Anchoring a Kayak.

[Simon Everett]

Hi folks. Non taken Bill - well, not lasting! I 'll get over it.

Just back from another Tope fishing trip - 5 kayaks turned up. We were all anchored for fishing the Tope. Tide run at mid ebb was about 3 knots. Any angle was perfectly stable on the P13 and on Speciman's Caper BUT it was very noisy with slap from the chines.

With the anchor hauled to the stern one could sit with feet up and the fishing line streaming away in front of you. The kayaks weren't fussed being held by the stern (well just off it, as far aft as the last lacing eye permits.)

Anchored from the bow (just off the bow) was more stable as you might expect. BUT, you are now fishing over your shoulder or you spend all day with your feet in the water side saddle. Thankfully the water was warm and a pair of shorts and neoprene shoes were all I wore - out from 10am until 6pm solid on Friday. Again 10am to 3.30pm Saturday - had to get back for work Sat pm you see. I preferred anchoring from the stern, but sitting side saddle was stable enough to break 25lb main line by sustained pressure with the rod when i got into something I couldn't budge - weed attached to a rock probably!

Faster tides will be fine provided there isn't too much swell to cope with - or you will have to deploy very much more anchor warp, that's all. I have 50m of para cord (that's over 25 fathoms) - cost £7.50 from the Surplus stores. A 1.5kg anchor to 2m of 1/2" chain on the business end works fine and a folding anchor with chain will work on all ground - snaggy ground will require rigging it to trip. I am going to try and rig a running trip using a length of rigging wire from heel of anchor to head of anchor stock and attaching the chain shackle to the rigging wire - then the trip will work by the shackle simply sliding up the wire, not having to break a whipping away. As the weight comes on the anchor warp the chain will slide to the head of the stock in working position, then when you need to by getting up tide the chain will slide to the base and pull out the way the anchor went in. _ I'm no good at pictures so you'll have to wait until I photograph one that works!

YYs pulley system is a better version of what most of us have. His is a neat and tidy installation, mine is a Heath Robinson version just roved through the safety line eyes!

Have a good Holiday Bill.

[Yakity - Yak - u.k.]

Hi Simon.

 

Glad the Tope trip went well, look forward to seeing the pics and report when I get back from holls.

Your Anchor idea sounds interesting, look forward to seeing the pics.

 

Im glad we are not loccking horns still:D

Hopefully, all of us together will get it right in the end.

Just need to sort your editor out now and cinvince him of the importance and value of these sites to new and not so new Kayak Fisherman alike.

 

Later Simon.

 

Bill.

[Starvinmarvin]

Whilst we are on the subject of Anchor's, don't anchor to close to any other yaks, I was fishing between Nifty and Simon on Saturday, foolishly a little to near Nifty, he stuck into a nice tope which headed for my anchor line. By the time I had pulled it up I could see his line wrapped once around my Parachute cord just above the chain, next thing, his 15lb line just cut straight through, bye bye anchor.