Retrieving Stuck Anchor Question

[Creekwood]

Sounds like it could make a good nomination for a 2020 Darwin Award...
https://darwinawards.com/

At risk of nominating myself, here is my story i have told before on here:

With my first boat, 20 years ago, I had a rode locker with hawse pipe in the bow but no windlass. The bow pulpit had an anchor roller to hold the danforth anchor and a nice big cleat on the deck. I had 15ft of chain. My newbie D.A. brain said "Just wrap the chain around the cleat. There's no way it will come loose."

Well, running at about 35 mph in some pounding waves, she came loose alright. Anchor hit the water, then raced along the keel when it hit the alpha outdrive square on with an enormous "BANG", taking the prop out. Then the rode was screaming out of the locker till it snagged coming out with the anchor about 50ft behind the boat. In a split second, the rode went taut, stretched like a rubber band and launched that danforth out of the water BACK TOWARDS THE BOAT. It splashed in the water about 10ft behind the boat just as the boat was diving off plane.

My wife was sitting facing aft as we were driving and saw the the whoooole thing, including 15 lbs of anchor with chain attached flying through the air back at her and the kids. (now everyone picture the look on her face as she turned to face me after the boat came to a stop ......... oh myyyyy, if looks could kill.).

So now we are bobbing around on a blustery cold day in open water with 25% of a prop. Limped to the nearest marina, called a cab to take my wife and kids to the car and vowed to never take a boating short cut again.

Damage was limited to the prop and my pride and a slight marriage set back that after 20 years, only comes up periodically these days. The outdrive had a major dent in the forward edge where the bar on the danforth whacked it, but no cracks. Prop was toast, but cheap. I got very lucky with my first major D.A. move.

 

[posloke123]

I went to a plow anchor with 20' of chain and haven't had any anchoring problems (i.e. getting stuck) since (so far). Table Rock seems to be more forgiving of plow anchors than Danforth anchors.

 

[Cap'n Scuba Steve]

I went to a plow anchor with 20' of chain and haven't had any anchoring problems (i.e. getting stuck) since (so far). Table Rock seems to be more forgiving of plow anchors than Danforth anchors.

Plow anchors really are a much better option in TRL - but most avoid them as they are quite a bit more expensive. It's the old buy once, cry once scenario. They set and release easier.

 

[Cap'n Scuba Steve]

@Creekwood - Wow, that's a lesson learned with a fortunate and relatively inexpensive outcome! Glad that was all that came of that!

 

[Henry Boyd]

Unless the cinder block weighed 500lbs it won't hold a boat. Maybe leaving the stuck anchor on the bottom and using it as the mooring would work though.

My cottage neighbor made up a mooring to tie his boat to using concrete filling of two worn truck tires. Not sure what it weighed, but it was a lot. His boat was a 20ft bowrider. We got a storm and the boat washed up on shore, still tied to the mooring. The wave action slowly inched that heavy mooring 50 feet towards shore until the boat was on the beach.

Unless the cinder block weighed 500lbs it won't hold a boat. Maybe leaving the stuck anchor on the bottom and using it as the mooring would work though.

My cottage neighbor made up a mooring to tie his boat to using concrete filling of two worn truck tires. Not sure what it weighed, but it was a lot. His boat was a 20ft bowrider. We got a storm and the boat washed up on shore, still tied to the mooring. The wave action slowly inched that heavy mooring 50 feet towards shore until the boat was on the beach.

Concrete, whether cinder blocks, or poured blocks has an effective weight of ⅔ of its land weight due to its buoyancy (actually a consequence of its density vs the density of water). So unless it is a poured block with embedded rock, metal etc. it’s a poor choice for a mooring anchor. Cinder blocks by themselves are next to worthless and won’t even hold a dinghy while resting on the surface of the bottom. After they have sunk into the muck it’s a different story. Our local mooring services only use granite blocks (available cheaply locally).

 

[atrick]

Go get a used V8 engine flush oil out run chain thru it, when it starts filling with mud you won't move it

 

[Blueone]

I think that if I knew I was going to possibly snag my anchor regularly I would buy some cheap rope and a cinder block. If there are that many snags in the area that you love to anchor, drop one down with a Clorox bottle on the end and use it as a mooring the next time if you can't retrieve it. Using brut force to unset the hook regularly is begging for disaster eventually. People underestimate the forces at work when pulling on line or chain.
Be safe out there
Carpe Diem

Too funny

 

[Blueone]

Concrete, whether cinder blocks, or poured blocks has an effective weight of ⅔ of its land weight due to its buoyancy (actually a consequence of its density vs the density of water). So unless it is a poured block with embedded rock, metal etc. it’s a poor choice for a mooring anchor. Cinder blocks by themselves are next to worthless and won’t even hold a dinghy while resting on the surface of the bottom. After they have sunk into the muck it’s a different story. Our local mooring services only use granite blocks (available cheaply locally).

Way too funny.

 

[Henry Boyd]

Way too funny.

Your point? You don’t understand the concept of buoyancy, or the need for a proper anchor?

 

[Blueone]

Your point? You don’t understand the concept of buoyancy, or the need for a proper anchor?

No I just think you guys are hilarious ... sometimes things said just hit my funny bone.... carry on I will be fine

 

[Creekwood]

No I just think you guys are hilarious ... sometimes things said just hit my funny bone.... carry on I will be fine

Well, that guy over there says you don't know anything about photosynthesis!. So there