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For those who anchor offshore


RedOwl

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How far out will you go without feeling rude?

This boating season we will have the opportunity to use property abutting state land for our boating day trips. Because we don't own the waterfront, we have to tie off to the shore and 'beach' during our breaks and down-time.

Unfortunately, the depth-change is EXTREMELY gradual and we would need to have the boat anchor-buddied out approx. 75' from shore to be in 6-8' of water. We use the traditional anchor/anchor buddy/shoreline technique which leaves a line between the boat and shore.

The river/water is approx. 200 yards wide where we would be doing this. Is being out 75' rude? should we be cheating in and leaving the boat in 4-5' of water to cut down on our 'obstruction'?

I am trying to balance the safety of the boat with civility and concern for others. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

 

Edited by RedOwl
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I sure would not be running 75 feet of rope into shore, someone isn't going to like that and it is a hazard unless you have it marked with buoys. Just drop your anchor and let the boat pivot. 

  • Like 3
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What is the bottom surface? Is the riverbed rocks or soft mud & silt? I wouldn't want my boat bouncing on rocks, but I've tied up/anchored in places where I can walk to the boat in waist-deep water. Don't run the boat in shallow water since you'll suck stuff in to the cooling system (assuming an open cooling system).

You want to make sure you stay out of the way of others, yet protect your boat. From your description it sounds like you're in an open area of the river and not in a cove; if you're in a cove my opinion changes to "it's OK to keep the boat 75' out" since you're making the cove your operations base. In the open river with a channel width of 200' and a safe passing margin of ~50' you're taking over half of the river for you: 75' + 50' = 125' of 200' and if you don't feel comfortable being closer than 75' from shore when anchored then 125' + 75' = 200' and you've effectively blocked the entire river for other responsible boaters.

I don't have any measurements in front of me, but I would assume that 2x the keel depth would be a minimum safe depth to tie up in. Keep in mind that using an anchor will require that you have anchor line and rode out significantly further than the boat in order to effectively hold the boat. Depending on the distance from the boat your anchor resting spot should be well marked so someone doesn't run over your anchor line.

This makes me wonder if there is something similar to the stick anchors I see on fishing boats on the river that might work well for a wakeboard boat...

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I've run 75' at Banks lake numerous times without any issues. It was in section of the lake where there isn't a ton of people/boats, in a small inlet with lots of swamp grass & weeds on the shore so there wasn't much chance of it being a problem.

Years ago we were anchored about 20' off shore (with buoys on the rope & anchor buddy) at Vasa Park on Lake Sammamish for a company picnic, which can be a pretty busy day on the water. Some dips*** in a jetski cut between the boat & shore & sucked up the rope securing the boat to the shore into his jet. Of course he was having a problem with it. My brother walked out pushed the guy away, flipped his jetski over & ripped the rope out of the impeller. Then pushed it away from his boat. The jetski sank in about 3' or 4' of water. He just glared at the guy & walked off.

The point is you have to do what you think is best for the circumstances. And even then someone/thing could easily muck it up.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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I am a bit anal on the anchoring/tying up thing.  I find that it almost always takes me less time to actually just put the boat on the trailer than to get it anchored in a position that I am comfortable leaving it without me watching it 100% of the time.

In that situation, I would just pull the boat.

  • Like 3
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3 hours ago, mikeo said:

What is the bottom surface?

You want to make sure you stay out of the way of others, yet protect your boat. From your description it sounds like you're in an open area of the river and not in a cove; if you're in a cove my opinion changes to "it's OK to keep the boat 75' out" since you're making the cove your operations base. In the open river with a channel width of 200' and a safe passing margin of ~50' you're taking over half of the river for you: 75' + 50' = 125' of 200' and if you don't feel comfortable being closer than 75' from shore when anchored then 125' + 75' = 200' and you've effectively blocked the entire river for other responsible boaters.

I don't have any measurements in front of me, but I would assume that 2x the keel depth would be a minimum safe depth to tie up in. Keep in mind that using an anchor will require that you have anchor line and rode out significantly further than the boat in order to effectively hold the boat. Depending on the distance from the boat your anchor resting spot should be well marked so someone doesn't run over your anchor line.

This makes me wonder if there is something similar to the stick anchors I see on fishing boats on the river that might work well for a wakeboard boat...

The bottom is primarily sand with a good assortment of logs and other organic material. It is a little more than 200 yards to the other side (600+ feet)

2rqcab5.png

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3 hours ago, RyanB said:

I am a bit anal on the anchoring/tying up thing.  I find that it almost always takes me less time to actually just put the boat on the trailer than to get it anchored in a position that I am comfortable leaving it without me watching it 100% of the time.

In that situation, I would just pull the boat.

I agree with this logic and it is what will bring me to probaby pull the boat out every night, but it would be nice if we could leave the boat in the water for meals/naps/etc.

If we have to bring it out of the water we are looking at a minimum of 2-3 hours of downtime and plenty of gravel roads and general wear-and-tear.

Edited by RedOwl
  • Like 1
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ahopkins22LSV

Are you staying at the state land to where the boat would be tied up overnight? Or are just talking about breaks during the day?

With a primarily sand bottom 6-8' is a TON of clearance. 4-5' is plenty to anchor a boat unless you have really big waves coming in. At our cottage up north we keep ours in 3' between two fence poles augered into the ground. Off the poles we a mainline with shock cord and then a safety line just longer then the mainline with the shock cord fully extended. That would be what I recommend for overnight. 

For day breaks I would just use a multi anchor system to suspend the boat in 3-4' of water. 

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Why are you trying to keep it so far from shore? Someone else's property? And 4' is plenty. 

If it was an entire summer, I'd want it at a dock, or out of the water. Unless it was the only boat on the lake. 

