Anchorages, moorings and rivers

The time has passed when a yacht, finding another craft already in residence in a remote Scottish anchorage, would turn around and go elsewhere. There are too many of us now. There’s still plenty of room, yet all too often we sail into a tight little hole for a quiet night to discover some clown has dropped his pick smack in the middle. Don’t be that boat. Anchor to leave room for another one or two. I’m as guilty as anyone here. The middle is so tempting, but it might be me next time that arrives at dusk with no alternative destination and no space to let go. all boats swing as one, but in tide-swept Gasworks Creek that doesn’t always happen. When you decide to anchor near someone else, a sound policy is to ask them how much scope they have laid and lay your ground tackle accordingly. all motorboats. Many a modern yacht can easily reach hull speed under power. Try it sometime on a quiet day in your home river when everyone’s gone ashore. Look astern at the wave. The boats will be standing on end, and if some poor sap is trying to board his tender or, worse, is hanging on at the masthead fixing a dodgy windex, he’ll be calling down the singeing curse of Cain on you. Quite right, too.