Anchor Talk

[bloocrab]

Lost a couple of anchors yesterday and thought I'd share the story in case some of you have different approaches or stories to learn or laugh from...

I was anchored on a ledge yesterday where it drops from about 25' to over 70' rather quickly. A steady Tautog bite had me zoned in when the tide slowly snuck up on me and lifted the anchor off the bottom. The current also rips through this spot, so it was pretty obvious once adrift, that I was getting pulled into the rip. After a few attempts of starting the boat, I pulled the anchor up far enough to see the chain and maneuvered myself back into position. After lowering the anchor back down and trying to secure it, something didn't feel right...somehow it felt lighter? I pulled the rope back up to find only the chain dangling...my custom-made grappler was gone. Although I had the threaded shackle pin zip-tied through its pin-hole, the zip-tie must have snapped, allowing the threaded pin to back out, weaseling its way off the chain, along with the anchor...

On to plan B, because there was no way I was leaving that bite. I don't like the danforth for spots like this, but a man's gotta do//blah/blah...so I thought.
After pulling all the rope out of the box, I reached in and grabbed the rusty danforth...ughh, one of the wings snapped and stayed in the box as I tried lifting it out...second wing was rusted stuck too, but after a quick grab, I was able to break that one off too.....negligence at its best!!!

Once back home, I had to settle for buying one of those pos grapplers that are galvy-dipped, I'm sure that won't last...but I need something for this week, I also had to replace the danforth.... cha-ching due to my negligence - ((Before my dad retired, he had custom-made me a couple of awesome grapplers...tines strong and long enough to hold, yet forgiving enough to retrieve and bend back. Not a speck of rust in over 10 years...I still have the 2nd one as a prototype...Any welders out there making decent grapplers looking to cash in on my loss? PM me.))

This time I mushroomed the bottom-end of the threaded pin with a hammer and punch. Hopefully I can work it out if I ever need to...

Anyone ever lose an anchor due to the shackle pin coming loose/lost?
I still swear my wife sent my son out to the boat and had him loosen it up...she's always looking to get me home early.