108. Checking out my narrowboat’s anchor tackle
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- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- In this video, I look closely at my anchor for the first time and the rode (anchor cable) which consists of a chain and warp and discover all is not as it should be. This is in preparation for river cruising, which I have in mind later this year.
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An anchor is of course recoverable and not of single use. You motor forward and lift excess warp an as you come over the anchor it breaks out and you lift it back onto the boat. I have used that type of anchor many many times in the last 40 plus years. The cable length depends on the depth of water, the type of ground it’s going into and the run of tide or river. Lots of numbers are quoted but it’s generally at least three to one minimum and then done by feel. You will know when it bites and holds, then let out a little more warp and check if it’s holding securely. Check every ten minutes or so for the first half hour that it is still holding you securely, this can be done visually.
Good luck and stay safe.
Thanks Lee, I didn't mean to suggest an anchor is never recoverable. But on a narrowboat, I thought it might prove more difficult if you can't get in the right position. I suppose as a sole boater, it might also make it more awkward. Thanks for your advice. Take care. Cheers
Hi Alan great blog. It is not recommended you have a anchor on a boat on a river, it is compulsory. You have the right size anchor for your boat and about the right length of chain. What you have not got is the right length of warp ( rope) it is the right thickness but too short. You need about 150ft /200ft and the end should be fixed to the eye in your well deck and the anchor should be in the well deck ready for use. If you are going to use it, if it is not an emergency you approach the anchorage against the flow of the river or against the wind which is ever stronger. When the boat is at a stand still drop the anchor over board till the rope goes slack, then reverse the boat in tick over for at least the length of your boat 45ft and then tie the rope off on the front post. Stay in the well deck till you are happy it is holding, if it is not holding and you have enough room you can put it in reverse again till it bites. If you have not got enough space, go forward slowly and raise the anchor and try again.
There should be at least two confident people on board if you are going on a tidal river, on some rivers you will also need a VSF radio on board on channel 16 and a mobile telephone.
Rivers like the Thames can be 65ft deep, so when you drop your anchor it should lie on the river bed with the chain with it and the warp rises at an angle, so it is pulling the chain along the river bed,
till the anchor digs in and holds. To retrieve the anchor start your engine undo the anchor rope, motor forward till the rope is vertical, take the engine out of gear or hold the boat against the flow and pull the anchor up. If it will not release tie the rope off on the post and motor forward till it releases then pull it up. Alan I hope that will help you, thank you for the entertainment you have given me have some fun
Thanks John for your very comprehensive remarks. I'm not planning on going on the Thames or any major tidal rivers. My plan is to go on the River Soar and then westwards on the Trent and Mersey, parts of which are liable to flooding. I'm also not planning to go anywhere which requires VHF radio, as I fully agree with you, those sort of locations would best be served with a crew of two. I'm glad you enjoy watching my channel and very much appreciate your guidance. Cheers Alan
As a yacht skipper of many years I can tell you that an anchor is always retrievable . It may be a little difficult on your own as normally you have the assistance of a windless. You would need to haul it in maybe using forward power until your bow is over it's position. The anchor will free itself when it is pulled directly from above. If its stuck on a rock a bit of power in the over direction may free it otherwise put your swimsuit on! The size you have is about right for the size of your boat.
Thanks Ian, I didn't mean to suggest an anchor is never recoverable. But on a narrowboat, I thought it might prove more difficult if you can't get in the right position or if you're on your own. Thanks for your advice, it's good to know I have the size about right. Take care. Cheers
Hi Alan, great vid as usual. Some excellent comments below about using your anchor and yes, always from the bow. Don't worry about taking your boat on the nontidal rivers , it's absolutely fine when everything is green boards. The tidal rivers are always more interesting but the narrow boat community seem to have a real fear of rivers and it's unjustified hearsay. Use any flow and breeze to your advantage when manoeuvring and always moor bow upstream unless it's a lock landing. You will have more control over the boat when going into the flow. Give way to boats coming downstream at bridges and use a bow line more actively at locks due to the increased volume of water acting on your bow. Looking forward to your next installment.
Many thanks for that advice, much appreciated, I hope as you say, it's not the worry that some make it out to be. All the best Alan
I am so happy i found this channel. You cut and edit everything so well. And always explains everything in a way a Noob like me can understand.
Thank you so much for all the work you put into every video.
Best Regards from Sweden. /Stay Safe! Cheers.
Hi Ulf, many thanks for your very kind comment and welcome aboard, it's good to have you along. I hope you'll enjoy looking through my videos, to see what interests you. Take care. Very best wishes. Alan
If you ever go on the river make sure to have the anchor at the bow before you go in the river. And MAKE 100% CERTAIN that your rope is made fast to your anchor point before deploying it. You can adjust the length later if needed. Many a boater (even experienced boaters) have lost entire anchors with chain, rope and shackles to Dave Jones Locker because they forgot to make it fast before deploying it LOL. So when the anchor goes to the bow for a river trip just tie it up at that time. Last thing you want to do is fiddle around with an shackle or knots in an emergency. That way you can just toss it in the water.
