Ranger Tim
Well-known member
Yes, I use the anchor drag alarm. I usually set the limit for 2-3x the swing and sleep easy. It will still worry you the first few times. Then it gets easier to sleep.
We use a large cooler on the deck as our eating table, and we carry lots of wet wipes for cleanup and sponge baths if necessary. Sometimes it's too cold to shower in the winter!
I love anchoring in a safe location and being able to wake up in the middle of the night and take a short stroll around the topside without having to worry about the rest of the world. It is truly a liberating feeling.
Don't let the Admiral pack too much stuff. Go minimal if possible and you'll have less clutter. Take a couple of nice deck chairs for sure.
Perhaps the worst problem is interior condensation from breathing. Have some towels to wipe down the windows or a fan to clear the windshield when you want to get underway. A bottle of windex is nice to cut the crud that builds up over a few days on the outside glass surfaces.
Raw water washdowns are nice when on the boat for more than a few days, so be sure to bring a bucket and sponge (unless you have the necessary pumps and hoses). Staying on the hook in sheltered waters usually leaves a lot of muck on the anchor - I station a mate at the bow to wash it off as I retrieve to keep the mud out of the locker and off the boat.
Staying overnight is why I chose the type of anchor I did (Delta fast-set). It does a remarkable job of resetting after a wind direction change. Two anchors will do a lot to eliminate swing and prevent ground tackle from pulling out if they are placed correctly. I am usually too lazy to pull out my spare Danforth.
We use a large cooler on the deck as our eating table, and we carry lots of wet wipes for cleanup and sponge baths if necessary. Sometimes it's too cold to shower in the winter!
I love anchoring in a safe location and being able to wake up in the middle of the night and take a short stroll around the topside without having to worry about the rest of the world. It is truly a liberating feeling.
Don't let the Admiral pack too much stuff. Go minimal if possible and you'll have less clutter. Take a couple of nice deck chairs for sure.
Perhaps the worst problem is interior condensation from breathing. Have some towels to wipe down the windows or a fan to clear the windshield when you want to get underway. A bottle of windex is nice to cut the crud that builds up over a few days on the outside glass surfaces.
Raw water washdowns are nice when on the boat for more than a few days, so be sure to bring a bucket and sponge (unless you have the necessary pumps and hoses). Staying on the hook in sheltered waters usually leaves a lot of muck on the anchor - I station a mate at the bow to wash it off as I retrieve to keep the mud out of the locker and off the boat.
Staying overnight is why I chose the type of anchor I did (Delta fast-set). It does a remarkable job of resetting after a wind direction change. Two anchors will do a lot to eliminate swing and prevent ground tackle from pulling out if they are placed correctly. I am usually too lazy to pull out my spare Danforth.