Buoy to mark anchor location

[Mastercraft]

What is a recommendation for buoy to mark anchor location? Is this a benefit when solo anchoring? Are there any tips for using buoy?

 

[SKing]

I carry a setup to be able to do that. I only use it in anchorages that are tight, like I find in Desolation Sound area, since it gives boats coming in after me a clue on where I set my anchor. It adds more complications so I would not use it anchoring solo. If it is just about my knowing where the anchor is I use Anchor Pro to mark the location.

 

[venajeff]

Surprisingly we have never had the problem of someone dropping their anchor on top of ours. On the contrary, and much to our amusement, most people seem to think you drop your anchor straight down at the location you want your bow to be at.

 

[fishheadbarandgrill]

Most people just use an old fender.

 

[Mastercraft]

I read more about anchor buoy. Not sure if it is a good idea. Good if anchor stuck. Should be buoy smaller than crab buoy and 50% more rope than depth. Otherwise in rough water the buoy pulls on anchor . I want it to know direction of anchor line when solo so that I can drive to anchor easier. Should I depend on anchor pro for anchor location? Tough to be on bow and helm at same time.

 

[SKing]

Here is a picture (drawn by a child) of the setup I use. The rope passes through a $10 aluminum climbing pully, attached to a fender. The end of the rope has a 2lb weight on it. This allows the fender to stay above your anchor regardless of the tide changes. It also make the fender stand up straight. You also don't have extra line floating in the water to tangle with someones boat. If you have concerns on the tide and wind pulling on your anchor you have probably anchored in a inhospitable location. Like I said I only end up using it if I am in a crowded location or if I want it as a anchor release line because i'm in old logging grounds.

 

[ButtercupWa]

Here is a picture (drawn by a child) of the setup I use. The rope passes through a $10 aluminum climbing pully, attached to a fender. The end of the rope has a 2lb weight on it. This allows the fender to stay above your anchor regardless of the tide changes. It also make the fender stand up straight. You also don't have extra line floating in the water to tangle with someones boat. If you have concerns on the tide and wind pulling on your anchor you have probably anchored in a inhospitable location. Like I said I only end up using it if I am in a crowded location or if I want it as a anchor release line because i'm in old logging grounds.

View attachment 27317

I liked the drawing! What's the process you use to deploy this anchor buoy setup? How much line do you have prepared for your system and what is the gauge of the rope? Thanks!

 

[Rode Trip]

I wish people would use their anchor buoys more judiciously than I normally see. I don't know what anchoring in the NW is like, maybe you have large open anchorages everywhere, but along the east coast, FL, Keys, Bahamas, etc. there are a lot of smaller anchorages that tend to fill up leaving the boats packed in tightly. The anchor floats then end up becoming another obstacle that prevent swinging room between boats. By using one of the floats you turn yourself from a single obstacle to be avoided by other boaters into two obstacles 75-100 feet apart that must be avoided not just in the current wind direction but also as the wind swings. As the wind swings your boat moves and your float stays, leaving both a stationary and moving object to be avoided by others when in a normally functioning anchorage everyone swings the same direction and there's not a problem.
An anchorage that should be able to hold 15 boats comfortably ends up being full with 6 or 7 people using anchor floats.
I don't get the benefit of it either. If you need to know the location of your anchor just look at your plotter or look at the anchor line.
But there is a significant drawback to them when another boat gets fouled on your float. Or when you're the one coming into an anchorage late in the day and can't find room because of all the floats out there in the open spaces between the boats.
Clearly a pet peeve of mine...

 

[Mastercraft]

Question for SKing: How do you keep the two vertical ropes from being twisted?

With varying wind, currents, and boat shapes ..... all boats don't swing the same

 

[SKing]

The rope does twist but still works.

I choose 3/8

And yes my cutwater definitely swings different than a sail boat in light wind or current. I have 115 ft of chain. And if I have 30' rope out also, then the end of the chain acts as the anchor point and the boat dances all arround that point, it takes a stronger current or wind to start moving the chain.

As a result I now try not to let out more than 125ft most nights, so in light breases I won't dance as much. I'm also always mentaly ready to change the ratio to 5:1 if needed at night. (there are lots of anchorages in the Northwest that are 30 ft deep or more)

As for the etiquette that Rode Trip mentions I understand his point.

The amount of times I have used it is roughly 5%, but its nice when wanted

 

[shontm]

I don’t think it’s necessary or a good idea. I’ve anchored all over San Juans and Desolation Sound, sometimes solo, without incident (at least pulling it up — have had plenty of adventures with stern lines!). I’ve rarely seen anyone else use one. The problem beyond adding an extra step and an extra line to get tangled is that it won’t actually be over your anchor since the buoy will swing with current and tide. Or if you make it too short, it will become a submerged hazard. And I agree with Andy that in tight spaces it becomes an added obstacle for other boaters. I’ve found when anchoring solo that I can do all but the last bit from the helm just fine. I drive a bit toward where I think it is and then start pulling up and as you get tension it becomes obvious which direction because line will go off to one side if you’re not going the right way. I usually go to bow for the last little bit.