Sleeping on the hook....

[nitsuj]

So at the end of last season I bought my first cruiser after years of bowriders. I'm now gearing up and getting ready to splash it this year. The wife asked me a question today I didn't have an answer for. And I know you guys will have great answers. Her question was "How will you sleep when we're anchored and you're worried all night that we may start to drift?"

She raises an interesting question. I know there are various alarms made to tell you if you start drifting. But lets say you're sleeping and for some reason the alarm doesn't wake you. Or it malfunctions. Whatever. What other steps can you take to avoid disaster? I guess on a lake, not much bad could happen. But on a river, you could end up going over a dam. Or drifting in the path of a barge. Assuming you anchor properly, and use the right anchor for the bottom, how do you sleep at night knowing you could just start drifting? It's a manic paranoids nightmare. ;-)

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

When we used to fish offshore, and go out for days at a time, someone usually kept watch, and even then we would often toss a second anchor that would slow the drift in case we broke free.

My biggest concern wasn't drifting as much as a storm coming up, the batteries going dead, or simply getting run over by a larger craft.

 

[dan t.]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

and the answer issss---- an ocasional night without much sleep. we cruise in salt water,fortunatly there are alot of small bays around where you can run a stern line to shore, if you are lucky you will find a forrest service or parks mooring buoy. but----if you cant, you hook up the best you can, set the anchor watch on the gps and hope. then you sleep in 1/2 hour cat naps

 

[nitsuj]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

and the answer issss---- an ocasional night without much sleep.

I was afraid someone was going to say that! ;-) That may be ok if you only go out one night a week or something. But what if you're planning a week long vacation on the boat? (I'm not, but just for the sake of argument.)

 

[dan t.]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

I said ocasional, we dont make a habbit of anchoring in poor holding but sometimes you have to. find a good sheltered spot with a mud bottom

 

[RepoMan207]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

I have a Garmin fish finder that has alert settings for drifting, low voltage as well as depth warning. There is no way even in a drunken stupor that I could sleep through that alarm.

Prior to getting it though I had my fair share of restless nights. I went as far as to pull into a marina and tie up at a vacant spot along the outer walking docks. Just make sure to set your alarm on your cell phone for an early departure if you do this, or be prepared to pay a Transite fee for tying up.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

Buy over-sized and high quality ground tackle, learn to set it right with plenty of scope, set the anchor alarm on the chart plotter, and you'll sleep just fine. I use a 22 lb Delta with 15 feet of chain on my 25" cuddy. It's the kind of anchor you'd normally find on a 34 foot boat.

After you set the anchor, run the boat up to 1200 RPM in reverse and see if it drags. If the water is not too cold, dig out your mask, snorkel and fins and check the set. Mine are always aboard.

If you are looking for a new anchor, I hear the Rocna is the best thing out there these days.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

I was afraid someone was going to say that! ;-) That may be ok if you only go out one night a week or something. But what if you're planning a week long vacation on the boat? (I'm not, but just for the sake of argument.)

Experience as much as anything. We've only slept out once so far, and that was with a group (rafted together). The experienced boaters told me that after awhile you get a feel for it. When you can hear the waves slapping on the hull you're good. If the noise stops, get up! You're drifitng.

Look at the bright side. Middle of the night anchored out, quiet except for the sounds of the water, moonlight. Not a bad time to be awake

 

[Philster]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

Hmmm.... it's a catch-22.

You need to be slightly paranoid about such an important safety issue, but you need sleep, too. The real catch is that the people best suited to the job of sleeping out at sea while anchored are best being a little paranoid (safe), but the inherent act of anchoring at sea overnight for some Zzz's means you have to be a little (only a little) crazy.

Sleeping in shifts only works if the person on anchor/drift watch doesn't doze off all alone!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

After a few days, you'll sleep. beer helps.

second anchor is a good idea.

In high school we'd raft up several boats (small runabouts) and spend the night in a cove--usually in the spring before the police boat was in the water. One morning we were awakened by a rythmic thump thump over head. thump thump pause thump thump pause, etc. Turns out only one guy had anchored; the rest of us had just tied to each other, and the whole mass drifted out with the tide until we were hung up under a bridge--traffic going overhead. We're soaked with dew, very thirsty for some reason, and as teens not used to being up at dawn--but there was a Burger King near a dock and you could hop the fence, so off for breakfast and resume water skiing! Those were the days....

