Hi 45’ Sailing - good video, I liked the drone shots with the overview commentary. Here in the Salish Sea (West Coast of Canada) we also have deep anchorages and often need to stern-tie. The Standard method here is to cleat off the stern line at the rear of the boat, take it around a tree or park ring on shore, and then back out to the boat. We typically winch it in till it’s tight and we have good tension on our anchor chain, and then we cleat off. This forms a V at the back of the boat leaving the swim deck free to access the tender. When you want to leave, you simply uncleat one end, pull it in by hand and you’re free - without having to go back to the shore to untie your stern line. It’s a great method and I’ve done it dozens and dozens of times. Cheers SV Osprey
Thanks Graham. Brilliant, and if you have rings on the shore that is even better! We need to be careful of the continuous line due to chaffing around a tree or rock. Main reason I dont return the line to the yacht. Keep it up! Great to hear from everyone about their experiences :)
Yes fair enough. In our case we are still doing the manoeuvre, need to tension back etc. and with a mono you are so far from the prop, I’m less concerned. With a cat. Def engines off. Reduce any chance of a slip/mistake causing catastrophe
Great video. I recently landed on your channel and think you do an excellent job. I so wish I had found this before I sailed in Croatia last year. We were on a Lagoon 42. We tried to do this only one time. It must have been hilarious to watch. My wife drew the short straw to swim to shore with the line and was not too happy. We didn’t realize how heavy the lines would be and how hard it was for her (we are both in our mid-50’s) to climb up rocks and find a place to tie the line. Also, I didn’t realize that we should leave the boat in gear to hold tight on the anchor chain while stern tying. A lot of yelling, a lot of exhaustion, boat too close to land to be real comfortable….but we finally got it figured out and had a great night at anchor. It was the last time for the entire trip…..we stayed on town wharfs and mooring balls the rest of the trip!!!!
Great Video - Wish we had this a few weeks back. My family and I just returned from our first bareboat charter in Turkey where we did this maneuver a few times. My 10 year old daughter was at the anchor and 12 year old daughter at the helm. I tied in and my 9 year old son handled the untying after some forced encouragement. I'm sure we were fun to watch. Sometimes we did okay and other times not so much. We learned a lot and have plenty of stories. Thanks for making the video.
A really great way to shorten the time you spend tying the knot at the rock end is to tie a bowline with a small loop. Then when the swimmer gets to the rock, they slip the standing part through the loop creating a slip. Then just throw this slip loop over the rock. This is particularly useful if your crew are not really good at knots.
yes i enjoyed your video a lot!! I especially liked the bit at the end to ensure ALWAYS the gear is in neutral before a person is about to come aboard, swimming from the stern (platform); however at times, you have customers happily swimming around when you realize that you drag and you have to collect them asap, while the engine is on with a slight ahead throttle. thanks!!
I always enjoy watching your videos. When you anchoring with a stering line to shore, we must careful about the depth. Depth meter is usually pointed under the keel. When the depth steeply descends from the shore and we like to moor close to the shore, we must be careful about depth under the rudder too. Depth meter will show to us enough water under the keel, but the depth under the rudder can be not enough. In addition, we must also consider the waves too , at which the depth under the rudder can be further reduced.
Great video and very instructive, I confirm anchoring in Croatia can be challenging due to the depth and rocky shores. But watch out whereon you tie you stern line to, because these shores are so sharp they can cut a rope in no time! I prefer to tie it up to a tree. ;-). Again my congratulations for the didactics, great job!!
Hi guys. Just watched this again and it’s great. Did it in Greece with lots of boats nearby and went well. I would stress how important it is to have your land line ready to run free. as if it tangles at all, when there is wind, other boats and a crew in the water, it’s a disaster. I laid out our line on the swimming deck in figure of 8.
Really nice video, well done! Personally I prefer floating lines on slip to the shore, because they do not tend to catch the propellor. Specially in emergency situations, when the anchor drags, none-floating shore lines are loose and therefore under water. Floating lines are easier to handle. You can start the engine and go in forward gear without risk to loose the engine in emergency situations. For shore lines I recommend to use slip lines. When you stay overnight and a thunderstorm is approaching you have to leave very fast. Because in a thunderstorm gusts come from all directions and the anchor-shore line combination is not secure anymore. Under such conditions, in the middle of the night, nobody wants to swim to a rocky shore to remove the lines, even with a dinghy it takes to long.
We always swim the land lines unless it’s winter or freezing cold water. If you use the tender, the weight of the line will make controlling the tender very difficult. If you have really light, floating lines, then the tender is a good option. It’s also a bit harder to get the rope around the rock from inside the tender. Getting out is an option but it’s tricky.
Don’t know why I have only just watched this, maybe because we have done it and discussed. A few points for the discussion 1. Stern lines are not a substitute for good anchor holding. As you say in the video you need to have the anchor dug in and be able to pull against it without it dragging. 2. Having the stern line in a bag is a huge benefit, the tail can be easily secured to a cleat or winch and when you swim or dingy ashore you pull out only the line required (I have seen so many people taking all the line ashore which is unnecessary and makes it more difficult to handle). Also if swimming be aware of where the line is as having it wrap around your feet is not funny. 3. Going astern against the anchor can be dangerous but some times necessary to keep the boat in position. Dangerous because if the anchor drags then the boat could reverse into the shore and secondly it’s always a risk with someone in the water. So being 100% confident in your holding is vital 4. As you know, I do this solo which increases the risk which is partly mitigated by the above. ( before the negative comments - I live every day and only plan on dying once) But do you have any other tips for doing this solo?
Brilliant comments as always, and good points made. I may have to add this one to the list of solo videos to shoot, we may need to brainstorm it over a gin or two...
