round buoy with a brightly colored thong on it : ) Last week, we used an empty Capt Morgan's bottle. Everyone kept trying to retrieve it! This week, we have a yellow child's life vest tied to it.

I tie the object off so that it doesn't pull up on the anchor line and so that it is out far enough that any boat that goes around it won't cut my bow line. It's just a matter of time before some idiot cuts between it and the boat. The can-boaters around here are real idiots. At least they leave huge contact numbers on the sides of their boats.
 
I tie a bright life jacket to ours as well and then spend the afternoon telling goofs to stay clear of my line.
 
Great thread.
We spend as many nights on the hook as possible, probably 30 -40 each season. Never run the genny all night but in the evening to cool the boat down and recharge the batteries. Silence makes it easier to hear the wind and waves increase before I hear the fibreglass and bronze scraping on the rocks!
Like Four Suns I think the all chain rode gives a false sense of security when the anchor is not set properly as it acts as its own anchor at least in light winds.
I usually set the anchor at a scope of 3:1 with a light tug of one engine, two engines will often make the anchor skip over the bottom. Once the anchor holds firm I shut off the engines and let the wind help pull the anchor in further. Only once I'm certain then I slowly let out more chain to 6:1 or more and often we will tie a stern line to shore or set a stern anchor.
If winds blow up in the night it is always entertaining to listen to VHF channel 16 or the calling channel to hear that you are not alone! Occasionally an adventure but this is what makes great boaters.
 
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When backing to the beach, we often pull in with moderate cross winds and boats on either side. We stop outside of our chosen area, take out 2 stern anchors, tie them off, and start backing down while lowering the bow anchor from the helm. My wife moves the dinghy to a short line amidships, then prepares to hand stern anchors out to greeters at the beach - no greeters = no boats to bang into.

As I back down, one engine in reverse holds the boat angle nicely and equals the speed of the windlass. I stop feeding line periodically while continuing to look aft as I back down. When the scenery rotates (anchor sets), I continue to feed out rode. I stop the windlass a couple of more times to check the set. As we approach the ledge at the beach, I select neutral and shut the engines off as long as things seem well. Our greeters grab a stern anchor, extend the line (pre-tied) and set the anchors. I then "pure" up the lines/anchors.

I try to judge the distance to feed out about 7 - 10:1. I don't know the lengths, but I know the angle that works. Viewed from the side, the line hits the water at about a 12 - 15 degree angle (the long-line way). Short rode = boat pulled free in T-storms.
 
douglee25 said:
I have it. No way in hell I'd hear it. :smt009

Doug
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I would guess that most plotters have the ability to hook up an external alarm (in the cabin). My E-series does, and I just purchased the cable and an obnoxious 12v buzzer from Radio Shack to hook up to it. If offshore, I'll set the radar guard zone alarm to warn of any intruders as well...

As mentioned above, the proper way to set an anchor is to back down on it-hard. Most boaters don't do this... This doesn't preclude the anchor from pulling if there is a substantial shift in wind and/or tide. If this is a concern best to set two anchors "Bahamian Mooring" style:

http://www.boatus.com/goodoldboat/anchor.asp
 
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