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plumbung
24-04-2008, 10:10 AM
Hi, my first post so be nice. ;) This Q will be for other cat or previous cat owners. Had problems last week when driving off anchor. Got a 6m ali cat with 2 X90 Evinrudes :D (Just to let ya's know) and when out last week in larger seas off Hutchies the reef anchor decided it wasn't comming home with us. I have put a bow sprit on the starboard bow and use a flotation ball. Usually when I drive off it comes up nice, but this time all I was doing was circles around the anchor. I am assuming because the rope is pulling on one side. So I decided to have another go and only use my Port side motor and run a lot straighter. Still went in circles. Tried the jiggling teebag trick for 10 mins, it was a bit rough at the front. The seas were not being nice to me so I got pissed off and used both motors again this time with 2500 revs and you guessed it SNAP:o went the rope at the bow sprit. Does anyone have any ideas/sugestions on how to pull up stuborn anchors. Or was I just unlucky. If I had an electric anchor winch and facing into those seas, I would of copped a lot of water over the bow and (maybe even flipped forward) Ha. I don't think you can run it down the middle, to many spinny things there. To make things worse it was at night, with one passenger very sea sick. :-[ Suggestions/comments?

TimiBoy
24-04-2008, 10:24 AM
I'm certainly no expert, so I'll ask a dumb question; Aren't they designed to bend out? If so, maybe the anchor you were using was too big or strong for your boat?

I know I've bent mine a couple of times using the winch, but she always comes up in the end!

Greg P
24-04-2008, 10:41 AM
It may have been the chain caught and not the reef pick tynes. It is gunna happen sometime so dont sweat it out - just bad luck. Might pay to check the edges around the bow sprite though to make sure they are not too sharp. Also maybe use a trip system on the pick if allows you too.

Sounds like you did most of the right things - play the angles, let loose etc - win some/loose some though


Cheers

Greg

Fish Guts
24-04-2008, 11:45 AM
i think its a bit dangerous doing the drive off anchor retireve whilst being tied off to your starboard bow only. I think theres a risk that it could pull your boat over. How come there is no bow sprit in the centre of the boat ?

cheers

fish guts

mirage
24-04-2008, 12:00 PM
Hi Plumbung. As Greg says it was more than likely your chain was the problem. Probably wrapped around a large rock or something. Just bad luck, sounds like you did all you could do. Most guys fill their reef pick with lead too so that the chain doesn't beat the reef pick to the bottom.

I have a 2400 Kevlacat and have no problem using the normal centre bow sprit in raising the anchor and flotation ball, it works OK without the rope going down the centre. So not sure why you needed to put one on the stbd hull. As Fish Guts says there could be a risk of getting that hull pulled under?

I am changing anchor to a Mooloolaba Pick though. Since I got the bigger cat even a larger reef pick is not holding properly.
Cheers, Scotty.

ifishcq1
24-04-2008, 12:11 PM
Hi Plumbung
one of the cats I fish on has a spare stainless ring with a 8m lanyard above the float ring on the anchor rope he ties the lanyard to one of the stern bollards and when he drives up past the float he pulls the rope in and ties it of to the back bollard and just drives away letting the float do the job and then we just pull it in from the back into a fish bin ready to drop it next stop once in a very remote while we lose a pick

finding_time
24-04-2008, 12:27 PM
Hi Plumbung
one of the cats I fish on has a spare stainless ring with a 8m lanyard above the float ring on the anchor rope he ties the lanyard to one of the stern bollards and when he drives up past the float he pulls the rope in and ties it of to the back bollard and just drives away letting the float do the job and then we just pull it in from the back into a fish bin ready to drop it next stop once in a very remote while we lose a pick


DO NOT DO THIS!!!!!!!:o :o :o :o NEVER NEVER NEVER pull the rope from the stern!


I have a 5.2 kc and always pull from the centre never from starboard hull and rarely have issues. As the other guys have said you have snagged the chain and apart from getting right above the hookup point and trying to spring it up with the swells ( Also quite dangerous) you did all you could, going around in circles will most times free a hook up!;) It was just bad luck .

Ian

Ps. i carry a spare anchor for this reason but i haven't lost a pick in 3 years( i use a tripped plough for everything, reef, rock, mud , sand)

Megatop
24-04-2008, 12:36 PM
Hi Plumbung. As Greg says it was more than likely your chain was the problem. Probably wrapped around a large rock or something. Just bad luck, sounds like you did all you could do. Most guys fill their reef pick with lead too so that the chain doesn't beat the reef pick to the bottom.

I have a 2400 Kevlacat and have no problem using the normal centre bow sprit in raising the anchor and flotation ball, it works OK without the rope going down the centre. So not sure why you needed to put one on the stbd hull. As Fish Guts says there could be a risk of getting that hull pulled under?