As a few season professional skipper I did this lot of times. First pick depth that it is not over 10m.. OK 12-13m can pass(in this case 45-50m of the chain at least is a must).. Then depending of the distance to the shore and depth , more chain is better chain especially if you are going to sleep here over the night. For example you started at 10 m(less is better like 6-8m ideal) depth and now you have like 40m of chain dropped in the sea(35m is OK) then you reverse your engine to at least 1000 RPM so you can see that you anchor is holding(start slowly ofc then increase engine RPM so you can be sure that your anchor is tested with that pressure). If are still reversing to the shore, start again whole process . It is normal. Sometimes I have to do it few times. Better safe than sorry. You have to had minimum 3x chain to depth ratio for your anchor to had a grip. More is better. Have a distance from the shore. Then let's say that you anchor is holding. Even now you can still drop extra 10m of the chain(more is better) and you can come closer to the shore. And more the chain the more safe you are in the case of anything. In the end you will have ratio of at least 3.5x or 4x depth/distance(even more is better) Then do with the ropes what author of this video suggested. With this setup you can spend whole day and you can probably withstand winds up to 20knots if they come suddenly(of course if you except wind at the night or day at 20knots then you simply don't do anchoring. Go sailing and sleep in some of nice towns on the islands).
Interesting take on it, certainly agree more chain is better. Though I would say that if you are testing your hold in reverse gear, you need to give it more. For rpm to simulate sustained wind strength it would be about... 800-1000 RPM 10-12 knots 1000-1500 RPM 15 knots 2000 RPM 20-25 knots 2500 RPM 30-35 knots For instance tonight I am expecting possible high winds, have dug in at 2500 RPM in reverse. 75m of chain out. I would suggest always aim for 4-5x your depth for chain overnight. Need chain on the ground to really hold. Once it is dark and the wind comes up, it is too late to test it. You want to KNOW you are holding. Sleep much better this way! Thanks for the comments :)
@@45DegreesSailing wow didn't know for this relationship between RPM and wind knots. Definitely this will come handy. Well if the weather forecast are predicting incoming storms then we in Croatia just go to marinas and harbors although having good chain tricks and tips is good stuff. Anyway more chain is always better. Test with the more engine power if you expect more wind I do this instinctively but never thought for relationship between RPM and numbers)
Great video, as always. I've learned so much from your channel. I'm ashamed to say that I never considered the damage being done to marine life by anchor chains swinging on the seabed - thanks for the heads-up. Many thanks - & fair winds.
This can a really interesting and highly rewarding maneuver, specially in tight quarters. Did it for the first time the other week and pretty much stuck to ask your tips even ahead of the video! Also, thanks for sharing, as always! Also also ... First!
Thanks Gavin. Well done! And certainly is a rewarding vid. I will do a more in-depth video on this during the season as there is a bit more to it when going between other yachts and preparing for being there overnight.
Great video. One question: Why did you fasten to starboard aft cleat if the wind was coming from the port quarter- not a crltlcism, I’m an inexperienced skipper and windeeed if it was because you only had one line on. Thanks in advance.
Thanks Mahina & Nick at 45 Degrees sailing, another excellent video on stern too shore securing along with great pointers on crew communication during the process .Good point about how at--anchor swing can destroy marine habitat.. I'm sure not to many us have ever considered what damage can happen to the sea bed after dropping anchor ,really emphasizes the importance of the sustainability of stern to anchoring . A earlier comment asked ...what do you consider /recommend enough line to have onboard for stern to shore lines? Cheers from Noosa Australia
Hi Nige. Thanks for the comments 🙂 50m is a good stern line length in our view. Ideally I like to have 2 of these on board. Or at least 1x 50 and 2x 25’s.
Very good drone video, thanks a lot for the sharing. You might have covered it with earlier comments. But, could you share your thoughts when second stern line is needed?
Of course, and thank you :) Over night I would pretty much always have two lines to shore. Keeps you in your place much better and is allowing for the wind shifting to the other side or worse a line breaking for any reason. Also when placing yourself between two other vessels you need to be more stationary as to not drift towards them
Hey Johnny. Im going to repost this answer from another comment as it is very similar: The process is very similar. And often it is more about choosing the location and angle to make the move practical. If you set up with your stern to the wind, this is much easier to control and is going to provide you with great holding as the lines to shore will take most of the pressure. When doing without thrusters (and in fact with thrusters I believe you should take the same approach) you need to bias your stern towards the direction of the wind. If there is a cross wind, when you drop anchor and reverse, you direct your boat upwind of the target area as your know you are going to get blown down wind. In this case, or in the case of cold water/winter conditions, sending a crew in the tender is a great way to be organised for when the wind starts to carry you. It may be lengthy. But its safer and more practical. Just make sure your stern line is well organised and not tangled!
Hi Nick and Mahina! Another great video, please keep pushing! ;) I'm glad you addressed the most imported and dangerous point for me in the end, but i think you should have said that a little bit more explicit (i know you did mention it) while doing, because maybe not everyone is watching until the end. You were worried about the eyes under water, or the feet on the rocks but the reversing part, against the anchor, while in the water, could be the most dangerous one if the anchor starts to drag while you are in the water AND you dont have a skipper or experienced crew member on the helm. With an unexperienced crew or maybe you and your wife who might not know a lot about sailing, the boat could run over you. I know Mahina is not unexperienced and you know the bay and your boat very well but for your viewers who maybe want to copy this manouver this could go terrible wrong. What i just want to say, tell them very precisely that some needs to be on the controls, who knows what he/she is doing while you are in the water. Please dont take that as criticism, i'm just trying to give you my opinion on your videos and by the way you know i love them ;) Regards Sascha
Thanks Mario. In general I like two lines when overnighting. The main reason being in reducing the sideways movement, if the wind shifts and comes onto the other side then the windward line takes up the load with out so much shift in the yachts position. This is important if you have other yachts on either side of you also stern to the shore. And of course, 2 is better than 1! If you have an issue with one line you have a fail safe.
