Summer is getting close and more of us will be dropping the anchor when bottom fishing or chumming.
Few things worse then ready to leave and finding the anchor is stuck or snagged.
Our bay bottom has some bad snags - from old crab pots 3/4 buried in sand , wrecks , old telephone cables from the 1960's. Some of the fishing reefs have huge chunks of concrete that just love to grab anchors.
From scuba diving - I've found another odd snag - your anchor gets hung up in the chain of another hung anchor.
Some areas like cable crossings are marked on charts - smart to avoid anchoring in these areas.
Sometimes - your anchor will slip and drag when wind picks up. Often it finds something to grab into that will not give it back.
So , at end of day - you start the motor (s) and let warm up a moment before leaving. As the mate or windlass is bringing up the rode - you motor slowly forward to ease the strain. Once over the anchor - Oh , Oh - it is stuck. Best to cleat it off the bow for a minute and see what happens. If an old crab pot buried in sand - often a very slow steady pull will break it free.
OK - no luck. Now , carefully let out some rode and motor away at a 45* angle. Watch the prop (s).
Once about 50 feet is out - cleat it and try to go past the anchor. This might trip it or pull it free.
Go slowly - as the rode stretches - it will want to recoil and pull your boat.
Note: Watch your cleats and use common sense as to how hard to pull.
Do not let the strain be on the pulpit. I once found a pulpit and roller that snapped off.
Still no luck. Don't give up yet. Idle over the anchor and hand the rode back to someone in the stern.
Cleat the rode - put a rag under it to protect the gelcoat. Let out 50 feet - then cleat it. Power slowly away until the rode is tight but not too tight. Try a slow circle - watching the prop.
This often will free it. If not - you can try again with 100 feet out - if you have the room. Snagging near other boats or a bridge / lighthouse can make it tricky to circle.
Still no luck - not good but all is not lost if a friend is close. This is tricky but can be an anchor saver. Drop back on your rode about 50 feet. Have a friend's boat get close and tie a 2 foot bowline loop over your rode. They let out some line and go forward - SLOWLY. You power in reverse - just a touch.
The idea is the loop will travel down your rode and grab the anchor. 50/50 odds they can pull it free backwards from the hang. Picture a downplaner to get the idea on how it works.
Once they feel their line tight - you motor forward to give slack so they can free your anchor.
Still no luck :eek2:- you got snagged good. Let out your rode if under 200 feet total. Before it gets to the end - tie on a bleach bottle , boat fender , anti freeze jug - something that will float.
If you have more then 200 feet - get close, leave extra 15 feet - tie on jugs and cut the rode.
Be sure to record the GPS numbers - double check them before leaving.
Go to nearest liquor store - get a bottle of Bacardi 151 rum and send me a B-mail. I'll retrieve the anchor :wink44:.
Few things worse then ready to leave and finding the anchor is stuck or snagged.
Our bay bottom has some bad snags - from old crab pots 3/4 buried in sand , wrecks , old telephone cables from the 1960's. Some of the fishing reefs have huge chunks of concrete that just love to grab anchors.
From scuba diving - I've found another odd snag - your anchor gets hung up in the chain of another hung anchor.
Some areas like cable crossings are marked on charts - smart to avoid anchoring in these areas.
Sometimes - your anchor will slip and drag when wind picks up. Often it finds something to grab into that will not give it back.
So , at end of day - you start the motor (s) and let warm up a moment before leaving. As the mate or windlass is bringing up the rode - you motor slowly forward to ease the strain. Once over the anchor - Oh , Oh - it is stuck. Best to cleat it off the bow for a minute and see what happens. If an old crab pot buried in sand - often a very slow steady pull will break it free.
OK - no luck. Now , carefully let out some rode and motor away at a 45* angle. Watch the prop (s).
Once about 50 feet is out - cleat it and try to go past the anchor. This might trip it or pull it free.
Go slowly - as the rode stretches - it will want to recoil and pull your boat.
Note: Watch your cleats and use common sense as to how hard to pull.
Do not let the strain be on the pulpit. I once found a pulpit and roller that snapped off.
Still no luck. Don't give up yet. Idle over the anchor and hand the rode back to someone in the stern.
Cleat the rode - put a rag under it to protect the gelcoat. Let out 50 feet - then cleat it. Power slowly away until the rode is tight but not too tight. Try a slow circle - watching the prop.
This often will free it. If not - you can try again with 100 feet out - if you have the room. Snagging near other boats or a bridge / lighthouse can make it tricky to circle.
Still no luck - not good but all is not lost if a friend is close. This is tricky but can be an anchor saver. Drop back on your rode about 50 feet. Have a friend's boat get close and tie a 2 foot bowline loop over your rode. They let out some line and go forward - SLOWLY. You power in reverse - just a touch.
The idea is the loop will travel down your rode and grab the anchor. 50/50 odds they can pull it free backwards from the hang. Picture a downplaner to get the idea on how it works.
Once they feel their line tight - you motor forward to give slack so they can free your anchor.
Still no luck :eek2:- you got snagged good. Let out your rode if under 200 feet total. Before it gets to the end - tie on a bleach bottle , boat fender , anti freeze jug - something that will float.
If you have more then 200 feet - get close, leave extra 15 feet - tie on jugs and cut the rode.
Be sure to record the GPS numbers - double check them before leaving.
Go to nearest liquor store - get a bottle of Bacardi 151 rum and send me a B-mail. I'll retrieve the anchor :wink44:.
