A Good Night's Sleep

      beep.....beep.....beep.....beep.....beep.... what was that, I didn't set an alarm clock.  I look at the clock.  It's 5:15 a.m.  I lay in bed for another 15 seconds before I decide to get up and investigate.  As I enter the pilothouse I immediately see why there was an alarm this morning.  The raft-up of four sailboats off of our starboard bow has dragged their anchor.   Well, only one boat dragged their anchor, the other three that were tied to that boat came along for the ride.  Now this floating mass  is 150 feet away, and all hands are on deck scurring about like it's a fire drill.  Engines are firing up, lines are being cast off.  Everybody (sailboats) is abandoning the anchor boat so that they don't go aground on the nearby shoreline.  While all the other sailboats make a clean getaway and anchor elsewhere in the cove, the anchor boat of the raft-up stays where he's at. Why not?  The anchor is already out.  But wait.....beep.....beep.....beep.....beep.....beep....there goes the anchor alarm again.  The same boat is dragging the anchor again.  The sailboat's first mate emerges from down below to look around, but where is the captain?  Finally, after what seemed like 5 minutes the "captain" shows his face at the helm, looks around and disappears below again, with the first mate in tow.  As I sit in the pilothouse of our boat prepared to take evasive action, the first mate appears a few minutes later and checks the chartplotter.  Did the alarm sound again? I don't know.  What I do know is that the "captain" of this sailboat (Andiamo of Annapolis, MD) never checked the integrity of the anchor set after having dragged twice.  Never did he start his engines and put the transmission in reverse and pull on his ground tackle to verify the hook was set.  And you call yourself a "captain"! (Note - Andiamo is Italian for "Let's Go" - how appropriate)

     I have always wondered why boats with minimal tackle for the size of the boat believe that they can attach another 2, 3, 4, or more boats in a raft up situation and expect their tackle to hold when the winds kick up.  This is especially true of some  sailboats.  They try to keep their weight to a minimum, especially on the bow while sacrificing one of the most important pieces of equipment on a boat - the anchor and rode.  Power boats are guilty of undersized anchors too, but we don't know what their excuse is for such a small anchors, maybe it's just plain ignorance. The anchor on Big Run is a 66lb. Bruce anchor with 1/2" chain.  I did not set up this arrangement, but I am sure glad we have ground tackle for a 50-60 foot boat on a 42 foot boat.  Next time someone wants to raft up with you, ask yourself  "Do I have the right anchor and rode for a raft up should the winds pick up?"  After all, we all want a good night's sleep.

Update - it's now 6:50 a.m. and the anchor alarm has sounded again - hey Captain, do the right thing!