Rigging a Trip Line (for your anchor)

[Casey]

This is one of those topics I've thought about, but never addressed.

With the anchoring I've done over the years - I have never had to cut-loose an anchor due to being bottom snagged, but one of these days it'll happen (lord knows I've recovered a bunch of anchors from the bottom of Lake Mead and other places, so somebody's loosing them!).

Now, with a rather expensive Delta anchor, rode, chain, etc. it makes me think a bit. I'd hate to cut loose a couple hundred dollars worth of ground tackle for want of a simple technique or cheap alternative.

Which brings me to the use of a trip line. Most anchors are fitted with a place to attach a trip line; if your anchor gets stuck, you pull the trip line and it usually releases the stuck anchor. There are other techniques and gizmo's as well. (If you use a trip line, what is the simplest way to use/retrieve it with a windlass, etc.)

I'd like to hear what other C-Dory folk do in this regard.

TIA,
Casey
C-Dory Naknek

 

[starcrafttom]

what I have done and have seen done on the rivers is this. attach your chain to the lower hole in the anchor, near the base, with a heavy clasp or bolt. now use heavy wireto attach the chain to the top hole in the anchor, near the end. this way if you really get stuck you can motor over the anchor and pull from the bottom end. the wire will break long before any thing else and now the "end of the chain"is pulling the anchor out backwards. It seems to work reall good. hope that hepls.

 

[MOOSE]

Funny, I was just thinking about this topic myself. I've used both a light line of appropriate length for the water depth tied to a float, or a second line just tied off on the bow cleat. I've never actually had to use them to retrieve a fouled anchor, but I have pulled up some rather large trees when I haven't had a tripline rigged.
Al

 

[Dora~Jean]

Hey Al, classic case, if you have a trip line, you'll never need it! I thought the same held true for my backup handheld GPS, but one day I needed it, IN THE FOG, saved my a**.

Steve