Perhaps I’ll be able to stop the boat, drop the hook and relax after all... Theo Stocker introduces the July 2021 issue of Yachting Monthly
Anchoring is wonderfully simple. Stop the boat, drop the hook, pour a drink and relax.
There’s nothing more to it, as long as you have enough depth when the tide goes out… and enough chain out for when the tide comes in… and suitable shelter… and no other boats too close to you… and the anchor doesn’t drag…
It’s little wonder that the midnight trip into the cockpit is a ubiquitous experience for skippers troubled by the slightest rumble of chain.
An overnight anchor watch may be appropriate, but we’d all rather a good night’s sleep secure in the knowledge that no harm can come to the boat.
Achieving this blissful state is a dark art, balancing the nuances of scope, chain weight, anchor design, seabed type, windage and displacement against the swirling forces of an ever-changing environment.
Continues below…
How and where to go wild cruising in the UK
Planning to spend the night away from crowded waters can be truly rewarding but preparation is essential before you go…
Anchoring: 7 common problems solved
Yachting Monthly experts share the problems they have most often faced when anchoring, and how they troubleshoot their way out
UK Coastal walks for cruisers: 10 of the best
Uncertainty about sailing overseas due to COVID-19 will see many of us cruising closer to home this season. New experiences…
Jonathan Neeves argues we’ve all been using anchor snubbers incorrectly for years.
My short nylon snubber might reduce noise through the hull but does little to protect the anchor from the shockloads of swinging to anchor, once my chain’s catenary has been used up, he says.
His solution is sensible and straightforward, and one I’ll be trying out this summer.
Perhaps I’ll be able to stop the boat, drop the hook and relax after all, leaving me free to enjoy whatever the new anchorage has to offer.
If history is your thing, the British Isles abound in anchorages and harbours surrounded by the strata of millennia for you to unearth, from Second World War wrecks to medieval castles, past Roman remains and on to prehistoric stone circles.
Our experts have shared a handful of their favourite sites to help you plan your own odyssey this summer.