New anchor coming up upside down

D

Doryman

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C Dory Year
2006
C Dory Model
255 Tomcat
Vessel Name
Lori Ann
I have a new anchoring setup on my Tom Cat -- it's an EZ Anchor Puller (a Ramsey winch adapted for marine use) with a Manson Supreme anchor connected to 30' of chain and 170' of Brait. Since I have started using it here, the anchor has started coming up upside down. Any ideas on what might be happening and how to fix it? I could turn the shackle over but would that do the trick? Anyone else encounter this problem?

Thanks,
Warren
 
You could turn the boat over... :lol:
 
Warren,
Is your anchor on a shackle or a swivel? I went from a shackle to a swivel because of the problem you describe and while not perfect, (still the occasional upside down recovery), retrievals have normally brought the anchor in upright.
 
It's a shackle. A really good one. :twisted: Any suggestions for a good swivel to get?

Thanks,
Warren
 
Look at this swivel:

Defender

Anchor Chain Rode Swivel
Fits 1/4" to 5/16" chain

Item #: 001401
Manufacturer: ACCO CHAIN
Model #: 4406-40001
Shipping Weight: 1.15 Lbs.
Our Price: $33.99

Boris
 
Since swivels are not as strong as a shackle, I would go oversize. The limiting factor may be the forward roller on your anchor bow support. Mine is stainless and, I think, made by Seadog. Many people stick with shackles because of the strength issue.
 
Warren,

I have had this happen to mine. I think the rode gets a twist in it. I have turned the shackle over and that has fixed it. Since the twist also causes problems with my windless, I also periodically have to get the twist out of the rode.

Roger
 
Doryman":3anc0jqj said:
Anyone else encounter this problem?
Thanks,
Warren
Click to expand...

Hi Doryman,

This problem is a very simple one and the solution is also very simple :) ...

Your anchor is following the physical law of the « lesser effort » :roll: !

Let’s me explain... When your are weighting your anchor, your boat is going slowly forward... Then look at your anchor on the water: following the « lesser effort » law, your anchor is set with the tip facing forward... If then you lift your anchor, it will come on the bow roller upside down...

Now try the following : - your anchor still at the surface of the water, go just a little bit BACKWARD and look at your anchor, it will set itself in the right position and you can lift it without problem..

Good and safe anchoring

João
Ancora Latina
(P.S. this answer is not a SPAM! :mrgreen: )
 
Thanks, everyone. I will start with the backing-up trick and go from there to the other suggestions, if necessary.

Warren
 
Ancora Latina:
Now there's good solution from a long way south of the border! :thup
Good to see an international chapter(?) of the C-Brat brethern checking in :lol:
Do you own a C-Dory & What type of anchors do you manufacture?
 
Warren has a system which allows the rode and chain to be taken directly onto a drum which it is stored on. He is using a plait line, with no twist (like 3 strand) and chain ( no twist). At some point the orientation has become reversed--where with 3 strand it may be each time because of line twist.

I find that my Manson Supreme will automatically turn correctly (no swivel--I don't trust them, because if they are side loaded they may fail)I believe Warren has a different type of roller (two pieces and pivots down) than I do, and it may not allow the anchor to twist (may not put as much righting load on it). But it is worth trying to put the top of the shank of the roller, and see if it twists over to the correct position.

Yes, going in reverse, may put the anchor in the proper orientation, but since the anchor has to come up about 3 feet from the water, it may twist back, depending on the pressure from the chain on the drum. We have always found that our Manson came back to the proper position, without a swivel, if it was off, by backing down a few inches, waiting a short time and the repulling and it would flip back up correctly.
 
I too don't trust swivels, not for the loads that can be experienced anchoring in strong winds or the force that may be necessary using engines to break her free. I've been fortunate and never had my Lewmar Delta anchor come up backwards whether drifting forward or backward. I use 3 stand nylon line spliced to chain.
 
Hey, I love my swivel set up. I use the swivel anchor connector (WM #289280), which assembles with an allen wrench.

But, if you connect it directly to the anchor shank, you're asking for trouble, since the connector is not designed to allow sideways motion at it's joint. So, as the boat swings, you're using the connector in it's weakest mode to swing the anchor. I handle that with a shackle between the anchor, and the anchor connector. Mount the shackle with the screw pin through the anchor, and the loop facing the vessel. Then, attach the anchor connector to the shackle loop. Now, you have a little more than 180 degrees of swing before the connector would begin to side load.

I suppose you could still have problems this way, but I haven't yet. And, when the anchor comes onto the bow roller, it quickly takes the correct orientation, without any chain twist. Since there's only a few inches of chain between the windlass gypsy and the anchor shaft, I seems to me that without the swivel, I'd be messing around with the chain half the time I raise the anchor.

Works for me.
 
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