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Anchors versus mud-weights

homer2911

By homer2911
in General Boating

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homer2911 Rising Star

homer2911

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I've acquired some 56 lb weights to use as ballast in my engine compartment, and I plan to keep a length of rope attached to one of them(obviously kept out of the way of moving parts!) to enable it to be used as a mud weight in an emergency. Does this mean I could get rid of my Darnforth anchor, which is bulky and a pain in the backside to keep handy for use, and which I would probably not recover if I ever did use it?

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TheBiscuits Veteran II

TheBiscuits

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Does this mean I could get rid of my Darnforth anchor, which is bulky and a pain in the backside to keep handy for use, and which I would probably not recover if I ever did use it?

 

No.

 

Not unless you are never going on a river again.

 

A mud weight will hold you reasonably well once deployed, but an anchor can should be able to stop you going over that weir...

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Tony Dunkley Influencer

Tony Dunkley

Posted
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I've acquired some 56 lb weights to use as ballast in my engine compartment, and I plan to keep a length of rope attached to one of them(obviously kept out of the way of moving parts!) to enable it to be used as a mud weight in an emergency. Does this mean I could get rid of my Darnforth anchor, which is bulky and a pain in the backside to keep handy for use, and which I would probably not recover if I ever did use it?

 

Keep it at the sharp end, and you could use it to carry on to your destination after an engine breakdown.

These (dumb) lighters used to get up and down the river in Hull every day like that . . . . . without any assistance from tugs.

 

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dmr Veteran II

dmr

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And if your moored on a river where there is any possibility of the locals letting you loose overnight then a discrete mud weight over the upstream end is an extra bit of security..

 

.............Dave

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Sea Dog Veteran II

Sea DogDonate to Canal World

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Keep it at the sharp end, and you could use it to carry on to your destination after an engine breakdown.

Some of the content of that other recent thread with such references, it would seem that, if not exactly carrying on to your destination, you ought to be able to create enough steerage to get to a place of safety. It might be an idea to practice if you have the mudweight anyway, although I'm not going there's not still a case for an anchor.

 

Give it a try whilst the river's quiet OP - it would be interesting to hear your results.

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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A mud weight as the name suggests will hold you in the mud. Boats on the Broads for example tend to be equipped with mud weights as the Broads are a weedy muddy bottom where the mud weight sinks in and holds boats fast.

 

Not all river bottoms are mud however and you will need an anchor for these situations.

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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

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I experimented on the Thames many summers ago by tying a 56lb Avery weight to my 10m bow line and dropping it in, to see if it worked as well as my 15Kg anchor tied to the end of the same bow line

 

There was no contest. The gentle Thames stream, maybe two miles per hour just dragged the (40ft) boat and mudweight along, while the (far lighter) anchor held fast.

 

 

 

(Spilling edit.)

Edited by Mike the Boilerman
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Phil Ambrose Veteran II

Phil Ambrose

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I experimented on the Thames many summers ago by tying a 56lb Avery weight to my 10m bow line and dropping it in, to see if it worked as well as my 15Kg anchor tied to the end of the same bow line

 

There was no contest. The gentle Thames stream, maybe two miles per hour just dragged the (40ft) boat and mudweight along, while the (far lighter) anchor held fast.

 

 

 

(Spilling edit.)

I think Mike has demonstrated the fact that the " stopper " has to be suitable for the bottom. On the Broads often mud weighted in streams of 3 or 4 mph with no problem (another 40' boat)

Phil

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

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I think Mike has demonstrated the fact that the " stopper " has to be suitable for the bottom. On the Broads often mud weighted in streams of 3 or 4 mph with no problem (another 40' boat)

Phil

I was on Albion and we sat and waited for St Olaves railway bridge to swing using a mud weight.

Edited by ditchcrawler
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