Anchor Gone !!!

[ADMPRTR]

Originally Posted by southace

I found a nice new Manson supreme will diving a few weeks ago,working better than the old CQR!!

I assume it wasn't attached to a boat at that time...

[Tingum]

I have 3 nice danforths that I have dove out of the reef where people hung them up and just cut them off!

[Seafarer24]

In the future, put a trip line on your anchor to make retrieving it by hand much easier. You can also run the anchor line back to a winch and try to crank it out in that fashion.

[Seahunter]

Ditto on the crab pots (numbered?) and the note.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Seafarer24

In the future, put a trip line on your anchor to make retrieving it by hand much easier. You can also run the anchor line back to a winch and try to crank it out in that fashion.

Agreed. I deploy with a trip line and float with name of the boat on it when I set the anchor.

Which is probably why I've never needed to actually use it. Neptune's got a sick sense of humour.

[oldjags]

Originally Posted by shorebird

I once saw a guy have a fit over his missing crab pot, going on and on about the low-life thieves, ect. He finally left, but as I continued fishing, the tide fell, exposing his previously submerged trap float...
Sure your anchor was gone?

Tidal range in Tampa Bay is only about 18" - not like where you are! Also, he says he was back in only two hours to retrieve it. Tide would not have changed that much in that length of time, anyway.

There's always the small chance they couldn't get it loose either, so just took the free fender.

I'm betting it is really and truly gone.

[capn_billl]

Sad to hear. Unfortunately this probably wont be the last anchor you lose. Carry a spare.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by southace

I found a nice new Manson supreme will diving a few weeks ago,working better than the old CQR!!

[David M]

I would not risk ticking off a commercial fisherman. They may not see any humor in it. This is their livelihood and you are out there for fun...as they will probably see it. They also might not be responsible for your anchor disappearing and would know nothing about that, except that you messed with their traps.

I have had commercial fishermen pull up my research equipment. Most of the time they throw it back. They are quite often looking for poachers with illegal gear.

[minaret]

Lol, if it was a commercial pot you wouldn't even be able to pick it without using your windlass. And when you got it up it would be way too big to put on deck! Commercial crabbers only operate in particular areas IME, such as Alaska. It ain't like lobstermen , at least not around here. They use big boats and big pots. Crab fisheries are very restricted commercially in the US...

You do have to be careful though, a guy here was recently busted selling a 1000 lbs a week to restaurants, all of it stolen from recreational traps. He knew all the sweet spots and got out there earliest, everyone else thought it was just a bad season! They gave him serious time. He was using refrigerator trucks and the whole bit, big business.
On the other hand, where I live, it's understood that if you pick a trap full of crab, it's OK to take 'em occasionally as long as you leave a six pack in the trap, and it's a long string. Not that I ever do...

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Seafarer24

In the future, put a trip line on your anchor to make retrieving it by hand much easier. You can also run the anchor line back to a winch and try to crank it out in that fashion.

Actually I just tried the other night to kedge the anchor using a winch, to get off a grounding. Just wasn't strong enough to do it. And, I don't have a winch on the mast, so the angle would be wrong. But a neighbor is going to help me set up a trip line. We were "going to do it, and now we're GONNA do it!

Fortunately a friend has a 22 lb. Danforth (same size as what I lost) that he bought from a storage locker sale. He'll sell it to me cheaply. Takes some of the sting out of it.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

Agreed. I deploy with a trip line and float with name of the boat on it when I set the anchor.

Which is probably why I've never needed to actually use it. Neptune's got a sick sense of humour.

I think Neptune's first name is "Murphy!"

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by oldjags

Tidal range in Tampa Bay is only about 18" - not like where you are! Also, he says he was back in only two hours to retrieve it. Tide would not have changed that much in that length of time, anyway.

There's always the small chance they couldn't get it loose either, so just took the free fender.

I'm betting it is really and truly gone.

Well, the average tide here is about 2' and yes, I'm sure the anchor is gone. I marked it on the chart plotter. There was a crab pot right at that point! -- with a line of 'em extending in both directions. Sick sense of humor, that crabber.

I'm female, and I'm not taking on a crabber by myself. I'm not leaving notes in traps. If he's professional, it's a serious crime here to disturb his pots.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

Sad to hear. Unfortunately this probably wont be the last anchor you lose. Carry a spare.

I always carry a spare. this was the "spare" anchor, and I'm already in the process of replacing it.

As for the fender, it was too small to bother with. It wouldn't have been worth the effort.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by David M

I would not risk ticking off a commercial fisherman. They may not see any humor in it. This is their livelihood and you are out there for fun...as they will probably see it. They also might not be responsible for your anchor disappearing and would know nothing about that, except that you messed with their traps.

I have had commercial fishermen pull up my research equipment. Most of the time they throw it back. They are quite often looking for poachers with illegal gear.

I agree with you regarding the general nature of commercial fishermen.

As I said, I think karma will take care of it.