How deep is too deep for anchoring?

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mingle
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Re: How deep is too deep for anchoring?

Post by mingle »

Okay, I've now gathered the additional bits and pieces to (hopefully) make my anchor set-up a bit better for the strong currents in Westernport.

I'm going to replace the 25m of 6mm rope I currently use with 60m of 3mm VB-type cord (100kg b/s) and also add 1.5m of 5mm galvanised chain.
anchor_chain.JPG
I guess the only questions I have now is how best to attach the rope to the chain and the chain to the anchor. I have a couple of small D-shackles
which I'm thinking of using.

Is the best way to join the chain (with a D-shackle) to the crown of the anchor, then use a cable-tie to attach the chain to the head of the anchor
and then attach the rope to the other end of the chain with another D-shackle?

Cheers,

Mike.
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Re: How deep is too deep for anchoring?

Post by cheaterparts »

mingle wrote:Okay, I've now gathered the additional bits and pieces to (hopefully) make my anchor set-up a bit better for the strong currents in Westernport.

I'm going to replace the 25m of 6mm rope I currently use with 60m of 3mm VB-type cord (100kg b/s) and also add 1.5m of 5mm galvanised chain.
anchor_chain.JPG
I guess the only questions I have now is how best to attach the rope to the chain and the chain to the anchor. I have a couple of small D-shackles
which I'm thinking of using.

Is the best way to join the chain (with a D-shackle) to the crown of the anchor, then use a cable-tie to attach the chain to the head of the anchor
and then attach the rope to the other end of the chain with another D-shackle?

Cheers,

Mike.
Mike it works best if the chain is threaded along the rope above the anchor -- you wont the chain to weigh the rope down that puts a better angle to the anchor like setting more rope

Image

you can fix the rope to the bottom of the anchor and zippy tie the top as well
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laneends
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Re: How deep is too deep for anchoring?

Post by laneends »

I now put a shackle on the rope rather than anchor head, and zip the shackle to the anchor, that way the rope rubs on the shackle rather than the zip tie which can chafe the rope. Heads up to everyone to check your rope for fraying as it gets regularly dragged along the bottom

I think the swivel works best at bottom of the chain. I no longer run rope through chain as it increases tangle risk on board, rope and chain bunching up. Now rope is tied off at top of chain and to bottom of swivel which in turn is shackled to bottom of chain. Dont bypass the swivel with a through rope. Put a small zip tie through the shackle eyelet to stop accidental unscrewing and loosening of shackle.

If you are not using a swivel then running rope thru chain avoids unnecessary knots. If using a swivel then extra knots cant be avoided.

You can add extra weight to chain by zipping or shackling a second chain in parallel, or even shackling an extra weight to the top, for those extra demanding instances.
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Jordo
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Re: How deep is too deep for anchoring?

Post by Jordo »

Hey Mike, with the same rope (60m), 1.5m of chain and a sand anchor I can anchor successfully in up to 20m in full tide flow off of sandy point. I have anchored in up to 25m but find that in full flow in that part of WP anything over 20m has me slowly getting dragged (sometimes I have to even go sub-18m just to be sure). In slower flow areas I would be confident to anchor in up to 25m with this setup. It can be tiring pulling it all back in at those sorts of depths.
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Re: How deep is too deep for anchoring?

Post by Wind Waker »

Jordo wrote:Hey Mike, with the same rope (60m), 1.5m of chain and a sand anchor I can anchor successfully in up to 20m in full tide flow off of sandy point. I have anchored in up to 25m but find that in full flow in that part of WP anything over 20m has me slowly getting dragged (sometimes I have to even go sub-18m just to be sure). In slower flow areas I would be confident to anchor in up to 25m with this setup. It can be tiring pulling it all back in at those sorts of depths.
Also bear in mind yaks with more drag like an outback need more line out than that. 100m of line on mine and I have been anchored up in some crazy river tide flows that have needed a more realistic 5:1 ratio. I also use 2m of chain.

The yak drag makes a substantial differance. I normally pin the mirage drive up and retract the rudder as well

I use a cooper for sand areas and a grapnel on heavy weed. Both work the same on reef. Cooper seems better on sand or mud but the grapnel is better in heavy weed where the cooper can't really get to the sea bed.
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Re: How deep is too deep for anchoring?

Post by shane »

I've noticed that the full AI setup has more drag than the PA at anchor so beware of the comments about needing extra rope out. If anchoring in areas with swell you will find it harder again as the swell motion tends to make the anchor 'hop'. In these locations I put out the anchor with extra rope and actively pedal until the anchor sets firmly.

For my main anchor setup I'm using much heavier chain (10mm) than you've shown and a 2.5kg anchor. This even struggles in some locations and flows. I also have a section of stainless wire rope swaged to the crown of the anchor and then a swaged loop connection to the chain, which is zip tied to the anchor (2-off one looser than the other). I have the swivel at the top of the chain connecting the rope. The chain should ideally be longer but this is limited by the length from the back of the PA where the anchor sits to the cleat next to my seat that secures the rope.

Here's a photo:

Image
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Re: How deep is too deep for anchoring?

Post by Wind Waker »

Brilliant idea on the wire rope. I might mod my bridle to run some 2mm stainless back to the chain. :thumbsup:
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Re: How deep is too deep for anchoring?

Post by laneends »

For bait fishers dont underestimate the extra drag your lines can have when you have a few lines out full of weed.
which is zip tied to the anchor (2-off one looser than the other)
Is this to reduce nuisance breaking?
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mingle
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Re: How deep is too deep for anchoring?

Post by mingle »

Thanks for all the extra info and comments...

@Shane, I have the same 2.5kg anchor - certainly is a lump!

I don't usually anchor is really strong currents - close in to Red Point would be about the hardest-running currents I'd face.

It's more the greater depths I'm interested in reaching. I think a 60m length will be struggling to hold in the 30-40m depths I'm going to try (even thought the current is very sedate).

Cheers,

Mike.
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shane
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Re: How deep is too deep for anchoring?

Post by shane »

mingle wrote: It's more the greater depths I'm interested in reaching. I think a 60m length will be struggling to hold in the 30-40m depths I'm going to try (even thought the current is very sedate).
Cheers,

Mike.
Mike, If you're trying to anchor off Wooolami then I don't think you'll have much problem as long as the swell or wind isn't big/strong. I've anchored in up to 50m offshore and where there's little current, wind or swell you don't have need as much length of rope out.
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