Great video for someone like myself ,who will be trying this for the first time in Croatia. What about chafing of the line to shore? If the rocks are not smooth is chain usually used for the part that attaches to the shore line? It seems like some midnight wave action could cause enough movement of the line against the rocks to start some serious wearing of the nylon.
Hey Tim. Yes for sure if you are staying overnight or have a high wear point there is a number of things you can do to mitigate this. One of my favourites is to take some old fire hose and cut 1m lengths. These can act as a chafe guard around your line at this point. Also very good if you are tying to trees to protect the tree and its bark. Chain is a great option for an owner boat, as on charter we do not carry such things around with us, this is a longer set up time, and after securing your first line and gaining safe position (as in he video) then setting your overnight lines slowly with your chain sets is a great way to go.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, I have learned a lot ,maybe even more than anywhere else ,so one more time big THANK YOU... I am just getting ready for my first bareboat charter... from Trogir to Komiza and then back to Trogir in early Semptember. Do you know how busy are marinas at that time?
You are very welcome, that is brilliant you are heading out for you first charter. It is a big step to take! Early September is still quite busy. Are you planning on parking on the dock in Komiža or taking a mooring ball?
@@leggiero3556 What day (in the week) are you planning on being there? Early morning I do not think in necessary. About 11am would be the absolute earliest I would arrive, as thats about the point of many boats leaving the dock. Certainly by 12noon or 1300 it will start to be busy.
Hi Again Nick... just preping for some solo sailing. is there any safe and not stupid way to do a line ashore if you are solo. looking to next Xmas to go down to the sounds
For sure there is ways to do it. It’s a bit of a process, can take some time to get done! I will look at producing a video for this. I have had a few requests before yours already!
Hi great videos , one question why it is nightmare when you have side wind with stern line. And more important if you find yourself in such situations what you should do ? Slowly Release stern line if you have manoeuvring space ?
Hey there, thank you. I watched back a but to see what I had said there. It was a year ago! Effectively when you have a cross wind you are always fighting the drift that will set you downwind. So you are on a time limit to keep the boat in position. Also if you have a strong crosswind then you need very good holding on your anchor, more chain out to counter the sideways push. Ideal situation, especially over night I aim to have the wind over the stern or at least the quarter. Leaving most of the pressure on the stern lines.
I’m normally Mahina in our boat, I’m a qualified skipper but I’m not yet confident to do the maneuvers and I’m the one who does exactly what Mahina does
Hey mate, you should always have a 50m line on the charter yachts. Either for the spare anchor line, or that PLUS an additional 50m shore line if she is well equipped. And if you would like 2x50 lines, definitely call ahead and request it, you shouldn't have an issue. Have you booked the charter? If so, who with (if you dont mind me asking) if not, let me know and I can help you book a good yacht :)
@@45DegreesSailing Thanks Nick! Yes the charter was booked pre first lockdown - mad. I will deffo check with you next time. Local knowledge is always best... Booked some of yr recommended stop overs too. Will be in touch before I go, and will look for you on Patriot...
Hi there, I'm a bit late to the party. Was wondering how you do this manouver with a boat that does not have any thrusters or multiple engines. I would usually send out the crew with the lines first, usually with a dinghy, tie off to a rock, come back onto the water and meet the boat where I want to sit. This feels very safe but can be a lenghty process. Any suggestions?
Hey Masus. The process is very similar. And often it is more about choosing the location and angle to make the move practical. If you set up with your stern to the wind, this is much easier to control and is going to provide you with great holding as the lines to shore will take most of the pressure. When doing without thrusters (and in fact with thrusters I believe you should take the same approach) you need to bias your stern towards the direction of the wind. If there is a cross wind, when you drop anchor and reverse, you direct your boat upwind of the target area as your know you are going to get blown down wind. In this case, or in the case of cold water/winter conditions, sending a crew in the tender is a great way to be organised for when the wind starts to carry you. It may be lengthy. But its safer and more practical. Just make sure your stern line is well organised and not tangled!
Good video! Just a note. Recently became forbidden anchoring with a line to shore in Croatia during the night or weak visibility situations due to increasing number of accidents...
Basically it is a very interesting ‘concept’ and clear case. What are your lights during the night when tied to shore and on anchor? Anchor lights or no lights? If anchor lights you should be only on the anchor (it means there are basically space around you, left, right). If you are tied to shore close enough just like in a harbor you do not light up anything… So, if anchor lights and somebody runs into you shoreline, you are guilty…
Great video. One question: when the boat stands with motor on and tension on the chain will it drift sideways according to prop momentum or it will stand strait (not asking now about the wind)? Thank you.
Thanks Vladimir. It depends largely on the prop and model of yacht. A large prop that generally has a lot of walk will tend to put slightly to the side. Though not much. Modern yachts like this one it tends to have very little effect in my experience. Though it is a little hard to gauge as there is usually wind! A small effect like the though can be rectified by a tap on the bow thruster to change the angle of the stern.
Excellent thank you! Just arrived in Lefkada Greece high season and looks like may have to try this. My concern always is what is on the seabed … I’d hate to get my anchor caught … and I also found it tough to pick a transit as the boat still has a tendency to sway even in reverse with the anchor biting….have you found that?
Yes I understand the concern. Especially in deeper areas where you cannot see what lies beneath. Though I would ask, how many times have you caught your anchor? Taking a transit can be tough, also if your anchor does bite an hold nicely, you will sway and bounce back and forth on the chain as it rises and falls with the weight. When doing a stern line to shore you can also use your depth sounder for a position line as well.
We have not personally. We are very strong in our voices working together. I did train one couple on a 48ft catamaran that had bluetooth headsets that worked very well for them.
