New one on me - anchor release technique

I've read probably a hundred articles and posts on anchoring, and this is a new one on me. Anyone every try this or something similar? Thoughts? Seems like you're counting a lot on that zip tie. If it breaks when you don't want it to, the anchor could more easily release. Maybe good for a day anchorage but not overnight or when leaving the boat.

https://youtu.be/hUMuy6wzIJA

Not on my boat…

Ancient technique actually, I think I remember seeing it in magazine tips back in my bigger sailing days in the 70's-80's....but I believe they referenced it's origins much further back to the golden days of sail and giant fisherman like anchors that really tended to snag.

You are correct that in any veering more than a little and the tie(s) could break free.

If just for a short time and/or a live watch it can work if the tie allows the pull to mostly be on the chain and the tie is just there to keep the chain aligned with the shank.

Skippers who anchor for a while to fish a spot where the anchor could get caught under a rock use this technique. Works well for that, but not safe for overnight anchoring.

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Common for grapnel anchors. Gotta keep watch playing this game.
Ive snagged a lot of wrecks, on purpose. Last diver up releases the anchor.

Our Manson supreme and a few other anchors use a "rock slot" which is a better option in my opinion but if just fishing I'd rather not risk the real anchor and instead use a far cheaper Mooloolaba pick style of anchor

MOOLOOLABA PICK ANCHORS
The Mooloolaba pick is a versatile, yet almost indestructible reef and rubble bottom anchor. It features a shackle attachment on the head of the anchor. This enables an anchor retrieval trip to be set up: this is done by connecting chain to the head and laying it along the shaft.

The chain is then connected to the working end by cable ties for normal use. If stuck in rocks, surge on the anchor to break the cable tie then tow the anchor out by the head (we recommend using double the normal amount of chain when using the trip setup)

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But for us, the issue we have found is not the anchor getting jammed but the chain getting wrapped around bommies.
Using fenders to float the chain above the coral could have solved this problem

It's one of those things that looks good on paper until you factor in the law of unintended consequences.

Ted

RCook said:

Skippers who anchor for a while to fish a spot where the anchor could get caught under a rock use this technique. Works well for that, but not safe for overnight anchoring.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Trawler Forum mobile app

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A charter Capt Ive been out with used this for exactly what RCook mentions.
I agree with not using it in any critical situations

Here is another I hadnt seen before that looks more secure than a cable tie

Personally I will spin and try to back it out if stuck and worst case secure a fender to be able to return & try another alternative.

I think it would be far safer to put a bouy on the crown of the anchor. Then if it gets hung up you pull it out with the bouy line,

Comodave said:

I think it would be far safer to put a bouy on the crown of the anchor. Then if it gets hung up you pull it out with the bouy line,

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Ted

As others have noted - I use it quite a bit on my wreck anchor and it works great for scuba divinging. If I can I will also move the anchor to the sand if I know we are on the last dive.

As well - I use lightweight zip ties - if you use heavy duty ones or more than 2 - the zip ties will not release...

I always favored the buoy for various reasons...but talk to someone who had their buoy run over and anchor pulled into a clusterfk often think that's the worst solution.

Many options have downsides...so roll your dice.

Yeah, that would be two instantly disabled boats in close prox. [emoji51]

Been thinking about using a marker buoy attached to the crown of the anchor using strong enough dyneema line as to be actually able to free a fouled anchor. Also hate when someone anchors so their boat sits over my anchor and I have to wait for them to leave in order to leave myself. That’s happened more than once given the poor curtesy of some boaters.
Thought given you need enough line for tidal range likelihood is that line would either get cut by another boats Spurs or like device or stop that prop rather quickly or if an outboard break the shear pin. So thought it fairly unlikely both boats would be tied together and drifting with no set anchor. Also with next gen anchors drift would be short as anchor would reset.
Haven’t used a anchor marking buoy in US coastal waters due to concern pointed out above due to density of anchored boats in anchoring fields.

To date my plan was to secure rode to several fenders and leave anchor and chain until it could be freed by a diver


How realistic is the concern about having two boats connected and drifting? What’s the real world likelihood of that occurring?

The line on the float over the anchor has to either be sinking line, or have a weight and a block fastened at the float, so there is no likelihood that it will find someone's prop. Just as floating lines should be prohibited in marking prawn or crab floats, they should be prohibited whenever a float is used.

Comodave said:

I think it would be far safer to put a bouy on the crown of the anchor. Then if it gets hung up you pull it out with the bouy line,

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this ^^

Why not use the anchor the way it was intended? As with another comment here, I suppose if fishing in rocks or wreck there is some value to the zip tie method. Never for overnight.

