Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again :)

[jkru]

So I have a 2006 Sea Ray 260 with a galvanized plow anchor. I dropped the anchor in about 80 feet of water and the anchor got stuck. I tried pulling with two guys and then I put the boat in reverse to try to get it loose and *SNAP* the anchor line broke .

I may grab scuba gear and go look for it but its probably a lost cause.

Questions:
1) How do I prevent this from happening in the future?
2) How do I get an anchor unstuck when it gets stuck. I learned one lesson with my old boat not to drive over the anchor line.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks
JKru

 

[rs2k]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

You should not go into reverse to raise a stuck anchor. I was taught to tighten up all the slack I could and then pull forward slowly. An anchor should release when you pull straight up unless it's lodged onto coral or something else. If you pull backwards it's like pulling on a fish hook.

 

[jjacobs007]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

take the boat in the opposite direction of line when drifting in wind.pull the bit%$ with boat and hand always comes loose for me.Unless your wedged between something really nasty then wont come loose anyway.

 

[Ram58]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

I always take the boat the oppisite direction from where I was anchored.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

You should not go into reverse to raise a stuck anchor. I was taught to tighten up all the slack I could and then pull forward slowly. An anchor should release when you pull straight up unless it's lodged onto coral or something else. If you pull backwards it's like pulling on a fish hook.

Ditto.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

I hope it wasn't near a launch ramp! (Sorry, some will remember that thread ... http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=28882 )

 

[Inline6]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

Try this...it works great and is easy to use.


http://www.fishing-catalog.com/other products/anchor_ball.htm


Regards,
Inline6

 

[lowkee]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

A couple of methods you can use:

1: What the others are saying.. drive in the opposite direction you were drifting in
2: Run a thin second anchor line hooked to the 'elbow' of the anchor. Think of a pick axe stuck into ice. Pulling the handle will just break the handle, you much lift on the pick to remove it. They actually sell a few anchors predrilled for two anchor lines for this very reason.
3: (works best with smaller boats) Tie the anchor line to one side of the boat and rock the boat side to side. This method has saved me MANY times.

 

[AtoZ]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

I'm interested in the rode breaking. What size was it? How much power were you applying at the time?

 

[QC]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

Me too ^^^^^^ Three (two?) guys in Florida died this year in what appeared to be an attempt at same . . .

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

Me too ^^^^^^ Three (two?) guys in Florida died this year in what appeared to be an attempt at same . . .

Those guys died because they were stupid, the best option for them would have been to cut the rope or simply untie it.

 

[QC]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

I don't disagree, but a lot of power against an anchor is a problem not matter how you slice it . . .

 

[salty87]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

tie a bumper to it and it'll be there for you to use when you come back? lol

sometimes they're just goners. how much line did you have out in 80'? must have been hung up pretty good.

 

[jkru]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

I'm interested in the rode breaking. What size was it? How much power were you applying at the time?

You guys are awsome thanks for all the replys.

Couple things:
1) Wasnt anywhere near a boat ramp
2) I was applying about in gear RPM maybee 100RPM - 200RPM (As I recall) more max at any time.
3) The anchor was a 25LB Plow
4) The rope was slightly sun damaged at one point and should have been replaced although the rope was only 2 -3 years old.
5) I dont recall how much chain was on. I dont think anything.

So here is what I have done:
1) Baught 16 feet of chain.
2) removing the rope from the storage locker and am getting a new loop put on the end.
3) Baught a glavanized anchor Stainless is a waste of money and not worth your loss of sanity if you loose it.
4) Baught a bouy with 120ft of line to tie to the front of the anchor if im achoring in a suspect area.


In addition:
I baugth a underwater camera and a 250lb magnet.. Im going fishing this weekend doing some anchor angling

 

[jkru]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

tie a bumper to it and it'll be there for you to use when you come back? lol

sometimes they're just goners. how much line did you have out in 80'? must have been hung up pretty good.

Yah as I recall it was about 80' of line or so. To be honest I think the depth was more along 55'. I just check the depth marker at the location.

