Dang Anchor Ropes!

[Scalem]

Over many years of boating and very often experiencing frustrations of the tangled - up kind, I have to ask, there must be an easier way of storing your anchor rope so that when you actually have to use the thing, you are not wasting time trying to undo knots and tangles.

Planning to do some offshore trips in the not too distant future, I bought a new rope of 110 mtr length. I don't ever want to be in the pridicament of not having a long enough rope to anchor - hence the choice of that length rope instead of the 50 mtrs on offer. Once I cut the packaging and straps that held the rope together neatly, I must have pulled at the wrong loop, and you guessed it, spent the next 30 mins unravelling the "bunch of grapes" resembling cheap mono line trollled behind the boat without a swivel and a lopsided pilly.::) :-[

When I get out on the water with this new anchor rope, I was planning to let the whole lot out the back to unravel the kinks, but in fear of some knob running over the top of the rope not realising I had it out. Perhaps I can dangle it off the Story Bridge instead?;D

Some advice greatfully received.

Thanks in advance.


Scalem

[Angla]

I think you should be right just straight out of the packet. I have only ever just put the coil under the boat at the front and pulled it up into the anchor well. The first time I let it out, it just goes out and when I bring it in I just give it a twist to make it coil back into the well. Just roughly.

Chris

[aussiefool]

What I used to do in my boat was to store it in a plastic garbo, When I retrieved to anchor I coiled it back into the garbo.
I think I too had about 100mts. If you find that 100mts is to much then Cut in 1/2 and back splice eyes into the joins and join with a good D shackle
Aussiefool
Andrew

[tunaticer]

Lay it in the anchor well in a figure 8 pattern that is not too tight if room permits.
Is your anchoire well top access or side access?? side access wells suffer worse with line tangles.

[finding_time]

Scalem

for offshore do to things 1. sometimes when the rope is coiled it's also twisted , cheap predone 100m ropes are bad for this , eg ones from supercheap! Just unroll it and tow behind the boat without chain or anchor will sort this out very well!;)

2. get one of the swivels in the below picture as it will save line twist when retrieving your anchor offshore, it goes between the chain and the rope!;)

Ian


Ps. i just use a nallyware container and bundle it in there never seems to twist and i run 300m!

[Malcolm W]

Hi Scalem, I did the same when I bought a new 100m roll of silver rope and had to run it down the street (its quiet) turning it 360 deg for every roll that it was originaly tied up. Once it was all laid out straight I just fed it back into the anchor well and no problems since. Mal.

[stevej]

lay it all out up the street first up and get all the twists and kinks out

then feed it into your anchor well

makes things a little easier

[finga]

Drift. It's easier. :D

But running it in the briney works wonders or go to a big paddock and drag it around to make it a bit more supple and get the kinks out.

[Dirtysanchez]

When I had a boat that could go to sea I bought a cheap hose reel from BigW and cut off the inner hose nozzle with a hacksaw and tied the end of the rope to that, and wound the rope on;) .. get the picture I am sure..
For a base I just used a pine sleeper cut up into squares and mounted the hose reel onto that.. then trimmed the front so it sat neatly in the vee of the cabin near the anchor hatch..

[goldfish]

i agree to dropping it in the drink & towing it around to get the kinks out. if this can't be done run it up your street, if this can't be done do loops in your yard. ie from boat to towball on car(on othere side of yard) to kid #1 back to kid #2 then wife (i only have 1) & so on till its all laid out then retrieve it into your anchor well into a figure 8 or large loops taking out any twists as you go. add a swivel as said above. i only have 50m roapewith spliced eyes & D shackles. this gives me a roap that is easy to handle and long enough to reach pearth if need be.
cheers
rick

[Dignity]

same as Dirtysanchez, generally I know approx how much rope I will need for a trip so a garbage bin sits in the cockpit already tied off with the length of rope, buoy, chain and anchor, so much easier to set an anchor from there. if I need more rope just open the hatch and pull it out real easy.

[Scalem]

When I had a boat that could go to sea I bought a cheap hose reel from BigW and cut off the inner hose nozzle with a hacksaw and tied the end of the rope to that, and wound the rope on;) .. get the picture I am sure..
For a base I just used a pine sleeper cut up into squares and mounted the hose reel onto that.. then trimmed the front so it sat neatly in the vee of the cabin near the anchor hatch..

Trying to imagine where I can stow it in the cabin without getting in the way, but I am getting the idea...

Scalem

[finga]

Trying to imagine where I can stow it in the cabin without getting in the way, but I am getting the idea...

Scalem
Have you got the new boat already?? ;D

[TheRealAndy]

If you are going to run it up the street, soak it in water for a couple of days first. Wet rope is easier to coil. New anchor ropes do suck, they better with age.