Lewmar Delta Anchor - HOLDS TOO WELL!

[Finest Kind]

Was testing out my new BALLYHOOP (great product by the way) and after catching over a dozen Hoo's on 2 hauls, decided to leave the bait spot and go drift the reef for muttons when.... Uh Oh...the anchor is stuck!

Clipped on the anchor ball and tied off the rode to my port cleat and proceeded to motor up past the anchor...did this dozens of times before and the ball usually brings the anchor up no problem...not this time.
Drove up past the anchor point at 1 o'clock at idle speed and the anchor stayed put, and the boat stopped dead in its tracks, it was like slamming the breaks on!
Drove past the anchor at different angles, driving the ball down each time, but the anchor was just not coming loose.
FINALLY got it up after going to half throttle and doing circles around the anchor point....thought my stern cleat was going to rip out!
When it came up it looked like this:





I know Lewmar offers a "no break" warranty but I wonder if they cover the anchor bending into a pretzel?

 

[journeyman]

I've bent a Danforth pretty good but never saw or heard of a Delta bending like that! I don't think I would have had the nads to attempt it either.

I've gotten stuck pretty good twice and luckily both times were shallow enough to leave my rode tied to a fender so I could go home and get my dive gear and go back to retrieve it.

 

[DennisG01]

You were wedged onto something hard down there, that's for sure. Any idea what it might have been by using your sonar? Some man-made object that was sunk for an artificial reef? Rocky bottom?k The tip of the anchor looks worn/shiny - definitely something hard. But, wow, that's pretty impressive!

 

[Halfhitch]

Don't ever, ever, ever pull hard on a hung anchor from a stern cleat. Not ever!


This took place near me....

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/f ... e-1.366690

 

[Ozz043]

I use a reef anchor, prongs are designed to bend free when stuck in reef.
Also have spare anchor, chain and rope on board..

 

[Finest Kind]

Don't ever, ever, ever pull hard on a hung anchor from a stern cleat. Not ever!


This took place near me....

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/f ... e-1.366690

Wow, horrible story indeed!

But, if you read again what I posted, I was NOT trying to free the anchor by pulling off the stern cleat directly, what I used to retrieve the stuck anchor was an ANCHOR BALL....big difference.
I tied off the rode to the stern cleat AFTER deploying the ball, in order to be able to drive the boat in any direction without having to worry about fouling the rode in the props.

This is what I'm talking about, and how it's used:
https://www.boatingmag.com/how-to/using-anchor-ball

 

[Finest Kind]

Live and learn....Gonna rig my new anchor from the top hole and use zip ties to hold the chain along the shaft.
Next time it hangs up, the ties will break away and the anchor will (should!) come out easily since it will be coming out "backwards".

like this:
http://www.classicparker.com/phpBB3/dow ... hp?id=6960

 

[DennisG01]

I've seen that zip tie method before and it does sound interesting. But I just worry that it could fail under normal use and you're left with an anchor dragging across the bottom. I think you'd also need to make a habit of replacing the ties on a regular basis. For me, with occasional overnights, there's no way I'd trust that method. However, another thing you can do - and what this is what that top hole is really designed for - is to use a trip line. A 3/8" line (maybe even smaller) that goes to a small float ball. You'd want to adjust the length of the line based on the approximate depth so it doesn't foul the anchor during, but you wouldn't need to be exact - a little extra would be fine since the current will carry the float ball. Poly (floating) line might even be a good option. Now, if you get stuck, just go pick up the float ball.

 

[Finest Kind]

I've seen that zip tie method before and it does sound interesting. But I just worry that it could fail under normal use and you're left with an anchor dragging across the bottom. I think you'd also need to make a habit of replacing the ties on a regular basis. For me, with occasional overnights, there's no way I'd trust that method. However, another thing you can do - and what this is what that top hole is really designed for - is to use a trip line. A 3/8" line (maybe even smaller) that goes to a small float ball. You'd want to adjust the length of the line based on the approximate depth so it doesn't foul the anchor during, but you wouldn't need to be exact - a little extra would be fine since the current will carry the float ball. Poly (floating) line might even be a good option. Now, if you get stuck, just go pick up the float ball.

