Anchors away.

[Greybeard]

Sitting having a few beers with some boaty friends and the subject got onto anchors (after toilets and electrics of course).

 

One of the guys had been on a narrowboat handling course as he was a bit concerned about going onto the river system and he had been instructed to deploy the anchor from the stern in the event of an engine failure whether he was heading up or down stream.

 

I'm sure I read somewhere on this forum that this could cause the boat to sink as the flow may pull the stern downwards and allow water to enter via the engine vents.

 

My question is - What end is correct and does this change when heading up or down stream?

 

Thanks.

 

Mike

[grh]

Deploy anchor from the front when into the current, from the back when with the current...........this is what i was told and stood me in good stead when a control cable broke on the Nene......

[Dalesman]

Well I would always anchor from the bow end (front), as is the normal way on most vessels. You will find you have more room to work there, and when you come to recover your anchor it will clear of your prop. The only vessels I have see with an anchor at the stern are push tugs that go on fast flowing rivers like the Rhine etc.

[carlt]

Well I would always anchor from the bow end (front), as is the normal way on most vessels.

It is normal when using as a mooring device but my emergency anchor is next to me, at the stern of the boat.

[grh]

Well I would always anchor from the bow end (front), as is the normal way on most vessels. You will find you have more room to work there, and when you come to recover your anchor it will clear of your prop. The only vessels I have see with an anchor at the stern are push tugs that go on fast flowing rivers like the Rhine etc.

anchor from the bow when going with the current when engine fails could cause nb to wedge across stream on narrow sections of river .......on Trent or wide rivers i agree as can swing with current........i like to keep boat on the line its going..

[carlt]

This topic was discussed at length here:

 

Clicky

 

As I said earlier, on a narrowboat the anchor is a piece of emergency equipment.

 

The last thing I want to be doing, in the event of an emergency, is running 70 feet, along the outside of a boat, to deploy an anchor.

 

Keep it nearby, at the stern, ready to deploy.

[Greybeard]

This topic was discussed at length here:

 

Clicky

 

As I said earlier, on a narrowboat the anchor is a piece of emergency equipment.

 

The last thing I want to be doing, in the event of an emergency, is running 70 feet, along the outside of a boat, to deploy an anchor.

 

Keep it nearby, at the stern, ready to deploy.

 

That's the thread I was referring to but couldn't remember what it was called.

 

Thanks for clicky.

 

Looks like the instructor was right with dropping anchor at the stern and I can see your point about trying to get to the front - it wouldn't help if I fell off the roof and going through the boat isn't a good idea either.

 

Sorted.

 

Mike

[carlt]

The only vessels I have see with an anchor at the stern are push tugs that go on fast flowing rivers like the Rhine etc.

 

Where would you fasten a kedge, then?

[FadeToScarlet]

Isn't it 'anchors aweigh'?

 

(Possible massive pedant, apologies)

[MartinC]

When I last used a surveyor he specified that an anchor always needed a dedicated securing point, I think he called it a "klench", or some such name. Our boat has a great big "u" shaped thing, for the anchor, in the front cockpit (no jokes please!) but I can't see where this sort of thing could be fitted safely at the stern.

[carlt]

When I last used a surveyor he specified that an anchor always needed a dedicated securing point, I think he called it a "klench", or some such name. Our boat has a great big "u" shaped thing, for the anchor, in the front cockpit (no jokes please!) but I can't see where this sort of thing could be fitted safely at the stern.

It would be a simple matter (as suggested in the other thread) to secure a u-bolt arrangement at the stern.

 

If you are confident of reaching your anchor, at the front, in a matter of seconds, in an emergency situation, then that is fine.

 

Personally I know I can't move that quickly.

[RLWP]

Would it be practical to deploy an anchor from the stern that is attached at the bow? Our rope and chain is much longer thean the boat so it would easily reach the stern.

 

Richard

[carlt]

Would it be practical to deploy an anchor from the stern that is attached at the bow? Our rope and chain is much longer thean the boat so it would easily reach the stern.

 

Richard

I don't see why not, apart from the mess chain on paint might make.

 

This might be preferable, going upstream.

[Smelly]

If I've got an anchor warp 3 times the length of my boat then, even on the Trent,I worry that my boat would roll against the bank if an anchor were deployed downstream of the hull.

 

Maybe the warp running the length of the boat might amerliorate it but I'm not sure.

 

I'll write this off as a "cassette v pump out" matter unless persuaded otherwise. It seems better than horses and courses doesn't it?

[churchward]

Would it be practical to deploy an anchor from the stern that is attached at the bow? Our rope and chain is much longer thean the boat so it would easily reach the stern.

