Am I Doing Something Dangerous

Scup · 02-24-2008, 04:56 PM

Two years ago, I watched a lone commercial pin fisherman pull his anchor up in what I thought was a dangerous maneuver. What he did was run up toward the anchor at about a 45 degree to where the anchor actually was holding bottom. Once he became abreast of where his anchor was, he kept going. The rode came to the surface which he grabbed with a boat hook and eventually he had the rode in his hand as he continued well pass the original anchoring spot. I saw his slip ring anchor being dragged on the surface 75 feet behind his boat. Then he went to neutral, and it was a simple matter to retrieve the last 75 feet as I doubt if there was enough time for the anchor to even reach bottom again. When nobody was watching, I tried this maneuver myself at Latimer's Reef. I had let out 150 feet of rode and when it became time to up anchor, I modestly headed at about a 45 degree angle into the tide. I could see the rode coming alongside my boat and it was a simple matter to hook it with my boat hook. Once I had the rode in my hand and knew exactly where it was (my major concern was that I would ride up over the rode and snag it with my prop) I powered into the tide until the anchor popped up maybe 140 feet behind my boat. It was very easy to retrieve the anchor now since the tide was moving me toward the anchor. There was never a pull on the anchor as it sank the second time so it became child's play to get it in. When things seem to work too easy, there has to be something wrong with it. Has anyone else tried this and could something really bad happen? I know one could foul his prop on the rode so that is why you do not head directly for the anchor, nor would one want to use full power either, since if the anchor should have become really fouled on the bottom something is going to have to give and I would not want to get a flying cleat in my teeth. Of course, you cannot use this method in a crowed anchorage.

Bryan A. · 02-24-2008, 05:06 PM

Basically you a retrieving without an anchor ball. Most guys do it with or without the ball but be advised it can be catastrophic, works well if you are careful.

Two people died this fall out on SW reef off Westbrook doing the same maneuver. They fouled the prop, anchor held or reset, boat turned stern to the tide and turtled. They found 1 body the next day and the second washed ashore a few weeks later.

I'll try to find the thread.

Bryan A. · 02-24-2008, 05:08 PM

Here's the thread

Missing Boat

Bob & Mag · 02-24-2008, 05:13 PM

I was thinking exactly what Bryan said above. You might want to try it with a retrieval ball. It'll be easier I think and safer.

Relentless · 02-24-2008, 06:46 PM

I recommend always use a ball and makesure where you are pulling from is secure. If that cleat pulls out and is between you and anchor, you will be in serious trouble. I work my line down to stern cleat and pull from there with a ball, go slow until I know the anchor is well off bottom. Once up,make big circle and drift downwind towards anchor.

I also recommend having ball of suitable size and a large stainless ring so it rides up over the shackles and chain, right to end of stock.

Dave

gerg · 02-24-2008, 06:51 PM

I've heard of guys doing that to relocate. They surf the anchor behind the boat until they get to their next drop. It saves pulling it in.

Can't say I recommend it, but hey, no my boat.

ChuckA · 02-24-2008, 08:49 PM

Since my back operation I purchased the retrieval ball .I love the thing Once the anchor is free I speed up a bit and the rode and chain come through the ring like Dave had said , I then circle the ball so its just off my bow watching not to run the rode over . Then all I am pulling in is the weight of the rode then the anchor .The rope between the ball and ring is long enough that the ball stays in the water when the anchor is on the bow .Then I lift the ball aboard .Makes the stress on my back very minimal.

One thing I learn'd the hard way is not to leave the anchor and ball loose on the bow while under way. They will bounce off .<<< That could be real bad if you dont see it happen.

Scup · 02-24-2008, 11:13 PM

I knew there seemed to something wrong with this idea, even though it worked well. Normally, I would have my fishing buddy take in the rode as I would proceed slowly over the anchor. However, this seemed like an easy way when I would be out there alone, although snagging the rode in your prop is a definite possibility. The current at Latimer's Reef can really rip at times. Starting to think that not much can go seriously wrong if the current is near slack, but then again, if the current is slack there is no problem in just hauling the anchor in by hand. When the tide is ripping fast, you have made it clear that if done sloppily, this method can get one killed. I think I had better pick up a ball and a stainless retrieval ring at West Marine. I might be seventy, but would like to try to keep fishing another thirty years or so. Thanks for the info!

Scup · 02-25-2008, 12:02 AM

You guys have gotten to me about this anchor retrieval business. Now that you made me put on my thinking cap, can you see anything wrong with the following idea. First let me give you a little background as to what I am doing. I always tend my fish pots with an over sized lobster buoy attached to the end of my rode so I can break away, tend my pots, and then re-tie to the buoy (no need to re-anchor) to continue fishing with rod and reel. Pot fishing at Latimer's Reef is basically a slack water affair as scup do not go into pots when the tide is ripping. More than once, however, when I stayed too long after slack water, or when the wind started to kick up, I just left the anchor there to pick it up on another day when it would be safer. Now for my idea, which might be dumb, but do not see what can go wrong (I know, very famous last words "what can go wrong".) Attach a very heavy commercial stainless clip like the one shown in the sketch to the very end of my rode. Now I have a means to attach the rode to my bow eye which is the strongest fitting on my boat. About six feet down from the stainless clip, attached a small stopper float. Not sure if six feet is the right distance so make suggestions if needed. After the stopper float have a large stainless ring that will be able to slide down the rode easily but not so big that it will pass over the stopper float. Attach a large ball float to the sliding ring with another stainless clip and that is it. I should still be able to tend my pots as always by breaking away, and if the current starts to pick up, I would have a retrieval ball ready and waiting for use. The stopper float will prevent the ball from banging into my bow and keep it from slipping off when I break away. The sliding stainless ring will become a permanent part of my ground tackle as I do not see a need to ever remove it. Even assuming the worse happens and the weather kicks up suddenly, I would still take my chances in leaving the ground tackle there and hope no one steals it until my return on a better day. Of course, I would remove the large ball float and replaced it with my large lobster pot float upon leaving; no need to risk losing an expensive ball float. Better to chance the lost of some tackle than to risk one's life.

Relentless · 02-25-2008, 07:28 AM

If you are saying have the end of the anchor ball tied off of the trailer eye you are asking for trouble. Tie it off either on the bow or stern on a cleat that is SECURE. I recommend go out with someone who does this all the time and you will see how simple this really is. You still must watch your tides, currents, boating traffic, etc.

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