It's 2 a.m., the anchor alarm is screaming, and you're dragging. The single most important thing is to stay calm and work the problem in order. Here's a clear plan for what to do when your anchor drags at night.
1. Wake the crew and start the engine
Get hands on deck and start the engine immediately — you may need power to hold position. Have everyone put on a lifejacket. Don't rush forward in the dark without the engine ready; a few seconds of preparation prevents a worse situation.
2. Assess where you are and where you're going
Check the chart and your surroundings: where is the danger — shallows, rocks, other boats? Use the engine to take the load off the anchor and hold yourself off any immediate hazard while you decide. Your anchor alarm's track shows you which way you've moved, which tells you which way the wind is carrying you.
3. Decide: re-set or re-anchor
Sometimes letting out more scope and backing down will re-set a dragging anchor. Often, in the dark and a building wind, the safer choice is to retrieve the anchor fully and re-anchor in a better spot with more room. Don't be precious about it — a clean re-anchor beats nursing a hook that's already failed.
4. Reset your watch and don't assume it's over
Once re-anchored, back down hard, confirm it's holding, and set a fresh alarm radius before you even think about going below. Stay up for a while to be sure it's bitten.
How to stop it happening again
Prevention beats a 2 a.m. scramble: anchor with enough scope, back down properly, and read our guide to sleeping at anchor. And the reason you got the warning in time at all is a reliable alarm — a phone app that's been killed in the background wouldn't have woken you. See the complete anchor alarm guide to make sure yours is one you can trust.
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