The thing I struggle the most is briefing the unexperienced guests to hook the stern line to the shore. Sometimes it's just reasonably too tricky for them climb the rocks and find a good rock to tie to. I wish there was some gadget to help fix rope to rocky shore.
Fully understand, this is a very tough one to figure out. And it takes sure footing and an understanding of the lines to get this right. Try set them a large pre tied bowline and do a pass of the shore line to pick put the rock you would use, then they will be a little more prepared.
Hey man, keep up with the great educational content! 💪I would really enjoy to learn your tips for newbie skippers, preparing for the their first trip or trip preparation in general, in a next video! (Preferably sometime in the next 2 weeks? 😅🤣)
Hahaha. Nice. Ok mate. I’ll see what I can do. Out for five weeks straight atm so will have to film onboard. I’ll find a day and a quiet anchorage. Maybe do a live video.
If you had significant crosswind or stern wind, would that mean that you have very little time to tie the stern lines before the boat is rotated away from the shore? Would you in that case send someone on a dinghy with a rope or swimming in advance, in order to tie stern as soon as possible?
Yes that is a great option that had worked for me on several occasions. It also takes away the danger of someone in the water whilst under power and/or having to tow those long and heavy ropes. If you equip your own yacht, be sure to buy the floating, non water absorbing ropes. Also, anti chafe covers can come in handy, plus as someone else already mentioned in one of the comments, put the ropes in a bag and they are mostly snag free
Depending on your experience level it can vary. From no experience yes it is difficult. I believe skippers should have patience and people management skills. Good awareness of their surroundings, all things going on is weather, traffic and what is coming up. And sometimes a thick skin. It can be very stressful yes.
I'm from Croatia, I'm 22 years old and I don't have any experience with it, I'd like to start with it, I'm interested in how it was for you when you started with it
You can to an extent. As shown you can bow trust to spin the stern to pull upwind. But once you are tensioned against the anchor chain this is not that effective. When I have really needed to shift, I motor fwd a little (with the chain down still) upwind, then rotate the stern upwind by turning the yacht and using the bow thruster, then reverse towards the wind and the shore to manoeuvre upwind.
Ah, that's interesting, I was thinking about using the thruster to arc/move laterally on the end of the chain to counter any side wind. That sounds a much more reliable method of setting the direction with the bow thruster then reverse with the main motor. All the yachts I've sailed have never had a thruster, first time this year.
Thanks for an instructive video! I've never tried that approach my self as, here in the Nordics we usually go bow first to the rock as show in this video (ruclips.net/video/FualbbnIvlA/видео.html). I've seen boats as big as 60 ft do this in the Stockholm archipelago. Now to my question: In you opinion, would it be possible to moore with the bow to the rock in Croatia?
Thanks for this video! Yes I had heard about the Nordic way! Never done myself though. Yes I do think it would be possible. There are many spots that this could work. We are not often set up for a stern anchor though.
Can be tricky. I would say it's not important which side you secure to. Though as said if staying overnight I often put two lines out for a good triangle hold from both directions.
Thanks for that, we’re sailing from Corfu to Dubrovnik next week so I’m sure I’ll be putting this into practise as we move around the islands. I’ve always had mixed results with lines ashore but your video has given me a few more pointers. Thanks.
Hey Philip, fully understand this fear. And it is a GOOD fear to have. It means that you need to pick your spot carefully, drop well and lay the chain evenly so that you can check to see it is holding and that you can be confident in it. Key is having enough chain out to be able to handle the pull and possible changes in weather.
Sorry - forgot to mention - as an experienced sailor I have seldom found such sensible and well-thought-out videos. Well done!
Hi 45’ Sailing - good video, I liked the drone shots with the overview commentary. Here in the Salish Sea (West Coast of Canada) we also have deep anchorages and often need to stern-tie. The Standard method here is to cleat off the stern line at the rear of the boat, take it around a tree or park ring on shore, and then back out to the boat. We typically winch it in till it’s tight and we have good tension on our anchor chain, and then we cleat off. This forms a V at the back of the boat leaving the swim deck free to access the tender. When you want to leave, you simply uncleat one end, pull it in by hand and you’re free - without having to go back to the shore to untie your stern line. It’s a great method and I’ve done it dozens and dozens of times. Cheers SV Osprey
Thanks Graham. Brilliant, and if you have rings on the shore that is even better! We need to be careful of the continuous line due to chaffing around a tree or rock. Main reason I dont return the line to the yacht. Keep it up! Great to hear from everyone about their experiences :)
Good advice re gear at neutral while swimming towards thr swim platform; in fact i would prefer Engine Off.
Yes fair enough. In our case we are still doing the manoeuvre, need to tension back etc. and with a mono you are so far from the prop, I’m less concerned. With a cat. Def engines off. Reduce any chance of a slip/mistake causing catastrophe
Great video. I recently landed on your channel and think you do an excellent job. I so wish I had found this before I sailed in Croatia last year. We were on a Lagoon 42. We tried to do this only one time. It must have been hilarious to watch. My wife drew the short straw to swim to shore with the line and was not too happy. We didn’t realize how heavy the lines would be and how hard it was for her (we are both in our mid-50’s) to climb up rocks and find a place to tie the line. Also, I didn’t realize that we should leave the boat in gear to hold tight on the anchor chain while stern tying. A lot of yelling, a lot of exhaustion, boat too close to land to be real comfortable….but we finally got it figured out and had a great night at anchor. It was the last time for the entire trip…..we stayed on town wharfs and mooring balls the rest of the trip!!!!
Thanks Brian! Great to have the feedback. And well done on successfully getting it done! It can certainly be a challenge.