After the emergent situation has passed and you’re engine is fixed or tow boat arrives you’ll be able to recover the anchor by motoring above it and pulling it straight up and out of the ground by hand. They don’t have much holding power when pulling them straight up. Which is why you have chain and rope so you’re in a position far enough away where it’ll bight the ground. You can also go past it and dislodge it by pulling it around the opposite way that it was biting the ground and then pull it up.
The old rope would have been sufficient. The buoyancy of the rope wouldn’t have been enough to effect the function of the anchor. In fact it might have been sold with the anchor by the chandler purposely for the instance where someone drops in the anchor and forgets to first make it fast to the samson post or anchor point.
Life is about learning. You’re very right in that most boaters will never have to deploy and anchor. Let alone in an emergency situation on a river. It’s stressful so the fact that you’re getting prepared ahead of time nothing short of brilliant.
You look well and I hope that continues.
Cheers,
Jeremy
Hi Jeremy. Many thanks for your lengthy explanation. The consensus from viewers is that the anchor is fixed at the bow, but as a sole boater, the thought is that the anchor (ready for use) ie attached to the bow cleat and anchor cable should be on the roof at the stern ready to deploy if needed. That saves walking through the boat to get to the front. I'm not sure how practical that is. My comment about retrieval of the anchor, was in relation to being able to manouevre over it by myself and again the consensus was, it's a lot easier with crew. I'm keeping very well thanks and hope you are. I have already recorded a piece to camera about my response to the anchor comments. Take care. Cheers Alan
I was taught in the USA that for every 10 lbs of anchor weight you need a yard or a little under a meter of chain fastened to the anchor(it makes the anchor such as your danforth dig in better) then a nylon braided non-stretch line attached to the chain via a Heavy Duty Twisted Clevis. I was a Sea Scout (like a boy scout) except you trained in marlin spike seamanship and other specialties having to do with boats. So you would need roughly 3 meters of stainless chain (you can use galvanized), I use stainless because it will never stain your line or anchor or the basket you put it all in. I suggest like a laundry basket so you can move everything around to store the chain, line and anchor while not in use. Never use cable, it can stab and cut you if frayed and it never ever is easy to handle like braided nylon and chain. Please stay safe and healthy, I watch you Vlogs every week.
Many thanks for your comment and for following the channel. Your advice on the chain is not dissimilar to what I have read. I didn't discuss the weight of the chain or size of links but I'm confident mine is fine for my purpose. I am looking into getting an anchor cable bag, if i can find one suitable. Keep safe and well. Alan
Nice video. 1. Safety wire the shackle pin to avoid the pin from coming out. 2. The bow locations seems illogical. In an emergency do you plan to run forward and then drop the anchor in? For swift current or heavy traffic locations, it should be located within a 'KICK" distance from the helm. ie Emergency, kick, and hold vessels. 3. the floating line will not float under tension. Floating while anchored in calm waters is good as it acts as a witness of where your anchor is. OR use a 'bobber' float above anchor to provide visual location of your anchor (for you and other boaters). If anchoring is an area where known hazards are... Use a trip line to release the anchor if needed.
Thanks for the advice. The idea is to have the anchor tethered at the bow but the cable trailing along the roof to the anchor sited at the stern, so it could be deployed from the helm position in an emergency. Cheers
It's good to know an anchor is available should you need it. ⚓
Many thanks Elspeth. Take care
Hi Alan...great vlog again! I can tell you and I do believe you mentioned it. Never anchor your vessel from the Stern. Only from the bow. I live in Florida on the Gulf of Mexico so wave action can be substantially more than you will ever deal with on rivers but I do know of people swamping their boat by anchoring from the stern. Unfortunately, some people were lost because the Capt (not a real Capt) of the boat anchored from the stern and the boat was capsized and they died of exposure to cold water as it was winter time. Great job on providing good information on this aspect of boating!! Mark
Many thanks Mark. That's a shocking incident you mention and a good example of why not to anchor from the stern. I wonder if I might have seen a TV programme about that, which looks at shipping accidents. All the best Alan
As usual Alan, you are 'doing it right' - research in advance rather than experiment in a panic or emergency. As Andy Nye advises - the Danforth is designed to have a string/zip tie or, in his case, cotton attached betwixt chain and anchor. You may like to check fellow vlogger Graeme (another gent with a penchant for the right hat at the right time) in his vlog entitled "3 ways to trip your Boat Anchor" - the illustration may surprise you. If preferring a zip tie - check out "What zip tie do I use for my boat anchor" (I'm not too clever posting links). Good luck - we'll all be watching for the river vlog post-lockdown.
Many thanks for the advice David, I will certainly take a look at Graeme's vlog. I need to get an understanding of the purpose of the zip tie. I'm not planning to river cruise immediately after lockdown ends, I've got something else planned to ease myself back into boating. All the very best Alan
My Narrowboat Venture just watched “More anchor talk and swans ....” - thank you for mention of my little contribution, pleased to have helped (it’s one I got out of my locker).