 

[P 0 P E Y E]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

Take up all the slack in the anchor line.

Try again to get more slack out.

Cleat off the anchor line tight.

Use the engine to free the anchor by heading into the wind.

Slowly increase power.

It is possible that the rhode was fowled on an obstruction, this obstruction may have caused your line to part.

Most of the time, you will be able to get your anchor back. Some times it is impossible with out a diver.

 

[PAK]

What Inline6 says

What Inline6 says

I have been using an anchor ball for as long as they have been on the market. We anchor in anywhere from 30 to 180 feet of water on all types of bottom - mostly reef in Florida and the Bahamas. I have only lost one anchor after anchoring thousands of times. Not only that, it is way easier than tugging on an anchor 300 feet out. Once it is on the surface, it is a matter turning your boat around and pulling in slack line. It is a beautiful thing to see your anchor on the surface 300 feet behind your boat.

The trick is to run forward past your anchor line, but slightly off to one side. Once the line is beside your boat, use a boat pole or gaff to grab it and turn back on a heading toward and past your anchor. Before the line comes taught, secure it on a side or rear cleat. What happens next is magic. After a brief time, your anchor rises to the ball, the chain comes through the hoop and the anchor comes to rest on the surface.

Also, use the right anchor for the right job. Use a fluke, CQR/Plough or Bruce/Claw for sand or mud and grapnel on reef or rocks. If you use a grapnel, secure the chain with a shackle to the front end or head of the anchor where the tines are. Run the chain through the tines to the end of the shank. Secure the chain with tie wraps (the kind with the SS catch) or heavy twine, but not more than two wraps. Make sure there is slack in the chain between the shackle and the tie wraps. This is important, because if you do get it stuck, you want the tie wraps to break so that the grapnel is pulled off the reef by the head. Otherwise, you are stuck. This method works on boats up too forty feet in moderate to heavy current. If you find the tie wraps or twine are breaking, add one more tie or wrap of twine.

This method is so effective that just last year I bought a new grapnel anchor, not because I lost my old one, but because it was just plain worn out. I have had that anchor since 1983. It served me through two 25ft Contenders, one 35ft Contender and one 40ft Riviera Offshore Express sport fish.

I am leaving for the Bahamas on Sunday. Regardless of what you do, I will look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Good luck.

Regards,

Drew

 

[P 0 P E Y E]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

Welcome to this fine forum PAK, By the way

Looks like we might have waved or exchanged a single horn over the years.

Once up on a time in the early 80s I was a professional diver on the inter coastal waterway in Florida. I worked at a boat yard in Daytona and went to school Embry-Riddle during the nights.

I was called out to help a visiting mariner who had his anchor fowled.

There it was wrapped tightly around a submerged object that was sort of like a cross between a 3 foot tree stump and Volkswagen. In about 6 feet of water. The line was brand new 3 strand nylon wrapped about 50 times around the object.

After an exhaustive few minuets, I cut the line at both ends of the fowl and gave the man his anchor. NO TIP. That is one Anchor.

The second was on about 2002 when I was the race committee boat captain on a club cruise in Newport. Had to set a course and start a race near a cable crossing....needless to say, I found the cable and had to dump the entire anchor and over 200 feet of BBB....oppps

 

[BumbleBeeTuna]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

Once up on a time in the early 80s I was a professional diver on the inter coastal waterway in Florida. I worked at a boat yard in Daytona and went to school Embry-Riddle during the nights.

Many hours and many sunburns on that stretch of water. Brings back a lot of memories.

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Lost Anchor.. How not to do it again

Here's my experience:
You're gonna lose an anchor every now and then. Keep a spare.
The rode never should have broken (unless fouled by a sharp object).
In 'sticky' sand, it can take several minutes of decent tension to break an anchor loose.
If you drive over your anchor you're likely to bend the shank if it doesn't come up easily.
I never use any chain.
That bouy is more likely to end up tangled around your prop than helping you get up a fouled anchor.
Of course YMMV.