anchor

[Chertsey]

In anger?? - different scenario

Lessons can be learnt from it which are an advance on guesswork. But you carry on guessing if you like.

[Guest]

Lessons can be learnt from it which are an advance on guesswork. But you carry on guessing if you like.

 

I've deployed a heavy lump or 2 gently over the side of a boat.. I do not in any way sense that has prepared me for deploying an anchor in an emergency...

 

until someone comes on here who has actually deployed one in an emergency we all are guessing..

[Chris Pink]

So we need someone to go out on a river, urn off their engine and then sling their hook. Any takers?

 

 

Yes, been there done that. But not on a river in flood, just as a test.

[Guest]

Yes, been there done that. But not on a river in flood, just as a test.

 

and??

 

ETA apart from the fact you survived and lived to to tell the tale..that is..

Edited September 23, 2011 by MJG

[Chris Pink]

 

 

 

Blimey!

 

There is one image in there I'm glad that the OH didn't get to see, (or anything like it), before we did the Limehouse stretch for the first time.......

 

 

That's rather awesome!

 

Why on earth are the front doors wide open?

[bizzard]

I personally, although i do have a Danforth anchor complete with chain don't carry it,but i would carry it if going on the tidal Thames or similar. But i do always carry some engineering bricks threaded on a rope like beads on a necklace for a drag or mud weight.bizzard.

[Chris Pink]

and??

 

ETA apart from the fact you survived and lived to to tell the tale..that is..

 

None of the possible dramatic scenarios above sorry, simply lowered anchor until hit the bottom (about 16') and then payed out the rest of the rope, it had bitten before it got to the end of the rope and then I payed out the rest so the boat was stopped before the rope (about 50' with 10m of chain) was fully out, I then let the rope out until the boat was moored on the end of the lot. Tried it both ways around. There was no dramatic pull so no danger of the dolly or t-stud dragging down the boat. Don't know what the anchor weighs, probably 20kg or so (danforth).

 

I don't know what it would have been like in an emergency or fast current, the main problem with a narrow boat is no anchor winch brake to take up the strain. I would probably try and brake it on the t-stud or other side dolly, it is after all not really different from taking the strain on a tow.

 

I personally, although i do have a Danforth anchor complete with chain don't carry it,but i would carry it if going on the tidal Thames or similar. But i do always carry some engineering bricks threaded on a rope like beads on a necklace for a drag or mud weight.bizzard.

 

I reckon most anchors on a river will act more as a weight than an anchor.

[Guest]

None of the possible dramatic scenarios above sorry, simply lowered anchor until hit the bottom (about 16') and then payed out the rest of the rope, it had bitten before it got to the end of the rope and then I payed out the rest so the boat was stopped before the rope (about 50' with 10m of chain) was fully out, I then let the rope out until the boat was moored on the end of the lot. Tried it both ways around. There was no dramatic pull so no danger of the dolly or t-stud dragging down the boat. Don't know what the anchor weighs, probably 20kg or so (danforth).

 

I don't know what it would have been like in an emergency or fast current, the main problem with a narrow boat is no anchor winch brake to take up the strain. I would probably try and brake it on the t-stud or other side dolly, it is after all not really different from taking the strain on a tow.

 

 

 

I reckon most anchors on a river will act more as a weight than an anchor.

 

Good enough for me..cheers.

[bizzard]

In days of yore,when the only really well known type of anchor was of the traditional Fishermans type Two curved flukes,a stock and cross bar to ensure that one or other of the flukes turned over and dug in.On the fluke end often was fixed a trip line to help break out the anchor if stuck.To break out any anchor,motor or sail up to it so that its rope chain or cable is straight up and down,then hauling on the cable by hand or winch should break it out,if not motor around it at the same time keeping strain on the cable should twist and dislodge it.The trip line can also be yanked vertically to break the fluke out.

Different techniques for different locations are used by folk knowledgeable with their particular area.

The old way of finding out what the seabed,as i'm sure a lot of you have read about, consisted of, before anchoring was to lower a cup often made of lead with the hollow bottom bit filled with soft wax,tar,lowered on a rope onto the bottom,hauled back and examined.Depending on whether sand,mud,shingle or nothing ''rock''was stuck to it would tell them of the likely holding power of the seabed and so pay out more or less cable, or indeed more than one anchor,a secondary anchor was usually called the Bower.Of course wind speed and direction has to be taken into account at all times.