Looks like you are acquainting yourself with the info before being in a new situation. Thanks for the info and stay safe
Thanks Debbie, I hope you're keeping well.Take care Alan
The Soar is a lovely river. Going through the centre of Leicester is really pleasant and there's some charming rural bits once you get past Loughborough. Although it is a river and is prone to flooding it really is a most enjoyable stretch of water and isn't that different from a canal (and a lot of it is canalised). Once you get to the Trent you then get the feeling that you're a long way from the bank and your thoughts may well turn to the anchor. Our boat used to be moored at Pilling's Lock and we used to enjoy stopping at Birstall, near Leicester, as it has good pubs and a Co-op.
Many thanks for that guidance on the Soar and Trent. I've not yet studied that route or how long the river lengths are. I've seen other vlogs and it looks very pleasant. Some of the locks seem daunting given their rise/fall. Cheers
As I live by the sea I can always tell which way the currant is flowing, or if the tide is on the ebb or flow by the way ships are anchored in the bay if the tide is in flow (coming in} the bow of the ship will point in the direction the sea is flowing from, so once the tide is in, then starts to ebb the ship will swing round on its bow anchor hence why anchors or if the ship is moored to a mid stream or channel bouy its always from the bow hope this helps Alan stay safe
Thanks Brian, I fully understand what you are saying, as I used to live in Torbay, not that I had a view of the sea. Cheers, take care.
Thanks for the intro to anchors, never realised they were not retrievable
Look forward to your next video stay safe.
Thanks Michael. I wasn't saying they are not retrievable, but you need to pull on the anchor from the opposite direction and on a narrowboat that might not be easy to achieve, if you can't manouevre into the right position. All the best
Thanks for that Alan. I did have to deploy my anchor on the River Trent. We were going against a lot of flood water which took an enormous amount of petrol so it ran out and the boat began to drift back downstream whilst I was re filling the petrol tank with spare petrol so I had to chuck the anchor in which certainly slowed the boat down whilst I got the engine going again. I had made a quick release mechanism which meant I could deploy the anchor from inside the boat. I watched your last video again and confirmed that you had captured a couple of friends of mine who are both steam enthusiasts - small world. News is sounding a bit more hopeful at the moment hope we can get out soon and get boating. Cheers take care. Alan.
I'm glad the use of your anchor went well and you recovered it without difficulty. I'm not so sure many narrowboaters get experience in use of their anchor! Steam is a popular topic, and enthusiasts will travel some distance to visit such attractions, so you never know where people will turn up. It'd be good to get boating again. All the best. Take care Alan
3 X Depth used to be minimum that you put out when we had a fishing boat. You feel it hold, take a couple of fixes to make sure you're anchored. Anchors are for multiple use, pull it up when you are ready to move off. Anchor from the bow, always, lets the boat swing for tide, current and to some extent wind. When anchoring near other vessels be aware that you can swing in a large ark and not all vessels swing at the same rate, allow space to avoid collision when boats swing. We used a nylon Anchor Rope, the chain keeps it down. The anchor rope tends to lay along the bottom and your boat swing round the rope rather than the anchor position.
Many thanks for that advice Dan, it all makes good sense to me and ties in well with my research. Hope all well. Cheers Alan
Just one hint. Store it forward and when on the river fasten the rope on ready for use quickly.
Thanks for that. Whilst the rode will be attached to the anchor eye. How does one control the length fed out - would you tie it off to the cleat on the bow?
@@MyNarrowboatVenture Yes tie one end to the eye. Then if you only want part of the ride out you can let so much out then cleat it off. They way you will always have it secure.
@@ianhart8963 Thanks Ian, I'm still very much learning.
Hi Alan,
I learned a lot from your anchor
research. Glad to see you are safe. See you on the next vlog
Glad you enjoyed it, all the best Alan
Alan, very informative for those needing info about anchors. Especially getting them thinking about their own anchors and how and when to use them. I have a teaching background. You’re very good at describing various situations or ways of doing things. You talk slowly and distinctly. We don’t have a boat but that doesn’t mean I’m still not interested in the narrowboat workings and decor from “stem to stern.” Hoping you never have to use that anchor!
Third time lucky with this reply. Thanks Kay, for your very kind comment, I too hope I never have to use the anchor. I try and explain things in a simple way, as I sometimes find technical jargon confusing. All the best Alan
Will look forward to your river cruise vlog Alan, lets all hope its sooner than later. Take care mate.
Many thanks, was planning for a bit later in the year, if possible, as I have a shorter trip in mind before then. Keep safe Alan
Hi Alan, excuse the pun, but we are in the same boat as you. When we bought our bought our anchor was, and remains, tucked away at the back of the front gas locker. We’ve never touched it, or tried to move it. I can see rope near it, so I guess that must be part of the other tackle that you referred to. There is a metal attachment on one side of our bow, underneath the gunnel, that looks like the metal attachment you referred to, but we’ve never even tried to get the anchor out! We had tentative plans to cruise on the river Soar this summer, but given what has happened now, we will probably stick to the canals and leave the anchor in it’s nest for a bit longer. Although, after having seen you remove yours, I am tempted now to at least examine ours and see exactly what we’ve got! Another very enjoyable video to watch. You ask the questions that some of us novices are embarrassed to admit we don’t know the answers to! Stay safe....🍷🍷
Many thanks Steve, you were like me then. I didn't bother looking at my anchor, as I had no intention of river cruising until I'd got some canal experience. It is certainly worth checking what you've got though well before you decide to go on a river. Glad you liked the video. Take care. All the best Alan.
