Anchoring & Mooring

1. Anchoring & Mooring

2. Many sailors consider the art of anchoring to be the “Quintessential Seaman’s Act”, i.e., linking sea to land

3. Preparation: Ground Tackle Deck Clear Crew Informed Approach: 3-6 Boat Lengths DW Head into the Wind LOWER Anchor, payout Cleat at 4:1, Check Holding, Payout to 7:1 Lower Main Sail Anchoring Approach Under Sail

4. Anchoring Under Power

5. Scope • 7:1 – Adequate • 4:1 – Calm • 10:1 – High Seas • Chain Rode • Tides • Freeboard

6. Setting the Anchor

7. Properly Set Anchors

8. Is Your Anchor Secure?

12. Anchoring Decisions

14. Making the Approach • Decide How Your Boat Will Lie • Check How Other Boats in the Vicinity are Lying • Decide if Wind or Tide/Current Will have the Most effect on Your Boat • Always approach into the Strongest Element • When in Doubt – Approach into the Tide/Current

15. Using The Chart • “Cruising Guides” • Look for Anchor Symbol • Special Anchorage Areas (magenta Outline) • No Lights < 20m, 65’ • NEVER Anchor in: • Cable or Pipeline Areas • Marked by Broken Lines • In Marked Channels • Swim Areas

16. Use of Range Markers • Can Use Any Pair of Fixed Objects to Establish a “Range” • Help Check That Anchor is Not Dragging • Ideal Spot to Drop Anchor is at the Intersection of Two Ranges

17. Excellent Holding – Mix of Mud & Clay, Sandy Mud • Good – Firm Sand if your anchor will bite deeply • Bad – Loose Sand or Soft Mud • Ugly – Rocks, Rip Rap, Tall Weeds

18. Picking Up a Mooring Buoy

19. Hand Signals

20. Arriving at Mooring Under Sail:Wind Ahead of the Beam • Use Mainsail Only • Avoid Flapping Headsail • Danger to Deck Crew • Better Field of Vision • Approach on Close Reach • De-power to control speed • Complete Stop • Mooring Ball on Windward • Secure Mooring Line • Use Bridle • Lower Mainsail

21. Arriving at Mooring Under Sail:Wind Aft of the Beam • Use Headsail Only • If strong wind, may have to furl headsail, or come in under bare poles • Approach - Dead Run • De-Power to control speed • Loose the sheet to stop

22. Leaving Mooring Under Sail:Wind Ahead of the Beam • Use Mainsail Only • Hoist the mainsail and let it flap • Use Mooring Line to Gain Steerage • Mainsail Fills as Boat Veers Off Wind • When Clear of Mooring and Other Boats, OK to Raise Headsail

23. Leaving Mooring Under Sail:Wind Aft of the Beam • Use Headsail Only • Hoist headsail and let it flap until ready to drop mooring line • Sheet In the Headsail • Gradually Sail Away • Sail into Clear Water • Turn into wind • Hoist Mainsail • Set preferred course

24. Using Two Anchors • Reduce Swing if Tide Changes (Bahamian Moor) • For Extra Security in a Strong Wind or High Sea

25. Bahamian Mooring

26. Use of a Sentinel

27. Use of a Buoy

28. Rafting at a Mooring Buoy

29. Rafting at a Dock

30. Mediterranean Mooring • Only Used If No Tide • Saves Space Alongside • Easy For Boats to Come and Go w/o Disturbing Others • Bow In – More Private • Stern In – Easier to Get Ashore

31. Turning Using Warps

32. Weighing Anchor

33. Using a Tripping line

34. “Take Home” Thought … • “It is land, not the sea, that is a ship’s greatest enemy” • So … If you plan to avoid a an unexpected run in with land, choose and use your ground tackle wisely