Remote anchor dropping...

[Rohorn]

Hi....My last post about masthead TV and anchoring also infers having a system to drop the hook by remote control from the cockpit. I s'pose better equipped boats have winches with some sort of remote unlatching mechanism. I thought to prepare for anchoring by tieing off the jib furling mechanism and borrowing the jib furling line to pull some sort of release gadget. How do you guys do it?
Cheers.....R

 

[LadyInBed]

Fit a ‘two way’ electric windlass - power it down, then power it up.

 

[tugboat]

Once you get into calm waters as you approach the anchorage, just hang the anchor over the bow roller so it is all ready. A remote dropping release is really not necessary - how long can it take to get from cockpit to foredeck on the average yacht?

 

[LadyInBed]

Far too low tech if you have a masthead TV /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[tugboat]

He must have a long neck. Is he a giraffe? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[halcyon]

Get a wife.

Brian

 

[MedMan]

Whatever you decide upon, do not go for a windlass that will power down. I have seen failure after failure after failure when folk attempt to use these ill-thought-out devices to anchor. They are MUCH (I know I'm shouting, but it's important!) too slow in letting the chain out. If there is anthing more than a breath of wind, by the time the anchor hits the sea bed you are hopelesslessly out of position. If you somehow manage to avoid that problem the anchor will start to scoot over the seabed as the weight comes on as you won't have enough length of chain out. You need a system that will let out the chain at least as fast as the wind blows off the bow or you won't stand a chance of getting your anchor to set where you want it.

 

[alahol2]

On the way into the anchorage, finely balance the anchor on the bow roller. Approach the chosen spot fairly quickly, then screech to a stop. Inertia will ensure that the anchor leaves the bow in a steep parabola and reaches the bottom in the shortest time. Now walk casually up to the bow, grab the chain and make it fast...job done.

 

[BrianJ]

Bloody GOOD advice.... I have a remote on the Club rescue boat ( 36') that I drive.
I merely position the boat where the PRO wants to start the race., push a button , and splash down she goes at a great rate. then I stop., warn everyone I am about to reverse and dig her in , then let out some more chain... great system I will have it on my next yacht ( when I win the Lottery )
BrianJ /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Ships_Cat]

Most new big (and these days many small) boats use power down and it is slow as you say.

But it is not an issue at all, is a real doddle - you just motor up to the anchoring position and hold the boat on station on engine, power down the anchor until more chain than the depth of water is out then slowly back up the boat as the rest of the desired scope of cable is powered out. If single handed though the Up/Down controls must be at the helm position (not on the foredeck as is sometimes the case on yachts) and you have to go forward and move the anchor into a self launch position before getting on station (assuming that the anchor is not normally stowed in a fully self launching position).

Agree though for small boats, say under 45/50 foot, simplest is the clean drop method - especially for yachts, which always have easy access to the foredeck - and is what we have. The main catch with this that I see is that unlike BrianJ, most just drop all the chain in a big pile on the bottom /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif rather than mimic the power down approach above by backing up once the anchor is at the bottom.

John

 

[Rohorn]

Hi Guys....this is all good stuff. I agree with Medman about power down operation. I've also seen real fiascos especially during the evening rushhour (Greece) when people are trying to bag the remaining places on the jetty and can't get it down quick enough. And dropping the hook into a small area of sand in a small cove in a stong breeze is like precision bombing.
On the other hand dropping the lot in a pile on the bottom isn't much use either. I only have power-up on my SL Anchorman, and use judicious clutch juggling with a winch handle for controlled hook planting, like most other folk.
Thinking ahead to my mast-head TV nirvana and full cockpit control, in order to limit the chain drop I only need either to preset the free length to limit the pile of chain on the bottom, or rig a remote control to the SL winch clutch in lieu of the winch handle. That means two ropes to pull instead of one....
As to the other comments, SWMBO helps when she's around, but she's taken against boating in all it's forms (perhaps understandably in view of my obsession) and has become a Bhuddist instead. Also having a neck like a giraffe might have certain negative effects, concerning the height of the boom, length of the berths, etc.
Even on a catamaran.
Cheers....R

 

[tugboat]

Glad to see you are 'big' enough to take no offense at comments from plonkers like me /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Good on yer! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Ships_Cat]

I've also seen real fiascos especially during the evening rushhour (Greece) when people are trying to bag the remaining places on the jetty and can't get it down quick enough.

Do you mean you made your decision on other peoples' inability to drive a boat? Or can't you drive either ? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

John

 

[Ships_Cat]

It has occurred to me overnight that it appears that several of the "authoritative" posts in this thread do not seem to be aware that windlasses that power down all have clutches allowing a freefall drop of the anchor (certainly the reputable ones do, for obvious safety reasons in case of a power failure - and if it hasn't none of us would buy it, would we?).

It goes further than that, as certainly for the windlasses for small boats I am familiar with, whether the windlass powers down or not the windlass is exactly the same windlass as the power down model.

And it goes further than that again, because at least some (I do not look closely to see what terminations exist on all windlass motors, so cannot claim all) when you buy them, have exactly the same motor on them whether you want to power it down or not. The only difference is the additional switching and cabling back to wherever you want to control it from.

So, to say that having a power down windlass places some sort of limitation on anchoring ability (eg in a tight cove, as has been stated) is incorrect. If it is indeed the best thing in a situation to have a free fall drop of the anchor, perhaps in the backing into a slot in Greece example given in another post, one just has whoever is on the foredeck release the clutch in the same way as if the windlass was not a powered down one.

I hope that is clear as there seems to be a false sense being promoted in this thread that power down windlasses are compromised in some way. Whereas, in fact, they have the functionality of a non powered down one as well as the convenience of power down.

John

 

[MedMan]

The point you make is, of course correct. My windlass could be made to power down if I wired in an additional solenoid and a two-way switch. I will rephrase my statement:

If you should buy a windlass that can be wired up so that it can be powered down as well as up, don't ever use it in that mode in a crowded anchorage (that's all but one in the Western Med /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif), a deep anchorage (that's all but one in Turkey! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif) or if there is more than a breath of wind (that means every night in the Aegean /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif) as the anchor won't hit the ground soon enough. Other than that - use it to your heart's content. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Ships_Cat]

I think we are on the same wavelength then David /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

Regards

John