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NH_boater · 08-13-2013, 10:53 AM

We are all newbies once. My first trip to any sandbar was Winnisquam. Pulled in, dropped my only anchor, saw everyone else had two as I held my stern steady. I quickly left and bought a stern anchor on the way home. Problem solved, except the stern anchor was a grappling hook style that never held in any breeze at all. Talked to some folks, read a little, bought a super hooker one size oversized. Problem solved.

I am pretty tolerant of those that are obviously new, as I was once too. Funny that some of the boats having great difficulties I have seen at the same sandbar for four years. I won't identify them but one has two anchors that are too small and poor design, never drops enough scope and constantly swings and drifts into other boats with any breeze at all. I have helped them off my boat a few times, politely showing them to drop more scope and to consider a larger, better anchor and a chain. Here that are again this year with the same setup and same difficulties. I hear the wife complain and he just says that he cannot understand why their anchor won't hold the boat. Says anchors do not hold well on sandy bottoms. Forget the fact that no one around them is drifting or dragging.

Then there is the guy that gets into position with no prep and then starts to look for his anchor. I had to jump in one day and quickly run around to keep his performance cruiser off my boat in the wind while he obliviously fought with his locked anchor locker. He was drifting into us, looked up, saw it, and just calmly continued to attempt to get his anchor. He would have 'slammed' into us if I did not jump in. Even if he got the anchor out, it was way too late to stop the drift. No problem, I positioned him, set his anchors and we talked for a bit. Feeling good that I helped a newbie who needed it. He did the exact same thing the next day to another boat. Then the same the next weekend and twice more (that I personally saw) last year. Probably a >100k boat. I cannot help but think how someone can do this, at the complete whim of others to protect a collision, again and again.

It is pretty ease to do a little research and be more comfortable with your boat.
Very little effort.

08-13-2013, 10:53 AM	#13
NH_boater Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 298 Thanks: 14 Thanked 147 Times in 62 Posts	We are all newbies once. My first trip to any sandbar was Winnisquam. Pulled in, dropped my only anchor, saw everyone else had two as I held my stern steady. I quickly left and bought a stern anchor on the way home. Problem solved, except the stern anchor was a grappling hook style that never held in any breeze at all. Talked to some folks, read a little, bought a super hooker one size oversized. Problem solved. I am pretty tolerant of those that are obviously new, as I was once too. Funny that some of the boats having great difficulties I have seen at the same sandbar for four years. I won't identify them but one has two anchors that are too small and poor design, never drops enough scope and constantly swings and drifts into other boats with any breeze at all. I have helped them off my boat a few times, politely showing them to drop more scope and to consider a larger, better anchor and a chain. Here that are again this year with the same setup and same difficulties. I hear the wife complain and he just says that he cannot understand why their anchor won't hold the boat. Says anchors do not hold well on sandy bottoms. Forget the fact that no one around them is drifting or dragging. Then there is the guy that gets into position with no prep and then starts to look for his anchor. I had to jump in one day and quickly run around to keep his performance cruiser off my boat in the wind while he obliviously fought with his locked anchor locker. He was drifting into us, looked up, saw it, and just calmly continued to attempt to get his anchor. He would have 'slammed' into us if I did not jump in. Even if he got the anchor out, it was way too late to stop the drift. No problem, I positioned him, set his anchors and we talked for a bit. Feeling good that I helped a newbie who needed it. He did the exact same thing the next day to another boat. Then the same the next weekend and twice more (that I personally saw) last year. Probably a >100k boat. I cannot help but think how someone can do this, at the complete whim of others to protect a collision, again and again. It is pretty ease to do a little research and be more comfortable with your boat. Very little effort.