Diver to free fouled anchor

GTom

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I completely understand. If the anchor disappeared into the mud and a tentative exploration down the chain couldn't feel or make out what was going on, I'd be all for cutting the chain and cutting my losses. Besides which, you're be doing everything by feel as the moment you disturbed the mud, what little visibility you had would disappear. (so to speak)
Not easy to cut a chain underwater...
 

zoidberg

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To address idiots under article#2, I use a 2liter orange juice bottle.

That's an ould trick!

The first time I visited Schull, in West Co. Cork, in a 40' foam/glass racing cat, there were half-a-dozen racing boats rafted out from the short landing quay. No way would it have been suitable to raft alongside them. Casting around for an anchorage spot, we spotted a small blue plastic bottle - with some orange baling twine attached - bobbing about but stationery. I hauled that in, and it was secured to some well-weeded 1" rope. That led to a very substantial chain loop.... clearly a mooring for a local fishing boat. "That'll do nicely!", we decided, then went to the pub.

The local police sergeant, a friend of our owner, confirmed the mooring's owner was away for a couple of weeks' trawling, and wouldn't be back that month. "You'll be all right there, boys. Nobody will bother you, but if they do - refer them to me!"
 

LadyInBed

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In Portsmouth mud, all you will likely see is the chain disappearing into the mud. The anchor will likely be well buried.
It may be buried and jammed in some scrap metal that's sunk into the ooze.
I was once called on by the navy to dive in Belize harbour to try to locate a crate of ammo that had been dropped overboard when offloading it to be transported ashore. I organized my team of four to do a jackstay search centered on a shot line. When we dived, vis disappeared within a couple of meters, when we got to the bottom our arms sank into mud upto our shoulder.
Not a chance of finding anything, but the Captain could at least put in his report that an attempt was made. When we got back on the ship we used the deck shower still kitted up to get rid of the mud and stench.
 

tudorsailor

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I invested in the Anchor Rescue system having paid a diver on a couple of occasions. One part sits ready on the anchor and then if one gets stuck the other bit slides down the chain
The Anchor Rescue
I have not been stuck since getting it so cannot truly vouch for it.
TS
 

Neeves

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There have been many pictures of anchors, set, underwater. Some with tripping lines - which are then described as THE answer to a fouled anchor. For those who sail and anchor in the real world, described previously, where they anchor in soupy mud these tripping lines would be a complete waste of time - as you would never find them. Tripping lines and many anchor retrieval devices rely on a clear seabed and the anchor not being particularly deeply set.

There is no 100% guarantee of any retrieval system working.

If you think your anchor might become fouled a tripping line on the surface with a label 'This buoy is an anchor buoy for the nearby yacht XYZ - DO NOT TOUCH!) might work (though there will always be the exceptional idiot). And do carry some lights to attach to the buoy.

Carry a spare anchor, cut your losses and the chain.

Jonathan
 

mjcoon

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There have been many pictures of anchors, set, underwater. Some with tripping lines - which are then described as THE answer to a fouled anchor. For those who sail and anchor in the real world, described previously, where they anchor in soupy mud these tripping lines would be a complete waste of time - as you would never find them. Tripping lines and many anchor retrieval devices rely on a clear seabed and the anchor not being particularly deeply set.

There is no 100% guarantee of any retrieval system working.

If you think your anchor might become fouled a tripping line on the surface with a label 'This buoy is an anchor buoy for the nearby yacht XYZ - DO NOT TOUCH!) might work (though there will always be the exceptional idiot). And do carry some lights to attach to the buoy.

Carry a spare anchor, cut your losses and the chain.

Jonathan
That's quite a label. Perhaps you need a QR code:
1600070700490.png
 

Neeves

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We have courtesy moorings in a local, Sydney, National Park - with similar labels defining vessel size, length of time permitted on the mooring, defining one vessel per mooring and who the authority is to whom the moorings belong. The labels are like large, 100mm x 250mm, luggage tabs. There are similar labels on courtesy moorings laid in The Whitsundays.

It might be easier here where we all, are meant to, speak and understand the same language (even if that language can be incomprehensible to visitors from overseas - being, the same but different :) ).

Jonathan
 

Skylark

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I should point out that it is very unfair to ask an innocent, helpful, friendly and well meaning recreational diver to solve this and similarly challenging sub aqua issues on behalf of sailors.

25 years ago I was rich and a very active diver and was asked to help a sailor with monofilament nylon line wrapped around his prop.

Shortly thereafter I bought my first sailboat and cash has been haemorrhaging from my bank account ever since ?
 

zoidberg

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I should point out that it is very unfair to ask an innocent, helpful, friendly and well meaning recreational diver to solve this and similarly challenging sub aqua issues on behalf of sailors.

25 years ago I was rich and a very active diver and was asked to help a sailor with monofilament nylon line wrapped around his prop.

Shortly thereafter I bought my first sailboat and cash has been haemorrhaging from my bank account ever since ?

You'll know by now there's no known cure.......
 
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