Dinghy anchor options
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Technique
Forum Discription: 'How to' section for dinghy questions and answers
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13741
Printed Date: 25 Jun 25 at 7:25am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Dinghy anchor options
Posted By: H2
Subject: Dinghy anchor options
Date Posted: 01 Feb 21 at 1:20pm
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Planning for post lock down! What options are there for temporarily holding a single-hander whilst dealing with the trolley? I occasionally sail in a place with a shallow beach / mud flat where it can take a few minutes to walk from low-water to high-water so if you launch or recover at low tide you need someone to hold your boat whilst you go get the trolley. Has anyone tried one of those small SUP grapple hooks that weigh around 0.7kg - might be a good way to "anchor" the dinghy for a few mins whilst you sort out the trolley. Other options? ------------- H2 #115 (sold) H2 145 OK 2082 |
Replies:
Posted By: Chris_H
Date Posted: 01 Feb 21 at 1:27pm
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When I had my Miracle, I used a "mushroom" type anchor. They are well designed for dinghy use though any anchor is a bit of a weight to carry around whilst sailing. Force 4 do them |
Posted By: H2
Date Posted: 01 Feb 21 at 2:00pm
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Thanks Chris - with the advent of SUPs there is a wide range now. The smallest are grapple four arm things that are 18cm long and weigh 0.4kg which should be ok if you can push it into the mud with your foot I would thought for a few mins whilst you run to get a trolley! (https://www.amazon.co.uk/BSOL-Folding-sailing-accessories-equipment/dp/B07ZDBT7LL/ref=sr_1_22?adgrpid=48657333770&dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA6t6ABhDMARIsAONIYyxmEu_lgVs-6EOqtM6R-iANOxlQKj8Lo0Ymu_bN1zuPwf-isCxKqT8aAn8mEALw_wcB&hvadid=259058729160&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1006886&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=14125078953196155197&hvtargid=kwd-300623903960&hydadcr=13282_1748158&keywords=sup+anchor&qid=1612186035&sr=8-22&tag=googhydr-21) ------------- H2 #115 (sold) H2 145 OK 2082 |
Posted By: H2
Date Posted: 01 Feb 21 at 2:02pm
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Did the mushroom version work well Chris? ------------- H2 #115 (sold) H2 145 OK 2082 |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 01 Feb 21 at 2:46pm
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Suspect the tiny anchors will struggle in waves, but OK otherwise.
Picturing in my head a grappling anchor with just two prongs, not four, which you step on to push in but there are no sharp sticking up bits for the boat or feet to hit. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: H2
Date Posted: 01 Feb 21 at 3:12pm
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Thanks Rupert, the spot I launch is sheltered in an estuary hence the long walk from HW mark! Its basically a better alternative to pulling the boat onto the mud for a few mins which over time will result in scratches to the gelcoat. The ones I am looking at have four prongs. ------------- H2 #115 (sold) H2 145 OK 2082 |
Posted By: Gordon 1430
Date Posted: 01 Feb 21 at 4:57pm
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I have a small Bruce Anchor and about 2m chain, which I leave in while sailing which has resulted in the odd swim to retrieve when the tide has come in. it works fine apart from in a strong on onshore breeze when one of the isues is getting it deep enough when wading in. At lee a few of us were using similar bits of kit to launch and recover and I did take mine with me and use to form a course for a bit of racing with rabbit starts or practice mark rounding etc. ------------- Gordon Phantom 1430 |
Posted By: ColPrice2002
Date Posted: 01 Feb 21 at 5:09pm
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My Wanderer came with a folding 4 prong grapnel. I used to have a Bruce (many years' ago!) and I found that it was very effective, but a pain to store in the dinghy - you really need the specialist deck blocks. The big problem I see is that most anchors are designed to bite into the seabed, of catch on things - exactly what you don't want to have loose in a dinghy. Same thing with a mud weight/mushroom. Try a lightweight folding grapnel - with a mesh bag to keep it from chipping the gel coat. Colin
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Posted By: Do Different
Date Posted: 01 Feb 21 at 6:29pm
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How far from launch point up to safe trolley? Would it be possible to go at it from the other direction? Stamp an anchor in at your predicted safe trolley location, then take a line down with you to take a bight on while you run the trolley up. That way there's no need to have a muddy anchor to safely stow onboard your nice dinghy.
