Anchor Trip-Line Techniques

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by goincruisin

. 2 - it will inhibit other boats from anchoring too close and directly upwind from you.

In most circumstances its safe for boats to anchor closer than this. Its annoying and unnecessary when in a large, deserted anchorage a boat anchors on top of you, but in some small anchorages s of the world its common, necessary and safe for boats to anchor where they would be fouling you anchor trip line buoy.
To use a trip line to prevent boats anchoring close is a practice that should be discouraged. There are legitimate reasons for using a trip line. Lets encourage those.

[zeehag]

loud music or use of noisey tools also keeps folks away without you going aground on rocks or wtf as a direct result......and puling anchor is easy when ye know how--even without a windlass-- just drive over, tighten the rode and wait a minuet--it will come out. easily, actually--is how i remove my anchor from mud in my ericson when i use her.

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by Feral Cat

Re: Anchor Trip-Line Techniques


Great idea!

Makes perfect sense and will solve problem "WHEN AND IF" the anchor gets stuck.

I will add this idea to the arsenal of anchoring techniques...

Thanks!

Something like this but on a different scale

[goincruisin]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Something like this but on a different scale

Here is a simple drawing we use illustrating the idea

[Hydra]

A trip line is permanently rigged on my bow anchor. It is made of polyester (sinking, less stretch than polyamide: more efficient for heaving). A small yellow float 2' above the anchor prevents the line from fouling the anchor. The 20m line is made fast to the chain, with plenty of slack. This way, I avoid using a float on the surface. The line is longer than the water depth where I expect anchoring.

I have to haul on the trip line about once a year: there are so many things on the bottom!

However, it didn't work the last time I needed it: the chain and the trip line were caught together in an uncharted wreck. It was too deep for me to dive on the anchor (I tried). We managed to free the chain after heaving and veering for 2 hours. In this case, a line on a float would have been useful but there were so many motor boat passing so close to us that it would have been cut. Motor boats kept passing close even when I was in the water, with signal flag ALFA hoisted under a spreader.

Alain

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

In 20 years of living on the hook, I see trip lines used by less than 1% of the boats, usually by people in their first season of cruising. However, I sail in warm and clear waters, and am usually able to swim and see how to unwind my chain and anchor from rocks and coral. I've never had to put on a tank to free my anchor from the rocks--it has always freed up by shortening scope and motoring the boat in the right direction (I did put on a tank to get another boat unstuck, but only once)..

I also have personally observed boats which have gotten into trouble with triplines.
One boat used too short a scope, and the tripline buoy pulled the anchor out at high tide-->boat on beach.

A couple of times I have seen triplines fouled by another anchor rode.

The only time I buoyed my anchor was off the Opera House during the millennium fireworks--that was crazy--soft bottom in 25 knots--fending off boats left and right.

The risk of getting an anchor caught is very dependent on the bottom structure, the wind and tide conditions,
In many anchorages the risk is close to zero. Even in high risk areas an anchor that cannot be freed with careful maneuvering is small, but if you anchor often enough in different locations you will sooner or later encounter a situation where a trip line is necessary.
A wise cruising sailor will try to recognize the situations where the risk is high and the drawbacks are minimal.
I agree 1% use is about right, but its very dependant on location.
For example there are parts of Australia I would not dive to free my anchor. As they are usually deserted anchorages a trip line is a wise choice if there are rocks or coral.

[mikereed100]

If you need to buoy your anchor you could avoid trouble by using a length of line a little longer than the depth, then attaching this line to the head of the anchor and securing it along it's length to the chain with string. No buoy necessary. If your anchor fouls, pull the chain until you get to the line, then pull the line.

Mike

Edit: Looks like Alain beat me to it! (post #20)

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by zeehag

loud music or use of noisey tools also keeps folks away

It is a good idea, but does not seem to work in practice.
Many years ago I put together a compilation tape (remember those cassette things) of the most objectionable heavy metal music I could lay may hand s on.
The first test was when anchored in Australia where you could have anchored 2nm either side with little difference. There was not another boat in sight , but despite my considerable hi fi system another boat decided I must be in a good spot and anchored on top of us.

Still I think some Sri Lankan music might have a more positive effect or maybe just a recording of generator noise!

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by mikereed100

Edit: Looks like Alain beat me to it! (post #20)

As Alain points this does not work on some occasions. A proper trip line is more reliable.

[btrayfors]

While there may be exceptions, in my experience trip lines (like stern anchors) are unnecessary providing that you use proper anchoring techniques.

Example #1: In over 50 years of sailing in many parts of the world, I've only NEEDED a stern anchor once: to kedge off a mudbank in the Chesapeake.

Example #2: In the same period of time, I've NEVER needed a trip line, and I have anchored a lot, literally thousands of times overnite or longer.

