anchor retrieval

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billywilliams

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anyone with experience of the anchor retrieval system used on small motor cruisers/angling boats with no windlass and using rope/chain anchor rode? The hardware consists simply of a small buoy shackled to a metal ring app. 6" diameter through which the rope passes. I understand that to break out & retrieve the anchor, which eventually comes to the surface and is suspended beneath the buoy, the boat motors forward at about 45 degrees to the rode and it all happens magically after that! Is that the case? Does the buoy remain on the surface or does it submerge? It the system works it will save a lot of effort using handraulics.

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I use this method for fishing and occasionaly when using the yacht. your idea is correct ,but the bouy must be large enough to support the anchor and chain. Idealy the chain should weigh more than the anchor, it will then stay in position under the buoy so you can motor towards it and retreive it. if the chain weight is to light it will simply sink back to the bottom. Hope this helps.

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yep the metal ring is referred to as an Alderney Ring for this rig, and a length of chain heavier that the anchor ensures it stays sitting in the ring rather than deciding to plumet back to teh bottom on a whim. The key purpose of this rig is not so much to save effort but to get the anchor out and up quickly where you might be drifting it into a wreck or reef otherwise.
It is dangerous on a small boat - keep a large sharp knife handy! This is because you are recovering the anchor other that at the front of the boat and if it gets caught somewhere, and the line gets caught on the side of the boat in a run of tide.......... you get the picture.
If you can access the bow roller easily then recovery there is always recommended.

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A very good Alderney Ring set up as available from Stainless Steve in Lymington.
He always seems to have a advert in Sea Angler.

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could you pls explain

sorry I heard already about this system but I havn t got a clear picture yet: the rope simply goes through the ring at the base of the free floating buoy? when you pull the rope the buoy does not follow the boat? not even when all the rope has gone through the ring and there is chain through it?

thanks

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Re: could you pls explain

as outlined initially you motor forward into the tide but at a sufficent angle to avoid your anchor line! To start with tide will hold the buoy as you recover the now 'slack line', you end up with the buoy above the anchor and the line straight across the surface to the buoy then straight down to the anchor which breaks out as you continue. Final stage the buoy will move up with you but the drag with the water will mean that the anchor continues up to the ring and should end up hanging in the ring - cut engine and recover line at leisure.

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Interesting! I was reading about this very method of raising the anchor without a windlass in the West Marine Catalogue last night; described in one of their West Advisor articles which I find very useful and pertinent. Page 613; it even tells you how, in pictures! I thoroughly recommend the West Catalogue as a superb reference tool.
Chris Snushall

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Check out www.craysidemarine.co.uk he has an section on this and sells the parts, found it very useful to understand.

DO NOT attach the anchor rope to any cleats as if the anchor gets snagged, on a small boat it can pull the back or side down and swamp the boat. If it is left tied to the front on the boat all it will do is swing the front around.

Regards

Dave

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