Worried about getting Anchor stuck

[gwalia]

First time post for me after weeks of just being quiet in the background.
Speaking to a fellow berth holder and fellow Sealine owner, we were discussing the method that should be used to free or cut loose a stuck anchor, bearing in mind we have only chains to our anchors. Had rope warps on previous boats, and good knife that would cut through it if the worst happened.
Your suggestions or experiences would be appreciated or amusing reading at the least.

 

[tillergirl]

You should have a warp connection between end of chain and fixing point boat down in your anchor locker, long enough to come out of the hawse pipe so you can cut the rope on deck if need be.

 

[Medskipper]

If you get your anchor stuck, gently motor over it and pull it out the way it dug in! This usually works 9/10 times. If it is really stuck and nothing you do can free it, cut the warp that fixes it in your anchor locker, fix the end to a fender and drop in the water. This will allow you to mark its position and come back with more help to collect it later so nothing is lost.

Good luck

Barry

 

[omega2]

anchor

Not sure where your anchor operates from but if you can shackle the chain to the business end of the anchor, lay the chain back along the shank and attach to "normal" place with a heavy duty cable tie or string. If it then gets stuck and refuses to let go using the method described, then a little more "wellie" will break the tie and the hook will come up backwards.

 

[benjenbav]

As others have said, the chain should not be the final connection to the boat: there should be a length of rope between the end of the chain and the fixing point on the boat.

Also, as a belt and braces approach, carry a good set of boltcroppers - I always have.

 

[NormanS]

Not sure where your anchor operates from but if you can shackle the chain to the business end of the anchor, lay the chain back along the shank and attach to "normal" place with a heavy duty cable tie or string. If it then gets stuck and refuses to let go using the method described, then a little more "wellie" will break the tie and the hook will come up backwards.

That's maybe OK for a lunchtime stop, but for goodness sake don't do this if you are REALLY anchoring. Just imagine what happens in the middle of the night, and the wind gets up, and your cable tie breaks....

 

[omega2]

That's maybe OK for a lunchtime stop, but for goodness sake don't do this if you are REALLY anchoring. Just imagine what happens in the middle of the night, and the wind gets up, and your cable tie breaks....

Fair enough, we use this method when wreck fishing, and general bottom fishing, we do not stay on the anchor overnight, but if we did then there would have to be an "anchor watchman" and the gps to indicate untoward movement

 

[sailorman]

You should have a warp connection between end of chain and fixing point boat down in your anchor locker, long enough to come out of the hawse pipe so you can cut the rope on deck if need be.

Called "The Bitter End"

 

[robind]

anchor recovery question

If you are really worried attach another line to the anchor buoy position on the anchor with a shackle and float a small hand bouy in the water which will float, approximately, over where the anchor has bitten in. if it gets stuck you can pull the boat over the hand bouy and lift the anchor out even using the drum end of your anchor winch if you have one, to do so. Be aware that others may anchor to your hand bouy if you are in the med, when you are asleep, as happend to a friend of mine ;o))

 

[Davy_S]

Ok , first of all unless you have more money than sense, you do not cut away a stuck anchor, especialy if it is an over expensive Rocna. Most stuck anchor problems are caused by rocks or old harbour chains. You need a clip on alderney ring, tie the end of your anchor chain onto a bouy, slip an alderney ring on, motor forward dragging the alderney ring forward until it reaches the anchor, then motor forward until the anchor is (hopefully) dragged out. You can retreive most stuck anchors like this, do not cut away unless you need to move quickly, if you do, at least bouy it, then go back later, and get it back.

 

[Cliveshep]

Use a "tripping" line............

.....shackled to the eye on the other end of the anchor shank. Some anchors do not have this eye, like some Danforth types, my kedge didn't so I welded one on. The tripping line goes up to the anchor buoy. Slack the chain/warp whatever, run over the anchor, bring the buoy on deck and make fast and tow the anchor back out by continuing ahead over it. Then winch in your chain. Naturally the tripping line has to be strong enough to do the job, no good using clothes line! As a refinement, you can add a warp to the end by the buoy so that the pull is more horizontal than vertical.

All other options involve losing an expensive anchor and rode!

 

[Bandit]

The chain should be connected to an eyebolt in the anchor locker by a stout length of rope say 8ft, this gives you the opportunity in an emergency to cut a rope rather than try and release a shackle.

Bear in mind that some chains are connected to nothing at all and will lierally run out over the bow roller.

In 40 years of mucking abouty in boats I have only seen an anchor seriously caught once.

I would shorten the chain and try to motor every way to free it.

If you cant attach a rope equal to the depth of water and attach a fender to mark it and come back with a diver.

Do not attach a fender to the chain or it may sink the fender.

My bitter end is attached to 8ft of 14mm rope and tied to an eye bolt, so option to untie or cut in an emergency.

 

[deborahann]

best not to get your anchor trapped in Plymouth sound, directly where the war ships exit and enter, as we did some years ago. After a rather daft call to the longroom, defence police, etc. We were asked us our home address & other usefull things in the situation. We eventually whizzed round this way and that, got it free and dragged the anchor chain in by hand, got back to the marina to be asked if we had had a nice meal out.

 

[WindermereColvic]

Dont *think* anyones mentioned this method: Get the crew to stand on the fordeck. Haul in chain until the bow is right above the anchor, tie it off and retreat to the back of the boat, hopefuly the shift in weight will cause the bow to rise and bring the anchor with it. Repeat until anchor is free. Ive never used the method but imagin it would only work in mud/sand, rather than if the anchor were under a rock ect.
I have also seen triping hooks for recovering the anchor if you foul a cable ect
http://www.force4.co.uk/1163/Force-4-Anchor-Trip-Hook.html
Matt

 

[Searush]

"Anchor stuck" is a very rare situation. Your chart will warn you of locations where there may be problems ("Foul Ground", "Telegraph Cable", "Old Moorings" or "Rocks" etc) simply avoid these locations. If you do decide on a lunch stop at a dodgy location, use a trip line or use the cable tie trick. For overnight anchoring avoid these locations like the plague.

If it should prove difficult to lift, motor over it to roll it over & break it out. If that doesn't work, try pulling it as high as you can & see if you can see what it is caught on, if an old mooring or cable (one of the more common problems) see if you can pass a rope around the problem, put the tension on the rope & drop the anchor to free it. Finally, a large ring over the chain will allow you to drop a rope down the chain to the anchor, slack the chain & pull the rope & the anchor will be lifted by the head & be released.

None of this is difficult or requires special skills, just common sense & some basic preparations - its called seamanship. Get a few books from the library & you will learn a lot of techniques that will increase your confidence.

 

[Csail]

All i do is put twice the depth of rope attached to the pointy end of the cqr with a buoy attached. If it gets stuck just motor round in a curve and pull anchor out forwards.

 

[PetiteFleur]

This happened to me many years ago in the Crouch. OK it was a 20' sailing boat but no way could I haul up the anchor, I only had a seagull outboard so I just tied it off as tight as I could, retreated to the cockpit and waited for the tide to lift it - which it did eventually but the foredeck was just getting awash when it released. It was a genuine CQR incidently in very sticky Crouch mud, well bedded in after the F6 of the previous night.