Anchoring faff

_monkey · 28 August 2020, 10:37

I'd like to improve the way I deploy/retrieve the anchor - at the moment, it's stored in the front locker and I need to kneel on the sun pad and lift the anchor, chain and warp then throw it over the tubes. It's not too bad if the water is calm, but can be tricky if there is any swell. Retrieving can be messy if the chain/anchor has debris on it. [pics below]

I've noticed newer larger ribs, have an anchor holder on the bow - I'm exploring if I can retrofit something similar so I can deply/retrieve the anchor without actually touching it.

Any suggestions?

Poly · 28 August 2020, 11:51

From experience on non-ribs that have an anchor on a bow roller:
- unless you have a windlass you will still need to manually haul the chain/rode anyway. This will still be grotty when anchoring in mud (I recently read a suggestion that stainless is much less prone to this and clean on the way up).
- you will likely still need to go forward to release it to anchor
- it will rattle/bang around
- some designs make it hard to remove the anchor from the bow (e.g. if you have a weird situation where you want to anchor from the stern)
- if you don't keep the anchor rode neatly flaked in the locker (or someone drops stuff on top of it, it bounces around etc) it can get jammed in the roller.

On a rib you will likely still need to go forward to secure it (you don't want the forces on the tube) and you lose that nice advantage of a rib of being able to gently nudge stuff with the inbuilt "fender" at the bow (intentionally or accidentally).

Not necessarily reasons you shouldn't but worth balancing up.

smallribber · 28 August 2020, 12:25

If you are anchoring near a beech I think a bag of stone on a short rope clipped to the bow eye is a good system. You can leave the bag of stone on the floor of the rib for this purpose as it is not something that will damage the boat. This is what I use for my Jet Ski

Poly · 28 August 2020, 13:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by smallribber

If you are anchoring near a beech I think a bag of stone on a short rope clipped to the bow eye is a good system. You can leave the bag of stone on the floor of the rib for this purpose as it is not something that will damage the boat. This is what I use for my Jet Ski

That’s not anchoring! Might be ok for a jetski on a beach with a gentle on shore breeze.

Fender · 28 August 2020, 14:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

That’s not anchoring! Might be ok for a jetski on a beach with a gentle on shore breeze.

Yep, a bag of stones an't going to cut it

Simon B · 28 August 2020, 15:53

Quote:

I'm exploring if I can retrofit something similar so I can deply/retrieve the anchor without actually touching it.

You could try using a "tripping" line on the anchor, that way you'd not have to pull on the chain, which is probably the filthiest bit.

beerbelly · 28 August 2020, 15:55

[/QUOTE]

that would do my head in how un symmetrical the bow peices have been glued together

smallribber · 28 August 2020, 16:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

That’s not anchoring! Might be ok for a jetski on a beach with a gentle on shore breeze.

I was wondering when you last Anchored your boat

spartacus · 28 August 2020, 17:13

Unfortunately anchoring is a bit of a faff on a RIB. Can't see how easy it would be to retro-fit an electric windlass, you'd need something solid to bolt it too.

Just watching these guys install one on a 17 dory is enough to put me off. I had to look away at the jigsaw part on account of health and safety!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGNGMqkWTaE

jeffstevens763@g · 28 August 2020, 18:19

Tried golf

Obsidian · 28 August 2020, 19:06

I am a bit confused by this thread....

Why would you want a windlass on a RIB? Anchoring is pretty straight forward, I sometimes do it several times in a day and never found it problematic.

Chucking everything over the side at once seems dodgy, surely it will all tangle up in the process and how to you know when the anchor has touched down? (Then gauge the amount of scope you are putting out, ie minimums of 4x if chain and 8x if rope)

How deep is the water you are anchoring in? Seems like a lot going on for a few meters!

And lastly you can "anchor" with a bag of stones, but you would need a good length of chain since it is the chain that does the work. Shop bought anchors are definitely waaaay easier.

