12 Sites That Help You Feel More Secure Anchoring Your Boat

L'Esprit anchored in Red Bluff, Baranof Island, Alaska.

Operating a boat takes teamwork. It also takes knowledge. Having that knowledge will add to your sense of security, which will add to your enjoyment of your cruise.

As a first mate, you’ll want enough knowledge about anchoring to be a good second opinion for the captain when s/he is:

• choosing a good spot to anchor
• dropping and securing the anchor
• watching the anchor
• weighing or lifting the anchor

Choosing a Good Anchorage.

School of Sailing's anchorage page offers a helpful list and explanation for choose an anchorage. The article explains the need for an anchorage that provides:

• Protection from weather, including ocean swells. Know from which direction the wind and current will be coming for our entire stay. Not just when you arrive. You don’t want to be blown onto shore if the wind kicks up in the middle of the night. It also means that in the PNW, you need to factor in ferry and ship traffic.
• Good holding so your anchor will stay set. IOW, avoid rocky bottoms.
• Swinging room so you don’t end up on the rocks or abutting another boat.
• Good depth. Not too shallow, not too deep.

Scotland’s Royal Yachting Association also provides good information with helpful illustrations for finding a safe anchorage as well as having a tripping line in case of a snag.

From RYA's anchoring page, illustrating effect of tide range on anchor rode scope.

Dropping and Securing Your Anchor.

West Marine’s site naturally has a good explanation of anchoring, along with illustrations. Its key points are:

• How anchors work
• Setting an anchor
• Estimating scope
• Resetting if necessary
• Anchoring bow and stern
• Bottom conditions
• Need for second anchor
• Anchor maintenance

Ventura’s Power Squadron provides a very detailed list of how to set your anchor. Very much worth the read.

Florida’s Citimarine Store’s anchoring page give you additional information about:

• the types of anchors that work best with which
• estimating rode needed (i.e., less if you have heavy chain and large anchor)
• adding weight if your rode is not long enough  

Boativated has a thorough description for stern tying. You’ll need to know about this, especially if you cruise in the PNW’s popular spots. In a few of British Columbia’s more popular anchorages (i.e.,Prideaux Haven), you’ll find tie-up rings embedded in the shore rocks.

Illustration from West Marine's anchoring page showing how an anchor gets set by slowly putting boat in reverse.

Anchor Watch

Boat US offers a comprehensive description of how to keep an anchor watch. What you’re watching for is any indication your anchor has dragged. IOW, your boat will move around on the water. But if it moves in an unexpected direction or length, it’s time to check things out. Possibly add scope. Possibly back down again. Possible move.

It’s an important skill.

From Boat US's Anchor Watch article.

Weighing Anchor

Working the Sails offers a straight forward list of how to weigh anchor.

But, because anchoring involves a boat, there’s that relatively uncommon event which you must be prepared for: when your anchor become snagged and cannot be weighed.

Boating Magazine has some good advice on how to unfoul your anchor.

And Kingman Yacht Center explains how to create and use a trip line. (We haven’t used one on L'Esprit, but I’m going to suggest this to Capt. Dave.)

From Kingman Yacht Center's explanation for using a trip line to free a fouled anchor.

Some Extra Info.

Practical Boat Owner: Anchoring: 6 Tips for tricky situations

Anchoring Etiquette: The unwritten “Rules of the Rode”

I want to learn more PNW boating knowledge so I can be an even better first mate!

"Along the way to Alaska, both Gary and I read through The First Mate's Guide and believe you should add a sub-title: A Guide for All Boaters in the Northwest, British Colombia and Alaska. It is the most complete and comprehensive collection of information of any book on the subject. You covered topics we were sure we knew but didn't. Topics we forgot but we're unaware they had forgotten. And, most importantly, it makes you review all the procedures and plans necessary for a safe and comfortable cruise. It contains a wealth of important information and is a serious work of great breadth. Well done and many thanks, Bill Healy.”

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