Trip lines and stern anchors are mostly the province of newbie sailors -- or newbie cruisers. After you get some experience, you find they are unnecessary complications.

How do you deal with a "stuck" anchor? Easy, just like you deal with raising the anchor EVERY time:

1. you slowly take in chain or rope rode until you are straight up and down over the anchor.

2. you then power slowly ahead or astern -- gently, it doesn't take much power -- until the anchor breaks free of the bottom.

3. then, and only then, do you use the windlass to pull in the rode and anchor.

If you've been anchored in the same spot for a long time and the anchor is really buried deep, you can just wait a bit after step #1 and let the wave action work on the tight, straight-up-and-down rode. The anchor will break free.

Only once in all my years of anchoring has this not worked immediately. That time, in muddy water I'd pulled my 35lb Hi-Tensile Danforth under a sunken log and it was stuck pretty well. However, after gently powering about and taking in rode whenever I could (by hand as I then had no windlass), the anchor came up...undamaged.

JMO. Your mileage may vary, and I concede that there are locales where it might be a good idea to use a trip line. Or a stern anchor.

Bill

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by zeehag

I have NEVER seen a trip line on an experienced cruiser's boat. NEVER. ...

I've seen them, and never thought more of a cruiser insecure enough to use one (in almost all circumstances).

If you tie a line to the crown of the anchor, and bouy the line with a small float, you can pull a fouled anchor out backwards, releasing it from the bottom. The problem is that this often results in a harbor full of small floats, that are hazardous to navigation, or worse are cut off by an errant high speed dinghy at night.
Anchor Trip-Line Techniques
➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ues-64316.html

If you think a cable or old anchor chain is the culprit, utilizing an anchor rider or chaser may do the trick. Shackle a short length of chain together to form a loop around the anchor rode, then lower it down to the anchor using a messenger line of double braided nylon (3/8” minimum) – double braided line has less stretch than three-strand and won’t snap back if it breaks or when the anchor is comes free. Once you’ve worked the chaser over the anchor’s shank (keeping the rode tight and vertical will make this easier) use the messenger to pull the anchor backwards and hopefully free from the obstruction.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by btrayfors

If you've been anchored in the same spot for a long time and the anchor is really buried deep, you can just wait a bit after step #1 and let the wave action work on the tight, straight-up-and-down rode. The anchor will break free.

Only once in all my years of anchoring has this not worked immediately. That time, in muddy water I'd pulled my 35lb Hi-Tensile Danforth under a sunken log and it was stuck pretty well. However, after gently powering about and taking in rode whenever I could (by hand as I then had no windlass), the anchor came up...undamaged.

A trip line is not needed for an anchor that is simply buried in the substrate, no matter how deep. As you point out such an anchor is easily raised using conventional techniques and a little patience.
A trip line is only needed if the anchor, or chain, is caught under, or around a rock, coral bommie, or heavy mooring chain etc.
Pulling from the opposite direction Motoring around in wide circles clockwise then anticlockwise. Pulling from different directions are techniques that can work. If you can dive and at least visualize the problem its also a big help, but when you have spent a couple of days and the anchor is still stuck you will consider (but hopefully not use) a trip line every time you anchor.

[Greg4cocokai]

As full-time cruisers, at anchor 99% of the time, we also DON'T use a trip line. If anchoring in a coral area, we usually snorkel the chain before raising the anchor to see which way to maneuver to get it up. In our experience it's always the chain stuck and not the anchor. We pulled up a 20' boat trailer in PNG as the chain had wrapped all around it!

I did dive once to free a fellow cruisers anchor. His nice new SS Rocna had been dropped right into a hole in the top of a bombie, his shank already bent over 90*. I almost gave up on getting it out but finally did it with the last yank. Handy roll bar! A trip line would not have helped in that situation!

Keep it SIMPLE!

[barnakiel]

The only time we used the trip line was until it got chopped off for the fifth time by passers by ('s props - mostly ribs and local fishermen's).

But a good idea in rocky bottom I guess.

b.

[Viking Sailor]

I've been sailing/living aboard/cruising for over 50 years and luckily never needed to trip an anchor. However, I have had more then one boater drop their anchor on top of mine. So, contrary to what some folks have espoused, since 1988 I have used an anchor buoy.

What happens is that, when riding to an all chain rode, in the calm after a blow the boat can be sitting over a pile of chain with the anchor off the beam. So, another boater sees you way over there and drops his anchor right on top of yours.

To combat this issue I use a buoy with the my boat name and "ANCHOR" on it. The buoy is secured to the anchor with a heavy fishing line. This line goes through the buoy and is coiled around a weight. I adjust the buoy line to be about 1.5 times the anchoring depth. When in the water the weight keeps the buoy over the anchor. I have never had anyone foul the this setup.