Great Video - Wish we had this a few weeks back. My family and I just returned from our first bareboat charter in Turkey where we did this maneuver a few times. My 10 year old daughter was at the anchor and 12 year old daughter at the helm. I tied in and my 9 year old son handled the untying after some forced encouragement. I'm sure we were fun to watch. Sometimes we did okay and other times not so much. We learned a lot and have plenty of stories. Thanks for making the video.
Well done for giving it a go! And even more so for involving everyone. I think that is a win.
Thanks for watching Joseph
A really great way to shorten the time you spend tying the knot at the rock end is to tie a bowline with a small loop. Then when the swimmer gets to the rock, they slip the standing part through the loop creating a slip. Then just throw this slip loop over the rock. This is particularly useful if your crew are not really good at knots.
yes i enjoyed your video a lot!! I especially liked the bit at the end to ensure ALWAYS the gear is in neutral before a person is about to come aboard, swimming from the stern (platform); however at times, you have customers happily swimming around when you realize that you drag and you have to collect them asap, while the engine is on with a slight ahead throttle. thanks!!
Thanks 😊
I would still encourage that when they approach the ladder you return to neutral for the moments they are boarding.
I always enjoy watching your videos. When you anchoring with a stering line to shore, we must careful about the depth. Depth meter is usually pointed under the keel. When the depth steeply descends from the shore and we like to moor close to the shore, we must be careful about depth under the rudder too. Depth meter will show to us enough water under the keel, but the depth under the rudder can be not enough. In addition, we must also consider the waves too , at which the depth under the rudder can be further reduced.
Yes this is a very good point, I will be sure to add it to my next video on this.Thanks for watching :)
Great video and very instructive, I confirm anchoring in Croatia can be challenging due to the depth and rocky shores. But watch out whereon you tie you stern line to, because these shores are so sharp they can cut a rope in no time! I prefer to tie it up to a tree. ;-). Again my congratulations for the didactics, great job!!
Hi guys. Just watched this again and it’s great. Did it in Greece with lots of boats nearby and went well. I would stress how important it is to have your land line ready to run free. as if it tangles at all, when there is wind, other boats and a crew in the water, it’s a disaster. I laid out our line on the swimming deck in figure of 8.
Brilliant mate. Well done 👍🏽 yes the is hugely important. That’s why we have the semi rigid bag that it runs out of and into. Never tangles.
Really nice video, well done!
Personally I prefer floating lines on slip to the shore, because they do not tend to catch the propellor. Specially in emergency situations, when the anchor drags, none-floating shore lines are loose and therefore under water.
Floating lines are easier to handle. You can start the engine and go in forward gear without risk to loose the engine in emergency situations. For shore lines I recommend to use slip lines. When you stay overnight and a thunderstorm is approaching you have to leave very fast. Because in a thunderstorm gusts come from all directions and the anchor-shore line combination is not secure anymore. Under such conditions, in the middle of the night, nobody wants to swim to a rocky shore to remove the lines, even with a dinghy it takes to long.
Great video! Love the drone shots with explanation. Good details on the why and how of stern to shore anchoring.
Great instruction no slow waffling like so many others well done I’ll be watching more
Thanks Jeff. Will look out for your comments
We always swim the land lines unless it’s winter or freezing cold water. If you use the tender, the weight of the line will make controlling the tender very difficult. If you have really light, floating lines, then the tender is a good option. It’s also a bit harder to get the rope around the rock from inside the tender. Getting out is an option but it’s tricky.
Don’t know why I have only just watched this, maybe because we have done it and discussed. A few points for the discussion
1. Stern lines are not a substitute for good anchor holding. As you say in the video you need to have the anchor dug in and be able to pull against it without it dragging.
2. Having the stern line in a bag is a huge benefit, the tail can be easily secured to a cleat or winch and when you swim or dingy ashore you pull out only the line required (I have seen so many people taking all the line ashore which is unnecessary and makes it more difficult to handle). Also if swimming be aware of where the line is as having it wrap around your feet is not funny.
3. Going astern against the anchor can be dangerous but some times necessary to keep the boat in position. Dangerous because if the anchor drags then the boat could reverse into the shore and secondly it’s always a risk with someone in the water. So being 100% confident in your holding is vital
4. As you know, I do this solo which increases the risk which is partly mitigated by the above. ( before the negative comments - I live every day and only plan on dying once)
But do you have any other tips for doing this solo?
Brilliant comments as always, and good points made.
I may have to add this one to the list of solo videos to shoot, we may need to brainstorm it over a gin or two...
Sounds like a plan 👍
I would really want to see it done solo, no pun intended, I mean it!
We always enjoy your videos Nick, and nice to see Mahina cameo
Thanks Hun! Great to hear from you. My ‘first ever yacht consult’ client! How is Watermusic?
As a few season professional skipper I did this lot of times. First pick depth that it is not over 10m.. OK 12-13m can pass(in this case 45-50m of the chain at least is a must).. Then depending of the distance to the shore and depth , more chain is better chain especially if you are going to sleep here over the night. For example you started at 10 m(less is better like 6-8m ideal) depth and now you have like 40m of chain dropped in the sea(35m is OK) then you reverse your engine to at least 1000 RPM so you can see that you anchor is holding(start slowly ofc then increase engine RPM so you can be sure that your anchor is tested with that pressure). If are still reversing to the shore, start again whole process . It is normal. Sometimes I have to do it few times. Better safe than sorry. You have to had minimum 3x chain to depth ratio for your anchor to had a grip. More is better. Have a distance from the shore. Then let's say that you anchor is holding. Even now you can still drop extra 10m of the chain(more is better) and you can come closer to the shore. And more the chain the more safe you are in the case of anything. In the end you will have ratio of at least 3.5x or 4x depth/distance(even more is better) Then do with the ropes what author of this video suggested. With this setup you can spend whole day and you can probably withstand winds up to 20knots if they come suddenly(of course if you except wind at the night or day at 20knots then you simply don't do anchoring. Go sailing and sleep in some of nice towns on the islands).
