Anchoring

The method, the mistakes, and the hours you are asleep on it.

10 articles

Seamanship13 min read

Med Mooring: How to Go Stern-To Without Losing the Bow

Med mooring is anchoring, and everyone judges it as docking — every eye is on the stern while the thing holding the boat is forty metres away at the other end. The manoeuvre in six stages with the failure and the tell at each one, the three different things people call Med mooring, how far out to drop and why too close is unrecoverable, crossed chains, and why the alarm you want on a quay is a creep alarm rather than a swing alarm.

August 7, 2026

Equipment12 min read

Anchoring With a Windlass: How to Use One Without Breaking It

A windlass is a lifting machine, not an anchoring machine — and almost every expensive failure comes from asking it to do one of three jobs that belong to the engine, the chain stopper or the snubber. The drop, the handover and the recovery step by step, the current draw and duty cycle that explain the technique, why chain jumps the gypsy, what to do when the windlass dies, and why your chain counter is a guess with a decimal point.

August 1, 2026

Guide14 min read

How to Anchor a Boat: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Anchoring is not one action but five checkpoints — spot, scope, lay, set, watch — and every one of them has a pass/fail test. The complete guide to anchoring a boat: choosing the spot, calculating scope, laying the chain, power-setting, and verifying the hold before you relax, plus the mistakes behind almost all dragging.

July 26, 2026

Guide8 min read

How Far Apart Should Boats Anchor? Swing Room, Spacing & the Unwritten Rules

Far enough that their swing circles never overlap. How to work out your swinging radius, a depth-by-depth spacing table (two 12 m boats on 5:1 in 5 m need ~75 m between anchors), who carries the responsibility when boats swing together, and why same-size boats still swing differently.

July 18, 2026

Guide11 min read

Anchor Scope Explained: The 7:1 Rule & Chain Length Formula

What anchor scope really means, the 7:1 rule, and the formula to calculate how much chain or rode you need at any depth — plus why it depends on depth, not boat length.

June 29, 2026

Safety9 min read

Night Anchoring Safety: 10 Tips Every Sailor Needs to Know

Night anchoring demands extra caution. Learn 10 essential safety tips for anchoring after dark — from choosing the right spot with limited visibility to setting up reliable overnight monitoring.

February 20, 2026

Guide12 min read

How to Anchor a Boat Overnight Safely: The Complete Guide

Everything you need to know about overnight anchoring — from choosing the right spot and setting your anchor properly, to monitoring through the night and handling changing conditions.

February 14, 2026

Safety8 min read

How to Tell If Your Anchor Is Dragging: 5 Warning Signs Every Sailor Should Know

Anchor dragging is one of the most dangerous situations you can face at anchor. Learn the warning signs, what causes it, and how to prevent it before it becomes an emergency.

February 14, 2026

Safety9 min read

Why Do Anchors Drag? 7 Causes and How to Prevent Each One

Understanding why anchors drag is the first step to preventing it. We break down the 7 most common causes and give you specific prevention techniques for each.

February 14, 2026

Tips8 min read

The Solo Sailor's Guide to Sleeping Safely at Anchor

Single-handed anchoring brings unique challenges. From choosing the right anchorage to setting up your digital watch partner, here's how to sleep safely when sailing alone.

February 14, 2026

Other topics

Gear & Apps9Rules & Regulations4Seamanship & Maintenance10Sailing Itineraries9Where to Anchor8