[doodoo]

I've never posted in this forum before, so bear with me. I wanted to share a hair raising experience that occured yesterday 4/23/03 in the afternoon at Meldrum Bar. With my son and a friend, I anchored in a hog line at the lower end of Meldrum Bar in about 13' depth curren 2.5 mph. Saw one fish hooked only. A boat anchored about 150' above us directly over where our anchor lay. When I went to pull anchor, I decided that the best course of action would be to pull with the float at an angle to the other boat and try to pull it out from under that boat. The anchor was apparently stuck hard (which hasn't happen to me bofore this time) and when the line came taught, it stopped my boat while under power and swung the bow around hard just when we were about 75' upsteam and alongside the offending boat. We were then sideways in a position directly above them and in danger of tangling with them. I quickly decided to rid the boat of all the anchor line and was only able to do so after we had already drifted alongside and on the far side of the other boat, so I just pitched all my line and let it wrap the other boat. We were able with some difficulty to retrieve the anchor (which had tripped under the strain, and was loose) and all the line. Whew! In hindsight, I think I should have tried to pull anchor by hand from under them, and had them move if necessary, although, if it was stuck that hard, I might not have been able to do it. It seems to me that we shouldn't anchor so close upstream of other anchored boats. Tell me what you think.

 

[ZaQ]

I have had similiar problems.....

Click here to read a thread about it

 

[lost_sailor]

"Why I Stick to Trolling"

:shocked:

 

[Stz ll]

I guess I can't figure out why you would use an anchor puller in 13 feet of water. Assuming you have about 6 feet of chain that leaves about 2 pulls on the rope.

I would have pulled by hand and if needed would have had the other boat move so you could pull your anchor. After all he elected to sit on top of your anchor.

 

[BrionLutz]

doodoo,

Always dicey especially in a current and with a lot of boats around.

You probably had the right contingency, dump the anchor line. You can always go back for it.

On it turning your boat around. You must have had a good head of steam up. You might want to take it a bit easier. Even if it comes tight, it shouldn't make you lose control of the boat. That could be dangerous. To regain control you'd have to come down on the anchor line under power, with the current.

Nothing good can come of that and a lot of bad stuff can happen. Getting the rope caught in your prop or jet. That can be real dangerous in fast water as it puts the back of the boat toward the current and can sink you. Other bad thing is you can slam into the hogline you just left.

Trying to pull up by hand is good. Work up on it at slow speed. If it's stuck, you can tie it off and start giving it power under a more controlled situation, though you lose some angle on the anchor.

If it was just one boat above you upstream and he anchored there after you were anchored. I would just do a normal retrieve and not worry too much about him having to pull his lines in while you pulled your anchor.

I'd be polite but 'splain it to him.

Idea would be to give it enough angle that you didn't get his anchor rope in yours. Probably head to his starboard side, out into the river so if the anchor comes up you can drag it into the river and retrieve.

Brion

 

[doodoo]

Thanks for the input guys.