How to stay in roadstead as safe and comfortable as in port

Anchoring in bay as serene as in port. Spending a night at anchor in peace is easier with weather apps and online reviews that help us locate the right places in advance, and anchor alarms allow us to rest. There will always be a sheltered bay in which to give bottom, and by taking advantage of the latest technology we will stay comfortable and knowing what to do, we will be comfortable even if the wind comes.

Anchoring in bay with weather app

With weather apps such as Windy or the Meteomed web-app, we study wave and wind patterns over the preceding days. Searching, we will always find a bay, or a headland sheltered from winds and incoming wave. Models such as high-resolution AROME consider the effects of orography on ground winds. When we are at anchor, we will use the same app to look at weather radar and infrared satellite, lightning strikes, and weather station data in real time.

Anchoring in the bay with Navily reviews

Navily is the app that for each anchorage point presents reviews and advice from boaters, we will know in advance if we will be comfortable and discover up-to-date information and photographs taken by those on the spot. Combine poile high-resolution bathymetry from electronic charts from apps such as Navionics and C-Map, satellite photos, and we will find the right bay in a more complete and practical way than just using charts and portolanos.

The arrival on site, exploration

When we enter the bay, we take an exploratory tour keeping an eye on depth gauge or depth sounder. Oserviamo the vegetation, bent trees, for example will be indicative of area more exposed to wind, older houses if any, will probably be built in the most sheltered area…

On plotter and nautical chart we identify shoals, cables or sewers on the bottom,any prohibitions. If the water is clear we take a look with a mask or bathyoscope, avoiding poseidonia, rock, nets or chains. We mark on the plotter the best stitch and an alternative stitch.

Where to anchor in relation to other boats

Other boats at anchor are a danger, so the farther away we are, considering the circumference of the wheel described by our and other boats, the better.

If we are certain of the tightness our anchorage and are well protected, better to be upwind of all other boats. Conversely, arriving in an already crowded bay, with a landward wind, better to be downwind of everyone, ready to sail out to sea, than to be among a jungle of chains.

When we fund

We prepare the grippiale with a line of the appropriate length.

We bring ourselves, bow to wind, to the identified waypoint, put in neutral and with the boat stationary, give bottom. We count the meters of chain and by drifting downwind or motoring, we lay five or more lengths over the bottom. When the anchor snags we will see the chain tensioning, and by increasing to half-force at engine back we will check the tightness of the anchor.

Untie the windlass

We insert the chain blocker or arm a line secured to the cleat, to release the anchor windlass from the chain load. The special chain-grab shackle, such as the one marketed by Kong, simplifies this operation.

App and alarm still

We take references on the ground and on the plotter to establish the radius of our wheel, making sure that if the wind changes, our circle does not intercept hazards.

We record our track on the plotter, and activate the alarm on the Anchor Alarm app,on the instruments we activate wind and shallow water alarm.

Anchor Alert is a great and free app. If the boat will go out of the set wheel circle, the alarm will sound immediately.

Day and night signals

We arm the black balloon on the bow, daytime anchor signal, and turn on the anchor light at sunset. If we have guests coming ashore in a tender, a second light at the stern will make our boat immediately recognizable to those who must return to it at night.

When the wind turns

In the evening typically, breezes arrive ill wind turns and all boats orient themselves with their new bows to the wind… But the anchors won’t; in fact, they will be oriented in the optimal position for them to ship. To be on the safe side when the wind changes we will have to re-anchor, or with modern anchors or vector anchors, we can motor back, lay the chain and let the anchor grapple with the new orientation.

If a strong wind comes

If the wind comes, no fear. If we have done everything right, the wind alarm sounds, the chain stretches out, we will have clear water around us, and we will be in the cockpit observing the situation and the anemometer, with the boat stationary, which will make few fluctuations.

A clear cockpit, tender not in the water, and fenders in the broadside and whistle ready are a must.

If we notice the bow penduluming more and more violently, especially under gust,we need to lower more chain, and redefine the warning radius still.

When the anchor plows

To reduce the loads on our anchor, having given all the chain, we can with forward machines keeping bow to windward.

If we start plowing, and have obstacles downwind,we must set sail immediately, warding off hooking chains from other boats

On the other hand, if we have a lot of water downwind we can trust the anchor that is plowing and wait a few seconds–in many cases a modern anchor will catch up with the bottom and hold more than before.

High-hold anchor, cicada chain and swivel

A modern, oversized, high-strength anchor such as Rocna, Vulcan, Mantus, Kobra, Ultra, Delta–and lots of chain–are an added guarantee for safe anchoring. For a night in the roadstead, it is recommended to set five times the length of the bottom, and have at least five other available lengths of chain on board, marked every 10 meters. The swivel and shackle-hook , are often ill weak point of the anchor line. The spindle should never pry the swivel arms with side pull, so a shackle closed with a hex wrench and threadlocker, or a few links of chain, should be placed between the anchor and swivel. The breaking loads of the swivel, or false link used to lengthen the chain, must be certified.

Do you want to know more? Here is our article on perfect anchoring techniques.

Luigi Gallerani