Steve B.

 

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martinarcher

I'm comfortable anchoring on a shoreline in 3-4' of water if it's a body of water with a consistent level.  75' seems a bit too far out there.  I've seen jet skis rip between shore and vessels that were that far out and that would be a dangerous affair of their were to rip over your anchor line that has you tied to shore.  I thin there would be much less chance of that if you come in a bit.  Also remember, transom to shore, bow to the open water.  Have fun....sounds like some fun days!

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75Ft just does not seem that far to me personally. thats like someone driving between some wake board or tuber ropes and the boat... although dont put it past some idiots... 

My dock is about 2X that length just to get to 4-4.5ft!  I just can NOT imagine if my boat was half way out from what it is now that someone would have the balls to drive between the boat and shore with only 75ft, i could be wrong but 75ft out on the water just inst much but sounds like a lot on land...out on the water thats crazy small.. unless someone has to get through to pull up to something like a dock which i doubt in your situation here. My biggest fear with this situation is someone NOT seeing the boat because without many shore lights or a full moon its going to be BLACK out there at night. 

Anyhow simple solution, put a solar flashing or constant light on the boat that ensures nobody will hit the boat and wont kill your boat battery. if your worried about the area between the boat and shore and potential boater passing through this SMALL area...ts quite simple. Grab a 5-6ft piece of 2" PVC pipe cut the tip at a 45 deg angle. Mount another light on top and twist it into the lake bottom somewhere between the boat and shore. in this way your covered IMO.

PM me if you want a deal on a solar light constant/flashing 1-mile visibility. 

good luck and have fun!

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4 hours ago, wakebrdr94 said:

Why not on a river?  I boat almost exclusively on a river and this is how everyone there anchors

because a river has current and having your boat perpendicular to the current makes it damn hard to anchor. Boat will want to sit bow up river when anchored, unless you are in a river with no current.

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We purchased one of those box anchors for our use at Redfish and Alturas lakes, etc., and they apparently require less line to hold.  4 feet or so on the anchor buddy off the stern to shore seems fine.  I still may put some chain on the box anchor, even though it says it does not need any.  Just because.  

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Just now, sunvalleylaw said:

We purchased one of those box anchors for our use at Redfish and Alturas lakes, etc., and they apparently require less line to hold.  4 feet or so on the anchor buddy off the stern to shore seems fine.  I still may put some chain on the box anchor, even though it says it does not need any.  Just because.  

Chain on a box anchor would be counter productive and make it work worse

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Just now, oldjeep said:

Chain on a box anchor would be counter productive and make it work worse

I was just studying that on another site and see different points of view.  For example:  http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/general-q/276827-box-anchors-chain-no-chain-2.html  Some say it helps keep the line at a good anchor, or prevents chafing.  A lot of others say no chain ever.  For what we do, I will anchor a few more times and see before messing with it and stick with the anchor as designed.  The big issue we get is high mountain lake wind if I am not in a sheltered place.  Sometimes, on weekends like that, it is just as easy to pull over night and keep the boat on the trailer until the morning.  But I want to figure it out as there will be times that is not convenient.  I felt like there was a bit of pulling on the anchor last time I tried it at alturas, but it seemed to re-set ok.  I do not like that particular spot, mid lake, as there is more wind to deal with so site choice will ease my mind also.

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4 hours ago, oldjeep said:

because a river has current and having your boat perpendicular to the current makes it damn hard to anchor. Boat will want to sit bow up river when anchored, unless you are in a river with no current.

Bow plastic anchor and rope snd stern plastic anchor and rope, I have 4 blade as a big one that grabs on bottom usually to bow in shallow  and smaller cone disc one and boat is perfect in 3-5 with wakes( unless your in the outer bank of turn your current should be minimal in 3-4) , it's the deep cut bank rivers that are a problem where you have to drop a real anchor upstream and drift back to your spot with the current

Edited by granddaddy55
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2 minutes ago, sunvalleylaw said:

I was just studying that on another site and see different points of view.  For example:  http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/general-q/276827-box-anchors-chain-no-chain-2.html  Some say it helps keep the line at a good anchor, or prevents chafing.  A lot of others say no chain ever.  For what we do, I will anchor a few more times and see before messing with it and stick with the anchor as designed.  The big issue we get is high mountain lake wind if I am not in a sheltered place.  Sometimes, on weekends like that, it is just as easy to pull over night and keep the boat on the trailer until the morning.  But I want to figure it out as there will be times that is not convenient.  I felt like there was a bit of pulling on the anchor last time I tried it at alturas, but it seemed to re-set ok.  I do not like that particular spot, mid lake, as there is more wind to deal with so site choice will ease my mind also.

The chain is going to tend to drop the arm rather than allowing it to stay up at angle so that the anchor digs properly.  Once of the best features of the box anchor is not having to have a crap load of heavy chain on it.

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Just now, Bill_AirJunky said:

As I recall we had 3 box anchors, no chain & like 13 boats at the high point.

IMG_5022.jpg

Cool.  Is that Liberty Lake?  Never been there.  Closest would probably be Potholes, or Vantage.  

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To try to get back to the OP, 75' seems like a lot, unless no one else is around.  I don't think I would do that.  I will take my other anchor questions to a more appropriate thread. :)

Edited by sunvalleylaw
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2 minutes ago, Bill_AirJunky said:

As I recall we had 3 box anchors, no chain & like 13 boats at the high point.

IMG_5022.jpg

It only takes one good upstream anchor and the rest is for less movement and peace of mind!

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8 minutes ago, sunvalleylaw said:

Cool.  Is that Liberty Lake?  Never been there.  Closest would probably be Potholes, or Vantage.  

That was the 2012 MalibuCrew WOW on Banks Lake.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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