NW Explorations
GREY LADY OPERATING MANUAL
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15
Shore Lines
When a shore line is required, anchors are set 75 - 100 feet from shore, with the boat backing toward shore during
anchor-setting. The stern line is put around a tree, and brought back to the boat.
During this process, be sure to keep clear of rocks near the shore, and allow for our Northwest tides, occasionally twelve
feet, and sometimes 20 feet when further north! Check the present tide, and high and low tides
before
beginning
anchoring:
No sense anchoring in 15 feet of water if you’re at the “top” of a 15 foot tide!
To get to the shore, you will need to have a dinghy down, and then have your mate keep the boat’s stern toward shore
with short bursts of reverse gear. Sometimes a helpful boater already anchored will help you by taking your line to shore
for you with his dinghy, a neat “good deed” that you might reciprocate. We’ve met some nice boaters this way!
The shore line is in the cock pit deck box, and is long enough to usually allow taking it to a tree, around it, and back to
the boat so you don’t have to go ashore to untie when leaving. With a crew member keeping the boat in position, take
the dinghy to shore pulling the end of the shore line with you. Pass it
around
a tree, and pull it back to the boat if you
can, since then to get away in the morning all you have to do is release the bitter end from the boat, and pull it aboard.
Pull the line
tight
, as long as you’ve got over 100’ total of line out: there is plenty of sag/stretch, and we want to keep the
boat in its area! If necessary, put a crab pot float or fender on the line to warn others it’s there!
Here is a sketch of a properly anchored boat with a shore line (In this drawing, S=Scope, which should be at least 4 x DL,
the Depth at Low Tide):
