Following a step by step program to anchoring can eliminate this mess.

Responding to an anchoring discussion on one of our e-mail forums resulted in some tips and techniques for short-handed anchoring and picking up mooring balls that generated a lot of interest, and which we thought was worth sharing with the rest of our readers.

“Our boat is a Beneteau 461, which is only a few inches smaller than the 473,” writes Judy Rouse.  "There is no bow thruster or electric winch, but we manage our anchor with just the two of us without any trouble, even during high winds and docking at the fuel dock. In June, I will be solo for several weeks and have no qualms about being able to sail, anchor, or pick up mooring balls by myself—even though I am 56 years old with bad shoulders. You get comfortable handling whatever size boat you own if you sail frequently. My husband and I have each practiced doing these things solo with the idea it makes for safer sailing--you never know when something might happen to one of us.”

So, how does a singlehanded sailor anchor?

The answer is very slowly, following these steps:

1. Go forward, open the anchor locker, and get the anchor ready to drop. Using the electric windlass remote, lower the anchor a few inches to test chain movement on the windlass.

2. Walk back to the helm; it is time to decide where to drop the anchor; motoring very slowly toward that target, with the bow of the boat obviously pointed directly into the wind.

3. Put the engine into neutral; lock the helm, and walk up to the bow.

4. By now the boat should be at a dead stop and it will begin slowly drifting backwards with the wind.

5. As the boat drifts back, lower the anchor slowly.

6. If the boat becomes too crosswise, stop dropping the anchor and return to the helm to straighten the boat out so it will continue backing in correct position. Give it a burst of light reverse and then return the engine back to neutral. Then lock the helm and go back to the bow to complete dropping the anchor.

7. Put the snubber on the anchor and return to the cockpit to take visual markers. It is a good idea to wait a few minutes and allow the anchor to settle. We have 200 feet of chain and back the rode down at 1800 rpm to test how well the anchor is set. Now is the time to verify that there is no movement by your visual markers.

8. Hitting the man over board or MOB on the handheld GPS tracks the swing and ensures that the anchor is not dragging. In warm waters like the Caribbean, put on a snorkel mask and visually check how the hook is set.

Whether pícking up a mooring ball or setting the hook, your neighbors will appreciate a refined technique.

And how does a singlehander pick up a mooring ball?

1. First, cleat off one end of a very long line to act as a bridle.

2. Now, bring the open end of that line outside stanchions to the stern area.

3. Back the boat up to mooring ball, keeping the ball at the corner of the stern.

4. Put the engine into neutral.

5. Use a boat hook to pick up the mooring ball pennant and run the bridle line through it.

6. "Walk" the bridle line and mooring ball pennant up to the bow of the boat, bringing the bridle over to the opposite side of the bow and cleat it off.

7. Return to cockpit and turn off engine.

”Obviously, you need to make sure to secure the dinghy painter on a very short leash before starting either process to keep it from getting fouled in the prop,” writes Judy. “We also practice sailing or tacking slowly onto mooring balls in uncrowded anchorages—just so that we know we can do it in case our engine ever fails. I am not sure if that is possible to do singlehanded, but I do know it is possible with two people.”