BOAT HANDLING

Contents....

Grounding

Anchoring

Docking

Grounding
Two kinds of boaters exist, those who have gone aground and those who won't admit to it. Fortunately, grounding is more often a minor inconvenience than a true danger. Here's what to do if you get stuck in the mud.
Don't Panic, Assess the Situation
Panicking won't help any grounding situation, no matter how minor. And, hasty reactions can end up causing further harm to your boat and crew. While backing off is usually the skipper's first instinct, it may not be the best solution. Instead, try to figure out what you hit, how deeply you're bedded, and if the hull has been compromised. Then, check your chart for bottom characteristics and tide tables to determine the next high tide. If you were traveling slowly, chances are you've just touched bottom lightly.
Kedging, or setting the anchor, is the first thing you should do if you hit bottom. In most cases, your everyday working anchor is sufficient. Kedging keeps the boat from being driven further aground and may also provide a means of pulling you free. Waves and wakes from other boats may lift your boat. Once you've set the kedge, you have several options based on your situation:
Backing Off
If you've grounded lightly and hull damage appears to be minimal, you can try backing off. Determine what's on the bottom first. While backing off a soft bottom should do less damage to your hull than backing off rocks, reverse prop wash may throw sand and mud towards your bow, grounding you even more firmly. With engines in reverse, slowly and carefully try to back off.
If you're lucky, a good Samaritan will offer to give you a yank. You'll need to determine the wind and current to make sure you get the best angle on the pull.
When to Stay Aground
If you've sustained serious hull damage, you're better staying put than reentering deep water. Waiting for high tide is a safe, albeit slow way to get yourself un-stuck. While you're waiting, you could finish those few, ever-elusive boat chores.
If all else fails and you're really stuck, a commercial tower can help. Unless you're insured, this will cost you a minimum of $150 an hour. But, your safety and security are well worth it. And, you'll have learned a valuable lesson for the next time. The Coast Guard will not come out to assist or tow you unless you are in immediate danger.
What To Do In An Emergency
If you or your vessel are in immediate danger, hail the Coast Guard over VHF Channel 16 using the standard Pan-Pan or Mayday call depending on the urgency of your situation. This may also bring nearby boaters to your aid.  
PWC Operators
As you might imagine, PWC operators face different problems when they run aground.  In many cases, an operator can generally get off the PWC, and push/pull the boat off of "the hard".  PWCs are easier to examine for damage--make this a priority when you ground.  Check the hull both inside and out for cracks or leaks.  Also check that nothing has come loose, and do the "sniff" test for gasoline before heading out.

Anchoring
Good anchoring skills are essential for every boater. Just as important as understanding the equipment you'll need, is mastering how to use it.
Although not required by Federal Law, it is recommended you carry one anchor of sufficient size and strength to hold your boat for an extended period, like overnight. It is also recommended that you carry a "lunch hook", a small, lightweight anchor to use for short periods of anchoring during good weather. If you're doing extended cruising, where you may not be able to reach a berth in a safe harbor, consider purchasing a storm anchor, which can hold your boat in winds of 40 knots or more.
The general name for all of the equipment you need to anchor your boat is "ground tackle". This includes an anchor, chain, line and connecting elements. The anchor line, including chain, is called the rode.
Anchors have several parts, as seen in the illustration below.
Types of Anchors
There are several types of anchors. You should choose a style based on the bottom characteristics in the areas you will anchor most often. Then, choose a size based on the size and weight of your boat.
Lightweight or "Danforth" Type

danforth.jpg (2160 bytes)

 Lightweight type anchor with two long pivoting flukes; designed to reduce clogging with mud and grass; range from 2.5 to nearly 200 lbs.

  Commonly used on small recreational boats. Best in hard sand or mud.

  Soft mud, which can ball up around the flukes; or on rocky bottoms where the flukes cannot penetrate, Also not recommended for grassy bottoms.

  Pivoting flukes bury the anchor and part of the line.
Plow

plow.jpg (3914 bytes)

  Deep burying flukes stay in place. Has either a fixed or pivoting shank.

  Sand and mud; commonly used on larger recreational boats.

  Rocky bottoms, weeds and grass.

  Lands on its side, then when pulled, buries itself.

Bruce

bruce.jpg (2859 bytes)

 Unique shape allows a 360 degree turn without breaking out.

  Mud, sand and rocks.

  A burying type, it will right itself no matter how it lands on the bottom.
Kedge or "Hook"

kedge.jpg (2739 bytes)

 A more traditional style anchor with arks, flukes and stock.

  Heavy grass, weeds, rocky bottoms or hard sand where one arm can penetrate a crevice.

  Mud or loose sand.

  Not a burying anchor, one arm digs into bottom and one lies exposed.
Grapnel

 Very inexpensive, not much holding power.

  Recovering items on the bottom, wreck or reef anchoring.

