Poll: Anchor vs. Marinas

[Salish Nomad]

I was raised on fish boats in S.E. Alaska where a "trip to town" was a real treat. Still is. I can anchor, or I can tie up . Whichever seems appropriate for the circumstances. At age 75, I've got nothing left to prove regarding anchoring skills..... lol.....

 

[Nomad Willy]

When on the go as in transiting to or from Alaska we anchored in a spot where we found ourselves close to dark. And went to a town or city when we needed something we could get there. Had little or nothing to do w “let’s enjoy the wilderness, we’re in Alaska”. But sometimes that would apply. And when near Petersburg we’d usually stop at the city floats even if there was 5 more hours of daylight. Something seeps into my soul just being in Petersburg.

It’s frequently not something we plan but finding ourselves in the right neighborhood. If you plan everything it’s not an adventure.

 

[Salish Nomad]

I would think a big reason to go to a marina is to walk uptown and get groceries and other provisions. If it’s late in the day it would seem good sense to stay at the marina. Unless you’re short of funds of course.

In Alaska I was nearly always more excited about exploring a new Alaska village than anchoring in a remote place that was usually not much different than the last 50 coves and inlets we’ve anchored in. A good lunch in a cafe in Petersburg followed by a walk around town or one could walk the town floats for hours. Tops most anchorages IMO. And I haven’t even mentioned rubbing shoulders with or meeting Alaskans ... or having conversations w people that live in the wilderness.

But most all here on TF don’t or never have lived in the wilderness so the wilderness is a big draw. Or maybe cruisers are more apprehensive about those “roughies” that live in small towns in wilderness that automatically distain “outsiders” than bears, winds and big tides. My view is that there’s got to be some explanation for all this anchoring out.

Eric, would love to hear more about a good place for lunch in Petersburg.

 

[backinblue]

We generally rely upon moorings over anchoring if possible. We find the average mooring where we cruise in CT, RI Ma to be $55 a night. The price is worth a good night sleep given the limited and short term cruising we currently do. Dockage at the same destinations is bit rich at $250/$300 per night.

Hi and welcome. We are just across the sound from you and often anchor in PJ. I'd like to point out that marinas have some advantages you can't find at anchor or a mooring. During a heat wave with 90's during the day and 80's at night, it's nice to plug in and run A/C all day/night, not to mention possibly having a pool and restaurant and other amenities within a quick walk. Most marinas I stay at are more in the $100-150 range. Not that I stay at marinas all that often, but there are times when it is well worth the expense.

 

[JESSEDIVER49]

Poll: anchoring vs marina

100% marina or moorings for overnights

 

[markpierce]

Had anyone mentioned that toilets, showers, pump-outs, laundromats, and garbage receptacles are usually available at marinas?

 

[rslifkin]

Had anyone mentioned that toilets, showers, laundromats, and garbage receptacles are usually available at marinas?

While those are all useful, 2 of those are things most of us have on board, and the other 2 aren't needed on a daily basis. And some have onboard laundry anyway.

 

[smitty477]

We generally rely upon moorings over anchoring if possible. We find the average mooring where we cruise in CT, RI Ma to be $55 a night. The price is worth a good night sleep

For many on the PNWET coast & coastal BC, the tendency is to trust the anchor more than the mooring. With a mooring, there is a certain level of trust on the installers and the equipment that may or may not be warranted. Most moorings I distrust but there are some I do, for example here close to Nanaimo BC there is a place called Newcastle, I trust those.

Where we boat on Long Island we joined/formed a paper boating club with about 3 dozen other boaters we knew. Each year we each put in a few hundred dollars and had a dozen or so moorings set in various locations/destinations in harbors on the LI and Ct side. It was great to pick up moorings and see some folks in the various places as well as cruise to other marinas at times in small and larger groups. I see on this thread that most folks are at Marinas for their base - we have also been on a mooring we own when not out traveling. So total days that the boat sits at a marina are much lower than most others I would guess.

 

[Shrew]

Had anyone mentioned that toilets, showers, pump-outs, laundromats, and garbage receptacles are usually available at marinas?