Agree 100% that this method should not be used for overnight anchoring, I'll just use it for a few hours at a time while fishing.
I will carry an extra shackle aboard, and simply add the shackle to the chain at end of the anchor shaft around the zip ties to secure it properly if I wanted to insure a safe anchorage that would not accidentally come loose.

 

[DennisG01]

I will carry an extra shackle aboard, and simply add the shackle to the chain at end of the anchor shaft around the zip ties to secure it properly if I wanted to insure a safe anchorage that would not accidentally come loose.

Good idea. Easy peasy.

 

[ROBERTH]

Wow, just found this post. Not in my wildest dreams would expect these thick anchors to bend up like that !

Reason for posting is I just started to get back into bottom fishing offshore. I have a Delta 14# anchor and about 25' of chain. Seems this weekend, anchored in 110' of water, the anchor was so stuck, it took us over an hour to get it free. Thought I was going to have to cut and lose everything. I have a special shackle and setup to help get the anchor through the skinny roller setup Grady has given us. Doesn't allow much room to turn the anchor and hangs on the shackles with extended bolts/screws, so mine is a flush bolt.

Anyhow, now interested in a way to use the zip ties or some other method. This is too deep to do some of the things mentioned. I did use the anchor ball method, but seems it never works when anchored that deep. I used to use the standard fluke anchors and the ball would bring the anchor up and it would float! This Delta is too heavy for that.

Finally, I let out over 350' of rode with the addition of the anchor ball and finally it came free. It never floated up, but the ring was hard around one of the spades on the anchor when we got it back up to the surface. Not sure if the ball did help or not here.

So, if using zip ties, how strong of a zip tie is needed? I did see that anchor saver online but don't like the hardware for my application, would likely have issues coming over the roller. Seems their break strength is approx. 800#'s. I don't know of a zip tie that goes there, but maybe not needed for normal anchoring. I would expect deep anchoring will have more pull though than shallow.

Your thoughts?

 

[Finest Kind]

Wow, just found this post. Not in my wildest dreams would expect these thick anchors to bend up like that !

Reason for posting is I just started to get back into bottom fishing offshore. I have a Delta 14# anchor and about 25' of chain. Seems this weekend, anchored in 110' of water, the anchor was so stuck, it took us over an hour to get it free. Thought I was going to have to cut and lose everything. I have a special shackle and setup to help get the anchor through the skinny roller setup Grady has given us. Doesn't allow much room to turn the anchor and hangs on the shackles with extended bolts/screws, so mine is a flush bolt.

Anyhow, now interested in a way to use the zip ties or some other method. This is too deep to do some of the things mentioned. I did use the anchor ball method, but seems it never works when anchored that deep. I used to use the standard fluke anchors and the ball would bring the anchor up and it would float! This Delta is too heavy for that.

Finally, I let out over 350' of rode with the addition of the anchor ball and finally it came free. It never floated up, but the ring was hard around one of the spades on the anchor when we got it back up to the surface. Not sure if the ball did help or not here.

So, if using zip ties, how strong of a zip tie is needed? I did see that anchor saver online but don't like the hardware for my application, would likely have issues coming over the roller. Seems their break strength is approx. 800#'s. I don't know of a zip tie that goes there, but maybe not needed for normal anchoring. I would expect deep anchoring will have more pull though than shallow.

Your thoughts?

If your ball does not float your 14# Delta and 25' of chain, maybe you need a bigger ball?
I use this 15" diameter ball and it floats my delta with 30 foot of chain no problem:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000M ... UTF8&psc=1

Regarding zip ties, try it out on land first by wedging the anchor against something then pulling on the rode...if it breaks too easily add another tie or a thicker zip tie... you want to be able to break it free by hand when you tug on it REALLY hard from the angle opposite the way the anchor normally sets.