Interesting take on it, certainly agree more chain is better. Though I would say that if you are testing your hold in reverse gear, you need to give it more. For rpm to simulate sustained wind strength it would be about...
800-1000 RPM 10-12 knots
1000-1500 RPM 15 knots
2000 RPM 20-25 knots
2500 RPM 30-35 knots
For instance tonight I am expecting possible high winds, have dug in at 2500 RPM in reverse. 75m of chain out.
I would suggest always aim for 4-5x your depth for chain overnight. Need chain on the ground to really hold. Once it is dark and the wind comes up, it is too late to test it. You want to KNOW you are holding.
Sleep much better this way!
Thanks for the comments :)
@@45DegreesSailing wow didn't know for this relationship between RPM and wind knots. Definitely this will come handy. Well if the weather forecast are predicting incoming storms then we in Croatia just go to marinas and harbors although having good chain tricks and tips is good stuff. Anyway more chain is always better. Test with the more engine power if you expect more wind I do this instinctively but never thought for relationship between RPM and numbers)
Great as usual. Thank you Nick! I wish to see a pic how you made a rope around the rock :)
Great video, as always. I've learned so much from your channel. I'm ashamed to say that I never considered the damage being done to marine life by anchor chains swinging on the seabed - thanks for the heads-up. Many thanks - & fair winds.
Thanks Lee. Glad we can help out. Hope to see more comments coming through :)
This can a really interesting and highly rewarding maneuver, specially in tight quarters. Did it for the first time the other week and pretty much stuck to ask your tips even ahead of the video!
Also, thanks for sharing, as always!
Also also ... First!
Thanks Gavin. Well done! And certainly is a rewarding vid. I will do a more in-depth video on this during the season as there is a bit more to it when going between other yachts and preparing for being there overnight.
Great video. One question: Why did you fasten to starboard aft cleat if the wind was coming from the port quarter- not a crltlcism, I’m an inexperienced skipper and windeeed if it was because you only had one line on. Thanks in advance.
Thanks Mahina & Nick at 45 Degrees sailing, another excellent video on stern too shore securing along with great pointers on crew communication during the process .Good point about how at--anchor swing can destroy marine habitat.. I'm sure not to many us have ever considered what damage can happen to the sea bed after dropping anchor ,really emphasizes the importance of the sustainability of stern to anchoring . A earlier comment asked ...what do you consider /recommend enough line to have onboard for stern to shore lines? Cheers from Noosa Australia
Hi Nige. Thanks for the comments 🙂
50m is a good stern line length in our view. Ideally I like to have 2 of these on board. Or at least 1x 50 and 2x 25’s.
Well done! Congratulations
Thank you! Cheers!
Very good drone video, thanks a lot for the sharing. You might have covered it with earlier comments. But, could you share your thoughts when second stern line is needed?
Of course, and thank you :)
Over night I would pretty much always have two lines to shore. Keeps you in your place much better and is allowing for the wind shifting to the other side or worse a line breaking for any reason.
Also when placing yourself between two other vessels you need to be more stationary as to not drift towards them
Excellent explantations, thank you!
You're very welcome! Thanks Maggi
Exactly what I wanted to know. Saved me 👍
Great to hear!
Hey Johnny. Im going to repost this answer from another comment as it is very similar:
The process is very similar. And often it is more about choosing the location and angle to make the move practical. If you set up with your stern to the wind, this is much easier to control and is going to provide you with great holding as the lines to shore will take most of the pressure.
When doing without thrusters (and in fact with thrusters I believe you should take the same approach) you need to bias your stern towards the direction of the wind. If there is a cross wind, when you drop anchor and reverse, you direct your boat upwind of the target area as your know you are going to get blown down wind. In this case, or in the case of cold water/winter conditions, sending a crew in the tender is a great way to be organised for when the wind starts to carry you. It may be lengthy. But its safer and more practical. Just make sure your stern line is well organised and not tangled!
Hi Nick and Mahina!
Another great video, please keep pushing! ;)
I'm glad you addressed the most imported and dangerous point for me in the end, but i think you should have said that a little bit more explicit (i know you did mention it) while doing, because maybe not everyone is watching until the end. You were worried about the eyes under water, or the feet on the rocks but the reversing part, against the anchor, while in the water, could be the most dangerous one if the anchor starts to drag while you are in the water AND you dont have a skipper or experienced crew member on the helm. With an unexperienced crew or maybe you and your wife who might not know a lot about sailing, the boat could run over you. I know Mahina is not unexperienced and you know the bay and your boat very well but for your viewers who maybe want to copy this manouver this could go terrible wrong.
What i just want to say, tell them very precisely that some needs to be on the controls, who knows what he/she is doing while you are in the water.
Please dont take that as criticism, i'm just trying to give you my opinion on your videos and by the way you know i love them ;)
Regards Sascha
Thanks Sascha. Yes perhaps this needs stressing more. I will make sure to note it in future videos. Thanks for the feedback.
Very good video! Question: when/why use one or two lines to stern to?
Thanks Mario. In general I like two lines when overnighting. The main reason being in reducing the sideways movement, if the wind shifts and comes onto the other side then the windward line takes up the load with out so much shift in the yachts position. This is important if you have other yachts on either side of you also stern to the shore.
And of course, 2 is better than 1! If you have an issue with one line you have a fail safe.
Awesome vid!
Thanks!
Great video for someone like myself ,who will be trying this for the first time in Croatia. What about chafing of the line to shore? If the rocks are not smooth is chain usually used for the part that attaches to the shore line? It seems like some midnight wave action could cause enough movement of the line against the rocks to start some serious wearing of the nylon.
Hey Tim. Yes for sure if you are staying overnight or have a high wear point there is a number of things you can do to mitigate this.
