Sea Anchor

[easyrog]

Wonder if anyone out there has experienced similar problems to me (i think that there was something about this a short while ago). I mostly fish off the Essex coastline and have an Ocean Kayak Caper. Due to the tide runs i currently use a 1.5kg anchor with one metre of chain and then about 35 metres of 6mm rope which i have set up on a sliding rig so that it can run off the rear of the kayak. This seems to work okay except when the wind come from the front of the kayak. This usually causes the boat to move more sideways into the current causing more drag and making the ride rougher and also causing the anchor to drag out.

Initially what i was going to do was increase the size of the anchor and the amount of chain but it is already a bit of a haul to wind the current anchor in and also doing that will not prevent the swing on the boat. My next thought was to fit a small drouge that i could run from the front of the kayak which should catch the tidal flow and couteract any wind thus keeping the kayak in a straight line.

Has anyone else tried this or looked at other posibilities.

thanks,

Rog.

[SpeciMan]

I feel that if a 1.5kg is not holding then for me I would be thinking about heading back in.

 

I have a 1.5kg anchor but now use the smaller .75kg anchor with a metre of chain. Providing enough line is let out it holds fine in calm conditions. If the tide gets too strong or the swell too much it soon loses it grip. This happened to me a few weeks back, the wind and swell picked up, I was thinking about whether to head back in and when my anchor failed to grip the decision had been made! I headed back in and was pleased I did as the conditions became much worse shortly afterwards.

 

If anchoring in faster currents its best to have the anchor line coming from the bow rather than the stern. If you use an anchor trolley you could tweak the position of the kayak better if you're being held side on.

 

I wouldn't use a drogue in fast currents I think this can be quite dangerous (a smallish one may be ok I don't know) however they can be useful in slowing your drift if the wind picks up.

Edited December 16, 2005 by SpeciMan

[Starvinmarvin]

easyrog,

 

Firstly welcome to AnglersNet.

 

How deep are you anchoring in and how much line are you letting out, it maybe worth letting out a lot more anchor line to lower the angle of purchase on the anchor, having said that like Speciman says if the wind is getting up and you start having problems holding ground it's probably wiser to head for shore or a more sheltered mark.

 

SM

[Simon Everett]

Easyrog - careful, that reminds me of a soap trick!

 

Specimen has hit the nail on the head. Don't use a drogue off the bow unless you are drifting.

I use a drogue (Wytchwood adjustable drogue) but it is too big really. It virtually stops the kayak from drifting with the wind - it is meant for a boat ! It is great for slowing the drift but needs a bit of modifying to be really good. It sinks - and therefore I think spooks fish. I shall put a couple of floats on the two top lines to prevent this. I also think a smaller one would be better suited to the kayak.

 

Your anchoring troubles could be solved also by using a longer length of chain, not a bigger anchor. The anchor is fine and if it is dragging then you are in some serious tide man! I use both the .75kg and the 1.5kg, both with 2m of 1/2" chain. I have no problem with the big anchor anywhere, but the little one sometimes needs an aweful lot of warp out to hold reliably. Captain's Organ just has a bag of stones (which he collects on the beach before heading out). it holds him perfectly, and without any chain! It shouldn't work, but it does and with 8mm warp too - he uses relatively short anchor lines for the depth and just stays put. Mind you, he is built like Sampson, so he has no trouble swinging the 1 cwt bag aboard with one hand!

[easyrog]

easyrog,

 

Firstly welcome to AnglersNet.

 

How deep are you anchoring in and how much line are you letting out, it maybe worth letting out a lot more anchor line to lower the angle of purchase on the anchor, having said that like Speciman says if the wind is getting up and you start having problems holding ground it's probably wiser to head for shore or a more sheltered mark.

 

SM

 

 

thanks for the welcome..I am anchoring in about 10-15 metres of water and have about three times that in anchor line so, should normally be okay. It's not so much that the amount of wind is making it tricky (last time i was out it was only about 10 mph) it's more about it causing the boat to swing broadside to the tide flow/waves. The tidal runs in the Essex estuaries can be fairly swift so i think it's more about trying to keep it all as streamlined as possible. I guess a part solution would be either a longer (and therefore heavier) length of chain or possibly attaching a bit of extra weight to where the rope joins the chain to prevent it lifting so easily.

[Yakity - Yak - u.k.]

Hiya Easyrog.

 

Welcome to our home.

 

Just thought Id add two penneth.

 

It sounds to me like you are tying off the anchor rope somewhere amidships, thats maybe why your Yak is pulling broadside.

Have you got a anchor pulley ststem in fitted ?

If not, would pay you to fit one, it will enable you position the anchor anywhere between the bow and stern, without moving from your seat.

Giving you complete control over most conditions.

Your certainly o.k. with the length of rope to depth, a longer length of chain would help.

Another line of attack would be a sea drouge.

If youve covered all Ive sugested, then its back to the drawing board, let us know how you get on.

 

Good luck.

 

YY

Edited December 18, 2005 by Yakity - Yak - u.k.