  Anchoring recreational vessels; more commonly used to anchor commercial fishing vessels.

  Drag back and forth, or grapple, to recover items on the bottom.
Navy or Stockless type

 Chunky device used on larger ships.

  Mud or sand.

  Rocky bottoms, shale or grass.

  Relies on great weight. Suitable only for "lunch hooks" in recreational boats.
Lines...
The best all around line for anchoring is nylon in three-strand twist. Three-strand line can absorb shock and the constant tugging associated with anchoring much better than braided line. Chain is also widely used, especially in anchorages that are primarily rock or coral. A length of chain should be used between the anchor and a longer length of line. The chain will add weight to set your anchor without making it too heavy to lift manually, while serving to exert a horizontal pull on the anchor to set it.
Before leaving the dock, determine how much anchor line, or rode, you will need. It is recommended that you use a scope of 7:1, meaning that for every foot of water depth, you should use 7 feet of rode. For example, to anchor in 10 feet of water, you would throw out 70 feet of line. Measure the scope as the ratio of the length of the anchor rode to the height of the bow above the bottom.
Scope = Length / Distance
If you're using a lightweight anchor on a small boat in good weather conditions, a shorter scope of 5:1 is sufficient and safe. A prudent boater always has extra line and chain on hand, just in case!
It's Time to Set the Anchor
Never anchor a small boat by the stern! Your engine, and the bulk of the boat's weight rest here. Stern anchoring is likely to result in swamping and flooding.
  • Check your chart for bottom characteristics and to determine that you are anchoring in a safe and allowable place.
  • If there are rocks, shoals, reefs or other boats to consider, give them all as wide a berth as possible, keeping in mind a possible swing of 360 degrees about the anchor with wind shifts or current changes.
  • Secure the bitter end of the anchor line to a bow cleat.
  • Make sure the line is ready to run free once tossed overboard.
  • Head into the wind or current.
  • Reduce speed and reverse the engine.
  • When the boat starts to make a slight sternway through the water, lower -- do not throw -- the anchor.
  • Tug the anchor line to see how firmly it's set, and then readjust the rode at the bow cleat if necessary.
  • Even if anchoring only in designated anchoring areas, it is always prudent to have the appropriate signal such as an all-around white light on to notify other boats that you are anchored at night. During the day you must display a ball shape which is sized according to the size of your boat.
Staying Put
It's a good idea to take two immediate bearings. Select two items, one off each beam, that form a natural range and watch for any changes in their relationship. You can check these later to determine if you're boat is swinging as expected or if you're dragging anchor.
WATCH OUT!!! Common Anchoring Mistakes...
  • Letting the anchor go with out securing the line to the boat.
  • Letting the anchor go with your foot wrapped in the anchor line.
  • Poor communication between the captain and person on the foredeck.

Docking
For many people docking their boat is one of the most trying experiences to be had on the water. Attempting to tie up to a busy fuel dock on a windy weekend day can test anyone's piloting skills.
The things you need to notice when you are about to dock is where you intend to tie up, where other boats are, what the wind is doing, and to a lesser extent what the current is doing.

 Look and see how much room you have to maneuver your vessel around the area you intend to dock. Docking next to a long open pier is usually going to be easier than backing into a narrow slip in a confined marina.

  Are other boats leaving or entering the area you need to turn? How other boats are tied up or moving can greatly alter your intended steering and docking.

  Knowing which way the wind is blowing can greatly aid your docking. When coming alongside a pier with the wind in your face, head in at a steep angle to the pier and turn sharply at the last moment to avoid being blown out by the wind. If the wind is at your stern, come into the dock at a narrow angle and let the wind do the work of pushing your boat up against the dock.

  Current can also effect your docking in a similar fashion to wind, and in some areas can preclude you from docking at all in low water. Consult your tide tables, especially when travelling in new waters.
At all times, maintain no more than steerage speeds and try and have some crew ready with lines to tie off immediately. Using your lines to assist in docking can save a great deal of time and energy. Lines can be used as simple fulcrums to help bring either end of your boat to the dock. Let the lines do the work!
PWC Operators

Given the high buoyancy and light weight of personal water craft, anchoring is usually quite easy.   A small mushroom anchor, or even a stake in the beach will usually suffice.   As with traditional boats, it is best to anchor from the bow, and to give the anchor plenty of line to swing freely.

For further reading on these topics and other boating information, The BoatU.S. Foundation recommends any of the following:
All of these can be found through your local BoatU.S. Marine Center, the BoatU.S. Catalog or the New Online Store! (www.boatus.com)
 Chapman's Piloting by: Elbert S. Maloney

 Chapman's Hands-On Powerboating CD ROM

 The Annapolis Book of Seamanship by: John Rousmaniere

 US Power Squadron Booklets (Knots, Sailing, GPS, Radar, etc.)

 US Coast Guard Auxiliary's Skipper's Safe Boating Course