We have a head and a shower on the boat. Even if we were in a marina, we wouldn't use the showers or toilets. All areas we go to in New England have pump-out boats that will come to you in the anchorage or mooring field.

We take the dinghy to the dinghy dock to drop off garbage and go to laundromats.

 

[mysticdreamer]

100% anchoring when away from dock

 

[markpierce]

Funny, here (San Francisco estuary) I've observed more than 98% of boats are docked at marinas versus those anchored or moored. Not what is exhorted on this forum. Conclusion?: active TFers aren't typical boaters?

 

[Nomad Willy]

But Shrew you’d miss out on the showers at Duncanby Landing north of Cape Caution.

The shower drain is provided by 1/8th to 1/4” gaps between the timbers of the shower sole or floor. You can look down at the rocks on the beach. Nice clean and well ventilated shower tho.

The showers at Petersburg were rustic and just basic. Didn’t look fwd to the showers there ... but I got clean .. every time. Showers at Point Baker were more basic yet. Everything there was on floats. Had to walk through a bar or restaurant (not functional) to find it. Again rudimentary but again got clean. And there are many other rudimentary facilities but all seem to get the job done. Haven’t tried any of them in winter though. That’s for Durant’s next cruise.

 

[rsn48]

During a heat wave with 90's during the day and 80's at night, it's nice to plug in and run A/C all day/night

When I suggested the poll, I just assumed the PNW & coastal BC would win on boats at anchor. One reason is that we don't get much of a "hot and humid" summer. Most boats here don't have air conditioning.

But many many boaters, the majority really, are marina bound. These are the folks using the boat for their two week vacation, a couple of weekends then into storage. When I first began boating, it was cruising on other peoples boats. We would leave Vancouver and hit marinas in the gulf islands.

I partner owned a Tanzer 26 and the first time I anchored for two days without leaving the boat with one other buddy, I thought I was going to go nuts. The boat didn't have a dinghy. But at the height of my feeling, I have to get off, something clicked in my brain, I relaxed and became "hooked" on setting the hook and not tying up

 

[Simi 60]

I'd like to point out that marinas have some advantages you can't find at anchor or a mooring. During a heat wave with 90's during the day and 80's at night, it's nice to plug in and run A/C all day/night,.

A heat wave???
90f is 32.2c
80f is 26.6c
That a lovely summer day for us.
Had the windows mostly closed onboard last night as 27.5c and a breeze felt a bit cool.

What temperature should you set your air conditioner?

A standard air conditioner’s temperature should be set to 25 to 27 degrees for cooling in summer, and around 18 to 20 degrees for heating in winter. This is to ensure maximum energy efficiency from your unit. Keep in mind that these temperatures assume you live in a moderate climate, but as we all know, Australia is a land of many climates.

https://www.canstarblue.com.au/elec... temperature,energy efficiency from your unit.

 

[L Erie Tugger]

In Lake Erie it is difficult to anchor in most of the lake. This is also true in the southern part of Lake Huron and most of Lake Michigan. When we're in the east and north sides of Lake Superior, the North Channel and Georgian Bay we seldom use marinas. So in our case it depends on where we are.

 

[rslifkin]

A heat wave???
90f is 32.2c
80f is 26.6c
That a lovely summer day for us.
Had the windows mostly closed onboard last night as 27.5c and a breeze felt a bit cool.

Us Americans aren't quite as heat tolerant. And in a lot of areas, when it's really hot, it's also often really humid. And in many areas, there's not much wind on a lot of those really hot days, so without A/C, the boat just doesn't cool down when the sun drops, leading to hot, sticky sleeping conditions.

 

[backinblue]

I didn't days 90 and 80, I said 90's (close to 100) and 80's. Add to that no breeze and a lot of humidity and it can be pretty unbearable w/o A/C. If boating on days like that, it's nice to be able to plug in.

 

[IntoTheBlue]

On a long term trip (greater than a month) we normally average 1 week on anchor to an overnight in a marina. We definitely do not view being on an anchor as "camping". Depending on the location and the marina, this could change. Overall though, we enjoy both the freedom of anchoring.