 

Richard

Yes I guess you could although if you are 20 metres from the wier drifting backward and 20metres of rope plus 4 metres of chain like we have then yer still going over!

 

I do think though going upstream as Carl says this is not a bad compromise. Our anchor rope would reach to the back with a little to spare so the anchor ad chain could be curdled up on something to protect the paint and if I need to deploy the thing in an emergency then scratching the paint will be the least of my worries.

[RLWP]

Yes I guess you could although if you are 20 metres from the wier drifting backward and 20metres of rope plus 4 metres of chain like we have then yer still going over!

 

I do think though going upstream as Carl says this is not a bad compromise. Our anchor rope would reach to the back with a little to spare so the anchor ad chain could be curdled up on something to protect the paint and if I need to deploy the thing in an emergency then scratching the paint will be the least of my worries.

 

IIRC we have about 60m of warp and chain on our anchor, so it's 84 metres not allowing for the time it takes for the anchor to drag itself to a stop. (thinks - perhaps it's time to shorten that rope).

 

I'm not sure I'd like to get within 100m of a weir and have to rely on lightning quick reactions to throw an anchor overboard to save my life no matter how long the warp is.

 

Richard

[carlt]

IIRC we have about 60m of warp and chain on our anchor, so it's 84 metres not allowing for the time it takes for the anchor to drag itself to a stop. (thinks - perhaps it's time to shorten that rope).

 

I'm not sure I'd like to get within 100m of a weir and have to rely on lightning quick reactions to throw an anchor overboard to save my life no matter how long the warp is.

 

Richard

As you're unlikely to be on a river that deep, I'd tie off the anchor warp at a depth suitable for the depth of water you're likely to face.

[RLWP]

As you're unlikely to be on a river that deep, I'd tie off the anchor warp at a depth suitable for the depth of water you're likely to face.

 

And there they are again. Those simple innocent words that lie behind the reason for our incredibly long warp.

 

Does anyone know of a website that lists the depths of rivers and canals? River Severn (sensible parts, not tidal), Stratford Avon, Cherwell and perhaps Thames (non-tidal) would be useful. Extra points for the MSC.

 

Richard

[carlt]

And there they are again. Those simple innocent words that lie behind the reason for our incredibly long warp.

 

Does anyone know of a website that lists the depths of rivers and canals? River Severn (sensible parts, not tidal), Stratford Avon, Cherwell and perhaps Thames (non-tidal) would be useful. Extra points for the MSC.

 

Richard

The Thames varies between 1 and 3 metres, above Teddington, with occasional deeper bits.

[churchward]

IIRC we have about 60m of warp and chain on our anchor, so it's 84 metres not allowing for the time it takes for the anchor to drag itself to a stop. (thinks - perhaps it's time to shorten that rope).

 

I'm not sure I'd like to get within 100m of a weir and have to rely on lightning quick reactions to throw an anchor overboard to save my life no matter how long the warp is.

 

Richard

Wow that is a long one! You could anchor in parts of the Norh Sea with that.

[RLWP]

Wow that is a long one! You could anchor in parts of the Norh Sea with that.

 

Yes, I know. It was bought using guesswork for a trip down the Manchester Ship Canal. The depth of which is???

 

Richard

 

Are the depths of rivers really not documented anywhere?

[carlt]

I can only find low summer levels, for the Severn which is about 1.5 to 2.5 metres.

 

Yes, I know. It was bought using guesswork for a trip down the Manchester Ship Canal. The depth of which is???

9 metres

 

Does anyone know of a website that lists the depths of rivers and canals? River Severn (sensible parts, not tidal), Stratford Avon, Cherwell and perhaps Thames (non-tidal) would be useful. Extra points for the MSC.

Not sure about the Cherwell but there was plenty of water to have tin bath races, down at Cropredy Mill,

[RLWP]

I can only find low summer levels, for the Severn which is about 1.5 to 2.5 metres.

 

I suppose that is fair enough. I've seen those poles that the moorings float up and down on at Upton. Could we then assume the Severn is about 2 metres more than that, say 5 metres for planning purposes?

 

Richard

[Nine of Hearts]

Yes, I know. It was bought using guesswork for a trip down the Manchester Ship Canal. The depth of which is???

 

Richard

 

Are the depths of rivers really not documented anywhere?

 

Considering that you're carrying about 39m too much warp for even the shi* canal, when you cut it down can I have the spare to adorn my T-stud?

 

[WotEver]

The last thing I want to be doing, in the event of an emergency, is running 70 feet, along the outside of a boat, to deploy an anchor.

 

But you've forgotten Carl, you're supposed to run THROUGH the boat