Anchor rope storage

[krazyfisher]

I have an old style boat that has the anchore well under the deck and the only acess to it is through a rope pipe about 100mm round. the anchor rope has to go through that to get into the well.

I am after some ideas on easier ways to store the rope other than an anchor winch. I have looked for something like a rope reeler like the power cord onesbut in stainless. hand wound onto a drum or something.

any ideas would be good

thanks

[Chimo]

Hi KF

Have you considered securing the anchor warp on the fordeck cleat and running the warp along the side of the boat and storing it in a bin on the back deck?

If you have a good idea of the depth you will be anchoring in thats the amount you store in the back bin. Lay your anchor the usual way but from the back rather than off the bow.

Retrieve it with a float and split ring and re-store it on the back deck for later use. All you need is a good boat hook to grab the warp from next to the boat before you hand over hand it back into the bin.

Thats how I do it after my first drop off the bow.

Cheers
Chimo

[Jarrah Jack]

Don't know what insanity lead the early boat builders to put anchor gear on those inaccessable ledges.

I've used the float retreive and rear storage option that chimo mentioned. It was ok but took up space and I ended up with roops everywhere.

With my tinnie I just cut a hole in the foredeck and put a bin in and its easy there so long as you can access the foredeck easily. So you could put a door in the foredeck and have a propper anchor well as they do in modern boats.

With my HH I just added a bow sprit and a five hundred buck winch and its all too easy now.

[krazyfisher]

the anchor well sits half way between the hatch and the anchor chain pipe that goes through the deck.

I dont really want to have the rope on the back deck as it would get in the way.

I use it mostly in 150ft of water so I need to store abit of rope. I would look at a winch but the only ones that I have seen that will pull up a stuck reef anchor would be a drum style and the $$$ are a little high.

All ideas welcome.

thanks

[krazyfisher]

ok
whats your thoughts on this set up.

use the float to pull the anchor up than use the below reel to wind in the rope?

[FNQCairns]

That would be great for retrieve on a ball but how would it go when dropping anchor? overruns etc unless someone is there to feather it down??

cheers fnq

[Chimo]

You might be able to store your warp on a reel such as this but FNQs correct, you will likely get into all sorts of problems winding it in as well as getting the line out without overruns.

Your not going to locate such a reel on the bow and if you have space for this in your cockpit, explain please why you cannot fit a fish bin into which you hand over hand your warp after your float has lifted the anchor onto the surface? Surely you can fit your "warp and anchor and chain" fish bin under other fish bins so it takes no extra floor space?

Cheers
Chimo

[krazyfisher]

I agree with over runs.

the reel is about the same size as a milk crate, just a bit bigger than a drum style anchor winch so I could mount it on the bow if I wanted to.

I dont use other fish bins so it would still take up room. I am really after something that stores the rope up the front.

A winch might be the answer but they are so slow and dear...

[moater]

I wonder about the possibility of having the ball and ring setup to bring the anchor and chain to the surface and to have a clutch type setup to retrieve the warp into the hatch...ie something like a couple of easily disengaged wheels that grab the rope between them and spit it back into the hatch??..just disengage them to let the anchor freefall.

Probably would be a pain to setup? and would have to be properly made to not tangle/shred your warp..also safety considerations,maybe a guard etc.Might be more expensive than a winch but wouldn't have to be very large and it'd only be helping to pull the warp in so not so much power needed.Anyway once the anchor and chain are on the surface & held by the ball there's not a huge amount of power needed to retrieve the lot..just a little bit of help to guide the rope/help it along.

Yer can laugh if ya want..just things floating around in the mind..besides bourbon from last night.

[Chimo]

Pot hauler would do the job but thats in the cockpit.

To do what your talking about on the foredeck seems awful messy?

Given how easy it is to pull warp and anchor in once its on the surface why go to all the trouble?

C
C

[moater]

Yeah I know what you mean, it does sound like a bit of a hassle but was just thinking that it's a bit of a compromise.At the very least it would save your back & arms (time also??) from pulling in the warp,chain,pick and wouldn't have to be all that big surely?..I mean, it wouldn't be winching straight from the bottom and if done properly could maybe not need much touching at all..get your anchor up then flick a switch to haul it all into the chain pipe etc without even getting up front.Could be incorporated into a box/cover that goes over the anchor well and spits the rope into it.Have the cover easily removable if needed for maintenance,or just plain not use it if you wanted.The cover with winch & pulley setup wouldn't need to be very high or wide so wouldn't be taking up much room or impacting on visibility?..ya wouldn't need a huge motor (or wheels).

Just thoughts,I've had a couple of boats but only up to my present 4.55m alloy so I haven't been around larger craft much.I have worked with machinery and manufacturing though so I believe I have a little bit of understanding..certainly no expert..just sounding out some ideas to try to help.:)

[Jarrah Jack]

By the look of it there ain't no easy way out for you.

If you do go with a winch I think the drum style is the wrong way to go as the amount of chain and line you can fit on is very limited but with the through deck type you can fit as much rope as you normally use providing you have the depth in your storage well

I brought a new but second hand winch through ebay with rope and fittings for half price.

Just make sure it has free fall feature as power out only, especially with a drum winch, is dangerous - no power no anchor.

They are slow but it seems worse because all you are doing is hitting a switch not lifting all that weight.

[Wayne_Red]

If you have a drivers sea on a pedestal, make a partly open box to mount the seat on top and the opening to take the rope, chain and anchor. That way you can set anchor and retrieve from the cockpit via a rope to the bow using a bouy and ring (ezylift clip is my prefered). Anchoring/retrieving will be a one man operation in any conditions.
IMO anchoring is No1 in offshore fishing to get accurately onto spot x and at times you have to do it several times to get it right with current, wind etc so it has to be easy, fast and safe. If it takes up a little room to be those things, to me its worth it.
Regards Wayne