Anchors and Inflatable Dinghys

[Broken-Sailor]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Mate, if you mean diving as in leaving the boat unattended whilst you go off somewhere else exploring, and you are where you really need the boat to get back to shore... well, in those circumstances I've always wanted something a LOT more secure than w hat you describe. As in some sort of "real" anchor, dug in by hand if necessary, with enough chain and rode to ride out any reasonable change in the wind while we were gone. Coming back to a missing boat is any offshore diver's nightmare!

Really, a couple of meters of light chain and a knockoff Danforth (West marine even has some of t hese at reasonable prices) and some 6 or 8 mm cheap poly line will hold you dink. Your coffee can weights will likely not. Your choice!

Jim

Thanks Jim, it was just a thought, will not be diving more like snorkeling any time soon and when I do I'll get a good anchor. Right now I'll just be fishing in it and thought it would help when they wind picks up.

P.S. tell Ann I am still waiting to hear about those knee exercises she was talking about and I messaged her about. Again thanks You and Ann are great with your advice and to me it is priceless. Thank you both very much.

Sent from my KFOT using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[SV Sailfish]

Originally Posted by Broken-Sailor

Curious about how effective of a small anchor this would be. Take two 4" x 5 1/2" metal coffee cans fill with concrete with an eye bolt concreted in the middle of the cans. The "cans" would weigh a little over five lbs each. Now shackle the two cans together with a six foot chain plus attach a second 4 foot chain to one of the cans and attach your anchor line to four foot chain. Probably overkill on an inflatable in 25 foot of water while fishing or diving but it is just an idea I had that might hold better than the single can anchor and chain if the wind picks up and you are diving.

What do you Guys and Gals think

In the part of the Southern U.S. I grew up in, we call this a Redneck Anchor. Yesiree Bob!

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Broken-Sailor

Thanks Jim, it was just a thought, will not be diving more like snorkeling any time soon and when I do I'll get a good anchor. Right now I'll just be fishing in it and thought it would help when they wind picks up.

P.S. tell Ann I am still waiting to hear about those knee exercises she was talking about and I messaged her about. Again thanks You and Ann are great with your advice and to me it is priceless. Thank you both very much.

Sent from my KFOT using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

I seem to have sent my answer to a different brokensailor, which is why you didn't get it. Sorry about that.

So, here you go: Google "How to do wall squats". Start conservatively, but get to muscle tremble stage and then do two more. Three sets of ten per day.
After a week, move to two sets of ten, then finish with one set of 15. See how your knees tolerate it. Don't do them if you have swelling and pain. Ice them, if either occurs.

Second bit of advice was to start swimming laps or measured distances, and increase a little, again, each week. By the end of summer, your body should be lots fitter, back and legs in good nick. But, if your knees "blow up" (either or both), stop the exercises.

Really, I think it would be best if you saw a proper physical therapist. I'm only a sailor with dicky knees.

Ann

[Broken-Sailor]

Originally Posted by SV Sailfish

In the part of the Southern U.S. I grew up in, we call this a Redneck Anchor. Yesiree Bob!

I guess my neck does get pretty red when out in the sun for awhile.

[Broken-Sailor]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

I seem to have sent my answer to a different brokensailor, which is why you didn't get it. Sorry about that.

So, here you go: Google "How to do wall squats". Start conservatively, but get to muscle tremble stage and then do two more. Three sets of ten per day.
After a week, move to two sets of ten, then finish with one set of 15. See how your knees tolerate it. Don't do them if you have swelling and pain. Ice them, if either occurs.

Second bit of advice was to start swimming laps or measured distances, and increase a little, again, each week. By the end of summer, your body should be lots fitter, back and legs in good nick. But, if your knees "blow up" (either or both), stop the exercises.

Really, I think it would be best if you saw a proper physical therapist. I'm only a sailor with dicky knees.

Ann

I did go through physical therapy, even spent three weeks in a physical rehabilitation center doing therapy three times a day. We didn't do squats though. They were mainly getting me to the point so I could get up and down the stairs to my apartment. The stairs are the only time I have much problems with the knees now. As for the swimming I love to swim and they just reopened the rec center after New ownership and a remodel, just waiting for them to get approved for the silver sneaker program so I can start going again. Most of the therapy exercises I have from the therapist are for in the water. Just wanted a sailors point of view on the right type for being on a boat with rebuilt knees. Thank Ann.

PS you just forgot the - in broken-sailor looks like.

[JPA Cate]

Broken-Sailor,

Okay, you need to start with easier stuff. If you have access to a pool, increase the time you do your original water exercises, and do work the stairs a bit. Don't even do the wall squats yet, start with leg raises, three sets of 10 per day. Increase when you are able to, to 15. This is going to be a lot longer recovery than you thought. For me, I had physical therapy for 12 weeks after the surgery, and you really have to go slow, or you get too much pain and it gets in the way of exercising and strengthening. Do use ice packs after exercising, it discourages swelling. The goal is for there to be slow muscle strengthening, without much discomfort. You might ask around for a good physical therapist, because I really think they can help, they know how bodies work; and another source of help can be massage therapists. Think in terms of a private sports practice, and see if you can negotiate a price that will allow you a good healing: sometimes these folks are real interested in helping you heal, to the point they might give you a hefty discount. Of course, I can be a terrible optimist.

If you know how to bicycle ride, maybe pick up a cheap used one. Bicycle for 10 min/ day, and slowly work yourself up. When able, try two ten min. sets. Work up to 1 hr./day hard riding. For me, I found I couldn't deal with the bike, so if it doesn't feel right to you, don't do it. It works very well for some people, but everybody's different.

This needs to be said, too: every pound of weight you can lose (down to your ideal weight) will make each step easier on the inserts in your artificial joints. So, if you have the heart for it, anything you can do in the way of weight loss will help your knees.

Wishing you the very best of luck with this, and miles of heart!

Ann