Can't Believe Where I lost My Anchor!!

Highball · 02-06-2004, 01:37 PM

After having my boat a couple years and anchoring up in the Gorge, Troutdale and other dicy areas I never expected to lose my anchor in Multnomah Channel. Am I the only one to ever lose one there?
After fishing several places up stream from St. Helens we finished the day near the mouth, by the saw mill. Anchored up in 50ft not too far from another guy who moved three times in the area while we stayed put. We start to pull the anchor and my large ball disapears under the water (somthing I'd never seen before using my 25lb anchor) then the boat comes to a stop as water climes up the transom. Fortunately I have a big enough boat that the water didn't come in. I was able to back off and retrieve the ball and pulley. I tied off to the rear cleat and for 20 minutes pulled in every direction with no luck. I finally headed up stream, pulled the rope tight and then powered up with my 200hp prop. As I watched the transom sink lower the rope finally broke. The anchor was a home made rocker with no breakaway chain. I have 3 anchors and this was the only one without a chain. The next one will have a chain.

Phil Layer · 02-06-2004, 01:40 PM

You sound like an experienced boatsman but "They" say never tie your anchor to your stern cleat.

I was doing what you did once and came inches from putting my boat down with an anchor that wouldn't come up.

Good luck to ya.

Wreckless · 02-06-2004, 01:53 PM

I have a freind with one of those underwater cameras. He was looking for Bass and Walleye in the channel last summer and commented to me that it's amazing anybody can troll it with all the sunken logs, cable and junk. Sounds like you found some.

I think eventually we all loose anchors, I've lost 2 in the last 10 years or so....BOTH THE SAME YEAR!!?? [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

I've also picked up 16 - 17 anchors in the past 10 years, snorkling. People loose 'em.

goodkarma · 02-06-2004, 02:21 PM

funny you should post this. Although not in the M channel, I had a similar experience on the CR yesterday where I tried to pull anchor and my float disappeared and never returned. We finally struggled manually to pull the anchor to the boat. We got it within 10 feet of the boat and could not pull another inch so we drove to shore with the anchor in tow. Once to shore we found an 1 1/2" diameter cable stuck on the anchor, we were able to release it but wasted 30 minutes of good fishing time.

Lured In · 02-06-2004, 02:22 PM

I believe you answered your own question. Without the breakaway chain, you probably just 'donated' your anchor to the river.

In certain spots it can be hard to get the anchor up with a breakaway chain, much less without one.

Of the boats I have been on (including my own), I have only seen two anchors lost. One at Willamette falls and one in the fast water off the Oak Tree hole at Bonne. Both were breakaways. It happens, but I believe the breakaways go a long way to minimizing the frequency.

Pitch Pocket · 02-06-2004, 02:30 PM

The Multnomah Channel is full of cables and wire dumped by the tugs from their not so distant eco-trashing past. They used the waters to hide a lot of sin. If you are unlucky enough to find a stash with your anchor, you're way better off to shorten up as much as possible and cut the rope than rip a cleat off your transom.

LuckySteelhead · 02-06-2004, 02:36 PM

I had that happen 2 X in 10 years also, Once near the mouth of the sandy and once at the waterfront after watching a concert. There are bigs limbs, cables and other junk in the willamette. Both anchors were sand anchors, after going to a breakaway anchor from GI Joes. I never lost another one, came close, but they broke away and I just had to retie them up.

Lwagg2 · 02-06-2004, 02:45 PM

i lost one in front of cape horn last year i only had a 18 hp motoro on and could not get it to budge in any direction thinking maybe my ball would come off i finally cut the rope the ball never surfaced. I got a 20 lb river anchor with a break away chain that is held by zip tie i broken that zip tie many times but never lost the anchor again. but just in case i have a complete setup sitting in the garage. I no mind losing the anchor but why oh why does it take all the rope with it ? LOL

SHLEPROCK · 02-06-2004, 02:52 PM

In years past I have seen cranes on barges recover sunk logs in that area.

24 on/ 48 off · 02-06-2004, 05:09 PM

Please tell us that you decided to put on your PFD prior to all that tuggin' on the anchor line.

--spud-- :smile:

kayakfisher · 02-06-2004, 05:49 PM

At least one on the local barge companies has had a habbit of taking their old cable out into the C.River and dumping it in the middle of the night so no one sees. The river has been treated by some commercial interests as their personal dumping ground. Too bad...and very dangerous.

Heck, even the corp apparrently used to dump old transformers.

M.

Highball · 02-06-2004, 06:56 PM

Thanks for the feed back guys.

Phil Layer: Your right - I know it was a little dangerous but the conditions were such, very little current, no wind, calm water, that I would do what I could safely.

Wreckless: Pitch Pockets: SHELPROCK: Kayakfisher:
I didn't realize there was so many hazards and junk in the Channel.

GoodKarma: 30 minutes for an anchor sounds like a pretty good deal.

24on/48off: As a matter of fact because fo the risk we did put on our PFD's. As I said before because of the conditions it was a risk I felt I could control with the throttle.

SPAZZ · 02-06-2004, 08:59 PM

:shocked:

Salmonator · 02-06-2004, 09:43 PM

NEVER tie off to the transom. I almost put my entire family into the willamette many years ago when I didn't know better. Hiball, you said the water climbed up the transom. What if you miscalulated slightly and the water went over? I was very lucky that a cleat ripped clean off of my fiberglass boat.

Tilla · 02-06-2004, 10:29 PM

HiBall will be known forever as the only one we know that ever lost an anchor in the Mult. Channel....comforting isn't it.

Highball · 02-07-2004, 10:46 AM

:blush: Great! Might as well change my name to "Anchors Away". [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

onebadfish · 02-07-2004, 05:04 PM

tying your anchor to the rear is how you die. what you think is a temporary solution will become a permanent disaster.

HOGTIDE · 02-07-2004, 07:57 PM

Yes, there are some major cables right where you are anchoring there. There is also a giant pipeline that runs underwater from the Boise Cascade Mill to the other side of Sauvie Island. There is a sign on the island side pointing this out. Also there is tons of old swisher wire on the bottom from a hundred years of log rafts being tied at that spot.

It is very nasty water for gulping anchors. Sorry you lost yours. Cables usually don't let go, even when your chain release pops.....sorry.

Beefcake · 02-07-2004, 10:04 PM

I fish that area all the time, and there are a few bad snags. I haven't lost an anchor yet, but I've pulled up two free ones! I use a big break-away river anchor, but I always carry a spare Danforth under the seat for when it's my turn to lose one.

As far as tying off to the stern goes, I won't do it. However, my boat only has a cleat in the middle of the bow, and it is tough to pull the anchor straight without risk of it going under the boat or snapping across the deck and taking heads off. I think I will add a spring cleat to each side of the boat soon near the windshield for this purpose. If it's tied off correctly to a forward spring cleat, the boat just spins toward the anchor when stuck badly.

DF · 02-08-2004, 12:30 AM

I was just gonna second the same thing hogtide said....that nice beat up tree coverd white sign warns of an underwater pipeline