--Kevin

Thanks k. Does anyone have experience with the buoys that have an internal spool for the marking line? Do they actually work? Is the line strong enough to use for anchor retrieval?

I have not. Have often though that a bouy on the anchor would help in crowded anchorages but never was worried enough to bother with it.

I'd think if the anchor was snagged in the working direction it most likely wouldn't take a huge pull to get it out backwards. Just no direct experience with it.

Have used a grapple with a retrieval line. That was 1/2" stayset so fairly strong. But we were dragging up old mooring chains with it. So needed something strong.

We have deanchored multiple boats when they couldn’t get their anchors up. We used a 25 ton shackle with our tow line to pull the anchor up. We would have them recover all the anchor rode they could then we would put the shackle around their rode with our tow line on the shackle. Drop the shackle to get it down onto the anchor and work it up the shank to the crown of the anchor. Then we would tow in the opposite direction that they set the anchor. Works very well but it can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. With the bouy attached to the crown of the anchor you can pull the anchor out by the crown in the same manner.

tiz said:

this ^^

Why not use the anchor the way it was intended? As with another comment here, I suppose if fishing in rocks or wreck there is some value to the zip tie method. Never for overnight.

--Kevin

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Ever anchor in a cypress swamp?

So many times an anchor is "set" when it really isn't. The tip may have caught on something and any major riding at anchor, wind/current shifts can break it loose in a second.

Not sure this method is really that much of a gamble once familiar with it and done correctly.

Even anchoring with the "intended" method is "iffy" without a live or electronic watch. And look at how many still drag with issues employing one of those methods.

Plus for those that think snagging something is rare...a couple major anchor manufacturers build slots into their anchors for probably what they think is a good reason.

As an assistance tower I too have used various methods to successfully pull stuck anchors and probably an equal number of times the line had to be cut or abandoned with buoy. It just becomes too dangerous under certain conditions for a second vessel to get into the mix where the vessel itself would be the much safer choice.

And to think I had folks give me crap for a couple zip tie's to safety the shackle pin.. All they did was keep the pin from turning. This is literally relying on the side shear of a zip tie to secure your boat. I think its nuts. When we cruised the SoPac for a few years I never lost a shackle pin zip tie once Often I would only see the fluorescent green or pink zip tie above a sandy bottom, made finding the anchor a bit easier to spot.
Hollywood

I thought it was sunny down there. No UV zip tie destruction??

Actually totally agree with heavy duty zip ties on shackles. Use a couple going around opposite ways. Unlike stainless wire a quick glance tells you if they’re broken. UV kills them in awhile but they’re cheap. Like you avoid white which I think is more UV sensitive and like bright colors. Also use them as chain markers. Even by touch in the dark you know how much is out. Don’t like ruining night vision if it can be avoided.

I have used S/S tie wraps on anchor shackles before. No UV problems with them.

psneeld said:

I always favored the buoy for various reasons...but talk to someone who had their buoy run over and anchor pulled into a clusterfk often think that's the worst solution.

Many options have downsides...so roll your dice.

Click to expand...

So true, which is why I decided on the anchor with proven tripping slot for the easy recovery of fouled anchors, and the Super Sarca never let me down on the several occasions that occurred. Simi mentioned his Manson Supreme has a similar arrangement. Sadly, that is one feature the later models like the Excel and Boss do not have.

Interesting but we're happy with our method for our Mantus.

I used exactly as described in reefs in the Bahamas and Florida and spent the night fishing. Never had a problem. The pull is along the shank of the anchor and not on the nylon tie wrap. Easy to break loose even in 300 feet. Never had it fail. Not positive it won’t happen in the future.

I captained a dive boat in the Keys for several years and we used the zip tie method with the anchor. We used a 300 lb test zip tie and never had it fail. But, several times the anchor did get wedged in coral even though we tried very hard to only anchor in sand... when it did get wedged in, pulling up over the anchor until the rode was "up and down" then motoring forward always broke the zip tie and let us retrieve the anchor. Of course the captain was on board the boat at all times so we never left it unattended. Sure saved having to dive for the anchor occasionally!

Nothing against buoyed line when expected to be needed, but a chain bridle is always handy here with enough rode to solve the issue of a stuck anchor. Made the mistake once of having bight of chain between the bow roller and the snubber looped down into the water. Winds and tides combined to scoop the bouy up unanchoring us.

Bouy anchor marker

Watched a sail boat try to set an anchor with a bouy attached, got the bouy line somehow around his prop, so no prop, couldn't drop the anchor, only saved by someone throwing him a line as he drifted by on the way to the rocks.

Cluster what??....,