Afishionado Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Jack, I couldn't find your post to tag my answer to so I'll start afresh. Our set up is as follows. We have a normal S/S bow roller with a fabricated S/S U in an inverted position over the top of the bow roller. This is totaly effective in ensuring the anchor rope does not escape from the bow roller no matter the angle of strain placed upon it. The bow rollers mounting has been modified by me to suit my particular boat. The modifications are such as to strengthen the whole fixing so that it can withstand both side and down strain. The whole assembaly is through bolted to the bow of the boat. I emphasise BOLTED as so many, even new boats, rely on using screws to hold down vital fittings. In practice this is what we do. The bitter end of the anchor rope/chain is fed through the roller BACK towards the boat, where it is fastened to a ring in the bow storage area. The whole length of the rope etc is then flaked down in the storage area which can be accessed through a windo in the front of the cuddy. If a 'picknic trip is planned the main anchor is also layed down in the front storage area. However if we are fishing the anchor and chain etc are brought round to the port side of the boat and placed in an old butchers tray together with the Alderny buoy and it's line. When we do our FIRST anchor up of the day the rope is payed out from the bow bin storage area and made fast to a large horned bitt when enough has been payed out. We then put a stopper on the line and clip on the Alderny buoy and line. To raise the anchor from this FIRST drop we leave the anchor line fast to the foward bitt, sight the Alderny bouy so it is on the port side of the boat and then motor slowly but positively forward towards the bouy keeping the bouy on our port side. Some times a tiny bit of port helm is needed to keep the bouy on the port side in the center of the very slight and open turn to port. As the boat moves forward the anchour line is pulled up through the ring on the Alderny bouy and one sees the bouy being pulled downwards sometimes even under. Suddenly the bouy pops up to the surface which means the anchor has lifted (and may be tripped), keep going forward in the very large port arc (this keeps the anchor line away from the prop) untill you see the bouy is actualy following you at the boats speed which meand that the anchor has reached the bouy and is hanging from the Alderny lines end ring. At this point a slight starboard helm is put on to bring the anchor rope towards the port side of the boat. If one keeps going forward steadily the line will be being pulled towards the surface and easily hooked by the crew with a boat hook. The second the crew has his end of the line in his hands close the throttle and let the boat drift. The crew can than bring the anchor line in on the port SIDE of the boat flaking the line into the tray in the cockpit. Doing this there is no need to pull the anchor up to and through the bow roller. ON the second anchor up of a trip a trip the anchor is released from the port side and any additional or excess rope is adjusted by someone (me) reaching through the forward window and doing it at the anchor cleat (bitt). This is a long explination of something which once seen is a piece of pee to do. However the key is that the anchor rope stays firmly in the bow roller, and that the bow roller is substantial and well fixed with through bolts and backing pads. I have fairly serious back problems so EVERYTHING on my boat is arranged so that the least possible strain is put on the crew. Using the method above I can up anchor and away still sitting down apart from one gentle lift at the side to get the anchor in. As a note this method of anchoring was being used when I was a kid in Cornwall about 50 years ago, but those lads then used 5 gallon Castrol oil cans as floats. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 As a note this method of anchoring was being used when I was a kid in Cornwall about 50 years ago, but those lads then used 5 gallon Castrol oil cans as floats. Mad Mike Didn't the can sink with all that oil in it? OK I've got my coat on Coddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted January 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 As a note this method of anchoring was being used when I was a kid in Cornwall about 50 years ago, but those lads then used 5 gallon Castrol oil cans as floats. Mad Mike Didn't the can sink with all that oil in it? OK I've got my coat on Coddy LOL ! Mad Mike Got me fair and square there Mad Mike PS I remember one day, one of the laid up molasses tankers in Fowey estuary had about 20 x 50gall drums of white or black marine paint delivered. It was left at Albert Quay awaiting transfer the next day. Needless to say they weren't there the morning, however that summer there were so many boats and houses repainted a suspicious man might jump to conclusions, also black and off white seemed to be the favourite colours that year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlieannear Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 And why so many houses in Plymouth are battleship grey! Charlie (Also Cornish) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob F Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 ...to camoflauge(?) the battleships, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Mike, Very nice explanation and if I have read it correctly, almost exactly the method I use. I keep the warp made off at the front cleat with a typical length normally used to anchor in the bay ( ie. around 50 Ft ish of warp ). The warp then runs through my bow roller and down the side of the cuddy to my railing on the side of the boat. I tie off the slack to the railing and the excess is then dropped into a box with the anchor. At time to drop anchor I untie the warp from the railing ( this is to stop it paying out whilst underway with possible disastrous consequences.) and drop anchor. If more warp is needed I release some at the front through the hatch. At recovery time, it is a steam out as you describe. Warp is recovered over the side and then tied off to the railing ( this part I didnt see mentioned by yourself, so how do you prevent the warp from paying out whilst underway ? ) When it is time to trail home I either make sure the anchor / warp and box are at the back of the boat ( lazy method ! ) or take the anchor and warp out and stow it in the space for this purpose at the bow of the boat. Note how at no time do I need to remove the pin holding warp in the bow roller and it has the added advantage as I can attach a painter to hold the boat after / before launch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted January 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Paul says.......Note how at no time do I need to remove the pin holding warp in the bow roller and it has the added advantage as I can attach a painter to hold the boat after / before launch. Ed Zachery! Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 Ed Zachery but totally irelevant to Jack who 1. Has the anchor stowed on the roller when not in use 2. Doesn't need a painter 3. Doesn't launch and recover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted January 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 but totally irelevant to Jack who There are large parts of the whole thread that are very relavent to thier problem. To use the Alderny method of anchor retrieval safely it is paramount that the anchor rope is kept within the bow roller. The explination that I and others gave was to illustrate and confirm that point. The painter and launch and recovery are beside the point and I am sure Paul made his comment for those readers that trail their boats. However back to Jack & the pussycat and their pea green boat ........ If their present bowroller is not capable of being used or modified to use the Alderny method and accommodate anchor stowage as well then they have the choice of replacing the bow roller with one that can do the job, or doing what a lot of us do which is to keep the anchor and it's warp in a suitable box inside the deck area with the anchor line running forward to go through the bow roller and then back to the anchor, lower and retrieve from the side and only use the bow roller and anchor rope cleat to adjust the length of warp needed. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack Posted January 29, 2006 Report Share Posted January 29, 2006 Sorry Mike.Andy won't use the side cleat in recovery,its a piddling job and the gunnal at that point is too narrow to take any form of re-inforcement beneath it. at best it would accept a batten,which would not be strong enough for hauling... jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.