I note in the rules for the Tideway in June that boats are to carry an anchor. What is light and effective? |
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 |
so a fish-hook and length of nylon won't do then! |
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. |
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. |
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! |
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! |
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. |
so our super light fantastics have to carry an extra ##kilos around. |
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!? |
Not quite sure what the anchor is for at the Tideway. Is it a safety measure or a security device ? |
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. |
OK - that's what I thought - it was just someone had mentioned tying up at half time!! |
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. |
Garry, that may be the case - I don't know - I was merely speculating. |
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!!!!!! |
and don't forget the flares and liferaft.......... |
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! |
They say you need an anchor at abersoch but no one ever has and no one checks |
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? |
No but these days people (they who do these things -'elf n safty - do worry about what the coroner might say! Sad aint it! |
As the internet is a great resource, I thought I'd find examples of death by anchor |
Alan, was Mr Singleton the Isle of Wight coroner? It rings quite a bell with me from some time back (more tangents) |
Andrew - link to article http://www.accringtonobserver.co.uk/news/s/200/200999_yachtsman_killed_in_marina_fall.html |
Accrington eh??? |
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.) |
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! http://search.ebay.co.uk/folding-anchor_W0QQfcclZ1QQfclZ4QQfnuZ1QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1 |