One of my favourites is to take some old fire hose and cut 1m lengths. These can act as a chafe guard around your line at this point. Also very good if you are tying to trees to protect the tree and its bark.
Chain is a great option for an owner boat, as on charter we do not carry such things around with us, this is a longer set up time, and after securing your first line and gaining safe position (as in he video) then setting your overnight lines slowly with your chain sets is a great way to go.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, I have learned a lot ,maybe even more than anywhere else ,so one more time big THANK YOU... I am just getting ready for my first bareboat charter... from Trogir to Komiza and then back to Trogir in early Semptember.
Do you know how busy are marinas at that time?
You are very welcome, that is brilliant you are heading out for you first charter. It is a big step to take!
Early September is still quite busy. Are you planning on parking on the dock in Komiža or taking a mooring ball?
@@45DegreesSailing I was planning on parking on the dock,should I aim for the early morning so I can catch a spot?
@@leggiero3556 What day (in the week) are you planning on being there?
Early morning I do not think in necessary. About 11am would be the absolute earliest I would arrive, as thats about the point of many boats leaving the dock. Certainly by 12noon or 1300 it will start to be busy.
@@45DegreesSailing on Sunday morning I am leaving Maslinica and heading out to Komiža. Hope gonna be there until midday.
@@leggiero3556 I think that will be fine. Allow yourself about 4 hours to get there
Hi Again Nick... just preping for some solo sailing. is there any safe and not stupid way to do a line ashore if you are solo. looking to next Xmas to go down to the sounds
For sure there is ways to do it. It’s a bit of a process, can take some time to get done! I will look at producing a video for this. I have had a few requests before yours already!
Hi great videos , one question why it is nightmare when you have side wind with stern line. And more important if you find yourself in such situations what you should do ? Slowly Release stern line if you have manoeuvring space ?
Hey there, thank you. I watched back a but to see what I had said there. It was a year ago!
Effectively when you have a cross wind you are always fighting the drift that will set you downwind. So you are on a time limit to keep the boat in position. Also if you have a strong crosswind then you need very good holding on your anchor, more chain out to counter the sideways push.
Ideal situation, especially over night I aim to have the wind over the stern or at least the quarter. Leaving most of the pressure on the stern lines.
I’m normally Mahina in our boat, I’m a qualified skipper but I’m not yet confident to do the maneuvers and I’m the one who does exactly what Mahina does
Such an important role! Make sure you keep gaining the experience on the helm to build that confidence :)
Thanks mate. Great vid.
Cheers. Most welcome. Have a great trip next week. See you on the water!
great video Nick and well explained, thanks! where in Croatia is this?
This one is a small island called Zečevo, close by Vrboska, Hvar.
@@45DegreesSailing thanks! Might get there in July :)
Awesome as always, thanks Nïck and Mahina! How much stern line is good to carry? Or indeed to check/confirm with the charter co pre sail…
Hey mate, you should always have a 50m line on the charter yachts. Either for the spare anchor line, or that PLUS an additional 50m shore line if she is well equipped. And if you would like 2x50 lines, definitely call ahead and request it, you shouldn't have an issue. Have you booked the charter? If so, who with (if you dont mind me asking) if not, let me know and I can help you book a good yacht :)
@@45DegreesSailing Thanks Nick! Yes the charter was booked pre first lockdown - mad. I will deffo check with you next time. Local knowledge is always best... Booked some of yr recommended stop overs too. Will be in touch before I go, and will look for you on Patriot...
@@neilham6171 thank you! Appreciate the support 😊
Hi there, I'm a bit late to the party. Was wondering how you do this manouver with a boat that does not have any thrusters or multiple engines.
I would usually send out the crew with the lines first, usually with a dinghy, tie off to a rock, come back onto the water and meet the boat where I want to sit. This feels very safe but can be a lenghty process. Any suggestions?
Hey Masus. The process is very similar. And often it is more about choosing the location and angle to make the move practical. If you set up with your stern to the wind, this is much easier to control and is going to provide you with great holding as the lines to shore will take most of the pressure.
When doing without thrusters (and in fact with thrusters I believe you should take the same approach) you need to bias your stern towards the direction of the wind. If there is a cross wind, when you drop anchor and reverse, you direct your boat upwind of the target area as your know you are going to get blown down wind. In this case, or in the case of cold water/winter conditions, sending a crew in the tender is a great way to be organised for when the wind starts to carry you. It may be lengthy. But its safer and more practical. Just make sure your stern line is well organised and not tangled!
Nice video 👍
Thanks 👍
very nice video and great job! :-)
Thanks JJ Sailing
Good video! Just a note. Recently became forbidden anchoring with a line to shore in Croatia during the night or weak visibility situations due to increasing number of accidents...
Aha. Thanks for the heads up. That is a shame. I will check out the ruling.
Is there an official rule? It's quite common to anchor with a shoreline. Only trees should not use for this and of cause not near to buoy fields.
Basically it is a very interesting ‘concept’ and clear case. What are your lights during the night when tied to shore and on anchor? Anchor lights or no lights? If anchor lights you should be only on the anchor (it means there are basically space around you, left, right). If you are tied to shore close enough just like in a harbor you do not light up anything… So, if anchor lights and somebody runs into you shoreline, you are guilty…
Great video. One question: when the boat stands with motor on and tension on the chain will it drift sideways according to prop momentum or it will stand strait (not asking now about the wind)? Thank you.
Thanks Vladimir. It depends largely on the prop and model of yacht. A large prop that generally has a lot of walk will tend to put slightly to the side. Though not much. Modern yachts like this one it tends to have very little effect in my experience. Though it is a little hard to gauge as there is usually wind!
A small effect like the though can be rectified by a tap on the bow thruster to change the angle of the stern.