My experience has been that an anchorage that is crowded and definitely not relaxing is surrounded by marina's that are basically the same.

 

[BandB]

We have a head and a shower on the boat. Even if we were in a marina, we wouldn't use the showers or toilets. All areas we go to in New England have pump-out boats that will come to you in the anchorage or mooring field.

We take the dinghy to the dinghy dock to drop off garbage and go to laundromats.

Wifey B: We have never used restrooms or showers or laundry at a marina and likely never will. I'd be disinclined but hubby is a germaphobe so we're definitely not going to. Have what we need on board.

 

[hrifraf]

Coastal BC - Anchoring almost all of the time. Marinas only to re-supply & then head out again.

 

[caltexflanc]

This thread has lost context without knowing what the boating habits are of the posters. Weekenders? Vacationers? Full time liveaboard non-cruiser? Full time cruisers? Or the various hybrids thereof? What is home base, a marina, a private dock, a mooring, an anchorage or always in transit? Or maybe base for a time in different seasons? How about being on the hard in your off season?

It's all kind of silly, really.

Not that there is anything wrong with that... or particularly useful either.

 

[BandB]

This thread has lost context without knowing what the boating habits are of the posters. Weekenders? Vacationers? Full time liveaboard non-cruiser? Full time cruisers? Or the various hybrids thereof? What is home base, a marina, a private dock, a mooring, an anchorage or always in transit? Or maybe base for a time in different seasons? How about being on the hard in your off season?

It's all kind of silly, really.

Not that there is anything wrong with that... or particularly useful either.

Seems to me it has clarified what I thought we already knew and that is that TF'ers prefer anchoring to marinas by a substantial margin and it's not limited to either coast. It doesn't tell us the reasons or the circumstances but wasn't designed to.

 

[trawler nut]

this is probably a dumb ques. as long as your not tied up to a slip or connected to an anchor ball is it free to anchor anywhere or do marinas have limits as to how close one can be to the marina?

 

[O C Diver]

Mooring fields often have anchoring restrictions within a designated boundary. Anchoring in or near marinas probably varies from state to state. During a storm rules may change, but generally I'm guessing that marinas can summon local law enforcement to remove you.

Ted

 

[backinblue]

Seems to me it has clarified what I thought we already knew and that is that TF'ers prefer anchoring to marinas by a substantial margin and it's not limited to either coast. It doesn't tell us the reasons or the circumstances but wasn't designed to.

I don't see that in the data from the poll. Can you explain where you see the majority prefer anchoring? Maybe I'm not reading it correctly.

 

[jleonard]

I don't see that in the data from the poll. Can you explain where you see the majority prefer anchoring? Maybe I'm not reading it correctly.

More than 1/2 anchor more than 70% of the time.

In MY case if there were a more than 95% choice that's how I would have voted.

 

[backinblue]

Thanks, I see that now. As I expected, I was reading the data wrong. For instance I thought it was saying "40% of East Coasters anchor > 70% of the time". I get it now thanks.

 

[Bryant]

anchoring vs marinas

We're just talking about time cruising, not time at your home marina or dock. This poll is upon request.

So, simple, what percentage of your cruising nights are at anchor vs. marinas.

We like both. Sometimes we like to anchor out and be alone or visit other boaters anchored out. Sometimes we like to be in a Marina and enjoy bars, restaurants and marina life. Probably 50/50.

 

[fletch]

Great question

After scrolling through the replies, embarrassed to say 95 marina, I've got to flip my mindset, missing a lot.

 

[backinblue]

After scrolling through the replies, embarrassed to say 95 marina, I've got to flip my mindset, missing a lot.

Why embarrassed? I have a friend who is 100% marinas when not at their home dock. They like to plug in and also like to get off the boat and walk or bike. We tend to like anchoring more, but there is no winner here, just different ways to enjoy boating. Sitting and reading and doing nothing all day is heaven for some, but drives others crazy. Do what you like best. It's more important that you are out boating than how exactly you do it!