Spending the night on the lake

[flingus]

I've done a few searches and haven't found anything related so..

My gf's b-day is this weekend and I thought it would be nice if we spent the night out on the lake. I have a small cabin in my boat, just right for two people.

Any advice? I figure I'll find a nice cove, throw two anchors in the water (1 off the stern, and 1 off the bow). I'm guessing I should shut off the batteries and electronics so I dont run them down..Anything else I should worry about?

In case any of you are familiar with the area, it would be Lake Lanier here in Georgia.

Anyway, I've probably been out on the boat maybe 8 times total so I'm still a newbie. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[mainelymaniacs]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

I love to do this. My mom and I used to do it all the time. Now I have her old boat and can't wait. I really don't have any advice, other than don't forget the food and accessories. Have a great time.

Lisa

 

[HappierWet]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

Don't turn off the batteries, You'll need to leave a white 360 light ( Mooring Light ) on all night. Hopefully you already have two batteries on board. Know what the wind and weather are doing and anchor where you are most protected. I love doing this but I get up a couple times a night to check the anchor and see what's happening.

Good Luck

 

[sanfordfarmgirl]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

Don't turn off the batteries, You'll need to leave a white 360 light ( Mooring Light ) on all night. Hopefully you already have two batteries on board. Know what the wind and weather are doing and anchor where you are most protected. I love doing this but I get up a couple times a night to check the anchor and see what's happening.

Good Luck

Good suggestion on the mooring light! One of the first times we took the boat out, we had some trouble and it got dark. I setup the light and it wouldn't come on. Turned out there was no bulb! Be sure it works before you head out!!! I ended up hanging a lantern.

 

[slasmith1]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

you also only need to anchor off the bow and use a 5:1 scope. this will allow your bow to remain turned into any wind or current(less wave action) and the 5:1 scope will keep the anchor at the proper angle to prevent dragging it. An example of this is if you anchor in 20ft of water you need 100ft of anchor line.

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

On Lanier in a cove you'll only need 1 anchor. If you're worried about running the battery down take along one of those 'jumper boxes'.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=39954

Don't forget the bug spray.
Sounds like a lot of fun...

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

Sounds like a lot of fun and a great way to celebrate her birthday! Altough this is not something i have done yet, it is something that i dream of doing some day.

Don't forget the card and presents!

You will not want to turn the battery off because you will need to leave the white all-around light on while at anchor. Hopefully you have 2 batteries installed with a selector switch. Then you can set your switch to the deep cycle battery for the light while anchored and leave a fully charged starting battery for the morning!

I would be more worried setting 2 anchors then 1. You need to be very careful setting 2 anchors and they need constantly monitored and adjusted. You should be fine setting one anchor with at least a 5:1 scope with the proper chain attached to the anchor.

Don't forget the blankets, pillows, snacks, water etc.

Also, i would file a "float plan" with someone back on sure. Letting someone know where you will be and when you expect to return. They can check up on you if you don't return by then. Safety first!

Have a great time and enjoy the trip!

 

[Dick Sorensen]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

This is a great idea. I've done it lotsof times and I get better each time. When I first started I too was worried about my battery... so, I went to Lowes and purchased a led closet stick-up lite...then I anchored for the nite...shut off everything.... put my LED hockey puck light on top of my canvas and went to sleep... Now I must admit I wasn't in a busy anchorage or close to lots of traffic..... I had my lite, I hadn't anchored where I was in any danger of other traffic and.... in the morning, after my coffee, I turned the key and my mercruiser fired right up! Have a great time! Suggestion: I've got a cuddy ..... so have your better-half handle the sheets, blankets, .... get a battery operated fan.... move the 'head' out from under the cushions...she's not going to be happy sleeping over the head.

 

[Arabian180]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

Don't forget the Barry White CDs, Champagne Bubbly and the Motion Lotion, and it could be your birthday too

Oh, and Leave the bilge pump on Auto. Ya never know. I woke up in the dark one time with water over floors on a 25' cruiser. Instant buzkill.

Have a Great Time!

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

We use what we call 'sleeping sheets'. We sewed 2 sheets together like a sleeping bag...great for those nights that are too warm for the real sleeping bag and/or you want something to keep the bugs at bay.

