Stayting Put ?

[glennk]

So what are people using for anchors ? The anglers afloat site recommends purchasing a real anchor but I dont fancy leaving one of them in the kelp when it gets stuck. The ground around here is rougher than most places. What are people using ? pictures would be appreciate so I can get my head around any ideas

[Nicepix]

Glenn,

 

You only need a 'real' anchor in sandy bottoms. Anything heavy will serve as an anchor. The conventional type are designed to offer more grip per lb or Kg in weight and grip better in sand. On a snaggy bottom almost anything heavy enough will serve as an anchor.

 

A 'real' anchor, i.e a grappling anchor is only of any use when it is around 3lb or so in weight. The smaller version I have (0.75kg) does not dig deep enough into the sand to give a reliable grip in fast tides. My larger (2.3Kg) will hold firm no matter what. Any grappling type anchor will benefit from having a chain or other weight attached so as to help it lay flat and dig in. In practice a chain can be impracticable in some situations so you can thread a 4oz or 6oz watch lead on the line to help tip the anchor up and let the flukes dig in.

 

For kelp or other snaggy areas you don't really need the holding power of a grappling anchor. The snags will hold you firm. For Mulgrave and similar areas I tended to favour a disposable anchor made from a dog meat tin full of cement and a brass eye bolt set in. That weighs about 3lb and is attached with tie wraps so that I can pull for a break and leave it behind if it snags.

 

Also, there is no need in my opinion to have anything fancy for your anchor trolley. Pulleys are often recommended, but are not necessary. A pulley is only useful when a hauled rope is changing direction under heavy load. It is unlikely that you will put your anchor trolley under anything like the load necessary for a pulley to give any advantage over a simple 'U' bracket. I don't tend to haul my trolley line when it is under load in any case. The anchor rope, yes. But not the trolley rope.

 

Same goes for the fashion of having a bungy attachment from the pulley to the kayak. I can't see how a few inches of bungy cord is going to cushion the kayak any more than the unavoidable built-in stretch of fifty feet or more of anchor rope.

 

Keep it simple, keep it light and keep it cheap mate.

Edited August 9, 2008 by Nicepix

[Martin Hurst]

A 'real' anchor, i.e a grappling anchor is only of any use when it is around 3lb or so in weight.

 

Knew I'd been doing it wrong for 4 years

[Nicepix]

A 'real' anchor, i.e a grappling anchor is only of any use when it is around 3lb or so in weight.

 

Knew I'd been doing it wrong for 4 years

 

Try it! Throw out your 0.75Kg anchor on wet sand and give it a good pull. The flukes will just plough the sand without holding because they are too short. When it does hold it is only because it snags something like a rock.

 

Then try the same with a 1.5Kg or bigger anchor, and the longer flukes will dig in deeper and hold. Certainly against the strongest pull I can do.

 

Anything will snag against rocks or kelp, but a 0.75Kg anchor on sand, shingle or mud won't hold any better than a lump of iron or concrete of the same weight.

[Mark Crame]

I use three bananas tied together at the end. But then I am somewhat odd.

[glennk]

Think youve been at the Sherry again Mark :D

[ddraig]

rigged correctly you wont have a problem.i use a 1.5kg grapnal with 2ft of chain,rigged up with a small cable tie.if i get snagged it trips lovely.got to use the 1.5 because of the tide run is strong where i fish.