Have you ever heard stories of boats dragging in the middle of the night and shipwrecking on the reef all because they didn’t anchor properly? Have you ever dragged and wondered why?
These things almost always happen because of bad anchoring.
So let’s fix that! Let me walk you through how we choose anchorages, where to drop, what depths are safe, and how we make sure we aren’t going to move once we’ve set… how to anchor your boat safely!
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Finding Anchorages
Grab your chart and let’s get into it!
Key things to focus on:
- Protection from the wind – Is it protected just from the north and east, or does it have 360-degree protection?
- Depth – How deep is it? We’ve anchored from 2.5M all the way to 25M, so somewhere in that range would be ideal.
- Weather – What will the wind be doing? Are there any storms forecasted that could blow up?
- The bottom – What’s down there? Is it coral, sand, or mud? You may not always be able to find this out, but it’s really good to know what to expect. Naturally, you don’t want to anchor on coral… sand is our preference every time!
Keep those questions in mind as we go through this step—they’re all important!
Tools We Use to Find Good Anchorages:
- Navionics (now Garmin Boating)
- NoForeignLand
- Google maps (satellite view)
- Windy
To start, we usually look at NoForeignLand to check out what anchorages are on our course. This is pretty easy as there are heaps of anchorage spots left by other sailors. Now, not all anchorages are listed, but it’s the best place to start.
There’s usually a bit of a read-up when you click on a spot in NoForeignLand. Most times, it includes the anchorage depth, wind protection, and hopefully what the bottom is (e.g., sand, coral, mud).
Once we’ve found a spot that sounds good, we go over to Navionics and check out what that looks like, making sure to check the depth and what’s around.
Then we grab Google Maps and zoom in on the spot. This is usually only helpful in reef spots, but it’s good practice anyway. Look for color changes in the water and any reefs you weren’t aware of yet.
Cool! Hopefully, you’ve now found an anchorage that looks good. Now, pull up Windy and check the weather for when you’ll be in that anchorage. Focus on wind directions and strength. Remember how NoForeignLand tells you what wind direction the spot is protected by? You want to make sure the anchorage is protected from the winds you’re forecasted to have.
Well done! Now you should have found your spot.
Coming Into the Anchorage
Now let’s look at the best practices for coming into an anchorage.
First of all, it’s always best to be going pretty slow—3-5 knots is what we usually go for.
While you’re coming in, keep your eyes on the depth and the water in front of you, as well as the chart and Google Earth (I know, that’s a lot—you may need some extra eyes!).
For anchorages where there’s reef, try your best to come in during the day with good light. We like to have someone up on the bow where they can see everything ahead.
You’re looking for a spot where you’ll be able to spin around with the wind and not worry about hitting anything—we call this 360-degree range.
Once you’re happy with your positioning, check the depth and do some quick calculations. Your minimum scope (amount of chain) should be four times the depth.
- Example: Depth is 10M = 40M chain.
NOTE: We always make sure to put at least 20M of chain out. Even if we’re in 3M, we’ll put 20M out.
Dropping the Anchor
So, you’re in position, you know how much chain to put out, and now you’re ready to drop the anchor.
We always have at least two people doing this. If you’re a single-hander (and go you if you are!), then I’m sure you’ll figure out a process that works.
Let the person up on the bow know you’re ready for them to drop the anchor. While they do, you want to slowly start moving backwards.
A Couple of Notes for This Part:
- If there’s a lot of wind (12 knots or more), then instead of moving backwards, keep the bows into the wind.
- Focus on keeping pressure off the chain until you’ve got the snubber or bridle on.
Once the snubber or bridle is on, stop moving backwards and let the wind take it from there. If there’s no wind, just settle for a minute.
Digging the Anchor In
Now that you’re into the wind, you’re going to go in reverse again. Start slow—you want to take up the tension of the chain.
Ask the person up on the bow to tell you when the bridle/snubber is starting to lift out of the water. When this happens, increase your revs (I usually go up to 1000-ish RPM). You might gain speed for a second while you completely dig the anchor in, but then you’ll stop moving—and now you’re solid.
For the person up front, they should see the bridle/snubber come right the way out of the water as you pull back on it. This is another sign that you’re solidly dug in.
By going through this process, you can be confident that your anchor is super solid. When you increase the revs, it’s the equivalent of having 20 knots of wind pulling on your chain. That’s why we do it—to make sure we can hold in strong winds.
Extra Tips
Here are a few extra tips:
- Set an anchor alarm! We use Anchor Pro and set it every night. If you move more than the distance you plug in, the alarm will go off. It’s free and has saved us once or twice!
- Keep Navionics (Garmin Boating) on all the time, even at anchor. This way, you have a track of where you’ve set, and if you move off that track, you know you’re dragging.
- Know what the weather will be doing. If a storm is coming in, just make sure you’re onboard. That’s the safest option.
- Keep the boat ready to go. We always pull our dinghy up and have the engines ready if needed. You just never know—it’s always best to be prepared.
- Keep an eye on boats around you. Sometimes it’s not your anchoring that’s the problem but the other vessels. Be aware!
- Watch for wind shifts. If the wind changes significantly, your anchor may reset, which could cause you to move a few meters while it digs back in.
- Anchor spot. If you’re unsure of the positioning of the anchor – dive it! We usually free-dive to check the anchor and make sure it’s in a good spot, especially if there’s any reef or coral around.
Summary
So that’s how to anchor your boat safely! Hopefully, you’ve learned something and gained some tips. We’ve done this for a while now, and it’s worked really well, so I hope it will for you too!
Of course, you may have to adjust the process to your boat and crew. Find what works for you, and don’t grow complacent—trust me, dragging is almost always unexpected. I really hope this post helps! I would genuinely love to hear your thoughts and any suggestions you may have, so please comment and let me know!
You could write a boating manual! Very clear and concise.
Thanks Robert! 😊