Anchor and rope question
- Thread starter Ed Auman
- Start date
Capt. Jack Passie
Well-known member
Your in Maine. Hamilton Marine. For a BBSB 3/8 is way more than enough with a 5 pound Danfourth Anchor, I think you have to determine the length. I anchor our duckboats in 15 - 50 feet of water aa have 150' of line. If you're only using the boat in a foot or two of water you can probably get away 25' or less. On the Windy I have 600' of 1/2 nylon with a 22 pound Hi-Tensile Danforth an 10' of 3/8 chain. Everything is relitive to where you plan on using your boat.
John L
Well-known member
Ed,
Can't say where to buy an anchor by you.
I use 3/8" x 100' of 3- strand twisted line for anchor rode. You can get white line and buy a bottle of black or brown Dye at a craft store and dye it yourself a lot cheaper than buying a colored rode. Just make sure you also have a few feet of chain on the ground tackle for a better bite.
Can't say where to buy an anchor by you.
I use 3/8" x 100' of 3- strand twisted line for anchor rode. You can get white line and buy a bottle of black or brown Dye at a craft store and dye it yourself a lot cheaper than buying a colored rode. Just make sure you also have a few feet of chain on the ground tackle for a better bite.
Matt_n_Barb
Well-known member
I have used 3/8" x 60' rope with 3 feet of chain, and a 10lbs drift boat style anchor on the Snake/Salmon rivers to secure the 18 foot cat (Aire Leopard) when collecting hydrodynamic data for research and 1/2d modeling for fish habitat quantification. Just had to be careful when the anchor gets close to the cats tubes so as to not puncture them.
My canoe is different.....the airboat is different and so on and so forth....
The moral of all this.......the parameters of the anchor are determined by the application and boat type.
Matt
My canoe is different.....the airboat is different and so on and so forth....
The moral of all this.......the parameters of the anchor are determined by the application and boat type.
Matt
Dennis Johnson
Active member
Dave- rode is another name for line or rope.
Dennis
Dennis
Bob B
Well-known member
Ed,
hit the closest commercial fishing supply house or local lobsterman. 3\8 black pot warp makes an excellent rode for small boats.
You want chain on that anchor for sure. It dosnt have to be huge but it will double the chance you have of getting the danforth set in the bottom. The west marines of the world sell cheap galvanized chain just for anchors with a large last welded ring on one end for the rope and a shackle for the anchor stock.
Tie in the rope you get with a bowline or fishermans knot and you are set.
hit the closest commercial fishing supply house or local lobsterman. 3\8 black pot warp makes an excellent rode for small boats.
You want chain on that anchor for sure. It dosnt have to be huge but it will double the chance you have of getting the danforth set in the bottom. The west marines of the world sell cheap galvanized chain just for anchors with a large last welded ring on one end for the rope and a shackle for the anchor stock.
Tie in the rope you get with a bowline or fishermans knot and you are set.
Scott Farris
Well-known member
Dave,
Don't feel bad on the rope name thing it can be really confusing at first but because there is so much rope on boats the term rope is almost never used except as a commodity purchase. Once brought on board and customizes for a a job it's given a name and never called a "rope" again until trashed.
There's standing rigging which today is cable but in the traditional days was tarred rope. The standing rigging structurally supports the masts. The fore and aft running lines are stays while the side supports are shrouds.
The running rigging controls the sails and needs to be flexible with low stretch for good control. The lines that raise the sails are haliards. The lines that control the leeward end of the sail to adjust the angle of attack to the wind are sheets. There are also guys which control the outer end of a spinnaker pole, down hauls which control the rise of booms and poles. There are outhauls which attach the outer corner of sails to their boom. Let's not forget the leach lines which help control the outer edge of boomed sails. Each of these lines are further named by the sail they are attached to and which side of the boat they run on (port jib sheet).
Then there are docking lines, bow, stern and spring lines are common ones. Alone with the anchor rodes and tow lines, the dock lines are normally nylon to provide shock absorbing stretch.
So an anchor rode is generally Nylon rope with a thimble spliced into the end. The thimble prevents the line from chafing through. No, it's not required and as Bob wrote above a simple bowline will work on a duck boat.
When in doubt call it a line! Never call a rope a rope on a boat :^) And learn to tie real knots. not just for playing the part, but because they have stood the test of centeries, They hold and even more important, they untie after having been under load. Some of the biggest PIA is getting improperly tied sheet bowlines back apart after a day of sailing. I have spent close to half an hour with a marlin to break one knot.
I know more than anyone wanted to know but it was fun writing it :^)
Scott
Don't feel bad on the rope name thing it can be really confusing at first but because there is so much rope on boats the term rope is almost never used except as a commodity purchase. Once brought on board and customizes for a a job it's given a name and never called a "rope" again until trashed.
There's standing rigging which today is cable but in the traditional days was tarred rope. The standing rigging structurally supports the masts. The fore and aft running lines are stays while the side supports are shrouds.