ShinyShoe · 28 August 2020, 19:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by smallribber

I was wondering when you last Anchored your boat

I use a bag of sand or stones as a ground weight on a upside down space hopper as a training mark for sailing. Much easier than the anchored marks. No great shakes if the mark drifts during training or as sometimes happens the bag disintegrates. Even then the bag sometimes comes up with mud in it. We wouldn't use it for a race where a drifting mark is a PITA.

I've never anchored a boat using one. But I'd guess I anchor RIBs, rigid boats and even an occasional sailing dinghy a fair few times a year; in a variety of circumstances. NEVER have I considered a bag of stones sufficient...

beamishken · 28 August 2020, 20:22

Seems like the main issue is recovering a muddy anchor here. Stowage of an anchor on a tubed bow is difficult, ok with a hard bow redbay or scorpion style but otherwise not easy. No reason why an anchor cant be deployed over the side then the rope lead to the bow. Recovery could be made easier and probably cleaner by using an alderney ring system & again recovering over the side or even stern if space allows

Poly · 29 August 2020, 00:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Obsidian

I am a bit confused by this thread....

Why would you want a windlass on a RIB?

I don't think he's suggesting a windlass - I think he is looking for a bow roller which would let him store the anchor on the bow rather than in the locker?

Quote:

Anchoring is pretty straight forward, I sometimes do it several times in a day and never found it problematic.

Indeed, although I don't have a sun pad to clamber over to get to the anchor locker - which I suspect is the issue here...

Poly · 29 August 2020, 01:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by smallribber

I was wondering when you last Anchored your boat

A very strange question, but I last anchored at approximately 1430 on 30th July to have time for a brew. This has been an abnormal year otherwise it would likely have been more recently - in a normal year I not only anchor for lunch/a brew but will keep the boat afloat overnight. I've anchored boats from 42ft to 12ft, in all sort of bottoms with a variety of ground tackle - but never a bag of rocks.

Have you ever used a bag of stones as an "anchor" for a 6m rib in a swell - which it the situation the OP is trying to solve?

SixtyNorth · 29 August 2020, 04:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by _monkey

so I can deply/retrieve the anchor without actually touching it.

Any suggestions?

How about a good pair of gloves?

_monkey · 29 August 2020, 05:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by SixtyNorth

How about a good pair of gloves?

Funny you should suggest that, because I've concluded the same and storing/deploying the anchor from a differnt location apppear to be the simplest solutions.

It looks like retrofiting a bow anchor holder with windlass has not been attempted and I heed Poly's view that hanging a load of itonmongery off the bow has too many drawbacks. I'll add it to the criteria for my next boat!

The current reality is that most of our anchoring activity is in Poole harbour, or along the dorset coastline, hence benign conditions and anchoring off the transom is viable. I have a 6kg delta I could keep in the bow locker for more demanding situations and use the 6kg foldable grapnel off the stern.

Thanks for your suggestions and to Beerbelly; I wish you hadn't pointed that out to me, I now feel obliged to work out why it's asymmetrical!

beerbelly · 29 August 2020, 05:51

Thanks for your suggestions and to Beerbelly; I wish you hadn't pointed that out to me, I now feel obliged to work out why it's asymmetrical![/QUOTE]

sorry but stuff like that bugs me

could you not get a lightweight alloy or stainless small platform made that bolts around the bow locker with the platform coming over the bow tube and forward with a bow roller and a hand winch if the platform mirrored the shape of the bow and was just above the tubes but went a little further forward and was well made and mirror polished might look ok and keep your hands and clothes clean

beamishken · 29 August 2020, 06:59

https://youtu.be/-7v8uiDWFnE
How to use an Alderney ring

spartacus · 29 August 2020, 09:50

Now this tidy. Granted it's £77k, but I do like a bit of polished 316 marine grade stainless steel.

https://www.marine-matters.co.uk/rib...grand-g750-rib

Back to the original question, a bow roller and a decent pair of leather gloves. Costco sell Wells Lamont leather gloves that wouldn't look out of place in a John Wayne western. Great for dry work. Down-side is they soak up the water. Not a fan of neoprene with leather as some have liners, and a total faff when your hands are cold and wet putting on and off.