 

[rrhodes]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

Never turn the batteries off when you are sleeping on the boat. Not only do you need the light but your bilge needs to run. Unless it is wired directly to the battery. Waking up under water would not be fun.

If you have a GPS I would leave it on as well and turn on your anchor drag alarm that way if you start to drift you will know it. I woke up to the sound of my hull grinding on rocks at the shore in my old Cuddy.

 

[flingus]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

Ok, thanks for the advice everyone..

I had never heard of scope in relation to using an anchor. To be perfectly honest, I always just let the anchor hit the bottom, and tied the rope to the boat. 100 feet of rope per 20 feet of water seems kind of excessive to me though. Is that really what I should be shooting for when you say 5:1 scope? Lake Lanier has two depths, so shallow you're ruining your prop and, 40 feet and deeper. Lol. So, 200 feet of rope for like 40 foot water seems like I might be hitting land at that point. At least now I know slack is needed, I really had NO idea. It's just one of those things, you figure anchoring is a straight forward thing to do.. Drop something heavy, tie the boat to it.

Heard some other good ideas too. I have a jumper for my battery.. I will keep the deep cycle battery on, and I have one of those lights that is white that is mounted on a pole that is about 4 feet high that goes in a hole on the stern. I'll make sure that stays on.

Also will make sure someone knows to go looking for us if we don't return.

Here is where things get interesting.. One suggestion by Arabian180 and Rrhodes brought up another question I was going to bring up once I had a camera. I'm hoping I can describe this well enough..

I have a 2000 22 foot Larson Cabrio. Two batteries.. When you're facing the steering wheel, off to the right there are a bunch of "rocker" switches. Pressing towards the top of the switch activates whatever is printed on the button. Question is: The bilge switch. Does it hurt to turn that on? What if no water is in the bilge? I dont want it to run when its dry.. Does it just turn on if the switch is on, AND water is in the bilge? Should I always have that switch turned on? I'm guessing that it just ALLOWS the bilge pump to turn on IF there is water in the bilge.. But, this is a guess so I would LOVE clarification. I've just been turning it on every now and then, looking to see if water comes out, and if it doesnt I shut it off..

Thanks again for everyones suggestions.

Flingus

 

[Arabian180]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

Here is where things get interesting.. One suggestion by Arabian180

Oh Maaaan I though this was leading into a "Dear Xavier" Story where you told about the adventures of drinking bubbly while listening to Barry White with your GF.

Oh well anyhooosie.

There are a few ways your pump could be wired.
One is manual only meaning you have to hit the switch to pump it out. Not such a good idea but better than nothing.

Another is on a SPDT (Single post double throw) switch which will work manually or automatically depending on the position of the switch and providing you either have a pump with a built in float switch or a outboard float switch wired in with the pump.

And yet another way and the way mine is wired is that it's a single throw switch which works the pump manually and the automatic float is wired straight to the battery and it works the pump automatically.

You'll just have to do some looking to figure that one out.

Have Fun & Good Luck.

T.

 

[rrhodes]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

Turn the Batteries off, reach into the bilge and pull the float switch up. The pump should turn on. If the float is internal use a hose to run some water in the bilge (With the plug in) Not much just enough to cover the vents on the bottom of the pump. It should turn on. If not I would not spend the night on that boat. Then manual switch should turn it on (In case the float does not work) In my last cuddy I had 2 pumps. One Auto and a second manual just in case.

 

[coastalcruiser]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

I anchor all the time,
You need to have lots of chain, and set the anchor. in order to sleep well you need to trust your going to wake up in the same place
Suggest you practice in the daytime
I also like to stern tie. We have coves here that have eyes set into the rock, if you have a little raft you can loop a rope around a tree, and tie that back onto your boat.
In the morning just untie the rope and go.
Don't use 2 anchors, people do that and get rope wrapped around their props.
If you want, carry a second battery unhooked and you will have a way to start.
I also suggest you have a radio and cell phone, as well as a b-day cake and present!!. If you drink you might get charged and if you don't have a bathroom (head) that might be where the little raft would be handy too, bring flashlights and wear your life jackets at night.
You know, if you anchor there is allot to it. My girlfriend likes to be on a dock right now because she is pregnant. listen to what your gf says that will go a long way.