Sometimes an anchor becomes completely ensnared in old cables, old chain or all kinds of old junk on the bottom and crews have and still have sometimes no alternative but to cut the cable and lose the anchor. bizzard.

Take heed.

There are quite a number of pubs call--Anchor and Hope and Hope and Anchor too.

Edited September 24, 2011 by bizzard

[sebrof]

But surely when anchoring at sea the boat is stopped before before the anchor is deployed. Therefore the sag (catenary) of the chain give plenty of cushioning. One of the principle reasons for having an anchor on a river is incase of emergency where the anchor is required to stop the boat against a flow. This is why those on the inland waterways are advised to have a rope and chain combination. The chain closest to the anchor to provide weight and hold it closer to the river bed and the rope to provide some give when deployed.

 

I agree with that advice. Although correctly specc'd chain would be fine, it would be very heavy, and raising the anchor would be impossible without a windlass. Hence the advice to use rope (and a bit of chain).

 

In an earlier post I mentioned that people who sail in tropical waters, or off rocky coasts, tend to prefer chain. My surveyor suggested I replace my anchor rope with wire, but on the river I feel that rope is better, so I have not taken his advice, despite the fact that I have a windlass.

 

Mountaineers and climbers don't tie a rope around their middle for that very reason. They wear a harness.

 

You're obviously younger than I am. When I started rock-climbing in the early sixties we tied a nylon rope round our waists, secured with a bowline. This was replaced in due course by cord wound several times round the waist, to which the nylon rope was attached, using a bowline and crab. This was the standard method in use at training centres such as Plas y Brenin in Capel Curig.

 

Obviously the harness is an improvement, but a nylon rope around the waist saved many lives, and never cut anybody in two (AFAIK). It was also cheaper.

[sebrof]

Yes but is there anybody contributing to this thread who has actually deployed an anchor from a narrowboat in anger as in on a fast flowing river with no propulsion - there seems to be lots of 'theory' but no actual experience...

 

Not a narrow-boat, no. But my barge, yes. My (appallingly badly designed) throttle gave up the ghost a few months ago, and I dropped anchor sharpish when the engine died. The anchor is a massive "fisherman", which I can't lift, and it held straightaway in a mixture of mud and gravel. The current was about three knots.

[blackrose]

I thought yours was a wide beam, and clearly was designed to have an anchor as you set out. This does not apply to most narrowboats.

 

Yes, it's a narrowboat style widebeam. I added the hawsepipe, the windlass and the anchor. Anyone could do exactly the same on their narrowboat.

 

 

Why on earth are the front doors wide open?

 

I hadn't noticed that! Madness!

Edited September 23, 2011 by blackrose

[howardang]

Why on earth are the front doors wide open?

That's why I made the comments in post 163!

 

Howard

[Doorman]

an anchor would be a really good idea (along with something to attach it to the boat)

 

Very prudent advice indeed!

[blackrose]

The sequence also shows a bit of a lack of preparation in that not only is the cratch cover still open but I think the front doors are open as well. A heavier pitch might well have flooded the boat!

 

Howard

 

I don't have a cratch cover, but times I've been up and down between Brentford and Limehouse I always have the bow doors shut. If someone wants to stand on the bow deck I tell them to close the bow doors behind them and then make sure they're closed when they return to the stern.

 

Originally I wanted my widebeam built without bow doors or a well deck to give more internal cabin space, but the builder wasn't interested and managed to change my mind. I still think it's a better design for a boat, but I suppose the drawbacks are limited access or escape routes.

[Lesd]

Yes, it's a narrowboat style widebeam. I added the hawsepipe, the windlass and the anchor. Anyone could do exactly the same on their narrowboat.

 

 

 

 

I hadn't noticed that! Madness!

 

 

Hi Mike,

What weight is your anchor ? Any ideas ? Looking back on it the one I borrowed for our Thames trip earlier this summer was probably not big enough for our boat !

Les

[Guest]

I don't have a cratch cover, but times I've been up and down between Brentford and Limehouse I always have the bow doors shut. If someone wants to stand on the bow deck I tell them to close the bow doors behind them and then make sure they're closed when they return to the stern.

 

Originally I wanted my widebeam built without bow doors or a well deck to give more internal cabin space, but the builder wasn't interested and managed to change my mind. I still think it's a better design for a boat, but I suppose the drawbacks are limited access or escape routes.

 

I don't know the specifics Mike but most new builds have to have some doors at the front (for escape as you say), though he could have put side hatches/doors near the front like some Canaltime boats are built or indeed Stenson have a range built like that.