Struggling to pull my stern anchor

[Looking4Neptune]

I put out a stern anchor for the first time a couple days ago and want to pull it up now but I'm having trouble.

The anchor is a Fortress 37 with 25 ft of chain and 200 ft of dyneema (I know, not a great choice for rode, got from PO). I am on a 2010 Leopard 46 cat. I dropped the stern anchor from my dinghy, about 125 ft away in 20 ft depth, sand bottom (La Cruz anchorage, Banderas Bay, Mexico). I have a float tied to the backend of the anchor on 5/8 inch double braid polyester core.

I tried to pull it using my dinghy, hauling on the float line from directly above, no luck. I also tried hauling on the main line from the dinghy, not expecting it to move and it did not.

Then I removed the float and tied an old 200ft halyard to that line and ran it back to the boat. I can put that on a winch, but because the boat is in about the same location it was when I set the anchor, the angle won't be great, even though the line is attached to the base of the Fortress.

I can fire up the engines, pull my main anchor and try to pull the stern anchor using a winch but at the moment I'm single handing (Peggy returns Sunday or Monday) and I'm concerned about motoring around with the two lines going back to the anchor (one being floating dyneema). Really don't want a prop wrap.

Any suggestions?
thanks
Pat

[Dsanduril]

The way I pull a stuck anchor from the dinghy is to pull the rode (or the trip line) either up over the stern or over the side while I am also located at the stern/side. Then, holding the line fast, step to the opposite end/side of the dinghy. This uses the flotation of the dinghy as a lever to put extra force on the anchor. You might only get a 1/4" at a time initially, but if you work at it repeatedly, pulling as snug as you can with your weight directly over the line, and then step to the other end/side it will eventually work things free. Works even better if there's a little chop in the water.

Another option, if you have it available, is to let out more rode on the main anchor so you get closer to the stern anchor and then use your old halyard to pull the anchor from the big boat. It's a a pain, but when you are all done you pull in the excess rode on the bow anchor. No need for engines so you don't have to worry about the line wrap.

[thinwater]

This comes up a lot. It is easy if you are properly set up.

• Add enough rope to the stern anchor that you can pull up to the primary and raise that (lead this extension to the bow and cleat).
• Let the boat drift back on the second rode.
• Recover that anchor as though it was your primary.
• Forget the tripping line. It does not help on a Fortress style anchor in mud, only if it is trapped under a rock, which it probably is not. (I have tested recovery force on Fortress anchors in mud using a tripping line--little difference. This is, in fact, true of most anchors.) Just cleat it off short and let the waves work it loose. If it is deep this might take as much as 30 minutes. Relax. Rush it and you will bend the shank.

Yes, puting chain on the secondary anchor was a mistake and will make this more difficult. You do NOT need more than 10 feet of chain on a Fortress that is used as a second anchor. Certainly, it should be less than the distance from the bottom to the deck. The Dyneema was also a mistake. Hard to handle. But some folks think Dyneema is so cool. Replace with either nylon (normal and better for most anchoring) or polyester (good if you are using it for med moors).

[more]

this is only 6 m deep. dive down and remove bow shackle from anchor -chain
or put some rope to anchor and pull up from 90° of an anchor.

but one time before 6-7 year my new kobra 2 anchor 25 kg on 105 knots go 2-3 meter under bottom sticky mud. and I must hire scuba parachute twice first time 1000 kg and after 24 hour anchor don't move, later come friend with 3000 kg dive parachute and anchor jump on the surface

[Bill O]

Pat,
Can you drop back on your main anchor (pay out more) while bringing in the stern anchor line? Once directly over the stern anchor you should be able to pull it up tight for it to break out.

[SeaStory]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Pat,
Can you drop back on your main anchor (pay out more) while bringing in the stern anchor line? Once directly over the stern anchor you should be able to pull it up tight for it to break out.

This is our method. It is also how we drop the stern anchor in the first place.

This won't help for today, but we also rounded down for our stern anchor, as that made it easier to manhandle. We tried rounding up and I just couldn't.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by thinwater

This comes up a lot. It is easy if you are properly set up.

• Add enough rope to the stern anchor that you can pull up to the primary and raise that (lead this extension to the bow and cleat).
• Let the boat drift back on the second rode.
• Recover that anchor as though it was your primary.
• Forget the tripping line. It does not help on a Fortress style anchor in mud, only if it is trapped under a rock, which it probably is not. (I have tested recovery force on Fortress anchors in mud using a tripping line--little difference. This is, in fact, true of most anchors.) Just cleat it off short and let the waves work it loose. If it is deep this might take as much as 30 minutes. Relax. Rush it and you will bend the shank.

Yes, puting chain on the secondary anchor was a mistake and will make this more difficult. You do NOT need more than 10 feet of chain on a Fortress that is used as a second anchor. Certainly, it should be less than the distance from the bottom to the deck. The Dyneema was also a mistake. Hard to handle. But some folks think Dyneema is so cool. Replace with either nylon (normal and better for most anchoring) or polyester (good if you are using it for med moors).

What’s wrong with a Dyneema secondary rode? We store ours on reels, and the right size of Dyneema is a heck of a lot less bulky and heavy than nylon or polyester.

[Ken Z]

Transfer the stern anchor line to the bow. Since you are in 20’ with 25’ chain wrap your bow cleat with protective rags or .. pull your stern anchor line tight, you should be directly above the stern anchor use motor or wave action to break it free. You may option to get a line through the chain below your deck so you can secure that line to your bow cleat, to avoid chain damage to your topside. It can take a little motoring back and forth ,side to side. Make sure you primary bow anchor doesn t get to your prop. You could be wedged under a rock, anchor has to come out from the oposite direction it is set to. Good luck.

[waterman46]

You didn't say if you have enough extra line to add to your stern anchor to allow you to get up to the bow anchor and raise that first. Assuming you do have the line, once you have the bow anchor up, lead the stern rode up to the bow and use the windlass if possible. It's normally quite calm there and there's no reason you can't do this single handed, but have the motor running before raising the last (stern) anchor so you won't drift into someone else. I assume it's as crowded as usual there.

But there are no rocks in La Cruz and you should be able to raise the stern anchor without too much trouble.


Or use my method. Wait for a rising tide. Take two cold beers in the dinghy and go out over the stern anchor, put as much force on it as you can, tie it off and wait. The anchor will release by the time you finish the second beer.