I've read some of the other comments and most seem to to be very good advice. My only worry about your kit is the length of your chain. 10-15 feet should be sufficient, I believe. You don't want the chain to be so long that you have too much rode for shallow depths. Also, as I learned the hard way, I would suggest you secure the rode on the bow but keep the anchor with you on the stern or on the roof as close as possible, running the rode along the roof of the boat. While you may hang the rode on a vent or chimney when deploying, sometimes there is not time to run from the helm to the bow to deploy the anchor in an emergency. Of course, my 40-plus years of experience is in sail boats, which tend to not displace 20 tons! I would consult someone at a chandlery, that has narrowboat river experience, about their recommendations. Stay safe and well. Best, Zach
Many thanks for the advice Zach. The chain was already on the boat, I've not made any decisions regarding the length of that. There seems to be a consensus to attach the rode to the bow and have the anchor at the stern. Whilst I can see the sense in that, I'm not sure how practical it is. I have spoken to an ex sailor who specialises in the sale of ropes, mooring lines etc and he was of the opinion the set up I was proposing was about right. No one can be precise as the depth of the rivers are not known. All the best, take care, Alan
Hi there this is Dave is my understanding as you look at your attach you connect the chain at one end and the opposite end I mean past the two pointed fins there is a welded bar I believe that you connect a rope to that welded bar so when the fins dig into the mud so when you want to retrieve your anchor you pull the rope and it pulls the anchor backwards out of the mad so to recap the chain pulls the anchor into the mad and the rope pules it backwards out of the mud and you can retrieve your anchor this is how I think it works I hope this has been useful all the best Dave
Hi Dave the anchor is attached to the chain; and the chain is attached to the rope, which is attached to the boat. By positioning the boat over the chain and pulling on the rope and then chain, it should be possible to recover the anchor. This may not be so easy for a sole boater. Cheers
Great video. With 14kg anchor plus a few kg of chain I wouldn't think the poly-prop rope would float.
Many thanks Alan. Polyprop does float and could be a hazard to other users, especially if you used your anchor and couldn't retrieve it. I presume nylon rope would just rest on the bottom. Cheers
@@MyNarrowboatVenture I see what you mean now. :)
Hi alan try to find a place on the bow for your anchor as if there was a problem. It will take you a long time to deploy all the best Andy and jules narrow boats Georgian
Thanks Andy, I have a very small well deck area under the cratch cover but intend to put it there. Cheers
Alan, informative as your explanations and descriptions are, I have no interest in travelling on a river. It is an unacceptable risk for me, as well as oceans. I admire those who brave those waters, whether for work or recreation. Too, I learned quite a bit from your video. For that, I thank you.
Hi Grace. Some of our canals connect into rivers where water levels can fluctuate and become unsafe for navigation. Boaters need to be prepared and should have an anchor aboard just in case. It would be rare for a Narrowboat to deploy an anchor but one must be ready. I learnt a lot from this research. All the best
@@MyNarrowboatVenture Alan, thank you so much for clarifying the situation. As you noted, ‘I learnt a lot from this research,’ I am learning a lot from you. Thank you for your patience.
@@gracefrazier4775 Thank you for watching and supporting the channel. Take care.
Lee Robinson is correct.. You really need to talk in person with others who have practical experience,, The use of an anchor is not a difficult task if you can get in some actual experience in usuing one.. Just try it out on the canal ,, you do not have to have a current flow of the river to get some physical experience.. Deploy the anchor and chain,, back the boat up until you get some resistance from the anchor not just the chain ,,, Then slowly pull the boat foward until you're over the anchor,, Try to lift it up,, but you may need to use the engine to break it loose from the mud.. Have confidence ,, you can do this,, I leaned about anchors when I was about 13, in a pram that me and my buddy pulled out of the lake and patched a hole in the floor with a scrap of plywood and roofing tar, ,,,using a coffee can filled with cement and an an eye bolt with a rope tied to it. On some lake or the Brazos river in Texas. Don't worry you'll do fine Allen,, you may get a little mud on you but that's half the fun,, I survived and at 74 some of my best memories.