 

[themaniam1]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

Use two anchors. Set your bow anchor like Mischief Managed said and make sure when you put it in reverse you apply ample strain on the anchor. You should spring forward some after you come out of reverse if you have a good set. Then set a stern anchor but untie it from the stern once it has been set and retie it off on the bow. That way you just make a small circle as the wind and currant shift but you also have the security of the second anchor.

I also set the anchor watch watch on the hand held GPS and the GPS fish finder. I use both. with the double hook you can set your anchor watch to be much smaller then with just one anchor.

For your first time I would choose a calm shallow (10'-15' deep) bay that you can get a good set in. Good luck and have fun.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

The depth alarm on the GPS/fish finder is fine if you drift into shallow water, but if you drift out into the open water, you won'tbe notified till you have pretty much hit something. That being said, I would simply find a nice quiet cove and set the main anchor as specified with a long scope, then set a stern anchor just to stop with swaying and act as a backup. If you have a depth alarm, set it, but I would want it set for a minimum of 10ft or so if possible so as to give you enough time to get up, realize what's going on, and get the engine fired up before you've run aground.

 

[RAT Attack]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

Me and the wifie just bought a small Cuddy this past November and plan on spending several nights out on the water. This is a very interesting question that I never realy thought about at all. I do know one thing though, my wife is NOT going to read this thread!
I won't get any sleep at all because she will be so paranoid...

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

good idea, RAT; don't think about it too much or it will drive you crazy!

Really, there is little risk of dragging anchor or breaking anchor gear in the kind of conditions you would be in while pleasure boating. You don't set whale alarms, do you?

However the real risk is operator error: you don't tie the anchor to the boat correctly. So if you have two bow cleats, tie the line to each. I do this when I tie my boat off in the marsh and take off hunting on foot; there is no "help" option if the boat comes loose.

As with anything, be sure your equipment is in good shape especiallly the shackle and line where it joins; be sure there is a sleeve in the splice.

 

[Knot Waiting]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

You didnt buy this boat to have spend a crappy restless night lying awake in fear did you? Hope not. Boating is suppose to be fun, use a lil caution and dont sweat it. Ive stayed over night countless times on my boat and slept like a log. The sounds of the water gently washing off the hull and purr when the A/C kicks is unforgetably hypnotic. Just use common sense, tie off well and use fenders if docked, use multiple anchors if beached or moored, isolate a backup battery in case one dies, and check everything before you pass out. Go out, party it up, have fun, and sleep easy.

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

We often overnight on our 18' cuddy; spending the night aboard is always a delight. Sometimes we'll be out for a week without going ashore.

Here's a few tips.
*Anchor in shallow water - we sometimes tie to a tree branch. If the tide runs out on you, don't worry, it will be back.
*Use a big anchor - our normal anchor is an 8# Danforth but if we're going to be in unfamiliar or rough waters I'll take my 22# plow.
*Set a shallow and deep alarm on your depth sounder.
*Set an anchor drift alarm on your GPS.
*Do, back down on your anchor to make sure it's set.
*I'm not a fan of 2 anchors unless the Bahamian style is warranted. One done right is way better than messing with 2.
*And for monitoring your position, set a MOB on your GPS... I have a GPS below where I can check how far I am from my MOB position while still in the sack.

A little experience can go a long way to feeling comfortable on the hook and once you do get comfortable, you can't get enough of it.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

*I'm not a fan of 2 anchors unless the Bahamian style is warranted. One done right is way better than messing with 2.

Agreed. I use two for daytime sandbar fun. I pull the second one in for overnights. You need to be able to swing around with the wind.

 

[DianneB]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

Well, from the old-timers, the sure and low tech way is to set your first anchor. When set and holding downwind, drop your second anchor and tie it with lots of slack line to your ankle.

If you drift or the wind changes, you WILL wake up!

 

[arks]

Re: Sleeping on the hook....

Her question was "How will you sleep when we're anchored and you're worried all night that we may start to drift?"

#1- Check the weather forecast. Strong storms mean a night tied to a dock, not at anchor.
#2- Set the anchor and apply power to assure a firm, deep set.
#3- Set an anchor alarm.
#4- DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. With experience your apprehension will subside.

FWIW- I rarely sleep soundly when on the hook.
The ONE time I had an anchor drag while in the bunk, the wind became so strong I was awake anyway!
I learned that night to ALWAYS LEAVE THE KEYS in the ignition when turning in...