- Joined
- Sep 16, 2003
- RO Number
- 12212
- Messages
- 12,185
about 15 boats dragging and drifting, people yelling, horns blaring, etc...
arrived at No Name Harbor (for non south floridian a small harbor in the state park at the tip of Key Biscayne) around 9pm last night, the place was packed. since you're not allowed to tie up to the bulkhead overnight boats are often anchored a little closer than they should.
forecast was as clear and solid as it could be. SW 10kts, shifting to W and WNW overnight, increasing to 20/25kts with possible gale force gusts.
When i got in i noticed some large raft ups, 5 or 6 boats, incl one with stern anchors, sittign ducks to the expected shift. I almost anchored at the end on the eastern side but figured that if things picked up as expected, it would be safer to be upwind! So I picked a spot on the west side, a little too close to the shore and to a sailboat but i knew the winds would keep me away from shore. I didn't sleep very well, waking up a few times, peeking outside...
Well around 5am the wind indeed started blowing over 20kts and hell broke loose. It's always amazing how quickly a boat, or a raftup will drag. I got up to check my anchor which was holding solid (Fortress 55 and 65' of chain... just a little over 4:1 but that's all i could use in that crowded anchorage...).
then i sat down and just watched the show from my safe upwind vantage point. boats draging, others maneuvring almost hitting each other, hsubands yelling at the wifes (i wonder how many will never agree to overnight again). It lasted well over an hour!
lessons:
-check the forecasts and be ready. dont' tie up 5 or 6 large boats overnight when it calls for a shift and 25kts!
-with such conditions, try to stay upwind. everybody downwind, except for the sailboat i was close too either dragged or got dragged into.
- if you're going to party late into the night, keep a designated skipper! you don't want to be dealing with this kind of mess with a clouded head. maybe that explains why a few boats circled for a long time, some steering with their bow thrusters (hate that noise!)
- chain chain chain chain. this is a life saver, especially in paked harbor where you can use scope. I couldn't have gone over 4:1 and there is no way i woudl have held with rope/chain under these conditions.
now my problem is that all the dragsters are tied up to the bulkhead and I'm probably not going to find a spot there at sunrise...
arrived at No Name Harbor (for non south floridian a small harbor in the state park at the tip of Key Biscayne) around 9pm last night, the place was packed. since you're not allowed to tie up to the bulkhead overnight boats are often anchored a little closer than they should.
forecast was as clear and solid as it could be. SW 10kts, shifting to W and WNW overnight, increasing to 20/25kts with possible gale force gusts.
When i got in i noticed some large raft ups, 5 or 6 boats, incl one with stern anchors, sittign ducks to the expected shift. I almost anchored at the end on the eastern side but figured that if things picked up as expected, it would be safer to be upwind! So I picked a spot on the west side, a little too close to the shore and to a sailboat but i knew the winds would keep me away from shore. I didn't sleep very well, waking up a few times, peeking outside...
Well around 5am the wind indeed started blowing over 20kts and hell broke loose. It's always amazing how quickly a boat, or a raftup will drag. I got up to check my anchor which was holding solid (Fortress 55 and 65' of chain... just a little over 4:1 but that's all i could use in that crowded anchorage...).
then i sat down and just watched the show from my safe upwind vantage point. boats draging, others maneuvring almost hitting each other, hsubands yelling at the wifes (i wonder how many will never agree to overnight again). It lasted well over an hour!
lessons:
-check the forecasts and be ready. dont' tie up 5 or 6 large boats overnight when it calls for a shift and 25kts!
-with such conditions, try to stay upwind. everybody downwind, except for the sailboat i was close too either dragged or got dragged into.
- if you're going to party late into the night, keep a designated skipper! you don't want to be dealing with this kind of mess with a clouded head. maybe that explains why a few boats circled for a long time, some steering with their bow thrusters (hate that noise!)
- chain chain chain chain. this is a life saver, especially in paked harbor where you can use scope. I couldn't have gone over 4:1 and there is no way i woudl have held with rope/chain under these conditions.
now my problem is that all the dragsters are tied up to the bulkhead and I'm probably not going to find a spot there at sunrise...