Thanks Jim, I agree it would be good to talk to other narrowboaters with experience but to find them is not so easy. No-one I know has any. The idea of testing the anchor is also good but not sure how easy that would be by myself and with other boats about.Thanks for the advice though, cheers. Alan
The anchor will come in handy if your on a flowing river and if your engine cuts out or your prop fouls you can deploy the anchor . A bit hard by yourself if you have to run to the bow but no choise if solo . Another point is if your engine cuts out and you get stuck sideways on bridge pylon or even both shores it can sink your boat by tipping it over but thats the worst scenario . You can retrieve an anchor by going up past the anchor site or above it but if you have no power no chance . Happy boating :-)
Thanks for your advice, I understand what you're saying but just felt on a narrowboat, it might prove more difficult if you can't get the boat in the right position or if you're on your own. Cheers
I agree with the others about the anchor being recoverable, someone suggested practice on the canal, good idea! On a river you might be challenged by the flow so you may have to go further than where you dropped yr anchor so that you have time to go through yr boat and catch it as you are over it!! And correct, you do not throw it willy nilly, you lower it, then you can tell when it has reached the river bed and when it has gripped. Strongly suggest you strongly attach a very strong cleat to feed it through so you can tie off quickly. Easier to have friend in the bow when recovering though! Good luck and have fun, stay well, luv ya videos!
Many thanks David, I didn't mean to suggest an anchor is never recoverable. But on a narrowboat, I thought it might prove more difficult if you can't get in the right position or if you’re on your own. There is a cleat on the bow of the boat that would need to be used for feeding the rode out and in via the anchor eye. Thanks for the advice. Take care. Cheers
Usually it is possible to retrieve an anchor. You would move forward bringing the cable in. When the anchor cable is "up and down" ie vertical the shank will also be off the bottom and the flukes will usually come free. Sometimes it may be necessary to motor forward slowly to break it free. This is easy to say when you have crew, single handed would be much more difficult I admit. I take my hat off to all single handed boaters. Just 1 crew member does not half the work at locks etc but reduces it by considerably more.
Many thanks Bob, I appreciate your advice. I wasn’t suggesting an anchor is never recoverable. But on a narrowboat, I thought it might prove more difficult if you can't get in the right position or if you're on your own. Cheers
@@MyNarrowboatVenture Absolutely agree. Doing everything on a narrowboat when single handed is so much more difficult and needs to be carefully thought through. Again hats of to you.
Allen all the boats an ships drop anchor from the bow from what I have seen . But I hope you don’t have to use it to find out keepwell mate 🙂✌️
Many thanks Lee, that's just as I would expect and some ships have anchors bow and stern. Take care
Hi Alan the anchor holds the chain the chain the boat ,the more chain you have on the riverbed the better ,it's the weight of chain that's doing all work stay safe
Many thanks Roy, I understand that principle, nice and straightforward. Cheers
Many thanks Roy, I understand that principle, nice and straightforward. Cheers
Hi Alan I have experience with anchors having spent some years on a sea going tug but also having a fishing boat, which i used around the south coast, the boat was small but at sea the boat could have a fair bit of movement, so to eliminate the danger of walking from stern to bow i made the warp at the bow fast and had the anchor at the stern, when i reached the fishing spot all i had to do is lower the anchor from the stern into the water the boat automatically takes up the slack. i would deploy the same tactic on my narrowboat but luckily i have had no need to drop anchor on a river to date.
Thanks for that explanation Kevin, I understand what you’re saying but not sure it would work for me, having the anchor at the stern but appreciate the concept. I need to give it some thought. All the best Alan
@@MyNarrowboatVenture Actually Alan i lay it on the roof by the hatch with the warp coiled to the back of it , its very easy to lower it into the water from there. Stay safe mate.
Thanks Alan. I too have looked into anchors on narrowboats as my first trip on our recently purchased boat will involve travelling on a river. You are quite right about the lack of info from CRT as to what anchor and length of chain/rope you need and the only info I could really find was for sea going vessels. Not quite the same thing because if you are deploying from a narrowboat then you are in an emergency situation. A bit more advice and guidance from CRT would be appropriate. What depth are our navigable rivers anyway? Is there a list? Let's hope we never need to use them and that the sticker on your anchor never gets wet.... If your anchor is only grabbing onto seaweed then you have bigger problems to worry about if you are on a narrowboat.
It is surprising that there isn't more advice from the CRT. I don't believe there is a list of river depths and at what point along their length would any particular depth be recorded. It's not easy is it. I share your sentiment that hopefully we will never need to deploy an anchor. Cheers
Great video Alan. Rule of thumb offered by Lee is good advice. Waterways World offer the following advice too for a bit more re-assurance. Looks like you are fine for the Trent.....
"As a general guide, a 20kg Danforth anchor would be ideal for river cruising- both tidal and non-tidal cruising. You might be able to get away with a 15kg anchor- which is much easier to handle, but the heavier anchor gives better bite into the bed of a river- and most narrowboats will be using it as a drag weight, as there is not the option of hauling in a re-setting, should it not set first time, as you would in a yacht. You need to have around 5 metres (minimum) of chain (1/2" or 3/8") shackled to the anchor at one end, around 30m (at least- the lower Thames may require 50m) of polyester or nylon line at the other, of about 14 or 16mm diameter. The larger sizes are recommended- possibly going to 18 or 20mm line and 5/8" chain. Don't use polypropylene, as it floats and is counter-productive.
