Capt. JG wrote:
"Charles T. Low" [withoutUN] wrote in
message
wsgroups.com...
I'm a little late getting to this.

A side-issue is that of anchoring etiquette. Although not always
practised properly, many boaters do adhere to the policy of first in
getting priority. So, if you anchor somehow, with lots of swing or
little, or with a stern anchor or not, then boats arriving after you
have to give you room. But you have to accommodate boats which were
there before you.

Now - I went and had a friendly talk once with a guy who was there
ahead of me but not anchored according to that little bay's
"convention" (Central Grenadier, Thousand Islands, bow and stern
anchors in close to the beach, single anchors out in deeper water),
so making it difficult for the rest of us, and he was reasonable, so
there's no harm in trying to work things out.

I disagree, BTW, with anchoring by the stern. This will probably
reduce swing, but is only good in a boat such as yours for very calm
conditions. Waves slapping against a big flat transom are not nice.
A displacement hull will handle this much better.

I also disagree with using two anchors. That will reduce swing
considerably, but can leave you (so I am told) with quite a mess
when you wake up and find yourself facing the other way.

Read Hinz's book, The Complete Book of Anchoring and Mooring. It
covers all these points and much more in considerable detail.

====

Charles T. Low
www.boatdocking.com


Many years ago, I watched a guy down in the BVI anchor his Mooring
405 by the stern. He ended up with the mooring line caught between
the rudder and the keel. He was obviously having a problem, so my
friend and I dinghied over to help. His explanation was that he
wanted to watch the sunset (whatever). Clearly, this guy didn't have
a clue. It took us about 1/2 hour to free it up. The upside was that
he gave us about five bottles of liquor for our help, and his
girlfriend was damn cute. Turned out he was a power boater who
thought sailing would be cool... never raised the sails during the
entire week apparently.

My granny told me the sun never set on the British Empire. *vbg*