anchoring overnight

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wylie

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C Dory Year
2006
C Dory Model
22 Cruiser
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rg1657284
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QUALITY TIME
Hello everyone, planning a keys trip in the future. How do you know where to anchor, how far from shore, and if you will be secure overnight,if waves pickup.Thinking about launching in marathon,then cruising around,dont know if you can find boat slip when needed for overnight.How protected are you in coves ect.What forecast will send you to dock ,is it wind speed ,or predicted wave size.I guess you could try to get to bayside,just want to know when is right time to head to a dock.Thanks
 
One of the best things about the Keys is the abundance of places to anchor. Pick up a cruising guide (my favorite is Managing the Waterway, Florida Keys); it has decent anchorages marked. If the weather comes from the north, you find something protected on the south side; and vice versa. Launching in Marathon, you can pick up a mooring ball in Boot Key Harbor and have decent protection from any direction. The cruising guides will also tell you about places with slips. Also, ask around while you're down there and you'll likely find other good places that aren't in the books... love that local knowledge.

When to head to a dock is a personal call. I look more at wind direction and storm potential. Slips in the Keys are pricey (from my perspective), so we picked them based more on proximity to places you want to be rather than weather.

Time of year will make a big difference. If you're heading there in the summer, expect it to be hot and humid, chance of afternoon thunderstorms. In the late fall through spring, northers are what you'll want to watch for. Rarely does the weather "sneak up" on you there; check weather radio frequently.

Great cruising area - have fun!

Best wishes,
Jim B.

On edit: how far from shore depends on water depth and protection. Nice thing about our C-Dorys is that shallow draft that allows you to get pretty close. They are REAL serious about no anchoring on coral or sea grass (big fines) in the Keys. Plenty of shallow water there, so watch the charts and your depth. We frequently anchored in 5-7 feet of water (sometimes less).
 
Agree with Jim--you really want to stick to areas where you can have a lee or protection from any wind which may come up. Also there are many protected areas, where you cannot disturb the coral or sea grass. Stay with the designated anchorages.
 
Man am I jealous! I will be anchoring off the coast of MA tomorrow in about 48 degree water. I dive in a drysuit year round :\

One thing to consider, though it's not as huge an issue the farther south you are, is the tidal shift. Up here the tide shift can be as much as 12', many a boater anchor for the night to wake up on the hard. What do you guys have for a tide shift, 2-3' or something? Anyway keep that in mind and give yourself sufficient depth.

Check the marine forecast (can be found here: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/zone/usamz.htm

Never go on the water with weather data older than 4-6 hours. This will give you the forecast wind direction, seas, etc. Ideally choose an island such that the wind is hitting the other side of it first, thus leaving your side protected (aka lee side). I use my face as a wind direction analyzer when I anchor (though wind direction can certainly change in a matter of hours - so also consider the forecast). Look straight in to the wind and turn your head side to side to pinpoint the exact direction of the wind then drop anchor heading straight into it.

If you are anchoring in an area where you cannot safely swing 360 degrees, bring a second anchor to anchor off the stern to prevent much swing. Never anchor from the stern in open water, but in protected areas i.e. a small well protected cove it's OK and may be required if other boats are in close proximity doing the same thing.

Enjoy the Keys!
 
Lots of great responses - summary: watch weather, wind direction, tide range, tide shift, depth, stay in a lee from the wind and any potential wind shift (we write this swinging on the hook in a cove that protects us 320 degrees around), and when you anchor, if you can, 'feel' her set by lightly holding the line as you reverse and the anchor digs in. If the bottom resists a set you will feel the hook skidding on the bottom - if she sets you will feel the resistence in the line.

We rarely stay in a marina since we love to be in natural surroundings - that's one reason we are on a boat - we consider a marina (with it's noise, closeness to others, and amenities to be 'city.')

We have anchored thousands of nights and trust our hook- she has only let go twice - in 50+ wind gusts - we started engines in both cases and held her bow to the wind while the boat rehooked.

For us, anchoring is a major part of boating - enjoy it and the quiet and excitment of being surrounded by nature and far from the bustle of usual human activity
 
If you are anchoring in an area where you cannot safely swing 360 degrees, bring a second anchor to anchor off the stern to prevent much swing. Never anchor from the stern in open water, but in protected areas i.e. a small well protected cove it's OK and may be required if other boats are in close proximity doing the same thing.
Click to expand...

An alternative is to place two anchors off the bow. When I want the boat to 'stay in place' I'll drop and set one anchor above where I want to be, and then I'll drift way down to drop a second anchor. Then I can draw up to the middle point. By tieing off both anchor lines to the bow the boat will swing to keep the bow upwind (and stern safely downwind and down swell) but will still stay in a relative stationary location. I've been known to drop a 3rd anchor with the dinghy in very tight spaces that can be unprotected.

The only time I'll tie off my stern is when I am in a completely protected cove and even then I'll make sure to place my bow out to sea in the event a swell or a large wake comes through.

Matt
 
Thanks for replies ,its great to hear years of expierience talking.Since my wife will be along i dont want her to have a bad outing .I will purchase any charts or info i can find.
 
Good summary Bill.

With all the anchoring you do I was wondering how often you have needed to replace your anchor line?

Steve
 
Tortuga,
When you set your second anchor, do you set it by reversing downwind? So the rodes on both anchors leave each anchor in the leeward direction?
 
I read about an interesting technique on the Trawlering list. Apparently you attach another anchor and a short (30'?) amount of chain to the primary anchor's shank. The suggestion came up in a discussion of anchoring in heavy wind.

That's all I know, maybe Bob can tell us more.

Warren
 
Lucky Day":1gbo3ghq said:
Tortuga,
When you set your second anchor, do you set it by reversing downwind? So the rodes on both anchors leave each anchor in the leeward direction?
Click to expand...

If my primary (upwind) anchor is set well I don't reverse down on the second, but pull it back toward the front -- since it will either be holding me in place to control swing, or if the wind shifts (as it does here) and the downwind anchor becomes the upwind anchor, or a lateral anchor, it will have to reset in the new direction of pull.
 
I read about an interesting technique on the Trawlering list. Apparently you attach another anchor and a short (30'?) amount of chain to the primary anchor's shank. The suggestion came up in a discussion of anchoring in heavy wind.
Click to expand...
What you describe is using a tandem anchor. The Rocna anchor, for example, has a dedicated attachment point located forward on the shank for this purpose. A second anchor is set about a boat-length ahead of the primary anchor, its rode terminating at the attachment point of the first. The two anchors then work together more effectively, each one always sharing about 50% of the load. That's the theory, anyway.

Jay
 
Anchoring overnight is the pinnacle of all my C-Dory experiences. Nothing matches that feeling of slipping into the inky night.
That said, I offer this piece of advice based on my own experiences.

When it comes to overnighting, avoid pivoting fluked anchors such as the Danforth or Fortress.

On several occasions I've found myself dragging because a rock ( once even a beer can) became lodged between the shank and the flukes resulting in zero blade angle.
This has always occurred in the Puget Sound or the San Juans when I was shoehorned into tight anchorages amongst other boats and near rocky shorelines. I was very fortunate to escape unscathed.
I finally switched to a Bruce(11#). I now sleep soundly.

I apologize if I've ruffled anyone's feathers.
I STILL keep a Fortress as a backup. It's wonderful in sand or mud but I won't trust it for overnighting.
A claw, or CQR, or other "fixed" anchor is safer, in my opinion.
 
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