What anchor on the Thames?

[ogod]

Have recently moved to the Dark Side from a sailing boat. I 'retrieved' my trusty Rocna from said boat and am wondering whether it would be a good idea to use the claw (on my river boat) as a kedge and pop the Rocna at the front?

 

[No Regrets]

It depends where you are mooring!

I'll say this right now: I am not an expert...

But. Parts of the Thames has a very hard bottom, and Anchors don't like that, whatever kind!

Other parts have more grippy bottoms.

This is why we prefer mooring lines. :encouragement:

Reality: Non tidal Thames; you don't really need an Anchor in practical terms, but a standard CQR is fine...

 

[MinorSwing]

Reality: non tidal Thames, you do need an anchor in case of engine failure. A simple grapnel, lunch hook type of anchor will do in normal conditions.

 

[Actionmat]

good point if you've got a single engine, but not necessary with a twin.

 

[No Regrets]

8 Years, only ever used the anchor to practise using it.

It sticks out 6" from the bow, so costs £50 a year to moor :-(

 

[rosssavage]

Used mine once in ten years (it's a danforth) to anchor behind Windsor racecourse during fireworks night.

Been on a boat that had to drop one in an emergency (twin engine, ran out of fuel!!).

TBH anything will do - hire boats have at the most a mud weight. People just don't tend to go out in conditions where you'd need anything more.

 

[Mirror Painter]

I suspect the pleasures of anchoring mid channel for a glass of wine and a snooze must be a very upper Thames thing. It's nice though.

 

[boatone]

I suspect the pleasures of anchoring mid channel for a glass of wine and a snooze must be a very upper Thames thing. It's nice though.

Mid Channel - oh no no no Sir !
Out of the channel (or in the weir stream when conditions permit) absolutely !

 

[Mirror Painter]

Mid Channel - oh no no no Sir !
Out of the channel (or in the weir stream when conditions permit) absolutely !

I said mid channel. Is that the same as mid river or does 'channel' suggest 'navigation channel'? Anyway the point was if you go far enough up there's nobody about to care. I've had many an afternoon where I saw no one at all and another when the only other traffic was a bloke swimming and towing one of those oil drum sized plastic, um, drums, with all his camping gear in it. I miss my river boat...

 

[Viking23]

Reality: non tidal Thames, you do need an anchor in case of engine failure. A simple grapnel, lunch hook type of anchor will do in normal conditions.

 

[Viking23]

Hi I'm new to the forum, but recall last year when we set off downstream from oxford in our Viking 23. About an hour and a half later we were a few minutes away from Sanford lock, just past the weir, when the outboard cut out and would not start. Mild panic, as our anchor was stored away and not ready for quick deployment. We drifted towards a rough bank and luckily a passer bay took our stern line and pulled us to safety. Cause eventually found; the bayonet fuel connector had come away from the engine! We now have a grapnel anchor and chain/line kept in a bag ready for any emergency! This solves the problem of lack of space, as the bow is quite small and conventional anchor would be a trip hazard!