how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

[DBreskin]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

You could try an anchor ball. I use wine when I g out fishing alone and need to pull my anchor. Google it.

The problem is the anchor chain rubbing against the hull when it's hauled on deck. How does an anchor ball solve this problem?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

if you are anchoring in only a few feet of water maybe you can do without the chain? Or maybe a smaller anchor ("lunch hook")?
I like the mat over the side. But I wouldn't want to be the one to criticize her technique or add more stuff to do up there while you sit at the wheel.

Teach her to drive but practice on a weekday with no one around

 

[tpenfield]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

22 foot boat, so put some heat shrink tubing over the anchor chain and maybe consider pulling it yourself. The GF can then stow the anchor while you take the helm.

Your idea of putting regular rode then chain is not going to be very effective for anchoring. Besides, the chain will still get dragged over the deck.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

22 foot boat, so put some heat shrink tubing over the anchor chain

Or do it the easy way and buy the rubber coated anchor chain.

 

[captain zac]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

Why not just install a bow anchor roller?
I have a cuddy and the hardest part of dropping the anchor was trying not to scratch the boat.
reaching over the bow was very difficult
so i installed a bow anchor roller and also a windlass.
but i think that you can get by with just roller.
easy install and I think that it was under 100

Harry

 

[salty87]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

anchor somewhere less crowded. 4-5' of water with other boats close by sounds like a mess waiting to happen.

is the water particularly warm in that area?? ick

 

[snowman51789]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

Wow that's alot of good ideas. I already do the trick were I have her just drop the anchor were I want it, then motor over to were I want the boat and do the opposite when retrieving my buddy gave me that idea and thank god he did.

The reason we go to the beach even throw its crowded is because its close to home and we like to meet and talk to new people.

I like the shower mat idea and I have an old one that we could try.

I'm also going to try using heat shrink, I'm an electrician so I could get some from work. I use a chain because I was having problems with out it, If none of these ideas work then I will try to buy a bigger anchor and not use the chain, but first ill ask her what she thinks of a bigger anchor with now chain.

Thanks alot everybody this gives me enough things to try for a little while. Ill report back.

ThanksDave

 

[robert graham]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

Bow pulpet with an anchor roller, the anchor stays on the pulpet,the anchor wench pulls or releases the line.

JoLin probably can't refer to his "Great Girlfriend" as "the anchor wench".....might get beat up!

 

[JoLin]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

JoLin probably can't refer to his "Great Girlfriend" as "the anchor wench".....might get beat up!

There's that and about a thousand others, learned the hard way during 32 years of wedded...uhhh... bliss :facepalm:

 

[robert graham]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

Bow pulpet with an anchor roller, the anchor stays on the pulpet,the anchor wench pulls or releases the line.

And don't refer to your "great girlfriend" as the "anchor wench"....might get beat up!

 

[rbh]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

I like this idea, in combination with using the boat to make anchor deployment and retrieval easier. Motor over to where you want the anchor to sit on the bottom and just drop it straight down (nobody should ever 'throw' an anchor- it's dangerous). Then back off, or let wind/current action do it for you. On retrieval, you bump the motor into forward gear occasionally to take the strain off the line. Nobody should have to haul on anything.

For the record, my wife has always done 'anchor duty'.

YUP, YUP, and HECK YUP!!

Set anchor, lower to the bottom and apply preasure to the line till it sets itself in, allow as much slack out as required.

Bow roller, makes life easy. (if anchor gets stuck, turn boat around and tie off rode, pull anchor slowly backwards till it lets go)

Everyone has a job, even the wives/girlfriends.

 

[oregoncruiser]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

I think I may have the solution for you. I took a section of 1.5" firehouse and ran my anchor chain through it. Then I used an old bicycle tube to wrap the attaching clevis. I also went to a Danforth style anchor that is fairly light. It holds well, and the entire setup is easy for the wife to pull if she needs to. She always has the first choice as to whether she runs the boat, or pulls the anchor!! I will take a pic and post later tonight.

 

[laserbrn]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

The problem is the anchor chain rubbing against the hull when it's hauled on deck. How does an anchor ball solve this problem?

The anchor AND chain are floated on the ball. You aren't pulling the anchor and heaving it up over the bow weighted. My girl has no problem pulling the chain over the rail when the ball is still holding the anchor on top of the water. It's only when it's all hanging over straight down and weighted (Danforth anchor and 6 -8 feet of chain) she can't heave it up without rubbing the side of the boat.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

you can get the nylon webbing at REI.

however my 13# Danforth anchor and 10' of chain is light enough that my daughter can pull it, assuming she actually climbed out of the hatch it wouldnt drag across the rub-rail or bow.

 

[snowman51789]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

Everyone has a job, even the wives/girlfriends.

that is very true. my girlfried is a great girl. we have been togather for over 4 year, i would love to beable to just tell her to sit down and relax while i take care of the anchor because it isnt a good job for a girl, however i am only one person and cant be in 2 places at once. but she is always willing to help.

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

Get a BOYFRIEND to pull the anchor up

 

[JoLin]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

i would love to beable to just tell her to sit down and relax while i take care of the anchor, however i am only one person and cant be in 2 places at once. but she is always willing to help.

There you go. My current boat is the first I've had with a power windlass, and Linda STILL needs to be at the bow when I deploy and retrieve. Sometimes there's a hangup, and she needs to clear it. If my boat is anchored alone I can do it all myself, but I'm usually joining or leaving a raftup and need to do things cleanly so I don't bang any other boats.

Your girlfriend is probably less sensitive about her role than you are, and might very well be proud of her ability to help. Linda takes responsibilty for securing lines on cleats and pilings as we back into a slip, tossing off to other boats at raftups, etc. and takes a lot of pride in it. She's gotten pretty darned good at it, too. When I do try to help, her common response is, 'Don't touch my lines.'

My .02

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

that is very true. my girlfried is a great girl. we have been togather for over 4 year, i would love to beable to just tell her to sit down and relax while i take care of the anchor because it isnt a good job for a girl, however i am only one person and cant be in 2 places at once. but she is always willing to help.

My beautiful wife was thrust into "you drive the boat" position when we were just friends (prior to our engagement). I bailed out and went skiing with friends in another boat. Jenn did great and just puttered around in the lake. She was a bit scared and I was confident. This was first done with my smaller boat and again with my big cuddy cabin.

So here is the scenario ......... you go to get a beverage out of the cooler, trip fall and get knocked out cold should your girlfriend drive the boat or should knock herself out to join you? Oh man it is all about safety.

BTW my wife read this post and said TEACH your girlfriend...... empower her!!

 

[QC]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

I think you should try all of these ideas. $2500, new boyfriend, new girlfriend, and after six months of testing and training would you get back to us? Thanks.

 

[Quit It]

Re: how can i make throwing and pulling in the anchor easier for my great girlfriend

So here is the scenario ......... you go to get a beverage out of the cooler, trip fall and get knocked out cold should your girlfriend drive the boat or should knock herself out to join you? Oh man it is all about safety.

BTW my wife read this post and said TEACH your girlfriend...... empower her!!

LOL, thanks for that.

I agree about safety. Everyone in my family has/will take the safety course.