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Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 01 Feb 21 at 7:25pm
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Just wondering if you can put an "outhaul" on the trolley going up the beach, and you simply pull the line and the trolley goes up the beach. Trouble is, you are left with a long, dangly line as a trip hazard. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: H2
Date Posted: 02 Feb 21 at 11:34am
Thanks Gordon - if it works at Lee, it will work very well in Salcombe with no waves etc! ------------- H2 #115 (sold) H2 145 OK 2082 |
Posted By: H2
Date Posted: 02 Feb 21 at 11:56am
It can be up to 250m so too far to run a rope! ------------- H2 #115 (sold) H2 145 OK 2082 |
Posted By: MikeBz
Date Posted: 02 Feb 21 at 3:37pm
| I use a small folding grapnel for my Tammie Norrie. Anchor isn't a useful solution in an onshore wind unless the launch area shelves gently. |
Posted By: Old bloke
Date Posted: 02 Feb 21 at 4:04pm
| If I find myself Billy No Mates I put my buoyancy aid on the ground and pull the boat up on that while I fetch the trolley. It works well if there are no waves. Alternatively lift it mostly clear of the water and roll it on its side |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 02 Feb 21 at 4:41pm
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What's needed here is a substantial anchor with a buoy attached so it can be used on the way out and on the way back in, why I didn't think of this before... Thanks for bringing this up it's always a pain in the neck, particularly after you've run out of idle youf to carry you and your boat into the water on their heads until you float off. ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: Grumpycat
Date Posted: 02 Feb 21 at 7:38pm
Reading this , really makes me glad I am just a simple pond monkey 
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Posted By: Old bloke
Date Posted: 03 Feb 21 at 9:03am
| For me, it's not so much pond v sea as the abscence of jetty to tie up to ,and a boat that falls over if its left alone. |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 03 Feb 21 at 9:15am
But if the tide is out when you launch, the anchor could be in 20 foot deep water when you come back in? You'd need a series of buoys up the beach. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 03 Feb 21 at 9:47am
You could have a float on sufficient rope, pull it up and redeploy close to shore, worse when the tide is falling 'cos it'd be halfway up the beach  ------------- Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
Posted By: Gordon 1430
Date Posted: 03 Feb 21 at 10:12am
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Hi Rupert You practice your man over board skills and collect it then drop it again in hopefully the correct place, sometimes I have been over cautious and had to swim to retrieve the buoy and anchor once boat is ashore. cheers Gordon ------------- Gordon Phantom 1430 |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 03 Feb 21 at 1:17pm
True, or high and dry half way up the beach if the reverse were the case, although we tend to be out for just an hour. But it's given me an idea for a two position set up, one close to the low water mark and the other nearer the high. Might even try leaving it, but the way the weather has gone through our permanent marks this year just gone, the chances of it staying there are pretty slim, but it's not beyond the wit of man to design a two level device, think I'm going to give it a go. Now all I need is a remote control trolly moving device. ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 03 Feb 21 at 2:01pm
Tide going out, tow it out and drop it, race, pick it up on the way in if it's still in deep water. Tide going in leave it, making sure you have enough rope and then pick up on the way in.
Now that's genius, a possible business opportunity there iGRF? ------------- Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 03 Feb 21 at 4:45pm
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trailer-Valet-RVR-9-000lb/dp/B07BNB9B2Y#ace-g0979249316" rel="nofollow - They're out there already google remote controlled caravan moving device ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 03 Feb 21 at 8:59pm
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As a caravanner for many years I was aware of such things but that one looks more capable than the usual 'jockey wheel with a motor' type devices. I've had a couple of 'vans with motor movers on the main wheels which are significantly better where a ton or two of caravan is involved. I wonder if it's waterproof  ------------- Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
Posted By: H2
Date Posted: 04 Feb 21 at 10:58am
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I have purchased a small folding grapple anchor (four spikes) from Amazon. It weighs 0.5kg and is around 20 cm long so its easy to put in a padded bag and carry in my boat without it clonking around and damaging stuff as I sail. I do understand that this anchor was designed for SUP or Kayaks but my sense is that it will be enough to hold my boat for a few minutes especially as where I launch is sheltered, sandy and gently shelving so pushing it into the sand with my foot should be enough - will report back! ------------- H2 #115 (sold) H2 145 OK 2082 |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 04 Feb 21 at 3:29pm
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It should be possible to do so without locking the spikes so the top one will fall flat and remove the possibility of it damaging you or the boat. ------------- Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
Posted By: H2
Date Posted: 06 Jul 21 at 4:09pm
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By way of update - I have now used my Amazon-special tiny little anchor as mentioned above on a couple of occasions to hold my Hadron H2 for a few minutes whilst I drop or get my trolley on the tidal beach that I launch from. I would say that "it works" but that I would not trust it to hold the boat for any length of time or if there were waves as this would certainly pull it out and the boat would drift off. My launching site is an estuary so its a soft bottom to push the anchor into, the wind is nearly always offshore and there are no waves to worry about so for that use its a great solution! ------------- H2 #115 (sold) H2 145 OK 2082 |