Diver to free fouled anchor

[duncan99210]

I’ve used my scuba gear to free fouled anchors (my own and other peoples) in depths of up to 25m. I’m happy to dive to that depth solo but wouldn’t recommend it unless you’ve got a fair bit of diving experience, especially if you’re not familiar with diving in the waters where you are.
Be wary of diving in harbour areas, they often have restrictions in place about who can dive for what purpose. Freeing a fouled anchor may require a professional company. I know that when I was involved with BSAC clubs, we were often approached for jobs like this: the advice we gave to members was not to undertake this sort of diving as even if no money changed hands it was too close to diving at work with all its attendant rules, regulations and insurance requirements.

 

[grandpaboat]

Another neat truck I just learned from one of the tour boats that run out to St Kilda is to shackle the chain end to the tripping point on the crown of the anchor and then secure with some light line around the chain to the normal attachment point.
The line acts like a weak link when pulling vertically so that the chain can then trip the anchor.
This can save many of the embarrassing moments you can have with a separate tripping line. It seems it works well with his Bruce on a rock bottom.
I have to say I haven't tried it.

 

[newtothis]

Sorry for the drift, but has anyone tried this method, or something similar? Or can it only be done with mobos?

 

[grandpaboat]

What is a mobos?

 

[mjcoon]

What is a mobos?

Plural of mobo. Or do you expect plurals to have an apostrophe?

 

[newtothis]

Plural of mobo. Or do you expect plurals to have an apostrophe?

I suppose the plural depends on the root language.
Greek: mobae
Latin: mobum
German: moben
French: mobeuax

 

[zoidberg]

Knowing this place as I do, we'll just 'keep blethering away'..... regardless.

Anything likely to be useful has already been said - but when has that stopped this place?

 

[penberth3]

........I know that when I was involved with BSAC clubs, we were often approached for jobs like this: the advice we gave to members was not to undertake this sort of diving as even if no money changed hands it was too close to diving at work with all its attendant rules, regulations and insurance requirements.

I thought that would be the case - good to hear it from someone who knows the score.

 

[penberth3]

Another neat truck I just learned from one of the tour boats that run out to St Kilda is to shackle the chain end to the tripping point on the crown of the anchor and then secure with some light line around the chain to the normal attachment point.
The line acts like a weak link when pulling vertically so that the chain can then trip the anchor.
This can save many of the embarrassing moments you can have with a separate tripping line. It seems it works well with his Bruce on a rock bottom.
I have to say I haven't tried it.

Great theory, but I suspect you couldn't break a "weak link" that was strong enough to cope with normal anchor loads

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Anchor ball with a tripping line works well. But two things. 1. You have to deploy it when you anchor, not after you're stuck. And 2. you need to find a way of stopping some random of trying to use your anchor ball as a mooring buoy....

 

[GTom]

Anchor ball with a tripping line works well. But two things. 1. You have to deploy it when you anchor, not after you're stuck. And 2. you need to find a way of stopping some random of trying to use your anchor ball as a mooring buoy....

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

 

[Sticky Fingers]

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

Brilliant I might do that.

 

[Stemar]

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

Then the idiots won't see it and they'll wind you anchor out of the ground with their prop - and blame you!

 

[grandpaboat]

Great theory, but I suspect you couldn't break a "weak link" that was strong enough to cope with normal anchor loads

Yes I liked the theory, however I can see the difficulty of making it work in practice. As you say getting the balance of how weak to make the lashing and on a rock bottom the link could chaf through.
I guess the tour boat would only be anchoring during the day with someone on watch incase it unintentionally tripped.
By posting I was interested to know if others had tried this method.

 

[duncan99210]

Anchor ball with a tripping line works well. But two things. 1. You have to deploy it when you anchor, not after you're stuck. And 2. you need to find a way of stopping some random of trying to use your anchor ball as a mooring buoy....

Wouldn't have Helped last time I had to dig the scuba kit out for a fouled anchor. The chain had wrapped itself round a rock, neatly held in place by a couple of overhanging bits. Only way to sort it was to dive a pull the chain out from under the rock...

 

[GTom]

Wouldn't have Helped last time I had to dig the scuba kit out for a fouled anchor. The chain had wrapped itself round a rock, neatly held in place by a couple of overhanging bits. Only way to sort it was to dive a pull the chain out from under the rock...

That's a tricky one!

Then the idiots won't see it and they'll wind you anchor out of the ground with their prop - and blame you!

If I keep my eyes on the road, I won't miss a Smart. While asleep, won't see the 20tons lorry either. A £50 ball fender won't help you out on this one. Thinking about adding a small solar LED light that turns itself on in the dark automatically. I wish all lobster pots would carry one... It needs some cutting and proper resealing on the bottle though.

 

[john_morris_uk]

I’m trying to work out why anyone would try heaving an anchor out of mud? As an inexperienced diver, just about the only thing I’d be trying to do would be attaching a tripping line or encouraging a loop of chain etc to run down the shank and allow the anchor to be pulled free by a line from the surface.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Another neat truck I just learned from one of the tour boats that run out to St Kilda is to shackle the chain end to the tripping point on the crown of the anchor and then secure with some light line around the chain to the normal attachment point.
The line acts like a weak link when pulling vertically so that the chain can then trip the anchor.
This can save many of the embarrassing moments you can have with a separate tripping line. It seems it works well with his Bruce on a rock bottom.
I have to say I haven't tried it.

I’ve heard of the technique but not used it. I’d always be worried about the light line chafing through on something and the anchor tripping itself in the middle of the night or when we were ashore in the local bar.

 

[TernVI]

I’m trying to work out why anyone would try heaving an anchor out of mud? As an inexperienced diver, just about the only thing I’d be trying to do would be attaching a tripping line or encouraging a loop of chain etc to run down the shank and allow the anchor to be pulled free by a line from the surface.

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.

A bloke in our club couldn't lift an anchor in the solent. So he buoyed it off and someone with a bigger boat had a go at it.
It came up with loads of mud and a tangle of wire rope and angle iron.
Wrestling with that as a diver could have been very dangerous.

Cheap Danforth copies work very well in the Solent. I've got a couple of spares in the shed I think.
Shame to lose a few metres of chain, but anchors have a great tradition of being lost.

 

[john_morris_uk]

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.

A bloke in our club couldn't lift an anchor in the solent. So he buoyed it off and someone with a bigger boat had a go at it.
It came up with loads of mud and a tangle of wire rope and angle iron.
Wrestling with that as a diver could have been very dangerous.

Cheap Danforth copies work very well in the Solent. I've got a couple of spares in the shed I think.
Shame to lose a few metres of chain, but anchors have a great tradition of being lost.

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)