http://www.anchorsup.com/

[LittleShip]

[url]http://www.anchorsup.com/[/url]

Had one of these (finger of God) sent to me by a friend in the USA, http://www.anchorsup.com/ /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Never seen anything like it in the UK but thought it was a good idea for those who like the sheltered bay approch to cruising - sailing.
What do you think!!

Tom

 

[Talbot]

Re: [url]http://www.anchorsup.com/[/url]

They do make the process fairly easy , and are very useful if you frequently get a foul anchor. But if it is a one off event, a rope and a sharp knife do the job just as well!

 

[steve_cronin]

You mean a Triphook?

They are sold by most UK chandlers. I wouldn't sail in the Med without one. Despite most people's diligence to avoid dropping their bow anchor over someone else's chain when mooring Med style, it inevitably happens. It is easy to raise your fouled hook up to the surface, hook under their chain, drop your hook down and when it is free of the other boat's chain, collapse the Triphook and sail away free.

There are two patterns sold. One (like ours) is of the shape on your link site, the other is more in the shape of a larger arc of a circle. The former is easier to trip under load but is also prone to accidental premature tripping. The latter holds on securely but some foredeck hands have had trouble collapsing them as the offending chain, under tension, grips rather too well and the hook needs turning through a large angle to enable the chain to fall off.

Steve Cronin

 

[Norman_E]

Re: You mean a Triphook?

How big are they? I have a nice piece of aluminium plate in my workshop. The thing looks about 6 inches top to bottom, if so I could cut one out for myself.

 

[steve_cronin]

Re: You mean a Triphook?

135mm overall height.

Our looks like this but I think that ally will not be strong enough. It also needs a small shackle through the lower hole to atach the tripping lanyard.

Steve Cronin

 

[bilbobaggins]

Re: [url]http://www.anchorsup.com/[/url]

The US website is interesting, in that it pulls together and displays several known techniques, and quite properly suggests that one arms oneself with an array of tools ( simple and economic ) for the job.

The arrangement shown for 'buoying your anchor tripping line' is centuries old, but can be made up economically by yotties intent on saving the planet a little....
A stroll along most tidelines will discover a selection of 'flotsam' plastic fishing net floats ( as per web display ) with annular holes through which one's tripping line may be passed. I have my line made up with a loop tied at the top, for easy boathook recoveries. The problem of floating line is resolved by attaching a spare shackle ( weight ) at about 15 feet down the 40-foot long line. I have a stock of recycled 5mm Kevlar line, which is quite adequate for this task.

The lower end of the line has a snaplink, for fast, easy attachment ( and detachment ) to the crown of my anchor. The whole assembly lives in a small ripstop nylon bag-with-drawcord, which clips ( cheapo tiny snaplink ) onto my pulpit ready for use.

As for the chain loop idea, that also works well, and has been in use for centuries. ( viz. 'Seamanship In The Age of Sail' by Harland ; ex OM Watts' warehouse fire damage sale, £5 )
However, I recommend that one carries a couple of 2-metre lengths of chain, with a heavy shackle at each end. One of these may readily be used to 'fish for' a fouled anchor as described - but from one's tender - and the other use is when alongside a rough stone quay, where the chain - as loops can be threaded through mooring rings, then attached to one's warps. The chain takes the chafe from rusty ring and granite edges. It also means that feral dockside children cannot easily reach one's bowlines-in-warps, to untie them.

 

[steve_cronin]

My anchor buoy.....

.. (on the re-cycling theme) is an old red plastic ballvalve float with a (second hand) 8mm machine screw screwed into it around and under the hex head of which has been crimped a single link of SS chain I just happened to have left over from a previous boat. A white anchor is painted onto the top of the float with some old hard antifouling (with a really old stiffened brush of course).

Anchor buoys aren't popular with the locals in Greece so it doesn't get used too often.

Steve Cronin

 

[summerwind]

Re: My anchor BOY!!!!!

Nah --- FAR too expensive!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Better idea is a few hundred used condoms from local bordello, length of old clothes line and (Optional extra) a ballon pump from Woolies.

Method:

Before dropping hook, loop one end of line through pivot end and tie off on pushpit.

When dicovering hook is snagged, inflate condoms and tie to secured end of line.

Launch condom float then pull on other end of line. Because of mechanical advantage, bouyancy of condoms easily pulls hook out of trouble. (After all, condoms were invented to keep you out of trouble!)

Doesn't work? - Add more condoms.

Eco-friendly, light and easy storage, earth saving and very cheap. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif