Free Anchoring Workshop

You are invited to a FREE Anchoring Workshop

Hosted by America’s Boating Club, Portsmouth – also known as Portsmouth Sail and Power
Squadron. We specialize in teaching boating courses in the off-season.


When: October 11, 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Where: Portsmouth High School, Room 242
50 Andrew Jarvis Dr, Portsmouth, NH 03801


In our introductory boating classes we teach lowering the anchor while drifting/motoring
backwards, letting out enough scope, then setting the anchor. This works in a lot of places –
most of the time.


This workshop addresses the more challenging conditions on the New England tidal coast, and
handling emergencies – when the anchor(s) MUST hold. It is meant to supplement our Online
Boat Handling Course ($67.50) – but this FREE Workshop is open to all.

For more information, visit www.usps.org/portsmouth and scroll to Squadron Events.
Or Email: usps.portsmouth@gmail.com

Topics will include: SIMPLE ANCHORING

  • The textbook case.
  • How much? – marking your Anchor Rode.
  • What works where? – chain, rope and combinations.
  • Bottom Conditions
  • Handling waves/wakes – avoiding jerking
  • Controlling Anchor Swing
  • Handling changing winds – frontal vs. air mass
  • Handling reversing tides
  • Downwind – Flying Anchoring
  • Dynamic Belaying and Knots to Use
  • (demo -you do hands-on in Line Handling Workshop)
  • Retrieving your Anchor under difficult conditions
  • What to do if you drag?
  • Maneuvering using anchors
  • Is there ROOM to anchor?
  • TWO-ANCHOR TECHNIQUES
  • Bow to Stern Anchoring
  • Bahamian Mooring
  • Windward Vee pattern
  • Asymmetrical pattern
  • QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

A follow-on FREE Line Handling and Knots Workshop will be held at Portsmouth High School October 25 7:00 to 9:00 PM

This workshop addresses line handling while anchoring and docking under the more challenging
conditions on the New England tidal coast. It is a more hands-on coaching session to follow the Anchoring Workshop.

COACHED SKILLS will include:

  • Cleating a line
  • Dynamic belaying – for flying anchoring / stopping boat on pier
  • Catenary Pull (‘bowstringing’) – for raising difficult anchor / warping on pier
  • ’Sweating Up’ sailboat halyards
  • Coiling for ready use (Gasket Hank)
  • Coiling and Throwing – 3-strand twisted line
  • Coiling and Throwing – braided and double-braided line
  • KNOTS TAUGHT
  • Cleat Hitch
  • Whipping – to protect line ends / mark line’s distances
  • Parallel Lashing – dual anchor lines
  • Prussick Knot
  • Figure-Eight – as end loop / middle loop / join two lines / stopper knot
  • Bowline
  • Two Half Hitches
  • Sheet Bend
  • Clove Hitch
  • Tautline Hitch / Rolling Hitch
  • QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS