Nuuk, Greenland, a commercial harbour where we would use a trip line if we anchored there.
Question: I am looking for suggestions on how to best rig an anchor trip line?
Answer: First off, we use a trip line less than 1% of the time and only in places that we think may have junk on the bottom, such as commercial harbours. And in over 40 years of anchoring we have never had an anchor saved by a trip line and we have never lost an anchor.
We have got an anchor fouled, probably half a dozen times but have managed, on every occasion but one, to get clear by shortening up the rode, engaging the chain break to unload the windlass, and then pulling with the engine from various directions until we pulled the anchor clear. (You need strong gear for this game as the loads can be prodigious.)
On the one occasion that did not work, we got clear by lifting whatever we were snagged on a bit off the bottom, using our massively powerful Ideal Windlass, and then letting the chain run, which popped the anchor out from under whatever it was.
One other point. Your risk of getting your anchor fouled on an obstruction goes way down if you use one of the new design anchors like a SPADE or a Rocna in comparison to an older design like a CQR. The reason is that the former set in their own length, but the latter usually drag for at least 20-feet before setting, thereby increasing the chances of finding something to hang up on.
For the occasional time that we do use a trip line, this is how we do it:
Tie a line to the crown of the anchor and a buoy to the other end of the line. On most anchors there is an attachment point on the crown for this purpose. Often it is just a hole drilled through the fluke. In this case you will need to add a shackle to the anchor to give you something to tie to that won’t chafe the line. In the photo to the right, we have done just this and used a wire-tie to lock the shackle.- Make sure the trip line is good and strong as you may have to really haul on it hard.
- Write the boat’s name and “Trip line, do not pick up” on the buoy in large letters with a permanent marker. This won’t deter every desperate mooring seeker, but it is more politically correct than the “Danger, high explosives” that we have been tempted to use.
- Make sure the line is at least as long as the water is deep, but not much longer or it will foul. Don’t forget to allow for the tide. If the line is too long, you can coil the excess and tie it to the bottom of the buoy.
- Lead the buoy and line outside everything and back to where you will be working next to the windlass.
- Coil the line carefully and then split the coil into two halves, one for each hand. (By the way, we always split a coil this way when about to heave a line because it allows us to throw it much further and more accurately.)
- When ready to anchor, throw the buoy and line as far as you can out abeam.
- Drop the anchor.
If the anchor snags you can pick up the buoy and pull the anchor up by the crown.
As you can see, this is all a bit of a palaver. Also, a good 10% of the time, despite our best efforts, the chain will foul the trip line, either when anchoring, or later as the boat swings, and drag the buoy under.
We have been approached to evaluate a patented anchor retrieval system from Europe that seems to show some promise of simplifying all this. Once we have tried it out, we will report.
Have you ever been saved from losing an anchor by a trip line and what percentage of the time do you use one? Also, have you tried any of the patented anchor retrieval systems and what was your experience? Please leave a comment.
Craig Smith January 28, 2011 at 1:11 pm
A buoyed retrieval line has been of assistance in rocky bottoms in Antarctica. In any event it’s easy to find anecdotes of folk losing anchors all over the world – submerged logs and other debris in lake beds seem to be a particular culprit when it comes to anchor eating.
We rig the line on the pulpit to run out with the anchor. Throw it all in at once before the anchor and you increase the risk of fouling. With a bit of practice it can be set-up to essentially deploy itself.
http://www.rocna.com/kb/Buoyed_retrieval_line
There is a buoy available which contains an integrated self-retrieving line, which retracts/deploys on a spring to keep the length that of the depth. A bit overly complex perhaps but we’re sure it works well. You can run the line through the buoy and suspend a weight on the working end, to achieve a similar effect, with the downside of extra line floating about looking to get twisted.
Other retrieval systems are either unnecessarily complicated and unreliable or compromise the security of the anchor. Systems which depend on being lowered down the chain are not practical in surge. It’s hard to beat a simple line from the surface to the anchor – KISS.
Colin January 28, 2011 at 3:01 pm
We hardly ever use a trip line – perhaps once or twice a season, and only when we are convinced that there is likelihood that we may foul the anchor, either (as you suggest) in commercial harbours, or where the pilot book suggests that there is a problem. Why? Well on one occasion we had our pick up buoy and anchor lifted (despite being clearly labelled, and us shouting at the miscreant), and we rescued another boat in the same circumstances where the offending boat simply threw the lot back in, and the unattended boat dragged as a result. And then there are the other cases where we’ve seen the lines foul props etc.
Despite this, we’ve usually been able to retrieve an anchor via determined hauling from a different direction – not always easy, and hard on the gear and nerves, but it has worked for us. On the one occasion when we had to try something extra, a loop of chain attached to a line and lowered down the (shortened) cable over the anchor shank and then pulled from the dinghy finally did the trick.
We carry two trip lines, one of 10m and one of 20m, and use the one closest to the depth we’re in. We’ve also (on rare occasions) simply rolling hitched the trip line (long enough to reach the deck at high water) down the cable rather than use a surface buoy, in areas where there’s lots of traffic, or in anchorages affected by tide or shifting winds.
I’d agree that the latest generation of anchors that set very quickly suffer less – I certainly had far more snarl-ups with CQRs in the past, and the logic of the longer distance required to set increasing the likelihood of picking something up seems inescapable.
