We are going to see how to anchor our boat in an anchorage (beach or cove) leaving a safety margin around our boat or sailboat. This is known as borneo with all the guarantees.
In 90% of the cases, anchoring takes place on beaches, bays or coves outside ports, as anchoring inside ports is only allowed in case of force majeure or with the authorisation of the port authority.
The ships and sailing vessels in our fleet spend 83% of their time at anchor. It is too much time during the week not to take a few precautions and tips to ensure your crew can rest and enjoy a swim in any of our coves in both Ibiza and Formentera.
Pre-anchoring measures
When we approach our destination to anchor our charter boat in Ibiza, we must prepare the manoeuvre well in advance to avoid uncontrolled situations and unnecessary risks. About 10-15 minutes before arriving, we should anticipate the type of bottom we will encounter (sand, mud, seaweed, rock…), the type of anchor we are carrying and the length of chain (50 metres of chain in the Rumbo Norte fleet), the wind and weather conditions and of course the legislation regarding the bottom (presence of posidonia).
Having clarified these aspects, we should test the anchor windlass, for which we will first start the engine if we are sailing, secondly we will check that the magneto in the aft cabin is in the “on” position, finally a crew member will test the Up and Down buttons on the windlass to see if they work correctly.
We will also have at hand the ship’s orinque which is a small buoy with a small line that is attached to the front of the anchor to mark its position and help to “unhook” it in case of need.
Start of anchoring
Once we are at the correct anchoring point, we will slow the boat down by reducing the engine until we are stopped with the headwind, at which point we will start to drop or drop the anchor along with a few metres of chain until the anchor touches the bottom. As soon as you have dropped anchor you can stop the engine and let the wind start to blow your boat astern while you release a few metres of chain that will be deposited in a straight line (not in a mountain).
I do not recommend never putting your boat in the back, as first, you run the risk of snagging the dinghy line with the propeller or even a buoy line or loose mooring line. 90% of the problems with lost or snagged propellers are caused by our dinghy’s own line or own mooring lines.
As the wind pushes our boat astern, we will release more chain in 3-5 metre lengths and stop until the wind pushes our boat and our chain picks up some tension (non-vertical angle).
I recommend anchoring with “as much” chain as our location allows, as having more chain does not put us in any danger; on the contrary, we gain safety with every extra metre of chain. Safety is not provided by the anchor but by the chain at the bottom.
Many clients ask me if, by using more chain, they run the risk of running the risk of drifting because they have more radius than the rest of the boats and, therefore, hit us with something and the answer is emphatic, NO, the metres of chain that our boat will use to drift is proportional to the wind, so all the boats use the same metres. If the wind is light we will use 5 metres for example and in stronger winds 15 metres but if the wind is very strong, those who do not have enough chain will simply have their anchorages lifted, clawing uncontrollably in the middle of the storm while our boats will remain protected. So, if you are not able to get a good grip, it is because you have put too little chain or on a bad bottom bracket.
Finally, according to regulations, we must hoist our black sphere and light our all-round white light at the top of the mast at night.
Personally I like to attach a small line to fix the chain to a bow cleat and release tension on the windlass until the chain is a little slack between the cleat and our windlass, thus avoiding stressing the mechanics of the windlass and keeping it operational and well maintained all week.
Once anchored
Never switch off the engine when you have just anchored, wait 10-15 minutes to check that everything is OK, that you are not slipping and that you have a stable position. Looking at the GPS plotter position during this time will give you extra information as you may be confused by the first movements of the boat, but the GPS will show you whether these movements are around a specific point on the chart (correct anchoring) or follow a straight line which would indicate a risk of grounding.
Periodically, every 2-3 hours, I check my position and if we are taking a swim, it never hurts to swim out to our anchor to see how the chain is strung and how our anchor is attached.
At night, with the changes in thermal winds, it is very likely that you will wake up with your bow in the opposite direction to how you went to bed, which is normal.
If you are thinking of renting a boat in Ibiza this summer, you can consult us for availability and price without obligation, trusting that we will help you with everything you need during your holidays.
Anchorage selection
As we approach the anchorage, we will check the wind direction, intensity and density of boats to choose the most sheltered point from the prevailing wind with sufficient space between the boats already at anchor.
With 50 metres of chain, you will be able to anchor in winds of up to 20 knots. With forecasts above this intensity, consider returning to port as your mooring is available for the whole charter week.
Never anchor on posidonia as this is not only an ecological aberration on this plant of great value for our islands and their ecosystem, but you also risk a harsh economic sanction from the administration and finally the guarantees of anchoring are minimal compared to a clear sandy area. Always look for sand, which you will recognise by the turquoise-white colour of the bottom, avoid the black bottoms of rock, mud, seaweed or posidonia.
Always bear in mind that your boat will drop with the wind during the manoeuvre so you should leave plenty of room with the boats astern and start the manoeuvre as close as possible to the boats ahead of you (with the wind on your bow).
The recommended depth is between 4-5 and 6-8 metres, as below this depth we may have problems with borneo (turning of the boat due to the wind) and above this depth the anchoring security is reduced as there is a lot of chain without support on the seabed.