I am changing anchor to a Mooloolaba Pick though. Since I got the bigger cat even a larger reef pick is not holding properly.
Cheers, Scotty.
Mirage,
What size is your Reef Pick, Chain (Small Link or Large Link) & rope? Also what length of chain are you running.
I have a 7.0 Markham Dominator and have no problem with my setup, except I did have trouble once recently at Hutchies with the chain getting snagged - eventually managed to free it by driving off in the opposite direction.

Adrian

FNQCairns
24-04-2008, 12:55 PM
Yeah just bad luck, you can only do what you can do, mate almost sunk us once at curtain with a stern cleat pull, not worth it compared to the front.

cheers fnq

plumbung
24-04-2008, 01:19 PM
Thanks all,

sounds like everyone has had problems before. When your out there and someone gets vilently ill- HA HA not me, and the pick gets stuck, you'll try anything. I think the first time we did circles it probably hooked the chain under the bombie overhange I was looking for. As for filling the anchor with lead- already done. I do have a bow sprit in the middle, thought i would be clever and put another one so I can pull it up myself, and no never hook up from the back. RISKY STUFF. Thanks again
Plumbung

Cobia Kid
24-04-2008, 01:40 PM
I wish i had a cat........


for our anchor to prevent it from getting caught 4eva we attach the U-bolt of the chain to the head end of the anchor then use heavy duty zip ties to connect the chain to the tail end.this ensures that the anchor sits rite and if its really stuck the zip tie will break, hense pulling the head of the anchour out of the reef,
hope i helped

crab man
24-04-2008, 03:06 PM
cobia kid has the right idea even insted of a cable tie a lighter rope so the trip tie only breaks when its really cought !! nothing worse then having to re-tie it every time
Cheers Craig

ifishcq1
24-04-2008, 03:23 PM
Guys I was talking about a big cat but point taken

mirage
24-04-2008, 04:03 PM
IFISHCQ, as long as your mate knows that PLENTY of boats have been sunk instantly pulling up an anchor from a rear bollard!

mirage
24-04-2008, 04:09 PM
Mirage,
What size is your Reef Pick, Chain (Small Link or Large Link) & rope? Also what length of chain are you running.
I have a 7.0 Markham Dominator and have no problem with my setup, except I did have trouble once recently at Hutchies with the chain getting snagged - eventually managed to free it by driving off in the opposite direction.

Adrian

Hi Adrian,

I have the largest reef pick you can get from Whitworths I think, forget what size it is quoted as. I do concede I probably don't have enough chain. It's large link but only 5m long. Have about 180m of rope. Anway, have the Mooloolaba Pick now. Have had nothing but good reports on em so I'll see how it goes.

What type of Boeing is that in your Avitar. My eysights not good enough for the small piccy!! I'm on the 767.

Cheers, Scotty.

Megatop
24-04-2008, 05:38 PM
Hi Adrian,

I have the largest reef pick you can get from Whitworths I think, forget what size it is quoted as. I do concede I probably don't have enough chain. It's large link but only 5m long. Have about 180m of rope. Anway, have the Mooloolaba Pick now. Have had nothing but good reports on em so I'll see how it goes.

What type of Boeing is that in your Avitar. My eysights not good enough for the small piccy!! I'm on the 767.

Cheers, Scotty.
It's a SIA Boeing 747-400 - I retired 2 years ago after 37 years.

Adrian

Megatop
24-04-2008, 06:05 PM
Mirage,

On the anchor issue I found that I had to cut about 4 Inches off each of the 4 prongs. By doing this it seemed to hold a lot better. The other problem is sometimes the shackle that joins the rope to the chain gets caught in the SS ring from the float and doesn't allow the ring to go over the chain right up to the anchor if you know what I mean. Am thinking of going to a smaller shackle and small link chain. I have about 10 mts of chain with 10mm rope.

Adrian

northernblue
24-04-2008, 06:26 PM
Guy's slightly off topic, but can someone post a photo of a Mooloolabah pick for me?

Fish Guts
24-04-2008, 07:15 PM
connect the shackle to the eye on the star end and run chain down shaft and tie off with cord on bottom eye. i rate them for use in sth east qld

mirage
24-04-2008, 08:53 PM
Mirage,

On the anchor issue I found that I had to cut about 4 Inches off each of the 4 prongs. By doing this it seemed to hold a lot better. The other problem is sometimes the shackle that joins the rope to the chain gets caught in the SS ring from the float and doesn't allow the ring to go over the chain right up to the anchor if you know what I mean. Am thinking of going to a smaller shackle and small link chain. I have about 10 mts of chain with 10mm rope.