But there does seem to be one immutable rule – if one boat comes into an anchorage and anchors with a trip line set, then everybody else starts digging in the locker to get theirs out, and before you know it there’s a floating garden of trip buoys – another reason to choose lonely anchorages!
Matt Marsh January 28, 2011 at 10:15 pm
Sunset Chaser‘s anchor is a slotted shank Danforth clone, so the rode itself serves as a trip line if you jiggle it around a bit. The downside, of course, is that this anchor rarely sets on the first try (I once gave up after four attempts) and tends to drag if the wind shifts (so the boat can’t be left unattended at anchor- not really a problem, since she’s small enough to beach or trailer). I’d much rather have a Rocna!
I’ve had anchors snag on other boats, but never felt the need for a trip line. Bouncing it around in different directions has, for me, always been successful at getting rid of a log or rock, and (thankfully) I have yet to snag a cable or pipeline.
Bob Tetrault January 29, 2011 at 12:51 pm
Hi John, rarely do we use a trip line on Sea Return so my experience is short. I agree that the chances of a successful retrieval are much better with my Rocnas. To date I see no evidence that either has ever resisted setting immediately. We have never lost an anchor but I have had to dive on several occasions to dislodge either the chain or anchor. Most common foul: chain swept under something when the current changes direction or the catenary dips under a coral head and I guess wrong on the direction of wrap. If I anticipate the need for a pre-rigged trip line I use your method but fully expect it to be fouled when needed. One time my son left a fishing line rigged overnight, a nurse shark managed to whip the fishing and trip lines together around the prop shaft on a settled night outside Provinciales. Today I’m more inclined to shorten to the limit and send a messenger down the rode rigged with a heavy chain bite through a bell shackle sized to dry on my 7/16″ rode. The need to mark where your anchor lay is certainly less with my Rocna 55, less scope combined with confidence it will stay put has me rethinking the need for a pre-rigged trip.
David Nutt January 29, 2011 at 4:24 pm
I had to dive on our anchor in Kupang, West Timor in 20m of water with 1 m visibility. Using both feet I was able to dislodge a massive chain from the flukes of our Bruce anchor. Having already lifted our anchor chain I did not have to worry about re-engaging the old chain. I think that would have been a great place to have a trip line. We used them on rare occasions all the way around the world and on our trip to Greenland last summer but I have yet to have to resort to the trip to retrieve the anchor. Our methods basically mirror those of John and Phyllis.
John January 29, 2011 at 5:52 pm
Hi All, thanks for the great comments.
I am particularly struck by the general agreement in experience and conclusions between Colin, Bob and David that strongly indicates that trip lines are something we all feel we should do, but the actual usefulness is really pretty limited in the real world.
(For those readers who don’t know the resumes, we have a professional research yacht captain; a master mariner and professional fisherman; and a life long sailor, boat builder and circumnavigator. I’m guessing that we have over a century of combined experience here.)
This is just another example of the “standard wisdom” handed out to those new to the sport being, at least somewhat, flawed.
The take aways that I get from this are:
Evan Selbiger January 30, 2011 at 11:51 am
John,
There is a product on the market called “anchor saver” and I agree it probably only should be used when you are in an area where you might get an anchor stuck and not all the time. It does work. And I think everyone would agree, that this is the point of the product.
Hans Jakob Valderhaug January 30, 2011 at 2:09 pm
John,
Over the years we have had our anchor seriously stuck on three occasions: A CQR at Lyngør on the Norwegian SE coast, a Bruce in Vesterålen in northern Norway and more recently our Spade at Lindisfarne on the English E coast. Neither of these were commercial harbours (ok ok, I know that some of my ancestors would disagree on Lindisfarne). The CQR was stuck under an uncharted waterpipe and a local diver saved the day. On the last two occasions lines and blocks back to our genoa winches combined with brute force and foul language solved the problem. Given that it was a decade between each of these events I reckon we will stick to our KISS principle and keep on without a trip line – now with backing from your experienced readers. We are however considering getting a windlass…
David Head January 30, 2011 at 4:04 pm
In 52 years of anchoring I have found that a very large shackle sent down the anchor rode does the trick. I haul the rode tight by motoring ahead whilst retrieving the chain with the electric windlass. Once tight the heavy shackle travels down the chain easily. By dropping a substantial amount of chain, the retrieval line attached to the shackle usually breaks the anchor free at the 1st try. If not try again! BTW: I often use a HD fisherman style anchor on rough ground and always set a retrieval line to the crown. If any anchor is going to foul these are the most likely, but that may be due to the ground on which they are best deployed. Fisherman anchors still have a place on cruising boats but stowage is the ever present curse, and nothing but a large one will do.
John January 31, 2011 at 6:15 pm
Hi David,
The huge shackle sounds like a great idea as a variation on the loop of chain.
We too carry a fisherman anchor but have not used it once since getting our 55 kg SPADE 10 years ago and I have to tell you that I don’t miss wrestling with the fisherman one little bit!
RDE February 2, 2011 at 7:18 pm
Here is the link to a new device that allows a retrieval line to be led only when needed. If anyone tries it out, let us know. http://www.anchorwitch.com