Octoplait/anchorplait style lines can be easily spliced to the chain ( you can find instructions online), to avoid making an unslightlty loop and shackle join. The anchor should be permanently attached: in the forward cockpit, it will be fine and if mounted centrally should not affect trim (total mass will be less than one person). However, mounting it inside the cratch (and tied on to the forward t-stud) may make it difficult to drop quickly. Some semi-trad and cruiser stern boats keep the anchor aft- easier to deploy when running downstream to act as a brake, and mean you don't have to turn the bow round before dropping the anchor.
Wherever you place the anchor, make sure it is attached, and the line flaked down, ready to run out, with the chain on the top, so it runs freely when the anchor is dropped.
Anchoring a narrowboat is not fun- and have only done it twice in anger (with loss of power) but can be useful on some tidal rivers (such as the Trent) if you anchor to await change of tide. They can be very heavy to pull back up though!"
Hope that helps!
Many thanks Paul for your comprehensive and very useful remark. For the first time, I'm copying viewers comments and making up an information page on anchors and their use. Some say keep it in the bow, others have it tied to the bow but ready at the stern. All the very best Alan
Many thanks Paul for your comprehensive and very useful remark. For the first time, I'm copying viewers comments and making up an information page on anchors and their use. Some say keep it in the bow, others have it tied to the bow but ready at the stern. All the very best Alan
Hi Alan, another great video. I've always thought you need to deploy from the bow so the current hits the bow head on. I'm going to review our own anchor when I can get back to the boat.... :)
Thanks Rob, it seems to me, the bow is definitely the place to deploy from. Some say it depends on the water flow but if you deploy against the flow from the bow, the boat will swing around to hit the current head on, which as you say is what we want. Cheers
Hi Alan I've always gone for the 5to1 ratio or more if the tide is really running, if you know roughly the depth of water then you should flake out the chain and warp on deck or somthing flat in rediness perhaps tie some twine as a marker on your warp.so if you are cruising on a river say 4 metres deep flake out 20m tie the twine and then secure the other end around you bow cleat don't reliey on that eyebolt as it could pull out. cheers
Hi Ramsey, thanks for that advice. The trouble is knowing the depth of water. Several have advised as you have, about having the anchor cable laid out ready to deploy, but I don't think it's that straightforward. Some have said, have it ready in the bow. All the best Alan
Hi Alan Yes always have your anchor ready but secure not to enter the water when underway or you will come to an abrupt halt,on finding the depths of rivers it is homework time ,Hydrographers office etc. Cheers @@MyNarrowboatVenture
Interesting vlog. Thanks Alan take care.
Glad you enjoyed it, all the best, Alan
Thanks for this but why hasn't anyone experienced with anchors on narrowboats posted anything on here?
Hi Cathy, I got some very good advice on here, also look at my next video No.109. Anchors are so seldom used by narrowboaters. The recommendation is to have one on a river but that doesn't mean it will be used. Getting advice about the chain, warp, length and so forth is not easy. How deep is any river at any point, no one knows. How and where do you deploy the anchor from? Advice received conflicts, it is a bit of a minefield. Cheers
Great video Alan
Many thanks, glad you enjoyed it.
Research ' tripping line '. I tie mine to my main warp with cotton ,,, then if anchor becomes stuck ,, I just pull in tripping line and the cotton snaps
Thanks Andy, I'll do that. Cheers
The one thing that is not metioned is that the anchor cable/rode MUST be securely fastend at the end to the boat All secthions of the cable/rode must be joined/fastened securely. If for any reason the anchor is used (from the bow or stern) you will not be able to stop the boat's way. unless the anchor cable is made fast onto a cleat. You may injure yourself or crew severly while attempting make the cable fast to a cleat if the achor is deployed whilst under way.
Many thanks for that, I do understand what you're saying. The rode can be attached to the cleat on the bow to make it secure. Cheers
This is a good use of the time you have available now you can’t cruise Alan. An important topic,thanks for thinking to do it . Good advise I think by others to maybe practise deploying and retreating. Take care mate 👍😁
Many thanks Paul, whilst a good idea to practice, I'm not sure how that would work out, as a single boater, as there does seem to be a consensus that to retrieve the anchor, it would be helpful to have a crew member on board. Keep safe Alan
@@MyNarrowboatVenture true Alan, I'm sure one of your friends at the marina or a family member could help when this is all over though in the meantime keep well 😊
Thanks Alan,hope your plans to go north work out ok.take care.
I hope so too, thanks Rob,but I'm planning to head southwards on my next trip. Cheers. Keep safe
My Narrowboat Venture hi Alan just been reading my canal boat magazine,there is a couple who where moored at crick,and on there travels they saw the albino squirrel,so it’s out there somewhere,take care.
