Anchor Away ( Yes I mean AWAY)

[seasick]

Had an expensive trip today on MyOtherBoat. Got the anchor hung up in 25 feet of water and couldn't for the life of me,get it loose. Tried all angles, short rode, lots of rode etc.I had to eventually bite the bullet and cut the line. That hurt but not as much as it hurts now after looking up new anchors and line pricing.

The worst part was that there were several other boats anchored nearby and they all watched me try to free up the anchor and then cut the line.

 

[RussGW270]

Oh lord... I feel your pain. I did not need near as large of one, but one day.. ONE day.. in my kayak.. 3 anchors.. ..could I swim down and get it? Probably....but after the third one.. I simply cut the line.. cursed about 40000000 times, and called it a day lol

Yes, I sold the kayak

What model and size anchor you getting? Curious what is a good anchor for these boats.

R

 

[Halfhitch]

Next time in shallow water like that , rig a crown pendant using soft line and a small float like a crab pot float. Then if it gets caught you can get it back.... usually. Hind sight is great ain't it.

 

[seasick]

I haven't finished my research for the anchor. The one I lost was a plow anchor and it was relatively easy to set but I realize that it's design doesn't lend to pulling from the opposite direction to free it up like a danforth would. I am not going to spend the bucks for a stainless for that boat, a decent galvanized will do. The biggest surprise is the cost od new rode and chain. # plait line for 200 feet runs about $250 and 8 plait about $500 or so fro Lewmar brand. I am currently watching videos on rode to chain splicing
I am going to try to reuse my line. I have some spare anchors here and there but I need to check their weight to see if they are big enough.

 

[Doc Stressor]

I hung up a new Fortress anchor almost 50 miles offshore in 65' (It's the Big Bend). I needed to cut the rode but kept the GPS coordinates so that I could get diver buddies to retrieve the anchor. Two weeks later all they found was the rode! Some other divers must have found the anchor. There are no longer any secret spots in the Gulf of Mexico.

I lose about 4 anchors every year. I splice 3 strand nylon on a regular basis. The more expensive lines are too hard to splice.

 

[seasick]

Good to know about 3 strand splicing compared to the premium 8 plait. Thanks

 

[wspitler]

Lost my Lewmar plow and 30' of chain in 30' of water in the Gulf as a storm moved in and I had given up trying to free it. Came back 3-4 months later when conditions were good and dove it up. Some growth, but cleaned up pretty easily. Have a spare now, actually two. It was bent and tangled in a pile of old day marker steel pilings. (Good fishing spot) Had it straightened and using it again. 8-plait is not easy to splice to chain, but a swedish fid makes it a lot easier. Worth the effort versus 3 strand in my opinion.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Over the decades I've hung a few of them in wrecks from 70" to 150'. really sucks losing 150' ...plus chain.
Always seems to happen when the afternoon wind has kicked up, making it even harder...
I'm using a claw now with chain shackled to the rear hole and clipped to the forward hole. When wreck fishing I unhook the front clip and zip tie the chain.
If it gets hung you can pop the zip ties and haul it out backwards.

A buddy of mine just gave me three old rebar wreck hooks so I might start using them

 

[ROBERTH]

Best price and great quality rode came from Cableloft. I got 600' 1/2" 8 plait with 30' of 1/4" G4 chain several years ago at a great price. Best price I could find anywhere and you can custom build your own rode on their site with what you want it to be. Worth taking a look: https://cableloft.com/anchor-rodes.html

 

[seasick]

Good site. Thanks

 

[Willy-C]

I know it’s a little late now, but I’ve heard Towboatus and Seatow will help get anchors unstuck if they are not on other calls. IIRC when you are on anchor downwind they use another line with a large slip a ring around your anchor line, the second boat heads upwind and the ring slides down to anchor, second boat tugs on anchor backwards and viola.........

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/99?loc=https://www.ebay.com/p/1342193259?iid=172973682971

Pretty sure they use the same ring as the one used in the anchorball retrieval system

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/iron...nN_U4zo04kqpXBIVkYl4SvSOgAZKvR4EaAm-2EALw_wcB

 

[seasick]

Gee, wish I knew that a few days ago. I have a buddy who works at times for Boat US. I am going to ask him about that policy.
In the meantime, I was able to get a newish anchor from a friend and some chain. I am going to take a shot at splicing the rope to the chain. Hopefully I will be back in business soon.
I also found a smaller anchor in my storage box. It is too small to be the main but will do as a backup should I need one or a a second positioning anchor.

I keep thinking about worse case scenario of loosing the anchor and then for whatever reason loosing power and drifting into something. I should have been better prepared. Since this was myotherboat that is still under 'repairs' I got sloppy.

 

[glacierbaze]

Will you rig the new one breakaway style?

