Anchor Rope

[Guest CJS2]

Floating anchore line can be a problem at slack water to other boats, dont pass close to the front of another craft on slack. There is no tension and the anchore line may be just below the surface! Especialy dodgy if the craft has a lot of rope out in shallow water, we do this (let out more rope than normaly required) sometimes when bass fishing. If you are on Polyprop, it could be anywhere, same if you come alongside for a chat at slack?

[chesters1]

the only bit of rope on ours was the bit that tied the 20 fathoms of chain to the inside of the keel ,the first time we let it all out to keep away from a reef we were close to we found the previous owner hadent actually tied it to anything

chain (even a fairly short bit) is essential to get your anchor to bite especially fluted sand anchors etc ,"fishermans" anchors arnt so choosy but bite quicker with it.

to save the anchor (worked twice) chain from having to be chucked if the anchor fouled we used a carabina to fix the chain to the anchor ,it wasent perfect (it corrodes fast) but did break (using the boats upwards movement in the swell as a lever) if you got your anchor fouled.

ps anyone finding a lost anchor at nab or the fort nearest pompey its ours

we used blue poly as an emergency tether (from the back of the boat to the mooring bouy) if the padlock we used to attached the bouy to the boats chain broke but we found it welcomed "inhabitants" in a very short time and became very slimey etc so we suspended it out of the water using thin string that broke easily if needed to the fat baloony things we insisted on dragging about under power to annoy the yaughties.

another way to annoy them is to refer (you must pass close enough for them to hear) to all ropes as string i.e chuck that bit of string or pull that bit of string etc ,never use yaughty terms!! you have a pointy end and a blunt end ,left and right etc ,you can see those pompous pratts bristle visibly and dragging the fenders about works a treat as does tying to the bouys mid channel in cowes week

not so much fun on a motor boat but we had an ancient rag powered boat that was less good for fishing but far better for overnighting than a cuddy with a proper cabin that could hold that strange smell of oil,seawater and urine for weeks

Edited May 6, 2006 by chesters1

[maidstonemike]

Hi Elton

I diddnt see any where the word NYLON I have read various small boat handling books and most have suggested the use of NYLON some where in the anchor warp or for mooring lines The reason NYLON is used is it has a fairly high stretch ratio ?20%? which acts as a shock absorber which helps prevent the anchor jumping or cleats being pulld out of the deck. Another point is tha anchor is one of the most essential safety items on your boat so dont skimp. just think, onshore wind, dead engine, breakers on a rocky headland and only the washing line between you and the anchor thats keeping you off those rocks. tiSh happens forget the rest use the best

PS i think nylon sinks as well

 

In my sea boating days, I wouldn't go to sea without a spare anchor and rope, like no brakes on a car.

[Sharkbyte]

I think it's worth mentioning for the sake of any novices reading that an Alderney retrieval can cost you your life if you get it wrong.

 

Similarly an anchor line round the prop can sink your boat without trace in seconds. In areas of reasonable tide, especially where tide and swell are running together you would possibly not even have time to lift the knife from it's sheath before your pride and joy has disappeared from beneath your feet, leaving you in the water without any form of communication and possibly no lifejacket.

 

Apparently two Arvors were sunk on the south coast last year because they ended up being tethered from their props. Arvors! it doesn't take the brain of Britain to work out that bread and butter boats such as Dorys, Warrior, Explorers etc will go under just as quick, if not substantially quicker.

 

The reason I take this issue so seriously is because I very nearly ended up in the 5hit when a partially submerged polyprop rope found it's way round my prop. 8 miles out, conditions were borderline, it happened in seconds. The boat literally spun round and water rode over the transom into the splash well. We were lucky, I used the engines hydraulics to lift the motor and gave it a flick of reverse gear which instantly unwound the line. A touch more swell or tide and it could have been curtains.

 

All said and done Polyprop rope can certainly be used, in experienced hands it really makes no odds but to an inexperienced novice it can be a question of whether they gain experience quicker than their luck runs out.

[garfish]

Hi Elton,

 

I have just recently been in the same situation you as you, fitting out a new boat. I would agree with the majority of people that that the blue polypropylene rope is not safe or efficient. However it does not cost a fortune for quality gear. I purchased via e bay, 5kg bruce anchor from stainless direct £12.55 110m of 10mm white nylon rope (sinking & soft to the touch) from Barry Edwards (Boatropes) for £55.90 including delivery, 10m 8 including delivery 8mm galvanised chain from UK Yacht Rigging Supplies Ltd including delivery £33.49 & a 60 inch buoy UK Yacht Rigging Supplies Ltd £24.69 including delivery. A total of 127.03.

 

A 60 inch buoy will float approximately 35kg of chain & anchor. A few tips:

 

1. Make sure your chain weighs at least twice that of the anchor to ensure recovery with the buoy.

2. Always trip the anchor.

3. Make a cheap grapnel from scaffold pole and those twisted iron stakes used at road works for rough ground use.

4. Keep the rope in container (old bin etc) and buoy the far end with a weight 10ft along the line, never pass the rope rope through hawse holes etc. In the event of an emergency e.g oncoming vessel, you can simply throw the lot over (bin & all) and recover later.

 

 

Hope this helps.

[Norrie]

Sharkbyte....Excellent post mate.... Ditto to it all....

[Brian Carragher]

A quick google brought this up on the Alderney lift rig for anchors http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h...6lr%3D%26sa%3DG

 

Big link but a decent article on the method and on the boat to anchor weight ratios, worth a look and a read

[Sharkbyte]

Thanks Norrie, we've got to keep Elton safe, he pays for the site.

[Stoaty]

Just a quick point on Alderney rings. If you are going to use one, get a bigger ring rather than a small one. I would say 10" is a minimum diameter.

[Davy Holt]

I think it's worth mentioning for the sake of any novices reading that an Alderney retrieval can cost you your life if you get it wrong.[\quote]

 

Yup very true, that's why I said to learn the technique from someone that knows what they are doing.

 

All said and done Polyprop rope can certainly be used, in experienced hands it really makes no odds but to an inexperienced novice it can be a question of whether they gain experience quicker than their luck runs out.

 

As it has already been pointed out, would you rather be trying to cut a quality rope or cheap polly-prop in an emergancy ??