Hi Allan, the information you've given here is about the same as the advice I was given when deciding on my anchor, and travelling on the tidal Trent, it is important to get these things right. My anchor is permanently fixed to the bow, I only remove the fixing bolts just before going onto a river. Like yourself, I'm single handed. I was also advised to buy a 56 lb weight and have that ready on the stern. I keep this in the engine bay as an extra bit of ballast and again, only bring it out when I'm about to go on a river. If anything should happen, that can easily be deployed before going to the bow to deploy the anchor. The chances of getting the 'dump weight' back are fairly slim, but the anchor should be relatively easy to recover.
That's very interesting, as I've not heard or read about the concept of having a weight at the stern but can see it makes sense. I know some large ships have anchors bow and stern but hadn't really thought about it in regards to a narrowboat. That's something I will look into when the present troubles ease up. All the best Alan
You often use anchors when sailing, particularly in the Mediterranean when mooring stern or bow to the quay and also if you need to anchor off if there are no mooring spaces. In my experience it’s a bit like fishing, drop it and go astern until it bites, if it doesn’t bite repeat until it does. Seaweed can be a problem as it can feel as though you are secure but you are in fact only held by the plant life and it is always disconcerting to wake up in the morning a few hundred metres from where you dropped the anchor!
Thanks Owen, I think narrowboaters are very unlikely to use their anchors unless in an emergency situation. I do understand what you're saying. Cheers
@@MyNarrowboatVenture I certainly have never used one on a canal although have had one available on rivers.
A 2-hat video, excellent! 🎩 🧢
Many thanks. Cheers
Good morning Alan
I would think that there must be an app for every river.
I would feel very uncomfortable to go to sleep at night on top of a large depth of water, only comforted by the fact of a dropped anchor.
On every river regardless of conditions you should drop your anchor when tucking in for the night
that is essential.
That then leads me to suggest at mooring points on rivers should display depth of the water at mooring.
Dutch barges for example have anchors bow and stern.
Keep safe and dry and virus free Alan ta ta for now 🙂
Hi David, I've not found any mention of river depths, that connect with canals and I take your point about using an anchor on a river but would have thought if you're on proper moorings and secured, that wouldn't be necessary. But I really don't know. All the best Alan. Take care
the weight of chain lies on the bottom to keep the anchor embedded into the bottom if you have the right amount of chain out when you pull up on the chain it will allow the teeth of the anchor to come loose from the bottom look at sailing for more info about anchor usage.
Many thanks for that advice Jimmy. Cheers Alan
Awesome video,stay safe
Thanks, you too! Cheers
Always from the bow Allen…
What was the omission? Do you know quite a few anchors have been thrown out and weren’t connected to the boat...that’s a good tip!!!
Without viewing the video again, I couldn't tell you - did I not explain properly? Definitely a good idea to have the anchor tethered to the boat. Cheers
We used our Anchor at Pershore whilst moored up near the weir (Plastic cruiser), this was because of the locals at that time were renowned for letting your boat off during the night. It is recoverable by moving the boat forward and lift and tug it. Love the vlogs keep them coming.
That makes good sense. I wasn’t suggesting an anchor is never recoverable. But on a narrowboat, I thought it might prove more difficult if you can't get in the right position or if you're on your own. Many thanks Alan
Nice vid
Many thanks Tony.
Used to have a Simms Super V speedboat for many years. When I 1st got it, I was green behind the ears...
1st holiday to Anglesey, launched it off the beach, threw the anchor in, then parked the car and Trl up. Came back, then was where the F*** is my boat!! Looked to the right, it was drifting over to the rocks in the distance. My then 14yr old nephew, then said I'll get it and swam away (brilliant swimmer, and built like a brick outhouse) But then he got on the boat, so I now had him and the boat drifting away!! Luckily I had flippers with me (wetsuit was on already) Away I swam after it, but 2 other boats noticed what was going on, and came to help, and stopped it. I was just about chest high in water, when I got the rope! Lost my flippers, but pulled back to shore! What rope did I have?? Polypropylene!! I learnt the hard way! And researched Everything after that! Needless to say, had many great safe yrs fun after!!
Hi Simon, that was a very disturbing event for you. Unlike boats/yachts, which will use an anchor for mooring, an anchor is generally not used on a narrowboat unless in an emergency. I've done the best I can and I'm getting differing opinions on whether to lay the anchor out along the roof ready to deploy or to keep it at the bow. Cheers
Good video thank you. Can you tell me where you bought your pre spliced Warp. I also need to sort out my Anchor before I head on the Thames in August. Keep safe and well.
Hi Molly. I bought my warp from Tradline Rope and Fenders at Braunston. You can find them easily online. They specialise in all sorts of ropes and mooring equipment and will make to your required size. Very good and friendly service, I'm happy to recommend them. Cheers
@@MyNarrowboatVenture many thanks for the info and safe trip
a bit expensive to ditch the anchor...surely you recover it
Yes the anchor would be recovered, that's why it's important to deploy it correctly. If it isn't, then it could snag on something on the river bed and make recovery difficult or impossible.
Hi, I really enjoy your blog. My two brothers and I are planning a two week canal trip to do the Leicester Ring. Originally it was planned for June 5 to 19. Do you think leisure boating will be allowed by then? What's your guess? Thanks for your previous info on the Foxton Flight.
