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Lost anchor

I almost lost my favorite river anchor few weeks back - to mighty Mississippi (and some old freaking steel cable)
That thing felt like few hundred lbs, after an hour of fighting I was ready to give it up... as I could not figure out what the heck was dragging it. Got lucky at the end to find out!--

Don't worry buddy - no matter how bad your boating day may go... you can always go get Ted Drews!!!!

I miss my Cardinal Sin :(
 
I just threw down on a box anchor. The standard fluke that fits in our anchor compartment works on calm days but windy days can be a struggle in Lake Travis.

I thought about going with the box anchor, but storage is a concern and it cost a good bit more. I guess it all depends on lake bed. The danforth style works great on sandy or muddy bottoms. There has been days that dug so deep I almost couldn't pull it up. When it came up it was covered with thick clay.
 
I almost lost my favorite river anchor few weeks back - to mighty Mississippi (and some old freaking steel cable)
upload_2017-2-26_0-28-51-png.51979

That thing felt like few hundred lbs, after an hour of fighting I was ready to give it up... as I could not figure out what the heck was dragging it. Got lucky at the end to find out!

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Wow I bet you weren't moving though while anchored!
 
Wow I bet you weren't moving though while anchored!
Correct, lol! In fact, I was very proud of myself (what an anchor setter pro I had become) until it was time to move, lol o_O

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I thought about going with the box anchor, but storage is a concern and it cost a good bit more. I guess it all depends on lake bed. The danforth style works great on sandy or muddy bottoms. There has been days that dug so deep I almost couldn't pull it up. When it came up it was covered with thick clay.
I would say 50% of the time I get an incredible bite with the fluke. But other times it takes me 10 tries. 12 feet of chain, 7:1 scope, nada. Hoping this box will do the trick.
 
Me and some buddies were out at a cove last summer and had the opposite issue. We went to leave and pulled the anchor up and it had hooked another anchor off the bottom of the lake, chain included. I use it as my back anchor now when it's too deep for the sand screw.20160625_205607.jpg
 
Hope everyone knows with the Danforth anchor style, you can drive over it to release it if you having hard time pulling it out. Just becareful not to give throttle to get the rope sucked up in the intake grates. When it hooks pulling from the opposite side unhooks it.
 
Hope everyone knows with the Danforth anchor style, you can drive over it to release it if you having hard time pulling it out. Just becareful not to give throttle to get the rope sucked up in the intake grates. When it hooks pulling from the opposite side unhooks it.
I have had to do this but be careful how much tension you put on the cleat. A 13# anchor being replaced or re-fiberglassing the front of the boat!!
 
You shouldn't have any tension. Have someone hold the rope while you slowly go by it. Once you are by it, it should self release buy tugging on it the other way.
 
You shouldn't have any tension. Have someone hold the rope while you slowly go by it. Once you are by it, it should self release buy tugging on it the other way.
You're completely right @FloJet - anytime I'm on a sandy bottom that works very easily.
I will say that when you get into a thick, muddy, silt-covered bottom (like a tributary) things can get interesting. I can anchor one day and use the method you mentioned = no problem. But then (usually after a good rain) we'll be in the same general area and have a hell of a time getting free. When we do work it loose we bring up about 5-10lbs of thick, nasty, stinky a** mud.

So I feel for some of these guys when that happens. That being said - that maneuver can be an absolute life/fiberglass safer!!
 
Very true. I hate having to always rinse that mud off. Like you said you might have to play around with it a little to get it break loose.
 
Well damnit, lost my anchor again today. The new anchor was holding great. We had 6 boats tied up today and my anchor was the primary one. Went to leave and it was stuck. Tried to pull up from different directions and nothing. Eventually had to cut the rope and go on. Two anchors lost this month in the same cove. Sucks!
 
Very true. I hate having to always rinse that mud off. Like you said you might have to play around with it a little to get it break loose.

When I pull up a thickly covered muddy anchor, I lower it 6 feet into the water and slowly drive out of the cove (slowest no wake speed). By the time I get out of the cove, I pull it up and it is clean. Just don't ever forget its down!
 
Well damnit, lost my anchor again today. The new anchor was holding great. We had 6 boats tied up today and my anchor was the primary one. Went to leave and it was stuck. Tried to pull up from different directions and nothing. Eventually had to cut the rope and go on. Two anchors lost this month in the same cove. Sucks!

Wonder where they are getting stuck...with 2 a month it may be worth to tie a second line to the back of the anchor and keep it tied to the main line, such that you can pull it from the rear... that's messed up...

Best of luck!

I use one they call a 20lbs navy anchor with 6ft of stainless chain. It;s mostly mud bottom here in Houston...but this thing holds well everywhere, and so far has always come back.
 
Wonder where they are getting stuck...with 2 a month it may be worth to tie a second line to the back of the anchor and keep it tied to the main line, such that you can pull it from the rear... that's messed up...

Best of luck!

I use one they call a 20lbs navy anchor with 6ft of stainless chain. It;s mostly mud bottom here in Houston...but this thing holds well everywhere, and so far has always come back.

Well the first one was loss due to the shackle bolt coming loose. I tossed it over the bow not knowing the bolt had backed out. Basically I threw an un-attached anchor out that day. Just ironic the new anchor got hung up within 50 yds of where I lost the first one a few weeks ago.
 
Basically I threw an un-attached anchor out that day.
Sorry, but that is just too funny. I wanted to give it a "winner" but realized that would be wrong.
thank you, needed a laugh.

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My first day out in our boat almost ended very badly. I'm an experienced boater but had never used an anchor really. I was very proud of myself getting it set first try and had a great time on the beach for a few hours. When it was time to leave we rolled up the stern line, something distracted me, and then I put the power in to head back. I felt a wierd "think" then saw my anchor go flying past my boat about 5feet away. If it would have hit me in the back of the head I probably would have died. Lesson learned for sure!
 
Well damnit, lost my anchor again today. The new anchor was holding great. We had 6 boats tied up today and my anchor was the primary one. Went to leave and it was stuck. Tried to pull up from different directions and nothing. Eventually had to cut the rope and go on. Two anchors lost this month in the same cove. Sucks!

@MattFX4
Might be worth it to bring a scuba buddy and a tank of air out for a boat ride if you feel my drift ... :D Might end up with a surplus of anchors by the sounds of the spot lol.
 
Well damnit, lost my anchor again today. The new anchor was holding great. We had 6 boats tied up today and my anchor was the primary one. Went to leave and it was stuck. Tried to pull up from different directions and nothing. Eventually had to cut the rope and go on. Two anchors lost this month in the same cove. Sucks!

Note the 'Retrieval holes' on both of these anchors
https://www.mantusanchors.com/mantus-anchors/

and the 'shackle rail' here
http://rocna.cmpgroup.net/rocna-fisherman
 
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