Gary Fox
N/A
Excellent! Welcome to the forum 
The Grapnel anchor...if everyone depises them, why are they sold by every chandlery?
- Thread starter Greenheart
- Start date
thinwater
Well-Known Member
A few years ago I did a test of dinghy anchors. Mantus, Claw, Guardian, Danforth, mushroom, and a fold grapnel type such as the OP posted. The grapnel held so poorly on most bottoms that when testing in shallow water it was much easier to drag the anchor to me than to walk over to it. I gave it back. The others I found uses for.
The other useless thing is fender washers (at least in the US). They are so thin that they give the illution of spreading force, but just bend into cone shapes when it matters. You can easily bend them with pliers or mole grips. They are available in an extra thick guage, which is what you need on boats. The thin gauge is ONLY for thin metal fenders on vehicles!
In the US the figure of speech is that "fishing lures are designed to catch fishermen." So it is with many products.
The other useless thing is fender washers (at least in the US). They are so thin that they give the illution of spreading force, but just bend into cone shapes when it matters. You can easily bend them with pliers or mole grips. They are available in an extra thick guage, which is what you need on boats. The thin gauge is ONLY for thin metal fenders on vehicles!
In the US the figure of speech is that "fishing lures are designed to catch fishermen." So it is with many products.
oldharry
Well-Known Member
+1 I have had many dinghies come equipped with a folding grapnel. Even if you can lock it well enough to stay open, I never yet saw one that could not be pulled back in as Thinwater describes. Trouble is they fold up so neatly with no piinty bits to damage the boat. the locking ring does keep them shut too!
Poignard
Well-Known Member
Useful also for those French catways that have no cleat on the outer end or in the middle, just a horizontal bow of steel tiube at the end into which you can drop a grapnel attached to a midship line.
Spirit (of Glenans)
Well-Known Member
Used CQRs on Glenans 5.70s, 8kg, AFAIR, with 10m chain and 30m rope. Held well in the various seabeds around Baltimore Harbour/Roaringwater Bay, but not generally relied on for overnight.
Spirit (of Glenans)
Well-Known Member
When the boat on which I was crewing became attached by its propellor to some whelk storage gear off Arklow, the local lifeboat used a grapnel, assisted to one of our winches, to raise the line high enough to be cut. This reinforced my decision to keep the grapnel that came with my dinghy.
TernVI
Well-Known Member
My sailing club has a folding grapnel on a small RIB. It's often used for anchoring in the middle of the bay in noticeable waves, to set a start line.
It works fine.
Certainly for something of it's size and convenience, I'm surprised how good it is.
People have allegedly found that it drags, then discovered it's still folded when retrieved, mentioning no names....,
It works fine.
Certainly for something of it's size and convenience, I'm surprised how good it is.
People have allegedly found that it drags, then discovered it's still folded when retrieved, mentioning no names....,
Blueboatman
Well-Known Member
Like Spirit of Glenans,
A long long time ago I used the folding dinghy grapnel tied to two lengths of rope , to walk back from the bow , one line per side , and ‘fish’ the lobster pot line which had us firmly anchored by the stern around the prop up to the surface .
Where I cut it with the bread knife
No engine but we were free to go
A long long time ago I used the folding dinghy grapnel tied to two lengths of rope , to walk back from the bow , one line per side , and ‘fish’ the lobster pot line which had us firmly anchored by the stern around the prop up to the surface .
Where I cut it with the bread knife
No engine but we were free to go
Graham376
Well-Known Member
We always carry grapnel in dinghy, useful if engine were to pack up. Also use when going to beach, chuck a weighted line over stern to hold dinghy afloat off beach and dig grapnel into sand. Managed to hook our mooring chain one time when riser parted company.
Praxinoscope
Well-Known Member
I have a small one which I use for my tender or inflatable, ideal in the inflatable as when folded no sharp points to dig into the rubber.
I has always held both small boats where I wanted, but accept they do have their limitations.
I has always held both small boats where I wanted, but accept they do have their limitations.