Sacrificing your anchor to the depths

D

Dave - M

Active Member
Aug 29, 2018
229
Pennsylvania
Boat Info
1990 270 Sundancer
Engines
7.4 Mercruiser
Quite a few years ago, I was anchored in a side creek, maybe 15 to 20 feet deep. As always, I had a 13 pound tradional fluke anchor, 3/8 3 strand and a short piece of chain, maybe 10 feet. When it was time to leave, we couldn't get that anchor up for anything. Finally I had to use boat power and after some considerable throttle, a tree rose up some distance off the starboard side. My anchor line ran straight into the tree, the anchor presumably on the other side.

With my line tighter than Dick's hatband, I couldn't think of too many options. I took the tension off and the tree sank again. So I got my knife and said goodbye to my anchor, chain and a few feet of rope.

I wonder though, when I read about all chain rode, what you could do in a similar situation. Without a sawzall or boltcutters aboard how do you get free? Sacrificing several hundred feet of chain seems drastic.

P.S. i still have my replacement anchor
 
Dave - M said:
Quite a few years ago, I was anchored in a side creek, maybe 15 to 20 feet deep. As always, I had a 13 pound tradional fluke anchor, 3/8 3 strand and a short piece of chain, maybe 10 feet. When it was time to leave, we couldn't get that anchor up for anything. Finally I had to use boat power and after some considerable throttle, a tree rose up some distance off the starboard side. My anchor line ran straight into the tree, the anchor presumably on the other side.

With my line tighter than Dick's hatband, I couldn't think of too many options. I took the tension off and the tree sank again. So I got my knife and said goodbye to my anchor, chain and a few feet of rope.

I wonder though, when I read about all chain rode, what you could do in a similar situation. Without a sawzall or boltcutters aboard how do you get free? Sacrificing several hundred feet of chain seems drastic.

P.S. i still have my replacement anchor
Click to expand...

Hey Dave-M,
Yes that would be pretty drastic, but so would carrying bolt cutters on board. Think I'll stick with 30' of chain and hope for the best. BTW, I haven't heard "tighter than Dick's hatband" since my Dad passed in 1982. Thanks for the memory!
 
I will not rest tonight until someone tells me the origin of “tighter than Dicks hatband”!!!
 
This is precisely why it is recommended to carry bolt cutters on board, if you are all chain.

And I do.
 
The only answer I can give is John Wayne, in the original True Grit. He shot Dennis Hopper in the leg and offered to take him to have the bullet taken out in exchange for information on Ned Pepper. He said otherwise the leg would swell up tighter than Dicks hatband. I don't know where it originated before the duke said it
 
I have 125' chain, spliced to another 100' of three strand nylon. Typically, I'm in relatively shallow water in the coves where I anchor, so I only need the chain, and a bridle. As was suggested earlier, I guess if it were really stuck, I'd let out the rest of the chain, and I'd cut the three strand, probably leaving enough on the chain to get an attached float to the surface, and then come back and dive on it another time when I was better prepared with another diver. Diving alone to untangle a mess of chain and line seems like it might be tricky, so I'd grab a buddy to join me, or pay a professional. I have bolt cutters in the garage, maybe they should be on the boat...
 
73 pound rocna anchor and 300’ of chain tied inside the anchor locker with a couple feet of line. I have a pair of 24” bolt cutters on board, but I wouldn’t deep six the anchor unless it was an emergency. I also have a 50 cu ft air bottle and 50’ of hose on board that I use to clean the bottom, change anodes etc. Usually we are anchored in less than 15’ of water so I hope I would be able to get it.
 
As an aside to the topic, cutting a dock or anchor line is tough stuff. It does not cut easy. This is what I carry for the task, cuts a good dock line in one pull.

605822.jpg


https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=2266592

MM
 
Nice knife, Mike.

Being the resident CSR Cheapskate, I couldn't bring myself to spend those big bucks on a knife I hope I'd never use. I bought the $9.95 version at Big 5 Sports. :p
 
Gofirstclass said:
Nice knife, Mike.

Being the resident CSR Cheapskate, I couldn't bring myself to spend those big bucks on a knife I hope I'd never use. I bought the $9.95 version at Big 5 Sports. :p
Click to expand...

It was a gift from the Admiral early in our boating life. When I got it I didn't know what it did. It has been handy just for line work and I keep it in my ditch bag.

MM
 
I keep mine attached to my Admiral's PFD in case she needs it when we go through the locks. So far, so good. Knock on wood.
 
My anchor recently got stuck on a cable. At first I thought the windlass was stuck. I frequent the location quite often, never encountered the cable. Checked the GPS, sure enough, “cable area” labeled right where I am anchored. After unsuccessfully trying to retrieve it 2 or 3 times with the windlass, I manually lifted the anchor slightly, and with chain disconnected from the windlass so it would spoil out quickly, I dropped it. This time, the anchor sank quicker than the cable, and came free, and I was fortunate to retrieve it. Phew.
 
Todd320 said:
My anchor recently got stuck on a cable. At first I thought the windlass was stuck. I frequent the location quite often, never encountered the cable. Checked the GPS, sure enough, “cable area” labeled right where I am anchored. After unsuccessfully trying to retrieve it 2 or 3 times with the windlass, I manually lifted the anchor slightly, and with chain disconnected from the windlass so it would spoil out quickly, I dropped it. This time, the anchor sank quicker than the cable, and came free, and I was fortunate to retrieve it. Phew.
Click to expand...

Often it is a patients game, and game it is to get an anchor unstuck.

MM
 
In BC the logging industry used to loose stuff. We have snagged cables some times we can get them to the surface other times not. We have moved the boat and used the engines to drag the cables to loosen them. Only once we could not. We were in 90 feet. Could pull the anchor to 35 feet of surface. We carry a $40 angle grinder it cuts other stuff than anchors. We cut the chain (230 feet of chain total), spliced in the 60 feet of spare chain we carry and put on spare anchor.
 
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