 

[ROBERTH]

I tried to rig mine breakaway style, but when I do that, I can't retrieve the anchor without it getting hung up at the roller. Sometimes it is very tough to go up and walk the plank in rough seas trying to pull on the chain to finagle the anchor to come up over the roller and hold it, then try to put my foot on the reverse.
I wish there was a better way.

 

[Doc Stressor]

I have a friend who uses a pretty heavy plow style anchor rigged break away style. He uses tightly wrapped copper wire to connect the chain to the top of the hole in the shaft. It seems to clear his roller every time as only the bottom of the shaft come in contact with the roller.

 

[ROBERTH]

Since it is not going to be a fishing weekend due to the high winds/seas....AGAIN, I was thinking if I could rig the chain to be on the underside of the anchor shank, it might allow the anchor to come on up and over the roller.
The problem I was having was as the chain came up with the zip ties, the end of the shank would hit the roller and jam up.

If still has the issue, I am strongly going to reconsider removing my pulpit this winter, fill in the recess and get the longer/wider Lewmar anchor roller assy. that is top mounted so that the anchor will have room to turn around on the roller. I think that is most of my issue now anyhow. It is so narrow being only about 1-3/4" wide roller, it can't flip once it starts up over the roller. The one I am looking at is about 3-1/2" wide.
I also think this type of anchor roller will make the pulpit stronger as the pulpit will be thicker. The Lewmar is 23-1/2" long if I can fit it or I can get the one that is 18" long with same width.

 

[GW VOYAGER]

I hung up a new Fortress anchor almost 50 miles offshore in 65' (It's the Big Bend). I needed to cut the rode but kept the GPS coordinates so that I could get diver buddies to retrieve the anchor. Two weeks later all they found was the rode! Some other divers must have found the anchor. There are no longer any secret spots in the Gulf of Mexico.

I lose about 4 anchors every year. I splice 3 strand nylon on a regular basis. The more expensive lines are too hard to splice.

I also fish Big Bend and use a grapple anchor . I hang often but have it connected at bottom and tie wrap to top. I break the ties and pull the anchor backwards. I still keep a spare though.

 

[Halfhitch]

Since it is not going to be a fishing weekend due to the high winds/seas....AGAIN, I was thinking if I could rig the chain to be on the underside of the anchor shank, it might allow the anchor to come on up and over the roller.
The problem I was having was as the chain came up with the zip ties, the end of the shank would hit the roller and jam up.

If still has the issue, I am strongly going to reconsider removing my pulpit this winter, fill in the recess and get the longer/wider Lewmar anchor roller assy. that is top mounted so that the anchor will have room to turn around on the roller. I think that is most of my issue now anyhow. It is so narrow being only about 1-3/4" wide roller, it can't flip once it starts up over the roller. The one I am looking at is about 3-1/2" wide.
I also think this type of anchor roller will make the pulpit stronger as the pulpit will be thicker. The Lewmar is 23-1/2" long if I can fit it or I can get the one that is 18" long with same width.

As is always the case, whenever there is a problem with any kind of device that you have to jury-rig, some guy, somewhere gets serious about solving the problem in a more professional way. Here is what one guy came up with. I've never seen one of these personally but have seen the ads for years. I wonder if it may not expose the end of your anchor shank to hang up on your roller. It may have a smoother profile as it leads onto the roller. Here's a link.....

https://anchorsaver.com/

 

[imjus4u2nv]

As is always the case, whenever there is a problem with any kind of device that you have to jury-rig, some guy, somewhere gets serious about solving the problem in a more professional way. Here is what one guy came up with. I've never seen one of these personally but have seen the ads for years. I wonder if it may not expose the end of your anchor shank to hang up on your roller. It may have a smoother profile as it leads onto the roller. Here's a link.....

https://anchorsaver.com/

That anchorsaver seems like the answer Halfhitch.
I can say, the guys who saw you cut your line from the other boat I ask sure where hurting for you , we have all been there (luckily i use danforths which are much cheaper and easier to get out and we dont have anchor divers like you up in NY).
One time a guy got his anchor stuck, and tied a float so we all used it like a mooring ball - worked well for a week or two until the guy that lost his anchor showed up to fish, and someone was on his ball and honeyhole lol.

 

[ROBERTH]

Agree Halfhitch, that would be the right solution and ingenious design. I too have visited and reviewed over and over again over the years. Problem for me has been none of that hardware will come up easily through my very narrow 1-3/4" with roller.

After doing some research, and some realization, the anchor roller for this model Grady was designed for the Danforth anchor, could easily stow it in the locker by pulling the rode through the 2pc bail.

There in-lies the problem...the anchor roller was not designed for the Delta plow type anchor.

I did some measurements last night once I got down to the boat and think the right thing to do is as I mentioned. Pull the pulpit, fill in the recess, repair a couple of gelcoat cracks where the stantions are and install the Lewmar anchor roller designed for the plow style, which is 3-1/2" wide. This should allow the shank to rotate as it comes over the roller and right itself. Then, I think the anchor saver is a go.