What if you don't have any thrusters and there is wind from either the side or stern?
sei molto bravo, complimenti ! indica però anche le località dove esegui questi video !! ciao grazie
Hvala Antonio. What if these locations are secret?! 😘
This one is shot at Otok Zečevo, Croatia
Excellent thank you! Just arrived in Lefkada Greece high season and looks like may have to try this. My concern always is what is on the seabed … I’d hate to get my anchor caught … and I also found it tough to pick a transit as the boat still has a tendency to sway even in reverse with the anchor biting….have you found that?
Yes I understand the concern. Especially in deeper areas where you cannot see what lies beneath. Though I would ask, how many times have you caught your anchor?
Taking a transit can be tough, also if your anchor does bite an hold nicely, you will sway and bounce back and forth on the chain as it rises and falls with the weight.
When doing a stern line to shore you can also use your depth sounder for a position line as well.
Have you ever used walkie talkies for comma while doing this or other maneuvers? Would it be helpful at times?
We have not personally. We are very strong in our voices working together. I did train one couple on a 48ft catamaran that had bluetooth headsets that worked very well for them.
How about saying anchor your comments below. Your videos are great I am learning a lot.
😂 I like it! Thanks Dave
The thing I struggle the most is briefing the unexperienced guests to hook the stern line to the shore. Sometimes it's just reasonably too tricky for them climb the rocks and find a good rock to tie to. I wish there was some gadget to help fix rope to rocky shore.
Fully understand, this is a very tough one to figure out. And it takes sure footing and an understanding of the lines to get this right. Try set them a large pre tied bowline and do a pass of the shore line to pick put the rock you would use, then they will be a little more prepared.
Hey man, keep up with the great educational content! 💪I would really enjoy to learn your tips for newbie skippers, preparing for the their first trip or trip preparation in general, in a next video! (Preferably sometime in the next 2 weeks? 😅🤣)
Hahaha. Nice. Ok mate. I’ll see what I can do. Out for five weeks straight atm so will have to film onboard. I’ll find a day and a quiet anchorage. Maybe do a live video.
Where are you sailing out of Nick?
@@45DegreesSailing We'll be starting from Lefkada in Greece, sailing around the Ionian sea.
Hey Nick, sorry I didn't get to this one. I will definitely endeavour to get it filmed soon! Have not forgotten 😉
@@45DegreesSailing Hey there! You're awesome for following up! Happy to watch it, anytime!
If you had significant crosswind or stern wind, would that mean that you have very little time to tie the stern lines before the boat is rotated away from the shore? Would you in that case send someone on a dinghy with a rope or swimming in advance, in order to tie stern as soon as possible?
Yes that is a great option that had worked for me on several occasions.
It also takes away the danger of someone in the water whilst under power and/or having to tow those long and heavy ropes.
If you equip your own yacht, be sure to buy the floating, non water absorbing ropes.
Also, anti chafe covers can come in handy, plus as someone else already mentioned in one of the comments, put the ropes in a bag and they are mostly snag free
Is it difficult to become a skipper,
I am really interested in that job and is it stressful and what kind of skills should a person have?
Depending on your experience level it can vary. From no experience yes it is difficult.
I believe skippers should have patience and people management skills. Good awareness of their surroundings, all things going on is weather, traffic and what is coming up. And sometimes a thick skin. It can be very stressful yes.
I'm from Croatia, I'm 22 years old and I don't have any experience with it, I'd like to start with it, I'm interested in how it was for you when you started with it
Can you use the bow thruster to stop yourself drifting downwind on to hazards?
You can to an extent. As shown you can bow trust to spin the stern to pull upwind. But once you are tensioned against the anchor chain this is not that effective. When I have really needed to shift, I motor fwd a little (with the chain down still) upwind, then rotate the stern upwind by turning the yacht and using the bow thruster, then reverse towards the wind and the shore to manoeuvre upwind.
Ah, that's interesting, I was thinking about using the thruster to arc/move laterally on the end of the chain to counter any side wind. That sounds a much more reliable method of setting the direction with the bow thruster then reverse with the main motor. All the yachts I've sailed have never had a thruster, first time this year.
TY!
No worries!
Is it legal to anchor like this in Croatia?
Thanks for an instructive video! I've never tried that approach my self as, here in the Nordics we usually go bow first to the rock as show in this video (ruclips.net/video/FualbbnIvlA/видео.html). I've seen boats as big as 60 ft do this in the Stockholm archipelago. Now to my question: In you opinion, would it be possible to moore with the bow to the rock in Croatia?
Thanks for this video! Yes I had heard about the Nordic way! Never done myself though. Yes I do think it would be possible. There are many spots that this could work. We are not often set up for a stern anchor though.
Seems a tricky manoeuvre, if using only one stern line should it be the windward line or is that not important?
Can be tricky. I would say it's not important which side you secure to. Though as said if staying overnight I often put two lines out for a good triangle hold from both directions.
Thanks for that, we’re sailing from Corfu to Dubrovnik next week so I’m sure I’ll be putting this into practise as we move around the islands. I’ve always had mixed results with lines ashore but your video has given me a few more pointers.
Thanks.
@@garymckeown810 glad it was helpful. Great passage that one. Enjoy!
My 2023 goal is to master this technique, but I am shared sh*tless that the anchor won't hold and the boat will drift into the land :(
Hey Philip, fully understand this fear. And it is a GOOD fear to have. It means that you need to pick your spot carefully, drop well and lay the chain evenly so that you can check to see it is holding and that you can be confident in it. Key is having enough chain out to be able to handle the pull and possible changes in weather.
why 108 meters of chain?
Because then you can anchor in 20m for bad weather, or 33m in ok weather.
Thats right, and being able to get a lot of chain laying on the seabed it what gives you great holding when you need it.
Zečevo?
Indeed 😉
pulling up the anchor chain does not make the situation better
Certainly does not!