How to dock your boat to a rock wall

[RyanTexas]

It is completely new to me over the weekend at Canyon Lake, TX. I pulled my boat into a cove and dropped the anchor as usual. Later, other boats came, and I saw them trolling around the rock wall, looking for something. Then I saw their boat tied to the rock wall and the anchor dropped in the stern. They parked like parking lot after a while and us looked like aliens, anchoring in the middle of the cove.

Does anyone know how to tie the boat to a rock wall? Do I need rock anchor for climbing to do that.

Thanks
Ryan

 

[zipper]

They probably installed Pitons or Wedges in the rock face. Here is a conversation from a sailing group.

tying to shore - rock climbing gear?

Just a random thought.... My sailing grounds (Georgian bay) consists of a big puddle sitting on top of a granite minefield. Nav hazards aside, lots of pretty anchorages where stern tying or "docking" against a rock face is useful/necessary. The usual method seems to be looping a line around...

www.sailnet.com

 

[Canuckjetboater]

@RyanTexas....."Then I saw their boat tied to the rock wall and the anchor dropped in the stern." .....Ryan, respectfully be very careful when using a stern anchor. Many boaters have been ashore or away from their boat and the tide rises, waves come up or big cruisers pass and swamp their boat. There must be a lot of slack left to allow the bow and particularly the stern to rise in any condition. Personally I would never leave a boat that had a stern anchor on it and even if swimming in the water beside it have a lot of slack. A swamping can happen very, very quickly. $$$$$

 

[RyanTexas]

@RyanTexas....."Then I saw their boat tied to the rock wall and the anchor dropped in the stern." .....Ryan, respectfully be very careful when using a stern anchor. Many boaters have been ashore or away from their boat and the tide rises, waves come up or big cruisers pass and swamp their boat. There must be a lot of slack left to allow the bow and particularly the stern to rise in any condition. Personally I would never leave a boat that had a stern anchor on it and even if swimming in the water beside it have a lot of slack. A swamping can happen very, very quickly. $$$$$

Thank you, Canuck. You have a very good point.

 

[tdonoughue]

Other thing to factor in when considering your stern anchor is what the other folks around you have done. If they all have bow and stern anchor and you just do a bow anchor (or just a stern--um, don't do that), then you will flip around when the wind changes or a wake comes by and be bumping into folks. Similarly, if they have all just done a bow attachment (usual they would do just that against a rock wall, but...), if you did a stern as well, when the wind changes they will all rotate and you will not. May not be too applicable in your situation exactly, but it is a good rule when coming in to float with/near a group of boats. Always look to see what the folks before you did.

Oh, and if the tide rises on Canyon Lake--get outta there fast. You have bigger problems than your anchor. (still a good point on the big wakes, of course)

 

[Canuckjetboater]

Other thing to factor in when considering your stern anchor is what the other folks around you have done. If they all have bow and stern anchor and you just do a bow anchor (or just a stern--um, don't do that), then you will flip around when the wind changes or a wake comes by and be bumping into folks. Similarly, if they have all just done a bow attachment (usual they would do just that against a rock wall, but...), if you did a stern as well, when the wind changes they will all rotate and you will not. May not be too applicable in your situation exactly, but it is a good rule when coming in to float with/near a group of boats. Always look to see what the folks before you did.

Oh, and if the tide rises on Canyon Lake--get outta there fast. You have bigger problems than your anchor. (still a good point on the big wakes, of course)

@tdonoughue ....100%....and where I boat the general rule of mooring is that the first boat at the site sets the method and all others to follow (as long as that choice was safe - otherwise a respectful discussion should ensue)