http://mvdirona.com/blog/content/binary/p1040920_1168981289_1_Web (1).jpg

 

[ziggy]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

i got into camping on my boat last year. mines smaller than yours, no cuddy. anyways, to get around the all around white light at night. i just pull up on the beach and tie off to a tree. i've also got around the light thing by tieing up to the dock at the boat launch. only done that once, but it seemed to work well.

next step for me will be out on the lake. i've not tried that yet. my biggest concern would be drifting. the anchor alarm on your gps sounds like a real good idea. that and i don't have a auto bilge pump. sounds like you do. i'd think test it prior to going to be sure it works and turns on when flooded with water..

have a great time. yer gonna love sleeping onboard. it's a great time for sure...

wow cc, thats really camping out. sweet rig...
i guess what i do is primitive boat camping...

the way i've been doing it also solves the problem of no head too.

listen to the forecast too. weather can really get you down when overnighting... i was at the same place as the pic above last year. it was red sky at night, sailor delight. dead calm, lake was glass. middle of the night i found myself sideways and beached so bad i couldn't get off by myself. if i'd have been out on the lake. it'd have been real dicey getting back to the boat ramp in the dark... it was real dicey getting back to the ramp in the daylight the next day anyways... after 4 adults got my boat off the beach that is...

 

[coastalcruiser]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

Ziggy, I wish! this is my rig, it was a derelict before I got my hands on it
These old Nisquallys have a head and galley so they make good weekenders.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

it was a derelict before I got my hands on it

man, ya did her real righteous. she's a sweety. looks perfect for some weekends. i could live with something like that real easy.. nice boat... i'm kinda partial to hardtops...

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: Spending the night on the lake

Ok, thanks for the advice everyone..

I had never heard of scope in relation to using an anchor. To be perfectly honest, I always just let the anchor hit the bottom, and tied the rope to the boat. 100 feet of rope per 20 feet of water seems kind of excessive to me though. Is that really what I should be shooting for when you say 5:1 scope? Lake Lanier has two depths, so shallow you're ruining your prop and, 40 feet and deeper. Lol. So, 200 feet of rope for like 40 foot water seems like I might be hitting land at that point. At least now I know slack is needed, I really had NO idea. It's just one of those things, you figure anchoring is a straight forward thing to do.. Drop something heavy, tie the boat to it.

Heard some other good ideas too. I have a jumper for my battery.. I will keep the deep cycle battery on, and I have one of those lights that is white that is mounted on a pole that is about 4 feet high that goes in a hole on the stern. I'll make sure that stays on.

Also will make sure someone knows to go looking for us if we don't return.

Here is where things get interesting.. One suggestion by Arabian180 and Rrhodes brought up another question I was going to bring up once I had a camera. I'm hoping I can describe this well enough..

I have a 2000 22 foot Larson Cabrio. Two batteries.. When you're facing the steering wheel, off to the right there are a bunch of "rocker" switches. Pressing towards the top of the switch activates whatever is printed on the button. Question is: The bilge switch. Does it hurt to turn that on? What if no water is in the bilge? I dont want it to run when its dry.. Does it just turn on if the switch is on, AND water is in the bilge? Should I always have that switch turned on? I'm guessing that it just ALLOWS the bilge pump to turn on IF there is water in the bilge.. But, this is a guess so I would LOVE clarification. I've just been turning it on every now and then, looking to see if water comes out, and if it doesnt I shut it off..

Thanks again for everyones suggestions.

Flingus

Going from my boats set up: if you turn the builge switch on that turns the pump on and running the pump with no water in the builge is a no no....

make sure your pump has a float switch connected to it in the bottom of the builge. Pull it up with the batteries on and it should come on...check it both ways battery on battery off......I run 2 batteries (deep cell starting battery #1 and a long life deep cell #2) they are on a switch.... my builge pump does not run with the batteries off. We stay out overnight alot and I switch to battery #2 and we have never ran out of juice and thats running the mooring light,radio,vhf 2 way and a fan. in the morning I start on battery #1 then switch back to #2 on the way back to charge it for the next time.
Denny