 

[ROBERTH]

Len, that is very interesting and maybe the issue. I don't recall the size of the ball, but think it is standard what we get off the shelf in the WM store. Didn't know they had different sizes. If the 12", says it can float up to 38#'s. Well, that doesn't work for me and pretty sure it is not smaller than a 12", but I will check it next time I am down as the boat.

I think the weight is actually the anchor plus the chain, so that might be causing the total weight to be more than the ball I have. It was interesting when the anchor freed up, we stopped and started to retrieve the line and then it went back down and anchored in the sand again, but came free easily. Seems that ball didn't work at all. I am very intrigued on the size being the issue though!

 

[Halfhitch]

When using a ball with a ring, once the anchor is off the bottom you must run quite a distance at a good speed so the ring works its way all the way down the chain to the anchor. If you have a shackle at the connection of the line to the chain instead of a splice, many times the ring will hang up on the shackle and when you stop the anchor falls back to the bottom. I always run the boat up to at least 12 to 15 knots for 1/8 of a mile or so before I stop unless it is obvious the anchor is at the ring. That's what works for me. It's the power of the boat that brings the anchor up from the bottom. The ball just floats it when you stop if you managed to work the ring down the chain to the anchor.

 

[Coolchange1]

When chunking for tuna I use an 18lb danforth with 30' of 3/8" chain and a 27"poly ball to pull it up. I've even caught stray lobster traps and they come floating up with the anchor. That last explanation of how it works and the issue of not having the chain go all the way through the ring is spot on. You have to speed up for a distance once the anchor comes free

 

[ROBERTH]

I was able to check the anchor ball I have and it measured as approx 10" ball and is an A1 from Polyform. Polyforms site says it is 11", but I didn't get that extra inch in the measure, but it did have A1 stamped on it. They claim it has 29#'s buoyancy.

I found that the Delta I have is 14#'s and the chain is about 6#'s for total of 20#'s.

WM had either a 12" or 15" on sale made by Taylormade. It claims to be 33#'s bouyancy, so I will give this size a try. The 15" is way too big. No idea where I would put it and would always be in the way, but it would be about 68#'s bouyancy.

Next time out, will give it a try and see how it goes.

 

[Halfhitch]

I have always had good luck with this setup....

 

[ROBERTH]

Halfhitch, that is same as I have, this 12" should be in the same neighborhood as the A2 you have. Fingers crossed. :wink:

 

[Finest Kind]

I was able to check the anchor ball I have and it measured as approx 10" ball and is an A1 from Polyform. Polyforms site says it is 11", but I didn't get that extra inch in the measure, but it did have A1 stamped on it. They claim it has 29#'s buoyancy.

I found that the Delta I have is 14#'s and the chain is about 6#'s for total of 20#'s.

WM had either a 12" or 15" on sale made by Taylormade. It claims to be 33#'s bouyancy, so I will give this size a try. The 15" is way too big. No idea where I would put it and would always be in the way, but it would be about 68#'s bouyancy.

Next time out, will give it a try and see how it goes.

If the 12" does not do it for you (IMO I don't think it will have enough buoyancy) return it and exchange for the 15".
I tie my 15" ball to the stbd rail up close to the bow pulpit.
It's does not block my view ahead and it is not in the way since it hangs off the rail on the outside and does not block the walkway.

 

[ROBERTH]

Thanks for the ideas Len!

Looking deeper, I am finding the measurements as follows:

Polyform A2 - 15.5" X 19.5"
Polyform A3 - 18.5" X 23"

I suppose that the inflated A3 at just under 19" should fit in the cabin door so I can take below and store it. Just don't think it will fit into the forward cabin hatch! I was able to get the 12" ball made by Taylor Made Tuff End into the forward storage hatch, even on top of the extra beach anchor rode. It was tight, but not sure if I remove the rode, can still get a 15" ball in there. :mrgreen:

I hope this works, but agree, if not will exchange for the 15" as will have no other choice! :roll: