Anchors away - Page 3

NautiSeacrets · 08 February 2010, 07:10

For a bit more reading........

http://www.jimmygreen.co.uk/technica...size_guide.htm

neilda · 08 February 2010, 12:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jizm

Fair enough, mine is ok, bit rubbish in the soft mud we have in places round the solent area etc.

I rarely use an anchor but am hoping to use my RIB a bit more this summer and maybe experiment a bit, I've put steps on the back with the mad thought that I (or my son) might even attempt to swim off the boat! Madness probably.

alystra · 09 February 2010, 10:12

Like BruceB, I've just checked my anchor gear for the season.

Delta 4kg. anchor.
4 metres 9mm chain
4 metres 8mm chain
16 metres 16mm anchorplait rope
Spare 20 metres 20mm anchorplait (not yet used)

Usually anchor in 1 to 5 metres depth, occasionally 9m. Usually on sand or clayey mud. Avoid patches of weed (they're usually visible) and give the cable a good tug with astern power to set the anchor. I spend days ashore and nights aboard. In strong winds my main concern is the security of my tent rather than a dragging anchor.

Incidentally, the holding power of a good length of chain is amazing. To set my anchor I go astern at fast tick over, holding on to the anchor warp. As the anchor sets, the warp pulls out of the water almost to the horizontal, pulls me forward and the warp slips through my hand. When weighing after a night of strong winds I have come upon the anchor, plainly visible, just lying on the bottom and some chain still not stretched out straight.

Other times the anchor has been completely buried though.

neilda · 10 February 2010, 18:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by alystra

To set my anchor I go astern at fast tick over, holding on to the anchor warp. As the anchor sets, the warp pulls out of the water almost to the horizontal, pulls me forward and the warp slips through my hand.

I'm a bit of a novice about anchoring! When setting your anchor, do you use the full length of the warp that you have, or, once set, do you pull the boat in a bit and cleat off the warp?

Thanks...

BruceB · 10 February 2010, 21:20

Depends on depth, time to be left and where.
For lunch stops in sheltered water in the shallows I drop in the anchor with 5m chain and 10m rope all set up ready. For longer,deeper or less shelter I use more rope, up to another 50m if its being left overnight in 10m or so. generally I don't anchor where any other boats are around so swinging on the anchor when the wind changes isn't a problem.
Its all down to conditions at the time and you never know if you have got it right, only when you get it wrong and the boat is drifting away to sea

m chappelow · 10 February 2010, 22:39

suprizing how many boats dont have enough anchor rope though ,mostly the hard boat brigade ,a lot seem to think that because they normally only anchor in shallow water occasionally they will be ok ,its when the winds blowing off shore and the boats drifting out to sea into deeper water ,,we picked up a broken down speed boat ,miles out to sea once , as the sea got deeper the lesser and lesser scope on the anchor until it wouldent stop ,,,some will spend many thousands on a boat and then they will go into wilco,s or woolies and buy a washing line to anchor up with ..lol even with my little s.i.b when just having a run about i carry 4 metres chain 60 meters of anchor line as well as a 10 metre tow rope and bridle to add on ,, then at least i can veer onto a long shallow beach if needed with an onshore wind blowing and get off again ,

m chappelow · 10 February 2010, 22:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilda

I'm a bit of a novice about anchoring! When setting your anchor, do you use the full length of the warp that you have, or, once set, do you pull the boat in a bit and cleat off the warp?

Thanks...

its not a bad idea to mark the anchor line/chain with small ,,,tie wraps/cable ties ,,, say every 10 metres then it gives you an idea how much you have out ,,start with 1 tie for 10 meters then 2 ties for 20 metres and so on ,

stepheneyre · 10 February 2010, 23:10

hi
haveing had a rib for over 20+ years i find a folding anchor ok as will fit well into to a bow locker and u can fold it up when not in use , this stopes some person from catching the tubes with it and other anchors are too sharp for a rib with tubes ( just my thought)
look at
http://www.securefixdirect.com/32kgs...galv-207-p.asp
good price also
get a good anchor weight wise for the size of rib with about 2/3 mts of calvanised chain on the end
but its up to u and what the sea bed is like,
this i think is a good all round anchor and is compact for storage.

thanks

steve

neilda · 11 February 2010, 08:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by m chappelow

its not a bad idea to mark the anchor line/chain with small ,,,tie wraps/cable ties ,,, say every 10 metres then it gives you an idea how much you have out ,,start with 1 tie for 10 meters then 2 ties for 20 metres and so on ,

I will do this. Good tip. Thanks.

Sonar · 11 February 2010, 08:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilda

I will do this. Good tip. Thanks.

Paint would be better cable ties can be very sharp when you have cold hands..

Poly · 11 February 2010, 08:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by m chappelow

its not a bad idea to mark the anchor line/chain with small ,,,tie wraps/cable ties ,,, say every 10 metres then it gives you an idea how much you have out ,,start with 1 tie for 10 meters then 2 ties for 20 metres and so on ,

I mark mine every 5m - that way I count the marks as I let them out and that is the number of meters of water I've laid sufficient scope for (at an arbitrary 5:1 ratio). Its not exactly rocket science to work out the depths/scope etc - but 4m of water = 4 marks on the rode avoids any though - and seems to make for better helm-crew (ie. marital!) communication!

I ended up using bits of rope (woven into the twist of the rope) rather than cable ties as I found the sharp corners on the ties were catching on things/fingers etc - but that might just be cheap b&q ties.

m chappelow · 11 February 2010, 09:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

I mark mine every 5m - that way I count the marks as I let them out and that is the number of meters of water I've laid sufficient scope for (at an arbitrary 5:1 ratio). Its not exactly rocket science to work out the depths/scope etc - but 4m of water = 4 marks on the rode avoids any though - and seems to make for better helm-crew (ie. marital!) communication!

I found the sharp corners on the ties were catching on things/fingers etc - but that might just be cheap b&q ties.

I found that out too ,so i just leave them long now and dont snip them off short ,, i can feel and count them better in the dark too ,,,,, think that your way,,, to weave them into the twist of the ropes makes a better permanant idea as with some rope the ties can over time slide down with usage if run through a cleat or roller ,

Sonar · 11 February 2010, 13:11

Easy for me i pull the rope till i get to the chain I then know i have 6 mtrs to go.!

Puffin · 11 February 2010, 14:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by m chappelow

I found that out too ,so i just leave them long now and dont snip them off short ,, i can feel and count them better in the dark too ,,,,, think that your way,,, to weave them into the twist of the ropes makes a better permanant idea as with some rope the ties can over time slide down with usage if run through a cleat or roller ,

Sailed on a charter yacht off Skye last year and they had a colour coding system using red white and blue cable ties that meant even for a seriously long chain you only needed a maximum of 3 ties at any one point.

mercenary · 13 February 2010, 09:08

graplin anchor.

My opinion (and it only my opinion) these are PANTS..

only good for rocks and kelp, nice as a spare though

neilda · 13 February 2010, 12:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercenary

graplin anchor.

My opinion (and it only my opinion) these are PANTS..

only good for rocks and kelp, nice as a spare though

That's just what I was advised to buy - and told what most people are using on RIBs in the Solent!

Nasher · 13 February 2010, 12:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilda

and told what most people are using on RIBs in the Solent!

Nasher

BruceB · 13 February 2010, 13:23

They are only really suited as lunch hooks IMO

m chappelow · 13 February 2010, 15:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by BruceB

They are only really suited as lunch hooks IMO

i would agree BruceB ,they can be ok with plenty of chain and with certain boulder /crevice type bottoms but on flat scar or hard clay, shingle they ,,and i have observed this they can just tumble or skate along the bottom without getting a hold if there is a tide run on ,,,,if they made them with just 3 flukes instead of 4 that would over come it ,,the locking ring can also come loose which can then make it fold up on the sea bed too ,,even though the pull in effect should make it set ,,so make sure that the lock rings tight,,

Ian M · 13 February 2010, 16:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilda

That's just what I was advised to buy - and told what most people are using on RIBs in the Solent!

Here's another that definately does NOT use a folding anchor; I too have seen how ineffective they are, close up

I have seen them bouncing across a shingle sea bed, s--t myself cos I needed that boat at the end of the dive