MERLIN ROCKET FORUM

Topic : Anchors and Tideway

I note in the rules for the Tideway in June that boats are to carry an anchor.  What is light and effective?


Posted: 24/03/2006 10:53:57
By: Garry R
You'd expect me to have a view wouldn't you! Nothing light is likeley to be effective, think what it's trying to do, hold a boat in astrong stream, but any number of the folding grapnel (Four prongs) in a variety of weights together with a lot of string that is thick enough to hold and pull would do, most chandler stock them


Posted: 24/03/2006 11:32:04
By: Ancient Geek
so a fish-hook and length of nylon won't do then!


Posted: 24/03/2006 12:55:37
By: Paul R
As the race is at low water what stops you going up the beach anyway and hopping out. All this anchoring sounds a bit old hat. PLA will have us pulling black balls up the mast next.


Posted: 24/03/2006 13:25:59
By: bait digger
As the race is at low water what stops you going up the beach anyway and hopping out. All this anchoring sounds a bit old hat. PLA will have us pulling black balls up the mast next.


Posted: 24/03/2006 13:26:11
By: bait digger
I recall a small incident with one of these anchor thingy's a few years ago, whilst plugging the tide not so far off the finish line, as we started to move away of the line, my helm, whose name escapes me for the moment, excitedly grabbed the anchor from the buoyancy tank with a bundle of rope around it, then proceeded to throw the anchor into the drink whilst holding the rope, alas the rope wasn't tied to the anchor!


Posted: 24/03/2006 13:32:44
By: Tip of the day
sorry A.G, it's the weight of the chain that holds the anchor in anchoring position, and so a lightweight (fortress type) aluminium anchor should be fine! especially one designed for thames mud!


Posted: 24/03/2006 14:37:09
By: john
The trick is keeping the shank as near parallel to the bottom as possible so that any pull does not lift the flukes vertically unnless you are raising it.  You might get away with a very light anchor and one of those new weights which slides down the anchor rope on a cord of its own - can't remember the name but AG will have at least one on his yot.


Posted: 24/03/2006 14:47:27
By: Bill
so our super light fantastics have to carry an extra ##kilos around.


Posted: 24/03/2006 15:55:18
By: Old Merlin Man
Given that the RYA ruled that an anchor is part of the boat in a previous incident involving this class on the Thames, can't we just tie our correctors to a piece of string and lug them over the side!?


Posted: 24/03/2006 16:50:49
By: deepy
Not quite sure what the anchor is for at the Tideway.  Is it a safety measure or a security device ?


Posted: 27/03/2006 14:45:01
By: Garry R
Garry, if the wind drops to nothing or you break your rig and you find yourself drifting uncontrollably with the current into the path of something rather undesirable (Dredger, big ship, barge full of toxic waste, GP14 etc) you may stop and think "Gosh, I wish I had an anchor right now" or words to that effect.


Posted: 27/03/2006 15:01:38
By: Jon
OK - that's what I thought - it was just someone had mentioned tying up at half time!!


Posted: 27/03/2006 15:24:40
By: Garry R
If a dredger is bearing down on you an anchor won't help.  A grapple maybe, toss it through irons at Albert Bridge and climb for your life.


Posted: 27/03/2006 16:00:09
By: Blackie
Garry, that may be the case - I don't know - I was merely speculating.


Posted: 27/03/2006 16:05:32
By: Jon
In the later Y&Y Holt announce a new fold flat stainless steel anchor at only £99.99 alternativel in one of the giveaway catalogues there is a suitable folding galvanised grapnel at £5.00 odd!!!!!!


Posted: 27/03/2006 18:17:36
By: Ancient Geek
and don't forget the flares and liferaft..........


Posted: 27/03/2006 18:39:40
By: john
So you have seen the new "Smallcraft Directive from the EC too!" Anchors, liferafts, lifejackets, GPS, lifelines rockets, flares, radios!!!!!!!!! The Merlin will need that new light weight just to stay afloat!


Posted: 28/03/2006 09:10:32
By: Ancient Geek
They say you need an anchor at abersoch but no one ever has and no one checks


Posted: 28/03/2006 09:43:45
By: RussHopkins3374
Back in the old days before all this Health and Safety consciousness, I was lucky enough to have gone on 3 tideways when we pulled the boats up at the Tower on the (really very pleasant, sandy) beach for lunch and ales before the return trip.  As the traffic on the Thames is surely LESS now than 15 years ago it can't be any more dangerous can it?


Posted: 28/03/2006 10:12:49
By: Andrew M
No but these days people (they who do these things -'elf n safty - do worry about what the coroner might say! Sad aint it!


Posted: 28/03/2006 10:51:38
By: Ancient Geek
As the internet is a great resource, I thought I'd find examples of death by anchor

"He said he was satisfied Mr Taylor had slipped as he boarded his boat and struck his head, possibly on the anchor, before falling into the water. The medical cause of death was given as drowning and Mr Singleton recorded a verdict of accidental death.
"


Posted: 28/03/2006 13:49:07
By: Alan F
Alan, was Mr Singleton the Isle of Wight coroner?  It rings quite a bell with me from some time back (more tangents)


Posted: 28/03/2006 21:24:59
By: Andrew M
Andrew - link to article

http://www.accringtonobserver.co.uk/news/s/200/200999_yachtsman_killed_in_marina_fall.html

Posted: 28/03/2006 21:56:52
By: Alan F
Accrington eh???

Why are you surfing the net for stories from Accrington? Most people are interested in sex or money (I have heard!)


Posted: 28/03/2006 22:05:42
By: Andrew M
One of the more amusing medical acronyms that medics use in the hospitals on the coast as a shorthand is OFS (Open fly syndrome) to indicate the sunject fell off a boat whilst taking a leek! PFO (Pissed and fell over.)


Posted: 29/03/2006 08:44:49
By: Ancient Geek
Pardon me for getting on topic but the general consensus at Ranelagh seems to be a 2.5 kg folding anchor and about 10 metres of line. It will be fairly low tide so not much line is needed but you don't want to be swept under one of those big barges or, as Jon says, in front of a GP14. I've had some of my best results when I've carried an anchor and others haven't! There's a 3.2 Kg folding anchor going on ebay for £1.53 with 4 hours left. Don't all rush and bid it up!
Nick

http://search.ebay.co.uk/folding-anchor_W0QQfcclZ1QQfclZ4QQfnuZ1QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1

Posted: 30/03/2006 18:06:19
By: Nick Price

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