Many thanks Jack. It's really difficult to know. There is a sense that things might change from 1st June but perhaps we'll have a better clue after the announcements this coming Sunday. Let's hope for all our sakes that by the time of your holiday we can go boating again. Cheers Alan
Interesting vlog. Should it all be connected together in case needed. If you deployed your anchor would going in the opposite direction or pulling sideways loosen it ? Stay safe.
Yes pulling in the opposite direction does free the anchor. that's how I get mine free from the bottom.
Hi David, it all needs to be connected and ready to use when on a river. On a narrowboat, it may not always be possible to manouevre to the opposite direction to recover the anchor. Take care, cheers.
Hi Alan I was really interested in how to deploy an anchor, you are doing the video very well, would have liked to see you deploying the anchor whilst eating a cheese topped roll . ONlY Joking about the roll . BUT IS THERE A RIGHT AND WRONG WAY TO DEPLOY IT?
Hi Mike. It should be deployed from the bow (some would argue that it depends on the river flow) and gently lowered into the water, to ensure it rests correctly on the river bed, not just chucked overboard. Some have suggested doing a test deploy but I'm none too sure about that. Cheers
Alan that was a good video and should help a lot of your fellow narrowboaters
Many thanks for that, let's hope it does. Cheers
No idea if you are right or wrong but, most importantly, I now know to NEVER take my imaginary narrowboat onto a river...
Very wise decision, and one you won't regret!
I have an imaginary narrowboat too! Cheap to run and no emptying the cassette.
In Canada we have Navigation Rules for all water including inland waterways, the Canadian Coast guard has info about anchors, its says a boat your size needs a 50m line including the rode, rope chain in any combination, here is a good guide for your info. The Uk must have something similar.
www.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/marinesafety/TP-511e.pdf
( see INTRODUCTION - Safety Equipment Requirements Page 15 ).The is lots of links that that has info on boating, I know you are only on canals there but safety does come first anywhere on the water wherever you you are. I am surprised that there arent many people using VHF radios there even though there are hills in some areas.
Many thanks for that link, just had a quick look, as I was surprised at the 50m you mentioned but it's actually 15m or 50ft. Looks to be a nicely put together guide. The Canal and River Trust publish a Boaters Guide but it says very little about an anchor, other than it's a good idea to have one. VHF radios are required on some river stretches, particularly tidal ones and sometimes a pilot is necessary. The canals are much more serene, it's only where they connect to rivers that an anchor is needed. All the best Alan
Bare in mind that length is for 39-78 ft according to Canada Coast Guard Regs, I think the Uk as a similar Govt organization. I have a 18 ft power boat and need 15m or 49.3ft of line and anchor. If I dont have this onboard I can get fined. You should have your anchor ready in the bow ready for deployment in an emergency. You may be able to find regs here or just keep searching for info, maybe the CRT have regs.
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/maritime-and-coastguard-agency
Tractor
Hello, I enjoy your videos and the extra effort in putting them out right now. Here is a link about Danforth anchors :
www.saltwatersportsman.com/how-to-rig-an-anchor-release/
Danforth anchors are designed for easy retrieval. Good luck and thanks!
Many thanks for your kind remark Thomas, I will certainly take a look at the link. Take care. Cheers Alan
Another video from Roger; czcams.com/video/CjSxFXPPXw8/video.html
Many thanks for this. All the best Alan
My Narrowboat Venture This videos actually shows how he does some rope braiding.
Oh dear...let’s hope you don’t have to deploy it.....learnt something new again....you can’t re use a anchor.....can’t give you any info....don’t use one on my tourer..🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 stay safe and help well my friend Regards Mick
Hi Mick. I wasn’t suggesting an anchor is not recoverable. If you can get it back, it certainly can be reused. But on a narrowboat, I consider it might prove more difficult if you can't get in the right position to retrieve it or if you're on your own. Take care and keep safe. Cheers Alan
My Narrowboat Venture as long as it saves the boat and crew....it’s done it’s job
Thinking about your Anchor and rust , I was told ? boater's use the New Zealand method since 1886 was a special formulated grease made from a cow's secretion and is called ANCHOR BUTTER shipped to England for 126 years until 2012 I'm no expert Alan but sounds a bit of an old sea peg leg story ? Lol ..... Glad to see your still sane ? as for me I don't know , having said that you look sane to me but , if for argument sake I'm insane , my judgement could be somewhat faulty , I say this as people are avoiding me and everyone else as if they are some sort COVID VIRUS , People are losing the free thought that has kept all humans and creature's alike alive , failure ends with extinction , so we crave the magic pill , unfortunately we are losing the ability to look after ourselves , as we take a few more step's towards humanity's extinction , if there is time to wake up it better be now , we must keep the wheel's turning or suffer greater loss that will follow fast . Lol , happy thought's healthy mind , Soon the cry Alan .. Anchor's Away . Trevallion.
I expect we're both going insane, if not already so. All the best Alan
right wrong who cares, as long as you live to fight another day
VooDoo I couldn’t agree more. Cheers