Hi Martin,

I think I mentioned we are taking a trip to the British Virgin Islands, where we have chartered a 50ft Power Cat. I will of course let you have a full report and photographs.

We leave on Sunday and have received our information pack which recommends anchoring using a bahamian moor! Do you have any idea what this is?
Thanks in advance!  Back in Lagos in March and we must have that lunch.

Best regards, Harry.

Hello Harry,

Thanks for your email - good to hear from you and yes I can describe a Bahamian moor and I occasionally do it in order to restrict the movement of the boat when either the tide changes and / or the wind. 

One place in the Algarve where I do it is in the narrow channel of Ria Formosa between Tavira Island and the mainland.  In this situation the boat will be lying to a strong tidal stream, but when it is high water and the tide stops the boat may well swing round on its scope of chain and lie instead to the wind, which in the night is usually from the north.  The danger here is that the boat may go aground in the shallower water on the edge of the channel and then as the tide goes out there you are stuck there until the next high water!  Not only is that embarrassing, uncomfortable and tedious but on the edge of the channel there are clam beds the owners of which will be extremely upset with you when they find your boat stuck there for almost 12 hours.

To prevent this happening when I anchor for instance when the tide is ebbing, I lay out all my bower anchor chain (this is one of the reasons why it is so important to have around 60 metres of chain), then I lower my kedge anchor chain and warp over the bows of the boat and start winching the bower anchor in as I let the kedge anchor out.  When I have got half the bower anchor chain back in I secure my kedge anchor warp or chain to a cleat and I am now lying with the bows of my boat halfway between the two anchors.  Then with a short length of rope (about a metre long) I lash the bower anchor chain to the kedge anchor chain or rope just under my boats bow roller, then I lower that lashing by letting a little bit of both anchor chains / warp out until it is about a metre under the water.  The boat will now lie to bower anchor for the ebb and the kedge anchor for the flood.  When it is slack water the boats swinging will be restricted as she will be lying to a point half way between the two anchors.

Whilst it is not essential, it is very helpful to have a double stem roller to make this exercise easier. This is also a good reason to have at least 15 metres of chain plus a lot of rope on your kedge anchor.

I hope that you have a wonderful holiday, I look forward to hearing from you when you get back.

My best wishes to you and Jacqui.  Martin.