The running rigging controls the sails and needs to be flexible with low stretch for good control. The lines that raise the sails are haliards. The lines that control the leeward end of the sail to adjust the angle of attack to the wind are sheets. There are also guys which control the outer end of a spinnaker pole, down hauls which control the rise of booms and poles. There are outhauls which attach the outer corner of sails to their boom. Let's not forget the leach lines which help control the outer edge of boomed sails. Each of these lines are further named by the sail they are attached to and which side of the boat they run on (port jib sheet).
Then there are docking lines, bow, stern and spring lines are common ones. Alone with the anchor rodes and tow lines, the dock lines are normally nylon to provide shock absorbing stretch.
So an anchor rode is generally Nylon rope with a thimble spliced into the end. The thimble prevents the line from chafing through. No, it's not required and as Bob wrote above a simple bowline will work on a duck boat.
When in doubt call it a line! Never call a rope a rope on a boat :^) And learn to tie real knots. not just for playing the part, but because they have stood the test of centeries, They hold and even more important, they untie after having been under load. Some of the biggest PIA is getting improperly tied sheet bowlines back apart after a day of sailing. I have spent close to half an hour with a marlin to break one knot.
I know more than anyone wanted to know but it was fun writing it :^)
Scott
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leslie riggan
Well-known member
Thanks Scott, I never knew what all the different lines were but do understand the importance of tying correct knots. I can now stump my buddies and they'll be thinking I am the idiot until I show them otherwise.
Geoff Pike
Active member
I can really wind the riggers up asking them to "drop" it over there. They prefer "set" or "place"
Hamilton Marine can set you up Ed. They are right in Portland.
Or New England Marine & Industrial in Portsmouth.
Or maybe Casco Bay, doesnt Steve's buddy Carl own that?
Length wise? 7:1 is the most given for scope, so 7' of rope for every foot of water.
I just carry 100' and hope for the best
.
Hamilton Marine can set you up Ed. They are right in Portland.
Or New England Marine & Industrial in Portsmouth.
Or maybe Casco Bay, doesnt Steve's buddy Carl own that?
Length wise? 7:1 is the most given for scope, so 7' of rope for every foot of water.
I just carry 100' and hope for the best
.
Andy Grant
Well-known member
I worked on a commercial fishing vessel in Alaska for several years. Rope was for cowboys. Line was used on boats. Even anchor lines. Rodes maybe for Yankees.
Capt. Jack Passie
Well-known member
Thats right the only rope on a boat is the rope that you ring the shipes bell with. Everything else is line
Matt_n_Barb
Well-known member
The lines of rode and rope that steer.....but I prefer the lariat to drop upon their heads.....
So much for common sense and the rope of things....when Angus black and strong appear before my eyes....
All tongue in cheek of course. maybe I have been drinking to much Russian vodka or Tequila......
Matt
So much for common sense and the rope of things....when Angus black and strong appear before my eyes....
All tongue in cheek of course. maybe I have been drinking to much Russian vodka or Tequila......
Matt
Scott Farris
Well-known member
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Dave, if your serious on the knots the first one to learn is the:
Bowline. This is a knot to save your life and can be used to tie different size lines together - loop to loop. You should be able to tie it blindfolded because if your in the drink and someone throws you a line, this is the knot you need to use to tie a loop around you. The line won't tighten down on you but you need to tie the loop tight enough that you won't slip out. Neat things about the bowline, is that it won't slip, it retains a high percentage of the line's (rope's) strength and after being heavily loaded for days at a time it will untie with little to no effort. The secret, to untie the knot is to simply push the loop back over the main line running away from the knot. Since the line bends in a tighter radius than the bend, the knot loosens right up. Much harder to describe than do. Many of the guys who post here recommend the bowline for tying decoy lines to the decoy. I have had problems with bowlines coming loose over time as bowlines are designed to not lock up tight.
A clove hitch is great to throw over pilings, hoist pennants, or when used to make a loop it's called two half hitches. Always keep the loops going in the same direction!
The Taut-line hitch is used when the length of the line needs to be adjustable like keeping tents and awnings tight.
I use a sheet bend a lot to attach one line to another. or pull wires through conduit, etc.
The square knot while popular to teach is rarely used. as the square knot only works when tying two very similar lines together. It is good for tying stuff down with ties (short pieces of cord or webbing, like furling a sail or a duck blind net. because your tying one end to the other.
So what do I use for attaching lines to decoys and decoy anchors? A fisherman's knot tied back on itself to form a loop. This knot while simple (two over hand knots), locks up tight. Fishermen don't use knots designed to come apart again. I think I made a sketch previously on how to tie it. I'll post if I can find it on my work computer tomorrow.
Instructions to tie all these knots are on line or in a Boy Scout manual.
Best!
Scott
Dave, if your serious on the knots the first one to learn is the:
Bowline. This is a knot to save your life and can be used to tie different size lines together - loop to loop. You should be able to tie it blindfolded because if your in the drink and someone throws you a line, this is the knot you need to use to tie a loop around you. The line won't tighten down on you but you need to tie the loop tight enough that you won't slip out. Neat things about the bowline, is that it won't slip, it retains a high percentage of the line's (rope's) strength and after being heavily loaded for days at a time it will untie with little to no effort. The secret, to untie the knot is to simply push the loop back over the main line running away from the knot. Since the line bends in a tighter radius than the bend, the knot loosens right up. Much harder to describe than do. Many of the guys who post here recommend the bowline for tying decoy lines to the decoy. I have had problems with bowlines coming loose over time as bowlines are designed to not lock up tight.
A clove hitch is great to throw over pilings, hoist pennants, or when used to make a loop it's called two half hitches. Always keep the loops going in the same direction!
The Taut-line hitch is used when the length of the line needs to be adjustable like keeping tents and awnings tight.
I use a sheet bend a lot to attach one line to another. or pull wires through conduit, etc.
The square knot while popular to teach is rarely used. as the square knot only works when tying two very similar lines together. It is good for tying stuff down with ties (short pieces of cord or webbing, like furling a sail or a duck blind net. because your tying one end to the other.
So what do I use for attaching lines to decoys and decoy anchors? A fisherman's knot tied back on itself to form a loop. This knot while simple (two over hand knots), locks up tight. Fishermen don't use knots designed to come apart again. I think I made a sketch previously on how to tie it. I'll post if I can find it on my work computer tomorrow.
Instructions to tie all these knots are on line or in a Boy Scout manual.
Best!
Scott
Scott Farris
Well-known member
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Hey Capt. don't forget the rope that the soap hangs on. It's safer in those yacht club & marina showers :^)
Scott
Bob B
Well-known member
Here is a picture of the soap knot that will keep you safe.........
Bowline animated how too
This one is the fishermans bend that they call the Anchor knot
Anchor Bend
The double turn is said to be for chafe and has always served me well. I did not use thimbles often.
Ashleys book is the bible but there are some more recent books with better pictures. The animated photos are a very good way to get it right the first time.
I learned all my knots by buying books and trying them out with the string I would be using. For fishing I used to test them all on the pintle of my old F250 Ford. Both straight pull and shock load were tried. (Gave up doing it with leather gloves and a dock cleat after a couple of close calls) Often a big diff. in capability. For a test of one vs the other tie each in an end of the string and secure, testing till one is declared the winner when the other gives up.
Nothing worse than loosing a fish with people paying you cause the dope taking the money cant tie a knot.
Later life experience allowed for some awesome knot testing with a 30 ton excavator. Man you can break some rope with one of those...........
Bowline animated how too
This one is the fishermans bend that they call the Anchor knot
Anchor Bend
The double turn is said to be for chafe and has always served me well. I did not use thimbles often.
Ashleys book is the bible but there are some more recent books with better pictures. The animated photos are a very good way to get it right the first time.
I learned all my knots by buying books and trying them out with the string I would be using. For fishing I used to test them all on the pintle of my old F250 Ford. Both straight pull and shock load were tried. (Gave up doing it with leather gloves and a dock cleat after a couple of close calls) Often a big diff. in capability. For a test of one vs the other tie each in an end of the string and secure, testing till one is declared the winner when the other gives up.
Nothing worse than loosing a fish with people paying you cause the dope taking the money cant tie a knot.
Later life experience allowed for some awesome knot testing with a 30 ton excavator. Man you can break some rope with one of those...........
Bob B
Well-known member
Found this when looking for the taught line hitch....
"Overboard: The Rolling Hitch has been promoted as the only knot to tie in the following unlikely but critical circumstance: while sailing alone you fall overboard and catch hold of the line which you have prudently left trailing astern and find yourself hanging on with difficulty. Before you tire, you manage to bring the bitter end of the rope around your back. You then have to tie a suitable knot to make a loop around you. A bowline cannot be tied under load. Two half hitches will slide and constrict you. The Rolling Hitch is the answer. Even as the second turn is tucked "up" into the correct place, the major strain is taken and the final half hitch can be tied with less urgency."(Animated Knots.com)
They call it the Rolling Hitch and show it here
Taught line hitch
"Overboard: The Rolling Hitch has been promoted as the only knot to tie in the following unlikely but critical circumstance: while sailing alone you fall overboard and catch hold of the line which you have prudently left trailing astern and find yourself hanging on with difficulty. Before you tire, you manage to bring the bitter end of the rope around your back. You then have to tie a suitable knot to make a loop around you. A bowline cannot be tied under load. Two half hitches will slide and constrict you. The Rolling Hitch is the answer. Even as the second turn is tucked "up" into the correct place, the major strain is taken and the final half hitch can be tied with less urgency."(Animated Knots.com)
They call it the Rolling Hitch and show it here
Taught line hitch
leslie riggan
Well-known member
that's some great links. I will be showing my kids these. The seem not to listen to their dumb ol dad.