Dropping Anchor

Having resided in northern Australia - where the tide may drop up to eight metres in six hours - there was a lot of current to contend with. In some areas it was best described as a raging torrent. There are also locations that are simply too dangerous for boaties on big tides. Incorrectly tying off an anchor may spell disaster in these situations.

It is not only current that presents problems for anchored boats, but also wind and wave action.

In areas with fast water, waves and even large chop, when first dropping anchor the rope should be tied off to the centre bollard or rail at the bow of the boat.

This will allow the boat to come up tight on the rope while facing into the current and create the least amount of resistance to the elements.

A friend had first-hand experience with the elements off Darwin when he dropped the anchor in fast water while the anchor rope was tied to a midships cleat. The anchor hit the bottom, the boat drifted back quickly, and when the rope came tight the boat was pulled under in a matter of seconds. He had no time to reach for a knife to cut free. When the rope eventually broke under the strain of a 4.5m boat sitting side-on in five knots of current below the surface, the boat bobbed to the top. Meantime my friend and his fishing mate washed up on a nearby island.

DON'T TEMPT FATE
A boat tied off in this manner on water with strong wave action may suffer the same fate. As a swell lifts the anchored boat, it pulls down the leading gunwale closer to the waterline. Other than being damn uncomfortable, it is equally dangerous.

If you must tie off to one side of the boat the following anchoring style has its advantages. First, anchor and tie off to the bow bollard as normal.

Once the correct length of anchor rope is extended, make a loop using a bowline knot in the rope. It will be easily untied later. Run a light cord back to the port or starboard side and attach it to your tie-off point. The most astern you should need to tie off would be about one-third of the way back from the bow. If you wish to sit more side-on to the current or breeze, shorten the cord. Have a knife ready at that location. Do not tie off your boat in this manner in big seas, excessively fast currents or at an angle too sharp to the approaching waves or current.

This particular anchoring style is advantageous when bottom fishing and using berley. It reduces the amount of swing that a boat has at anchor, hence the berley that emits from the boat is concentrated into a smaller area on the sea bottom.

When current and breeze are almost non-existent, the resistance caused by a boat anchored in this fashion will be enough to hold it tight. In those lighter currents, on almost calm days, a boat can yawl on the anchor rope and cover a large arc and reduce the odds of your bait being in the right place at the right time.

Anchor trips are another element of anchoring which are often overlooked or overdone.

HAVE A SAFE 'TRIP'
Each boat should have a trip system to suit its size, weight, windage and current resistance. Another important factor is the type of seas that you usually anchor in.

While a small dinghy may have a trip constructed of 100lb mono, the method of trip installation may make it difficult to exert 100lb of breaking strain on it. The dinghy operator risks losing his anchor and most of his rope when he has to cut it loose if the trip fails to break when required (ie: when his anchor is fouled on the bottom).

I use electrical zip ties for a number of boating-related activities. Wiring looms, bait rigging and trips for anchors are just a few. Carrying a number of different size electrical ties allows me to alter the trip quickly if necessary.

It also pays to carry a spare anchor. I carry one heavy-duty grappling-type anchor, on which a trip is installed, and a reef pick with one-centimetre thick tines that may be bent using engine power if necessary. The latter requires no trip and I feel a lot better dropping it among reefs and wrecks, knowing that if it does get lost the expense to replace it will be minimal.

Also often overlooked is the maintenance of shackles that hold the ground tackle together. They should be removed and the threads greased on a regular basis. As shown in the attached diagram, the end of the anchor chain should be attached to the head of the anchor and the chain tied off (with light cord or electrical ties) to the eye on the end of the stock.

Regular emptying of the anchor well and washing and drying of its contents with freshwater will prolong the life of your anchoring equipment.

To increase anchor rope life, thimbles should be installed in the end of the rope. These are available in stainless steel, galvanised steel or nylon and will prevent chafing of the rope fibres.

If you are in the market for a new anchor rope you should get one that suits the type of fishing in your area.

A nylon rope is thinner for a given breaking strain than other fibres. Nylon rope, however, is tough on your hands if you're doing a lot of moving around from one ground to the next. It is particularly painful in cold climates. I prefer a soft rope such as silverline. I also go over size, which is more comfortable on the hands. I run 50m of 14mm silverline on my boat, which is an overkill but puts less strain on the anchorperson. (Though bear in mind that the thicker the anchor rope, the more drag that will be asserted against it in the current.)

CHAIN REACTION
Anchor chains are the noisiest part of boating - even worse if fishing from an aluminium boat that acts like an amplifier for everything coming into contact with it.

Boats that have a bowsprit with a metal (usually aluminium) roller may be quietened somewhat by removing the metal unit and replacing it with a rubber roller. Polypropylene rollers, such as the red and blue ones seen on boat trailers, are available in a number of sizes. They are easily trimmed with a hacksaw and will reduce chain rattle dramatically.

Another remedy is to cover the chain with a soft plastic hose. However, the chain is difficult to wash after use in saltwater and its life will be reduced drastically.

It is inevitable that at some stage in your boating career your anchor will foul on the bottom - whether it is a wreck or a reef. To break the trip, for easy removal of the anchor from the bottom, the rope should be tied off solidly on the main bollard at the point of the bow. The engine power is used in reverse, and the rope is pulled from different angles. You may have to try every angle in a full circle to break the trip.

Never tie the rope off to the stern and attempt to break it free. This action will cause the stern to bury itself and if a fistful of power is delivered to the engine, it may be enough to submerge the transom and engine completely.

A DIFFERENT ANGLE...
Having done the rounds of National Boat Show electronics stands over the past six years, one of the most asked questions is: "I travel over a reef or lump and there are fish on it. I go forward, drop the anchor and drift back over the lump. I see the fish on the sounder but cannot get any bites! Why?" Well the following will enlighten you should this be happening on your days on the water.

It all has to do with the angle of the transducer. Some transducers must be angled with the trailing end kicked down. This allows a run of bubble-free water to pass over the face of the transducer. Should a bubble pass over that face, a break in the transmission on the screen will occur. This causes the beam to read forward of the boat's transom. The more acute the angle and the deeper the water, the further forward it will read. If you have dropped the anchor forward of the lump and drifted back, the lump is now under the boat or even well forward of it.

The current is holding you tight on the anchor rope and that same current will carry your bait and berley even further away from the fish and their habitat. An estimation of the distance forward of the transom should be made, as well as adjustments for the amount of current. Then the boat should be pulled forward on the rope so that your bait gets to the right place. Chances are there will be no fish showing on the screen, but a healthy showing in the fishbox.