Need to find a home for my anchor line

[strokeoluck]

I'm just about fully outfitted on my boat, and finally have two anchors aboard. On Friday I needed to use both of them and wound up with what felt like a birds nest of anchor line, mingled with ski rope, and tube, and towels, etc. I swear we're generally very clean and organized but you get some people, activity and stuff going on in a 18' boat and suddenly I feel like I'm losing it. Anyway, when I originally bought two boxes of 100' anchor line I just took the rope out, attached it to the anchor on one end and then wrapped the 100' up around my arm (just like I do with an extension cord) and then tied a loop around it to hold it together. But when I went to untie them one of them got a little tangled up, and the other got tangled up a little later. I'm thinking I need one of those spool-like things that I see some anchor line sold "on".

Do you all agree that would make more sense? If so, how do I get my hands on something like that? I'm willing to make something from scratch if you have any effective and creative solutions. I don't want something too big - remember, we just have an 18' boat. Thanks!

 

[chicknwing]

Re: Need to find a home for my anchor line

I love these things makes it really convenient to store the ropes. Called the line winder.

TC

 

[HAV2FISH]

Re: Need to find a home for my anchor line

Try asking your local Hardware store to see if they have an empty one. They will probably just give it to you.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Need to find a home for my anchor line

i used to water ski a lot. we had the same problem with the ski tow line. what works best if you have no special equimpet is, that as you bring in the line, you just put it in a pile somewhere. if you have a box, that'll work, on just lay it on the sole (deck, whatever). then when you want to deploy it again, you just feed it out the way it is laying in the pile. i know that sounds to easy. but if you feed it back out like your brought it in. it won't tie itself into knots..

 

[jennis9]

Re: Need to find a home for my anchor line

i agree with ziggy... I have 150 feet of anchor rode and I put it in a mesh bag with handles when we're through. This way the rode doesn't get mildew and can dry out -- and it comes out of the bag as it went in -- no kinks or nests.

The bag is plastic and can stand on its own, so I can just put the rode inside. I pile it in as I bring it up -- also I put a knot in it at about ten feet so as it comes back on deck - when I get tot eh knot, I know I am almost to the chain.

then we stuff it in the ski locker.

 

[bekosh]

Re: Need to find a home for my anchor line

I had the same problem with my stern anchor. I keep it stored under the sunpad in a box but the line kept getting tangled. I found the CordPro, http://www.cordpro.com/, at a home improvement show. Easily holds 100ft of anchor line and the XL version would hold even more.

 

[Chiliando]

Re: Need to find a home for my anchor line

I run a CC so I have some storage space in the counsel. I use a 5 gallon bucket with a strong handle that I coil the line into. I then place the back-up anchor in the center of the lbucket and it is ready to deployemnt. The bucket also serves as a back-up bucket.

Works for me........