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After pulling up the anchor over 100' by hand I've decided there must be easier ways so I call upon you experts to fill me in on the tricks of the trade..

Anyone install a winch up front? How about utilizing the jib sheet winch? Or, does everyone just muscle it up?

I can't really see the point of an anchor windlass on a boat as small as ours. Hand over hand is the way we do it, often for two anchors. While you may have 100' or more rode out, the reality is you most likely are only in 10-20' of water. It's only this final lift of the chain and anchor that is hard. If you are working too hard pulling in the initial rode to get to right above the anchor have someone motor the boat slowly forward over the anchor as you retrieve the line. If the anchor is stuck when you try to lift it vertically, you can cleat it off and motor forward past it whi\ch will reverse the pull and free it.

If it's really too much work you might look into one of the anchor raising systems that uses a ring that slides down the rode and a float bouy. You slip these over the rode then motor forward over the anchor at a 45 degree angle. The bouy gets pulled under as it slides down the rode, over the chain and right up to the anchor which it lifts up out of the bottom. Now you just have to pull it in. The bouy also makes a nice big extra fender.

Just sail the anchor out. Happens almost by itself if you just raise the mainsail and sheet it in. Works great. Then just haul in the rode and anchor.

Yar, ye don't be needin no motors nor fancy wenches.

Agree that mechanical "stuff" on a Mac is just overkill. Also agree, though, that 100 to 200 feet of twisted rode is hard on the hands. I use sailing gloves - helps a little. Next, I want to change over to braided anchor line.

And when I've found the anchor just really tough to break out ... pull the rode up as short as possible, then motor over that anchor. Either break it free or test all of that flotation!


ON edit .... I forgot that I already have some "mechanical stuff" that is very important, IMO. I added an anchor roller, cutting effort by about half. Beyond that ... I'd say gloves, plus braided line, plus the outboard should solve 98% of problems. Luck!

That mechanical "stuff" is used mostly to get the anchor off the bottom, not to pull the boat to it. If your single handing, bring the rode around the outside of the boat to the cockpit, start the motor and slowly go forward. All that you need to do then is to lay the rode down on ???? plus - control the motor, steer, ........ When over the anchor, you could then tie the rode off and use the motor to pull the anchor loose. I have also done this running the rode from the bow but I tend to give the boat a rope burn.

If you have two people, one just goes up front and the other motors per direction. That way the rode goes into the anchor locker. When directly (more or less) over the anchor. The rode is tied off and then the anchor is motored loose.

Gloves of any kind help as wet skin is quickly damaged.
(it will handle ruff hands real fast )

craig........

a fancy wench is looking like a pretty good addition right now.....

I was wondering if anyone would pick up on that. Fancy wenches are always welcome aboard.

I use 1/2 inch 3 strand line and it is much easier on the hands.
I tried braided line once, but it was not elestic enough to ease the shock loading on the cleat. Too bad, because it really is easy on the hands plus no twisting tendency to constantly battle.



Here was the old thread on sailing out the anchor for reference

http://macgregorsailors.com/phpBB/viewt ... ing+anchor

Thanks for your suggestions. I think I got my answer which is, don't do what I did.. that is, don't drop anchor in 100' deep water. This was the first time we dropped anchor in our new boat and the kids wanted to stop and have lunch right in the middle of the lake, of course the deepest spot. For me, it was a test drive of the anchoring process. I know that I wouldn't normally anchor in such deep water and I know that one usually puts out 4-7x the depth worth of rode - I put out all I had which is 250' (it was an experiment, okay.) It held us okay for lunch (as determined by the GPS with tracking turned on).

I did have my son motor very slowly toward the anchor as I brought in the slack, that was the easy part. Pulling it off the bottom wasn't too difficult, it was the last 100' with no gloves that taught me a few things. I got it up okay but I don't think my wife or son (nor a fancy wench )could have done it. I do have some gloves in the anchor locker now. Live and learn.

Nemo, don't know how new you are to boating but if you are very green, allow me to tell you to be very careful when you turn on the engine and use it to assist with rode collection. There seems to be an invisible magnet on all lines in the water which draws them toward the spinning propeller. Cautiously avoid entangling your line in your prop.

Yep - This is my first sailboat, but I grew up around power boats. So, I know about that tidbit of wisdom.

However, I'm all ears and humble enough to take any advice so it's much appreciated.

A real stress free way to do it is to motor directly over the anchor and pull rode in till you're at a 1:1 scope, leave motor in idle and go back and relax for a couple of minutes, then pull up the anchor easily. It will work its way free by itself this way. Gloves a must.
R

Ditto Rolf post. This works like a charm

We have been using our new Bullwaga on the Hudson for picnicking and it sticks like glue in the muddy Hudson bottom on a 3:1 scope - even in high wind.

I used Rolfs method exactly to work it free.

Catigale

That's a trick for pulling an anchor free on a small boat. Get everyone forward, tighten and cleat the rode, then move everyone aft. Let the hull bouyancy do the work.

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Moe

I have the easiest way.

I stick one every other year or so on the crappolla on the bottom of our lake. Wind up having to cut the rode.

EASY!!

as posted before i mounted a simple rubber trailer bow roller in the bow rail (where the mast sits for trailering). my anchor rope+chain go thru this roller, and so i can pull backward instead of pulling up - much more backbone friendly. shure that i cleat the rope part outside the roller to hold the boat (so no load on the bow rail).