Anchoring
She dragged her anchor & came ashore onto rocks near Forte S. João at Ferragudo
I have always enjoyed anchoring and normally one anchor is sufficient. The most important thing to remember is to put out plenty of chain. Four times the depth of water in calm weather and much more if there is a strong wind. Remember, chain is doing no good at all sitting in your chain locker, the more you can get on the bottom the better because it will insure a horizontal pull on your anchor which will encourage the anchor to stay dug in.
I can remember one Christmas about eight years ago I was anchored at Faro, the wind was blowing about 40 knots and forecast to increase to in excess of 60 knots. I wanted to put out more chain, but was concerned that I would not have enough swinging room when the tide and or wind changed. So weighed anchor and motored down to the anchorage off Culatra where I anchored well away from the few other boats that were there. We lay just to our bower anchor with about 100 metres of chain, there were six of us on board and we took it in turns throughout the night to maintain an anchor watch. The wind at times was well in excess of 60 knots, someone at one of the bars on Culatra the next day told us that the wind at times was as much as 100 knots, I think that may have been an exageration, but the wind was certainly exceptionally strong and our anchor held us in position throughout the night.
Normally the only time that I lay two anchors is when I am anchored in a river or narrow channel. Then I will lay the bower anchor out ahead on all the chain, then drop the kedge anchor and let it out astern as I pull the boat forward on the bower anchor chain until I am approximately half way between my two anchors. Then I lash the bower anchor chain to the kedge anchor warp just below the stem roller with a short piece of thin rope and then lower the the chain and rope so it is about a meter below the surface of the water. The boat will then swing round this point between the two anchors and there is much less danger of ending up aground on the river bank than there would be if you were lying to just one anchor on a long length of chain.
Whilst in calm weather it is fine to row ashore to visit a restaurant or go shopping, I would never leave a boat at anchor in strong winds or overnight. If your boat were to drag her anchor when you were not on board there is nothing that you can do to prevent it, and if your insurance company were to hear that you were not on board at the time they would probably refuse to pay out on your claim.
If you would like to read more about anchoring I have written another longer article which you will find as number 51 on my articles page or by going to:
