I have seen them only on a few other anchored boats. You know, the small float attached to the anchor with just enough line to reach the surface so that you (& hopefully others) can see where you're anchor lies. I've been thinking of adding one to my ground tackle setup. This past season, I've had more than one chap, (typically a powerboater with all chain rode) attempting to drop his anchor right on top of mine! With some antics on my part, I have been able to disuade the wayward anchor dropper, but there will be a day when I'm not on the boat to do that. Having mostly rope rode, I tend to use more than the 2:1 scope of my nemesis... Should the wind or tide change, We'd be meeting under different circumstances :{ How much extra line do you need? How large a float? What other issues might I encounter if I choose to deploy such? (like somebody grabbing it thinking it was a crab pot)... Appreciate your thoughts & ideas (as always)!
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Always
I found a crab pot float on the beach and use that. I also use a heavy line attached to the front of the anchor. That way if the anchor gets fouled on something or buried too deep I can pull it out. This has saved my anchor several times. My "claw" anchor has a hole in front for tying such a line. The last time my anchor stuck I almost didn't get it back even using the float line. It must have beeen fouled on a tree or something.
I found a crab pot float on the beach and use that. I also use a heavy line attached to the front of the anchor. That way if the anchor gets fouled on something or buried too deep I can pull it out. This has saved my anchor several times. My "claw" anchor has a hole in front for tying such a line. The last time my anchor stuck I almost didn't get it back even using the float line. It must have beeen fouled on a tree or something.
1 Gallon Bottle
We just use an empty 1 gallon milk jug. How long a line depends on where you anchor. We usually anchor in under 10' of water so our line was about 10' long. As Tom said, such a line is also useful for pulling out the anchor when its really dug in.
We just use an empty 1 gallon milk jug. How long a line depends on where you anchor. We usually anchor in under 10' of water so our line was about 10' long. As Tom said, such a line is also useful for pulling out the anchor when its really dug in.
Never use one
Waste of time unless you're anchoring where it used to be forest (like a cut or reservoir) and there's a lot of stumps on the bottom which might foul your anchor. Make sure you don't catch the float in your rudder or prop when the tide changes. In some anchorages they really discourage floats as dinks can hit them in the dark. As for others anchoring on top of you, you can put floats all around your boat and they'll still do it.
Waste of time unless you're anchoring where it used to be forest (like a cut or reservoir) and there's a lot of stumps on the bottom which might foul your anchor. Make sure you don't catch the float in your rudder or prop when the tide changes. In some anchorages they really discourage floats as dinks can hit them in the dark. As for others anchoring on top of you, you can put floats all around your boat and they'll still do it.
bouy with line and weight
I use a bouy with light line, just heavy enough to use to trip the anchor, running all the way through and a weight on the end so that it can slide through, self-adjusting to the depth. It keeps the buoy vertical over the anchor and keeps the line down to help prevent fouling should someone get too close. I have something like 25 or 30 feet of line that I had found lying around and a large fishing weight on the other end; I'm not usually in water much deeper than that.
I use a bouy with light line, just heavy enough to use to trip the anchor, running all the way through and a weight on the end so that it can slide through, self-adjusting to the depth. It keeps the buoy vertical over the anchor and keeps the line down to help prevent fouling should someone get too close. I have something like 25 or 30 feet of line that I had found lying around and a large fishing weight on the other end; I'm not usually in water much deeper than that.
Q for Peter regarding bouy with line and weight
Peter, I have also used a float but have not figured out how to set it up so the line length would be self adjusting for depth. Apparently you have! I'm not sure I understand your system though. When you said: "... running all the way through and a weight on the end so that it can slide through..." do you mean that you run your line through a float with a hole in the middle & use a weight on the bitter end of the line? If so, doesn't the end of the line with the weight get tangled up with the part of the line from the float to the anchor? Marc
Peter, I have also used a float but have not figured out how to set it up so the line length would be self adjusting for depth. Apparently you have! I'm not sure I understand your system though. When you said: "... running all the way through and a weight on the end so that it can slide through..." do you mean that you run your line through a float with a hole in the middle & use a weight on the bitter end of the line? If so, doesn't the end of the line with the weight get tangled up with the part of the line from the float to the anchor? Marc
I have an anchor float...
made out of a Clorox bottle to which I've attached some waterproof reflecting tape. I've attached a 15 ft polypro line to the bottle and spliced in a spring clip at the other end, which is easy to attach to the anchor shackle. I obviously would not use this set up if I anchored in more than 15 ft of water. Having said all this, I hardly ever use the anchor float at all as it's more trouble than it's worth. The original purpose was to let other boaters know where my anchor and rode were. Yet I've had power boater/PWCers snag this float, some sailboaters think its a mooring buoy and pick it up, and finally, pulling up my own anchor gets the whole thing tangled in the main rode. A good idea in theory; not so good in practice.
made out of a Clorox bottle to which I've attached some waterproof reflecting tape. I've attached a 15 ft polypro line to the bottle and spliced in a spring clip at the other end, which is easy to attach to the anchor shackle. I obviously would not use this set up if I anchored in more than 15 ft of water. Having said all this, I hardly ever use the anchor float at all as it's more trouble than it's worth. The original purpose was to let other boaters know where my anchor and rode were. Yet I've had power boater/PWCers snag this float, some sailboaters think its a mooring buoy and pick it up, and finally, pulling up my own anchor gets the whole thing tangled in the main rode. A good idea in theory; not so good in practice.
Self Adjusting float Idea
Thanks all for your responses! I have an idea for a float that would self adjust to the changing depth. Why not run the line through the tripping eye located on the anchor (assuming you have one) and put a very small float on the opposite end from the initial float. In theory, the larger float would rise & pull the much smaller float down towards the anchor keeping the line taught, and variable to depth. This would eliminate any extra line that could foul. I guess you'd have a few feet less line than twice the shallowest depth. I think I'd use relatively small floats in case the tide rose high enough to submerge both floats. I wouldn't want then to self dislodge my anchor... Guess I'll have to try it out this spring. Regarding the trouble deploying - When I'm in an increasingly crowding anchorage, I guess I'd rather spend 10 minutes fussing with the float, than spend the entire day (& nite) keeping watch over everyone else & where they anchor...
Thanks all for your responses! I have an idea for a float that would self adjust to the changing depth. Why not run the line through the tripping eye located on the anchor (assuming you have one) and put a very small float on the opposite end from the initial float. In theory, the larger float would rise & pull the much smaller float down towards the anchor keeping the line taught, and variable to depth. This would eliminate any extra line that could foul. I guess you'd have a few feet less line than twice the shallowest depth. I think I'd use relatively small floats in case the tide rose high enough to submerge both floats. I wouldn't want then to self dislodge my anchor... Guess I'll have to try it out this spring. Regarding the trouble deploying - When I'm in an increasingly crowding anchorage, I guess I'd rather spend 10 minutes fussing with the float, than spend the entire day (& nite) keeping watch over everyone else & where they anchor...
That's it
Franklin understands the setup. I've never had a problem with line twists or tangles, to answer you, Marc. Now, it's also easy for me as I tend to anchor in water 7-12 feet around the Bay, so I have a little more than 12 feet of line, which normally is all suspended so the anchor does not foul on the trip line.
Franklin understands the setup. I've never had a problem with line twists or tangles, to answer you, Marc. Now, it's also easy for me as I tend to anchor in water 7-12 feet around the Bay, so I have a little more than 12 feet of line, which normally is all suspended so the anchor does not foul on the trip line.
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