Adrian

Thanks Adrian, yes I have heard to cut the ends off on the reef pick. I should get more chain as well.

37 years is a good stint. I'm ex Ansett. Based in NRT now for ANA Cargo on 767's. I live near Caloundra and do most of my fishing out of Mooloolaba, when I'm home!!

Pelagic 660
24-04-2008, 10:23 PM
DO NOT DO THIS!!!!!!!:o :o :o :o NEVER NEVER NEVER pull the rope from the stern!


I have a 5.2 kc and always pull from the centre never from starboard hull and rarely have issues. As the other guys have said you have snagged the chain and apart from getting right above the hookup point and trying to spring it up with the swells ( Also quite dangerous) you did all you could, going around in circles will most times free a hook up!;) It was just bad luck .

Ian

Ps. i carry a spare anchor for this reason but i haven't lost a pick in 3 years( i use a tripped plough for everything, reef, rock, mud , sand)

Ian, When you say never pull from the stern is that for cats only, or for monos as well? I quite often, with the aid of a float, pull from the rear bollard. have I been misguided? Haven't had a great deal of experience with offshore boating. What do you mean by tripped plough? I have a plough on the front and have only ever used it in sand but it would be great to use it everywhere if possible.

Trevor

wadeo
24-04-2008, 11:13 PM
Gday guy's
i use a moloolaba reef pick as well. Over the years i have lost all sorts of anchores on the reefs off moloolaba and one 14mm thick stainless bow sprit. Have also lost one moloolaba reef pick but have found them to hold the best and in most cases come back up the easiest. If the unfortunate event happens with your chain getting tangled in the reef most of the time you will have to forfeit your anchor. I have a 7m cat and only use 6mm or 7mm anchor chain. As has been said never tie your anchor rope off the stern of your boat it one of the quickest ways to sick you pride and joy mono or cat.

regards wadeo

mirage
25-04-2008, 08:51 AM
Ian, When you say never pull from the stern is that for cats only, or for monos as well? I quite often, with the aid of a float, pull from the rear bollard. have I been misguided? Haven't had a great deal of experience with offshore boating. What do you mean by tripped plough? I have a plough on the front and have only ever used it in sand but it would be great to use it everywhere if possible.

Trevor

Hi Trevor,
Trust us on this one. Never pull the anchor up from the rear bollards in any boat. It has sunk many aparrently.

The anchor or most probably chain is stuck fast on the reef. You move off doing a few knots, a bit of chop, a bit of swell and before you know it the rear corner is going under before you can back the power off to make any difference. Boat swamped, end of story.

Greg P
25-04-2008, 08:57 AM
Your prop will drive the transom underwater if you pull from the rear bollard - never do it !!!!


Whoever told you that has simply NFI

Noelm
25-04-2008, 10:22 AM
on my old Alloy Cat I had Bollards on each side of the bow as well as the middle, and by tieing off to either side, you can actually "sail" a good distance either way to get right onto a "mark" or to angle yourself better to the current, and driving off was usually done on the drivers side Bollard so you could see the rope easier, never had a problem, but as mentioned, sometimes you will get the chain caught and will snap the rope and then you are dowm 1 anchor.

Megatop
25-04-2008, 04:38 PM
Gday guy's
i use a moloolaba reef pick as well. Over the years i have lost all sorts of anchores on the reefs off moloolaba and one 14mm thick stainless bow sprit. Have also lost one moloolaba reef pick but have found them to hold the best and in most cases come back up the easiest. If the unfortunate event happens with your chain getting tangled in the reef most of the time you will have to forfeit your anchor. I have a 7m cat and only use 6mm or 7mm anchor chain. As has been said never tie your anchor rope off the stern of your boat it one of the quickest ways to sick you pride and joy mono or cat.

regards wadeo
Wadeo,

Where are these picks sold as I have not seen them in any store. Maybe home made I guess.

Adrian

Outsider1
25-04-2008, 04:48 PM
Wadeo,

Where are these picks sold as I have not seen them in any store. Maybe home made I guess.

Adrian


9lb mooloolaba reef pick. 6m chain. I only use this type of anchor on my 5.2 kevla. cheapest at bcf.

The above quote was from another recent thread;

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?p=796322

Cheers

Dave

ifishcq1
25-04-2008, 05:00 PM
Your prop will drive the transom underwater if you pull from the rear bollard - never do it !!!!


Whoever told you that has simply NFI


Nfi what? bite your arse 40 years on boats and if it is a reef pick and the right size rope it works well on all of the pro boats and work boats I have worked on Maybe toy boats would have a problem I didn't say it worked on every boat and for that matter you should never have solid tyne picks on reef because of the damage they do