An overnight safety checklist for a night on the hook.
By Mark King
There are many moments of joy and unabashed relaxation on board a boat but one of the most relaxing and rewarding is spending a night or two anchored in a quiet bay with nothing to disturb the peace. Still, quiet evenings when the wind has died down and there are only the sounds of the occasional fish jumping and birds twittering force you slow down and relax on your boat sitting quietly at anchor.
Many boaters spend nights at their dock, or tied to an island or visiting a new dock, concerned that they might not be able to handle a night on the water alone at anchor. However, with a little preparation, almost any size boat can be a safe and quiet refuge away from the normal crowds and social life.
There are a number of considerations before you shove off for your first overnight stay on the hook. From weather, to safety gear, to electricity, to food and others, you can develop your own checklist to make sure you are prepared.
Your first consideration of course is your boat. It should be capable and safe to spend a night or two on the water. If it lacks proper shelter, has a mechanical issue or worse, if it has a leak somewhere either above or below the waterline, these should be addressed first.
Safety gear is another important consideration. While you must have certain gear on board just to be legal, if you are planning an overnight stay you should add a little extra. For example, a second anchor is sometimes needed, either because others in the anchorage have one set at the bow and another at the stern, or because you need to anchor the bow with a vee-pattern to ensure the boat faces wind and waves with little movement. Sometimes there just isn’t enough swinging room to safely anchor with just one anchor off the bow. Anchors of different types can also be useful in case the bottom is different than what you planned. Make sure you check your charts to see what you will require. Extra rope is always useful and can be used for anchoring and tying the boat to shore where advisable and allowable.
What about emergency signalling?
Do you have a good VHF radio, or a cell phone that will remain charged through the weekend and is there cell service where you are likely to anchor? Should you carry a spare battery? Communication, if an emergency arises, is critical.
Have a good review of all your equipment and think about what you might need and should have on board – just in case. And of course, make sure it is functioning properly and easily accessible in the dark. Strategically placed flashlights are also handy.
A well-stocked first aid kit and the knowledge to use it are necessary. A fall or cut on board in the middle of the night, or anything that requires immediate attention, will have to be treated before you get back to shore.
Anchoring overnight on the water also requires some planning and preparation for food and water. If your boat is large enough and you are set up to store and prepare food safely, it will be easy. However, you need to plan meals before you leave the dock.
It is often recommended that if you rely on coolers that you should carry two on board – one with lots of ice for frozen products that will be used up over time and another for immediate needs such as drinks that will be opened and closed often. You should avoid foods that can spoil quickly and easily and monitor them before they are prepared or served.
Figure out how you are going to cook and make sure your fuel source is safe and vented overboard. Outdoor grills should be anchored in place, and monitored while being used. Wash from a ship or another boat can cause your grill and dinner to dive overboard.
Brush up on your anchoring skills by practising in the daylight, maybe even where you eventually plan to spend the night. If you are unsure of proper anchoring techniques, review recommended procedures. You don’t want to get into an anchorage as the sun is going down and realize you can’t get the anchor to set, or you can’t judge distances, or see landmarks to ensure the boat isn’t moving. Confident anchoring is one of the biggest keys to a relaxing overnight stay.
If you are planning to swim or participate in other activities make sure you know the bottom and the water where you will be for the night. Do not dive or jump into unknown water.
When anchored at night you must show an all-around white light. You want to make sure you have enough battery power to keep a light burning all night long. Two separate batteries, one for starting the engine and another deep cycle for on-board use, can help ensure your boat is visible all night long.
All of this can be practised and reviewed. Anchoring can be practised in the day time. You can plan to spend a night or two on the boat tied to the dock to see how things will work when you are at anchor. Pretend you are at anchor and cannot leave the boat. Use your anchor light overnight to monitor the power consumption and make sure you can start the engine in the morning, and spend the time to see how everything will work overnight, or for a weekend, without shore power and other facilities.
You don’t need a large boat with tons of equipment and facilities to enjoy a relaxing and restful night on the water at anchor. With a little planning, practise and forethought you can make do with almost any size boat with few built in facilities or amenities.
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