Do you find Mediterranean style mooring difficult?
Here are some simple and basic steps that will turn anchoring into a safe and successful procedure.
Let’s say that you are into a port were you need to moor by anchor or into a bay that you would like to spend the night.
Here we go:
- You check the depth of the area you plan to anchor but also the surrounding area (if there are riffs or spots with very low depth).
- If there are other yachts nearby you should have a look where their anchor is pointing-remember that at the time you arrive maybe the wind direction has changed and the nearby boats have released the anchor in an opposite direction than yours.
- If you have doubts you can ask the fellow captains where they have released their anchor.
- If you plan to stay on anchor in the middle of the bay it is common sense that you need to keep a distance from the other boats since as the weather changes you may point in opposite directions
- Start launching the anchor at a distance equal to 4 x the size of your boat (if you boat is 50 feet-15m then you should start launching the anchor at 60m from shore
- Check the depth (with your depth sounder) at the point where you start releasing the anchor. Release equal chain as the depth of the area you are.
- When your anchor touches the ground then start sliding backwards slowly until the anchor grabs well in the bottom. When this happens you can start releasing more anchor and slowly going backwards.
- Release a lot of chain! (it is the weight of the chain that does the holding). A lot means that for example in a depth of 8 meters you should release approx 50m of chain for a good holding.
- When you reach the shore you can throw 2 mooring lines to keep you in line with the dock.
- Lastly you should check that the chain is pointing in front of the yacht and is tighten in a form of a straight line. If you like to check you can start retracking some of the anchor to see if you have a good holding
That’s it!
We believe that if you follow these basic steps you will succeed and you will be moored securely!
See it below in action:
